Natalia Durango, Dancer
Natalia Munoz is a passionate movement facilitator and dance educator with a very diverse and eclectic background. Born and raised in Colombia Natalia has always been fascinated about diversity, culture and tradition. She has trained in Afro-Brazilian, Haitian, Capoeira, Congolese and Bhangra. Her understanding and love for arts education is inspired by her own experience as a child. Natalia defines herself as a kinesthetic learner, thus she strongly believes in the importance of the inclusion and access to arts education in the classroom. Natalia has participated in multiple projects using arts as a vehicle for social change and as a powerful tool for self-expression. Some of her community projects include: Iniciativa colibri in Nicaragua, Theater of the oppressed Guatemala, Imagine action apprenticeship in Colombia and Tools of imagine action among others.
TATIP Work:
“It’s an honor to be part of this cohort. The support, passion and love of all involved making this training possible has helped me truly value and never doubt my commitment to social justice and the importance of my role as a TA in the classroom. It’s a truly a life changing experience! I had an amazing poetry and visual art residency program with two inspiring and committed CWP mentor Teaching Artists Alex Velozo and Jay Howard at P.S Edward Mandell in Queens. I gained an insight into two arts forms that I had never really approached. I appreciated how organized and detailed oriented their lesson plan and scaffolding was. I am taking great tools from being in this residency with them. Currently I am also in the middle of a great experience on a visual arts and photography residence with 6th graders at IS 126 in Long Island City with mentor Teaching Artists Deanna Green and Kate Lee. Additionally I am interning with Arts for All in Hamilton Heights with their literacy through the arts program with 2nd graders and at PS 115 with kindergarten. Another powerful teaching venture has been as an intern with Wingspan Arts after school program at Monitor School in Williamsburg.”
Most memorable TATIP moment:
“TATIP has provided me with the understanding and tools to create a powerful teaching path and lesson plan. TATIP has trained me and helped me gained hands on experience of how become a positive and transformative change agent within the classroom. I have so much insight in how to merge not only my art form but various art forms. I have mastered the concept of less is more and have learned how to be more flexible, more curious and more playful. Though TATIP I have deeply connected as a Teaching Artist with my creative process and authenticity. I am so thankful for my TATIP family where I have created friendships and bonds that will be for life. In TATIP 201-2017 we created a beautiful community yet complex and diverse but so committed to social justice and the arts.”
“One of my most memorable moments was at Hamilton Heights with a 2nd where we have been collectively working on re- creating and adapting a New York version of Cinderella play. One of my 2nd graders in that class does not know how to read, however he has a few lines in the play. At first I didn’t understand why he would not participate but I told them we could read them together. Last week when we had our scripts he was so engaged and he told me: “This is my first play and I can’t mess it up.” I highlighted his lines and we practice them again and he promised to review them over the weekend. His behavior and engagement into the activities has significantly shifted.”
“By being part of TATIP 2016-2017 cohort I now truly believe that MY VOICE IS POWERFUL AND MY VOICE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.”
Check out Natalia’s Lesson Plan she presented with her partner Robert Velasquez.
Interested in TATIP? Find out more about our 2017-18 Program!
See more of our 2016-17 Graduates in the 2017 TATIP Anthology!
