On workshops with Grooversity and Galush:

"Our students’ main takeaways were that rhythm and voice can be powerful tools for expression, connection, and leadership. Through bucket drumming and beatboxing, they practiced active listening, teamwork, and self-confidence, learning how to stay on tempo, respond to cues, and collaborate as an ensemble. Students also built real skills in creating patterns, layering sounds, and using their bodies and voices as instruments, while experiencing how music can bring people together, spark joy, and build community in an inclusive, low-pressure way.

The student response was overwhelmingly positive. I saw students who don’t always speak up in traditional settings fully engaged, smiling, and taking risks in a really joyful way. The interactive format made it easy for everyone to participate, and it was powerful to watch students build confidence as they mastered new rhythms and sounds together. After the sessions, several students told me they loved how hands-on and fun it was, and many were still talking about it later in the day. The energy in the room was truly contagious, and it felt like an experience that helped students feel connected and included.

This was an outstanding experience from start to finish. The artists were professional, warm, and incredibly skilled at connecting with high school students in a way that felt both engaging and meaningful. Their energy brought so much joy to our campus, and the sessions were a highlight of our MLK Day programming. I would absolutely love to work with Grooversity and Galush again in the future and would highly recommend this program to other schools."

"Incredible!!! I LOVED everything about [Valerie Tutson’s] performance, and would say that it’s the best enrichment I have ever seen at a school that I’ve taught at. I would love to have her back again!"

YAMA brought the world to our students in a time when they were forced to remain at home - each performance gave the students license to travel beyond our shores, to learn and embrace other peoples and cultures in a time when it is sorely needed. I am so grateful for everything we managed to do!

They were AWESOME. Honestly, from start to finish, I was engaged and the kids were engaged. I saw SO many smiling faces and they were dancing with them and laughing. I told them all at the end that this was, by far, the BEST program we have had since this whole virtual learning started.

We just had the best Q & A! We had about 15 kids show up (which is the most I've seen throughout this whole [remote learning} process). They had a great interaction with John. Thank you again for creating an opportunity for our kids to interact with artists and adapting it to an online platform! 

We look for programs that both educate and entertain. YAMA’s programs meet our requirements.

Through these experiences, the children are not only learning about new instruments, cultures, movement and language, they are also gaining confidence and broadening their life experiences.

I am so grateful to Young Audiences for giving us this gift of art, music and culture. Teachers came up to me to say things like “best ever” and “grand slam” and “couldn’t have been more perfect for our students.

This was fantastic! Incredibly engaging, entertaining and relevant, and a perfect fit for our 2nd grade curriculum in particular. The [remote] format was great, in some ways better than an in-person assembly. There wasn't a bad seat in the house! Students were able to provide feedback through the chat and via hand gestures at different times of the meeting, and Valerie was great at 'looking around the room' and shouting out different students by name.