Students in Elizabeth, NJ Dance on the Silk Road with Nai-Ni Chen

As world leaders meet to discuss Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposal to develop a new Silk Road, a group of students in from the Dr. Orlando Edreira Academy No. 26 in Elizabeth, NJ is learning about the Silk Road and taking a virtual journey.

The school’s journey on the Silk Road - a partnership between the district and Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company that began in January and included all ten grades from pre-kindergarten through grade eight - will culminate with a presentation on Tuesday, May 23 at 1pm.

This project initiated by principal Howard Teitelbaum and is led by Nai-Ni Chen Dance company and Ms. Alisha Brennan in cooperation with the entire teaching team, Visual Art, Music and Theater Departments. The school has built the theme of Silk Road into the curriculum and it is studied by all grades. On their rich and colorful ten week journey, the students met Dance/Story teller from the Mosaic Dance Company, Azabeijian music master Jeffrey Werbock, African Acrobats, Kazak dance from Andrij Cybilk, learned geography, science, math and history from classroom teachers and teaching artists from Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.