Harnessing the power of art as a tool for self and community reflection and expression, the STooPS Educational Program will introduce students to a number of incredible art forms and how art is a vehicle for forming connections.  Through a number of areas of study (dance, music, theater, poetry/spoken word, visual art, storytelling and more) students will learn new artistic techniques, develop their own creative voice and talents, as well as discovering ways to integrate their own culture and community into their practice. Our talented Teaching Artists can offer a variety of workshops in different artistic forms or are available to customize a workshop/residency suited to the interests and themes of your community.

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“STooPS curated a profoundly strong roster of dynamic programs featuring visual arts, dance, and storytelling that created deeply engaging experiences with our family audiences.

 

STooPS’ programs celebrated local artistic voices woven together with stories from the broader African diaspora to create a meaningful and fun experience where everyone who participated could have an understanding of what Black Future Festival is and can be.”

Dylan House, Director of Public Programs, Brooklyn Children's Museum

 

*Unless otherwise indicated, these workshops are designed for intergenerational engagement. They can be tailored for any age group or for mixed age groups.

 

Performances

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Kendra J. Ross

 

Dancing Dreamers

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What are your dreams for your ideal neighborhood? Join Kendra J. Ross and her dancers as we dance out our dreams of art, joy, love and spaces where Black folks thrive as we all thrive. Through an interactive performance of dance, music, and text, let's explore our dreams and imagine how to make them come true together.

 

Workshops

 

Carmen Carriker

 

Yoga For Kids

 

Yoga For Kids workshop focuses on breathwork, meditation, stretching and playing as we have yoga adventures to the jungle, under the sea and more.

 

Jazz Dance and Storytime

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Let's get jazzed up for swingin' storytime! Have fun and learn some new moves from professional dancer Carmen Carriker! Get inspired by the read-along, then show your jazz moves. We will learn about the music, some of the genre's most famous performers, jazz dance and musical instruments through a series of pictures, books, songs, games and dance moves in this fun workshop for youth 0-10yrs.

 

Firebird Story & Dance Workshop

 

Have fun and learn some new moves from professional dancer Carmen Carriker! Get inspired by Misty Copeland’s book, then rock your own wearable headpiece while we dance! 

Grade Level:

Kindergarten and Pre-K classes

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Moving Stories: Dance

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An energetic exploration of rhythms and dances from the African Diaspora, through traditional African dance, as well as modern, jazz, and Afrobeat dance.

 

 

Kendra J. Ross

 

Line Dance Workshop

 

Let’s party and dance together! Soul Line Dance AKA Hustlin’ has been a way for people of all generations, especially in the Black community, to dance together in a fun way to popular music. Emerging from the Harlem Renaissance jazz and swing eras and Disco, Soul Line Dance is now a popular form for people to gather, celebrate, and stay fit. Instead of having to pick the moves up impromptu on the dance floor, allow us to teach you some popular Line Dances in this workshop. From the popular LineDances like the Electric Slide and the Wobble to some more intricate ones such as Boots on the Ground, Kendra will break down each dance step-by-step so you feel comfortable making it your own when we turn on the song and dance together.  And you’ll be able to show off at the next gathering. Come get your hustle on!

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Krista Martins

 

Wukkout!

 

Wukkout! is a high energy, inclusive and dynamic, Soca dance fitness experience designed to make you sweat and have fun, just like you would at a Caribbean Carnival. No experience

 

 

Leslie Alston

 

Let’s Dance Brooklyn: Past, Present, Future 

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Try this dynamic 45-minute workshop celebrating the vibrant evolution of dance. Through creative movement, participants will journey through Brooklyn’s cultural roots, embrace the present, and envision a powerful future—all while having fun and staying active!

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Reset, Recharge, ReFocus: Energy-Based Wellness for Mindful Living 

 

This experiential workshop helps students develop focus, calm, and emotional resilience through simple tools drawn from energy healing and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Participants learn techniques to release stress, shift negative emotions, and recharge their energy for improved concentration and well-being. Sessions are interactive, age-appropriate, and designed to help students build lifelong skills for self-regulation and inner balance.

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Reset, Recharge, ReFocus: Wellness Tools for Everyday Renewal 

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​This rejuvenating workshop helps participants release stress, restore balance, and reconnect with their inner calm. Drawing from energy healing and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), the session introduces simple, practical techniques to clear emotional tension, shift unhelpful thought patterns, and recharge personal energy. Through guided breathwork, gentle movement, and mindfulness exercises, participants learn how to reset their energy and refocus their minds leaving the session feeling grounded, peaceful, and renewed.

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Pia Monique Murray/PMMDC

 

Adinkra Portals

 

Adinkra symbols were created by the Akan people of Ghana. The symbols represent qualities of character and life principles. 

Lorraine O’Grady’s “Art Is…” (1983) was a parade staged by the artist in which the paraders framed the bystanders in gold frames, transforming them into a piece of art to behold. 

Adinkra portals combine both ideas. In this workshop you can make a frame from repurposed materials, decorate them with adinkra symbols, then take a picture with it; framing yourself as a work of art adorned by a collection of powerful symbols.

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My Community Looks Like…

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Rep’ your ‘hood through paper collage!

Use a variety of multi-colored, multi-patterned and multi-textured paper to represent who and what makes up your community. Add in an instant photo of yourself, drawing a personal connection to the place you call home. Participants may choose to take their collages with them or add them to a larger collective collage that will represent the community that attends the workshop that day.

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PitsiRa Ragophala

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Making Brooklyn Beats

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Explore sounds with us, as we create beats that make you move your feet. Rock to instruments like the mbira, shekere, xylophone, various drums, and whistles. Create your own instrument and make music to take home on recycled and sustainable instruments.

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Wema Ragophala

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The Possibilities of Dreams (movement & storytelling)

 

Immerse yourself in a journey of making dreams a reality, as we co-create a world together. Through movement and storytelling, interweave a tale that creates a bridge from the present to the possibilities. Using Nikki Giovanni’s book, Genie in the Jar, let us begin to “weave the sky”, celebrating the power of community.

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Black History Game Show!

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TIME TRAVEL!! Come with us back and forward through time as we learn and play testing our skills in this hands on Black History Game for the entire family. Laugh, learn, and play with history, cultural, and community changemakers. Featuring artists, activists, scientists that helped spread love, the Brooklyn way.

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