Social Emotional Learning can be rooted in student empowerment, emotional awareness, and empathy-building principles.These approaches support the development of helpful changes in students and mindset shifts through art to help them achieve their goals and build nurturing relationships with themselves and their peers. Together with Jennifer Puig and Dana Leon we'll dive into what this looks like in your Teaching Arts practice, how they see SEL changing, and how their work with students evolves your work as an artist.

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Teaching Artist Bios:

Jennifer Puig, is an inclusive dance, yoga, and creative movement facilitator and teaching artist. She is certified in Dance Movement Therapy, Wolf Trap Education, Movement Yoga for Children, and R.A.I.S.E.techniques. Her Dominican heritage fuels her passion for dance as a unifying and expressive art. Jennifer earned an Associate in Arts from Miami Dade College, studied Dance at the University of South Florida and trained in Modern Dance and Afro-Caribbean rhythms at Florida International University. She completed a master's degree in Dance Movement Therapy at Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, specializing in the mind-body-spirit connection. Throughout her career, Jennifer has contributed to community and educational programs with organizations like Miami City Ballet and the Adrienne Arsht Center. She has trained over 600 teachers, counselors, and artists in inclusive practices and Universal Design for Learning. Internationally, Jennifer taught English through dance in Nicaragua and became the Latin American director of Ascential Language Arts School. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she launched a YouTube channel, Universal Movement Education, offering free dance and movement resources .Jennifer also works as a stage manager and assistant for various arts events. She believes in the transformative power of dance and movement for learning, social integration, emotional well-being, and self-regulation.

IG: @jenniferpuig

YouTube channel: Universal Movement Education https://youtube.com/@universalmovementeducation5045?si=xb0P9CSg3sV5excI

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Dana Leon is a dancer, visual artist, and costumes designer. Her creative focus is in AfroCaribbean, Afro Brazilian and New Orleans cultures. She's also performed and created costumes with several artistic companies. Dana has taught cultural dance and visual art to Pre-K students allthe way through high school for the past 16 years. Her passion is introducing her students to other cultures, and allowing them to create a personal connection through dance, music, language and visual art. Dana has worked with Young Audiences since 2004, and has trained extensively through their Wolf Trap and Baby Arts Play programs.