During this class we took a trip around our entire body. We started by focusing on how we feel, beginning with our feet and ending with the hair on our heads. I introduced them to the concept of "sensation". We talked about how hot, cold, tingly, and heavy are some of the sensations we can feel in our bodies. We also talked about WHY it is important to pay attention to how our bodies feel. Our bodies do so much for us each day: our feet help us walk and run, our hands allow us to pick things up and explore the world. Being aware of our bodies helps us to take care of ourselves.
After that, everyone was ready to move! We practiced two Sun Salutations together, matching breath to movement. I think one of the students' favorite poses is the upside-down insect. For this pose we lay on our backs and move our arms and legs around as if we were insects turned over on their backs. Usually an imaginary gust of wind blows through the room and turns all the little insects right-side-up!
We took a look at Romare Bearden's work again when we engaged in the art part of our class. I asked if anyone remembered what a collage is, and everyone knew! We looked more closely at Bearden's artwork and identified the parts in which he used collage. I gave the students the photographs that I'd taken of them a few classes back, and they started incorporating eyes, noses, and mouths into the portraits that they started. These pieces of art aren't complete, but we already have some really fun works in progress!
