Dance teaching artist Aiano Nakagawa and early childhood teacher Jessica Kershner reflect on their partnership, what they learned from each other and the children, as they built an inclusive dance program in Jessie’s ECE classroom. Recorded April 6, 2021.

With guests:

Aiano Nakagawa

Aiano (they/she) is an educator, dance artist, and writer dedicated to moving towards a liberated future through the cultivation of practical, embodied, and critical understandings of Power, pleasure, creativity, and the body. Aiano values teaching as a service towards actualizing a world in which all people can be seen, honored, and live freely. Aiano’s teaching philosophy stems from the intersection of critical, feminist, queer, and integral pedagogy. Their goal is to create transformative learning spaces that allow opportunities for critical thinking, self-determination, and self-actualization.

Jessica Kershner

Jessica Kershner is a special education preschool teacher at Oakland Unified School District, where she has been teaching for 10 years. She is passionate about creating inclusive spaces for children and families. Jessica is a Summer Institue alum and has been collaborating with Luna over the last 3 years to increase her own knowledge of dance education and bring dance experiences to her students.