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There's
something magical about Teresa
McNeill, a slow, growing magnetism
that we saw
last summer when she taught
dance. We saw it again this
summer when Teresa came to
Island Grove Village Apartments
as part of the "Visiting
Artist Series."
A
small group gathered around her on
the lawn between two buildings as
she chanted a little. Heads
began appearing out of apartment
windows, kids stopped what they were
doing and migrated toward her,
adults leaned against buildings and
listened.
The
crowd grew. Many of them stood
off a bit. But they listened.
They were silent.
She
led us in making "prayer chains,"
small satchels tied to strings, to
offer up our hopes or wishes or
prayers. Some of the
bystanders and onlookers joined in,
including our Habitat for Humanity
neighbors.
She
led us in dances, and more bystanders
and onlookers joined in, some of
them making their own small circles
away from the actual dance itself.
"They don't have to stand here to
feel the power," Teresa said,
looking out at the recalcitrants.
She smiled and continued dancing and
chanting.
Teresa's
participation in the
Kaleidoscope Youth Program
"Visiting
Artist Series" was generously
funded by a grant from the
Colorado Council on the Arts.
You
can view photos of Teresa's dance
class last summer
here,
here, and
here, as well as the photos
below.
Click on the thumbnails to view
larger images, and use your
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