Roderick's students performing a series of intricate call and response rhythms
Drums pounded and the crowd cheered in the Bronx last Wednesday, but it wasn’t McCartney back at Yankee Stadium. Instead 6th,7th and 8th graders at MS 145 shook the roof of the school auditorium in a presentation of storytelling, drumming, and dancing, the culmination of a year long residency with Early Stages teaching artists Roderick Jackson and Joy Kelly.
Many of these students have worked with Roderick and Joy for even longer and it was wonderful to see how far they had come in terms of both ability and confidence.
Classes practiced rhythms on stage before settling into their seats, as the audience of students, parents, and teachers filed into the auditorium. The assembly began with students from Joy’s storytelling classes acting out traditional tales from around the world. The students used what they had learned about oral histories, body language, and narrative to bring these stories to life, eliciting laughs and cheers from their audience. The stories also showcased cultures closer to home. Students performed one story (featuring a drummer and an impish dancer, below) first in English and then again in Spanish.
Two students act out a scene in which a spirit dances to the beat of a travelling drummer
The drumming portion of the assembly followed, with the students led by Roderick Jackson. Each class performed a different rhythmic piece, drawing from African and Caribbean traditions. Getting a group of people to play in time together can be a very challenging task, but these students performed like professionals! Roderick even chose certain students to lead the group. Playing together the students showed an understanding not only of traditional and often complicated rhythms and technique, but also the teamwork and focus it takes to be a part of an ensemble performance like this. One class choreographed dancers to the rhythm of the drums and another sang African chants as they played. But most inspiring of all was the 8th grade ensemble which included solos and a professional level of playing. Judging by the smiles on their faces, the students loved their time in the limelight.
Check out our YouTube channel for videos of the students’ performances:
