We don’t just read the story-we dance it, feel it, and become it. Books leap off the page in this interactive session that blends obstacle courses, storytelling games, and expressive movement. Students act out scenes using only body language (no voice, no props!) – boosting reading motivation and creative interpretation. A favorite for literacy events or classroom novels, this is the session where readers become performers and stories come alive. Great for Read Across America, Book Week, Author Studies, Testing Season, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and Black History Month. SEL focus – imagination, expression, comprehension, confidence
TEACHING ARTIST SESSION
CM-004 Move Into the Story: Read, Imagine, Dance (PK-12)
Paula Calderon
Visionary and creative artist born in Colombia, South America. Paula holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial design. Over 20 years of experience as a professional ballet dancer have given her the tools to become an entrepreneur in costume and stage design and production, with notable recognition in the performing arts industry in her hometown of Medellin.
Her early sensitivity to illustration and dance shaped her career. Ballet inspired such a deep passion that she created a perfect integration of design and dance, leading her to serve as artistic director and creative manager at one of the most renowned dance studios in her hometown.
Driven by a commitment to growth and excellence, she has pursued studies and certifications in illustration techniques, costume production, dance pedagogy, history and creative movement for children. Annual summer trips with students and colleagues enhanced her understanding of stage performances, backstage operations, musical theater, set design, lighting, and the dancer’s role at national and international events. Intensive workshops at Steps on Broadway, the Broadway Dance Center, the Miami City Ballet, and the Millennium Dance Studio among others, solidified her reputation and her stage costume design business for the past years.
Paula draws her inspiration from the richness of everyday life, the vibrant Latin culture that shaped her upbringing, and the visual beauty of natural landscapes. Her creative influences include Disney shows, Hollywood films, European ballets, musicals, whimsical doodles, and surrealism inspired by nature. She seamlessly blends real-life flora and fauna with fantastical elements, creating a unique fusion of the familiar and the imaginative.
After getting married and becoming a mother, Paula’s creative horizons expanded to North America, where her broad artistic profile kept evolving, adding multicultural and social value to the community, fostering a deeper sense of connection and inclusion in her work with performers, directors, and new generations in Lafayette, her new home.
