HomeArtPerformance › Ballet Arizona and Arizona Opera Partner in Bringing Students Music Movement Breaks
 
 
 

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Ballet Arizona and Arizona Opera Partner in Bringing Students Music Movement Breaks  
Interactive Free Learning Breaks Inspire Students to Get Active and Involved in the Arts  

Ballet Arizona and Arizona Opera have combined forces to produce a free nine video series whose purpose is to get students moving in both virtual and in-person classroom settings. With arts programs in many schools still not active, this tool helps students develop their rhythm, movement and listening skills while introducing them to the world of ballet and opera.  

“This project is an excellent example of how the arts can help support students and teachers in their learning and their well-being,” said Alexandra Papazian, Ballet Arizona Education and Community Engagement Manager. “The traditional learning model is very sedentary, and these videos give students and teachers a chance to reinvigorate the learning experience. Our Music Movement Breaks combine movement, music, classical arts, and history in short, manageable doses that provide students with a fun and rich embodied-learning experience.”  

Each video varies in difficulty, and the dances in which the students participate are rhythmic, addressing state standards while promoting learning and movement. Educators may pause, rewind and play the videos as many times as they wish.  

“When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, I began hearing about the challenges that arts programs faced while adapting to this new virtual, or hybrid learning model. With a common goal to keep classical music and movement alive in the classroom, Music Movement Breaks was born,” said Cassie Robel, Director of Education and Community Engagement at Arizona Opera. “Each video has its own unique dance set to opera arias and ballet classics that students will recognize, keeping them engaged, learning, and having fun. It is a priority for Arizona Opera to create arts programming that supports both teachers and students in our community. Collaborating with Ballet Arizona to provide these free, accessible Music Movement Breaks does just that.”  

Arizona Opera’s Education and Community Engagement programs are made possible, in part, thanks to the support of: Karen Fruen, The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation, Dr. Rex Brewster, Invest in Kids Charitable Gift Fund, The Moreno Family Foundation, The Arizona Republic, Fillman Gorin Fund held at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, The City of Peoria, and Desert Diamond Casino West Valley. 

Music Movement Breaks videos are available on Arizona Opera’s website and YouTube channel. For more information about each organization’s Education and Community Engagement offerings, please visit azopera.org or balletaz.org