While many extracurricular activities for elementary-age children have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The School of Ballet Arizona will keep kids engaged with a soon-to-launch, free interactive workshop that will get little bodies moving and creative juices flowing.

“Read, Dance, Play” allows children ages 5-7 to listen and/or read along with a book of the month as they use movement to interpret and understand the story’s events and themes. Taught by the School of Ballet Arizona Division Faculty Member, Rebecca Needhammer, these monthly interactive Zoom sessions allow kids to practice their listening, thinking and communication skills through words and movement.

“Please join us for a wonderful virtual opportunity for your young child to read along, dance and engage creatively with School of Ballet Arizona faculty,” Needhammer said. “We will take a contemporary children's book and explore how it relates to us by using dance, music, and even props and costumes.”

Class spots are expected to fill up quickly and registration is required. To sign your child up for “Read, Dance, Play!,” visit http://www.balletaz.org/read-dance-play. Books are not provided but will be read aloud. If you would like to have your child follow along, links to purchase each book are available at the “Read, Dance, Play” landing page.

Book and class schedule:

• “Ballet Cat: The Totally Secret Secret” by Bob Shea
Saturday, January 23 – 1-1:30 p.m.

• “The Bad Seed” by Pete Oswald
Saturday, February 20 – 1-1:30 p.m.

• “Dance is for Everyone” by Andrea Zuill
Saturday, March 20 – Time to be announced – Visit balletaz.org for updates

• “A Concert in the Park” by Kazuaki Yamada
Saturday, April 17 – Time to be announced – Visit balletaz.org for updates

• “Boys Dance!” by John Robert Allman
Saturday, May 15 – Time to be announced – Visit balletaz.org for updates