New Canaan Country School first graders, including Griffin Stallmeyer, Crosby Ghriskey, Ruby Harder and Ben Kelsey, all of Darien, Joaquin Vanden Heuvel of Stamford and Courtney Rummily of Wilton, created, choreographed and performed a one-hour show in honor of composer Leonard Bernstein, as part of the annual Lower School Arts Assembly, held Dec. 13.
"Though the final product is a truly beautiful and impressive performance, the process that leads up to the performance is actually the most essential part," said Head of Lower School Meaghan Mallin, in her introduction. "The children do not simply memorize choreography to perform onstage - instead they create it with the thoughtful guidance and facilitation of their teacher. They have a deep and immersive learning experience where they hone skills of collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, improvisation, and compromise. This emphasis on meaningful process is part of what sets Country School apart. We are not interested in having our students simply take home a polished and glossy final product – instead we focus on creating deep and meaningful opportunities for learning, for growth, for stretching oneself, for unlocking possibility."