Lippman School third and fourth grade students will be featured in a dance performance at the Akron Art Museum on Thursday, March 17, at 7:00 PM.

“Kids in Motion” will follow a week-long creative workshop guided by Akron area dancer and choreographer Brian Murphy, who has performed with a number of ballet companies throughout the US. Murphy will dance in the show, and will also serve as co-producer, co-coordinator, and choreographer.

He currently guest dances with NEOS Dance Theater and Verb Ballets, is co-coordinator of Verb Ballets creative fusion artist program, and has been producing his own outreach programs for students of all ages in the Akron area for the past 20 years.

The show will also feature professional dance instructor and choreographer, Desmond Davis, as well as Daniel James Kshywonis, who plays, teaches, and builds drums. Four Akron-area high school students who study at The University of Akron Dance Institute will also participate.

“What makes this program unique,” Murphy says, “is that the adults won’t just teach or lead the children in the workshop; they will participate in the whole process—including the performance.” In addition, he notes that the performance will be an original dance and music piece created during the workshop.

Lippman’s Head of School, Sam Chestnut, says the dance workshop is a great example of creative and innovative educational opportunities available for students at Lippman.

“We’re starting out with just a couple of grades this year,” he says, “but we hope to expand the program to include more of our students in the future. We see real value in not only exposing our students to the arts, but also in giving them the opportunity to learn directly from professional artists. It’s a great addition to other creative opportunities we offer, such as our annual school play, art classes, and the Lippman School band.”

The Lippman School offers a globalized K-8 independent school education now celebrating 51 years of academic excellence in Akron. It features small classes, carefully selected teachers, and a fast-paced curriculum. With value added character development, international perspective and a robust sense of community, students easily connect with their peer group and gain confidence through a sense of belonging.