A Third Year of TOCAF Experiences Kicks Off with Arts for Learning Indiana

By: Seth Johnson

ISBVI students and staff try their hand at Latin American percussion instruments with guidance from El Marimbaso. Alt Text: The image shows a group of people gathered in a gymnasium. There is a stage with blue curtains and an American flag in the background. Several people, including students and teachers, are standing in a line in front of the stage, holding long sticks. Some people are sitting on the floor in front of the stage, watching the activity.

On Friday, Dec. 13, students at Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI) kicked off a third year of engaging arts experiences through the Toula Oberlies Creative Arts Fund (TOCAF) with an interactive workshop from Latin American group El Marimbaso.

Made possible through a partnership forged between the Indiana Blind Children’s Foundation and Arts for Learning Indiana, the workshop marked the first of many engaging arts experiences that will take place at ISBVI over the next semester, as other Arts for Learning Indiana artists make their way to the school for more guest workshops.

Held as part of ISBVI’s all-school assembly, the workshop from El Marimbaso featured a lesson on Latin American percussion, with ISBVI students and staff eventually getting to come up and play the instruments on hand. To close out the workshop, El Marimbaso led the students in a sing-a-long of holiday classic “Feliz Navidad,” putting a festive cap on a great morning of music.

Looking ahead, IBCF looks forward to partnering with Arts for Learning Indiana to bring more visiting artists to ISBVI for engaging arts experiences. In the New Year, be sure to stay tuned to IBCF’s social media pages for updates on the impact of these workshops.

El Marimbaso is seen performing “Feliz Navidad” in front of ISBVI students in the school’s gym at the all-school assembly. 

 

 

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