Pre-Conference

Due to high demand, the Thursday Pre-Conference is at capacity!  On-site registrations will not be taken.   (This is for Pre-Conference only and does NOT affect the Fri/Sat Conference.)

Pre-Conference will take place on Thursday, January 16 from 10:00am-4:00pm EST.

More session details coming soon!

10:00am – 12:00pm – Bongo Boy Music: The Beat Goes On: A Rhythm Experience

 

Drum circles are a creative and fun way to add rhythm and groove to your curriculum.  At this workshop educators will learn and try out basic drum circle facilitation techniques, along with learning some basic grooves to drive the rhythm of your circle.  Simple, yet fun rhythm games will be presented to help enhance the feel of a steady beat within the circle, and also engage students in listening, connecting and building basic rhythm skills.  The workshop will wrap up with songs, rhythm chants and short groove tunes that introduce basic rhythm, movement and social skill building.  Each participant will receive 2 free rhythm track downloads.  (1 Brain Break and 1 Rhythm for Regulation)

  

   12:00 – 1:00pm – Lunch (provided)

1:00 – 1:50pm – Damon Clevenger: Folk Dancing Around the World
This session will include the what, why, and how to teach movement/folk dances.  Participants will walk away with tips & tricks and some easy beginning dances.  Several dances from the 2025 Folk Dance Festival will also be previewed.

 

 

 

2:00 – 2:50pm - Manju Durairaj: Creative Musicking with the Young Child

This session provides exemplars including songs, chants, poems and movement to engage PreK and K students in musicking, that is singing, moving, creating, and notating. The focus of the session is to use manipulatives and available materials to help young children organize their musical ideas in a creative and developmentally appropriate way and to express these ideas through non-traditional ways that precede traditional music literacy. 

 3:00 – 4:00pm - Manju Durairaj: Children's Games, Chants and Movement from India

This session provides accessible pathways to introduce students to Indian culture through chants, songs and dance. The festivals of Diwali and Holi will be discussed as will the dandiya and bhangra dance.

 

You may attend the pre-conference workshop only or as an add-on to your standard IMEA PD Conference registration. Visit the Registration page to register!