Talent Beyond Words: Unveiling Spatial,Expressive,Kinesthetic,and Musical Talent in Young Children

Abstract

Talent Beyond Words was developed to identify and serve children with potential talent in the performing arts, especially dance and percussion music. Participants in the program included elementary-aged students attending two inner city schools. All pupils at targeted grade levels received instruction over several weeks in order to provide rich opportunities for dynamic assessment by teams of professional artists, arts educators, and specially trained teachers from participating sites. Students identified as a result of the audition processes took part in demanding after school curricula over the course of 3 years. The students' proficiency levels in their respective performing arts were impressive, as was the esteem they gained from teachers, classmates, parents, and from their own disciplined efforts.

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