Moving 🕺🏻 to the Music: a children's story and guided relaxation

0:05 [SPEAKER_00]: Hello, Awe Islanders. [SPEAKER_00]: We're so glad you're here. [SPEAKER_00]: Let's see if you have everything you want to be calm on Awe Island. [SPEAKER_00]: Are the lights in your room dim or off? [SPEAKER_00]: Do you have your favorite blanket or listening buddy? [SPEAKER_00]: Before we begin our story, let's relax by taking a nice deep dragon breath, breathe in through your nose, filling up your lungs, and then out through your mouth, imagining you are breathing [SPEAKER_00]: Good job.

1:17 [SPEAKER_00]: Today, we're going to relax our entire bodies. [SPEAKER_00]: First, wiggle all your toes and then squeeze your toes together and relax them. [SPEAKER_00]: Then lift your leg up just a little. [SPEAKER_00]: and let it float down. [SPEAKER_00]: Now lift your other leg just a little and let it float down.

1:59 [SPEAKER_00]: Let's take another deep dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_00]: Next, squeeze both your hands into tight fists, and then release them. [SPEAKER_00]: As you relax your hands, reach your arms around your chest and give yourself a big hug. [SPEAKER_00]: Now, make a very grumpy face, squeeze your eyes shut, squinch up your mouth, and hold that grumpy face, and let it go.

3:03 [SPEAKER_00]: Now your whole body is relaxed. [SPEAKER_00]: great job everyone. [SPEAKER_00]: I hope you are tucked in nice and cozy. [SPEAKER_00]: We're ready to begin our story. [SPEAKER_01]: let's be calm on Awe Island. [SPEAKER_01]: Our story today is moving to the music. [SPEAKER_01]: Colorful blankets and folding chairs dotted the grassy lawn in front of the Awe Island Park's bandshell.

4:14 [SPEAKER_01]: Families had gathered in the warm afternoon sunshine to enjoy an outdoor concert chatting as they waited for the music to begin. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry sat beside his mommy on a picnic blanket, having just finished his packed lunch. [SPEAKER_01]: He had been looking forward to the concert all week.

4:36 [SPEAKER_01]: Henry loved music. [SPEAKER_01]: He especially loved singing, but he enjoyed listening to other people make music too. [SPEAKER_01]: His mommy had said that the band playing today was called a folk band. [SPEAKER_01]: The musicians were already getting ready on the stage with their instruments.

4:59 [SPEAKER_01]: The fiddle, guitar, and cello were tuning their strings. [SPEAKER_01]: The flute played a few scales, and there was a big wooden drum that went, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. [SPEAKER_01]: Without even thinking about it, Henry's toes started tapping too. [SPEAKER_01]: his mommy noticed and smiled.

5:24 [SPEAKER_01]: I think your feet are ready for the concert, Mio. [SPEAKER_01]: She teased. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry Grind, I like the drum. [SPEAKER_01]: He said, wrapping both hands against his knees in time with the beat. [SPEAKER_01]: When the musicians finished warming up, they took their places, and the audience applauded.

5:49 [SPEAKER_01]: Then the music began. [SPEAKER_01]: The first tune was an upbeat and cheerful ditty. [SPEAKER_01]: The fiddle played a fast and flowing melody while the guitar strummed. [SPEAKER_01]: The cello's deep warm notes sang below. [SPEAKER_01]: The flute's bright air floated above, and all the while the drum held the rhythm together.

6:23 [SPEAKER_01]: A few audience members began to clap along with the music, and Henry decided to join in too. [SPEAKER_01]: You like this one, Henry's mommy asked, I really like it, Henry replied, it makes me want to dance. [SPEAKER_01]: When the first song ended, the crowd applauded enthusiastically. [SPEAKER_01]: the band launched into another tune.

6:54 [SPEAKER_01]: This one even faster than the first. [SPEAKER_01]: About halfway through the song, the guitarist called into the microphone. [SPEAKER_01]: All right kids, come up and show us your dance moves. [SPEAKER_01]: There's plenty of room in front of the stage. [SPEAKER_01]: several children immediately jumped to their feet.

7:17 [SPEAKER_01]: Henry watched as they hurried toward the open space in front of the bandshell. [SPEAKER_01]: Some of them went alone, while others went with a parent or sibling. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry's mommy nudged his shoulder. [SPEAKER_01]: Do you want to go dance? [SPEAKER_01]: Henry didn't answer immediately.

7:38 [SPEAKER_01]: He loved dancing at home. [SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes, when his mommy played music in their apartment, he made up entire routines in the living room. [SPEAKER_01]: Here, though, he wasn't so sure. [SPEAKER_01]: There were so many people around. [SPEAKER_01]: What if everyone looked at him? [SPEAKER_01]: What if they thought his dancing was weird or bad?

8:04 [SPEAKER_01]: That didn't sound like fun at all. [SPEAKER_01]: Alright, you can enjoy the music right here with me. [SPEAKER_01]: His mommy said, Henry was relieved that she did not try to change his mind. [SPEAKER_01]: When the next song began, he started swaying again from the safety of their blanket.

8:31 [SPEAKER_01]: Henry did watch the kids dancing by the stage a little bit. [SPEAKER_01]: They moved in every way imaginable. [SPEAKER_01]: Some were jumping up and down, some were waving their hands above their heads. [SPEAKER_01]: Some held hands and spun around one another. [SPEAKER_01]: One girl twirled so fast, her skirt puffed out around her.

9:01 [SPEAKER_01]: The one thing they all had in common was that they looked like they were having fun. [SPEAKER_01]: Nobody seemed to be paying that much attention to anyone else's moves. [SPEAKER_01]: They were too busy enjoying the music. [SPEAKER_01]: After several songs, the band paused for a short break.

9:24 [SPEAKER_01]: The musicians set down their instruments and took drinks of water. [SPEAKER_01]: A low murmur came up from the crowd as they started chatting again. [SPEAKER_01]: The children who had been dancing returned to their seats. [SPEAKER_01]: The boy in the green shirt returned to a blanket not far from Henry's.

9:45 [SPEAKER_01]: His mom handed him a water bottle, and the boy took several big gulps before sitting down beside her. [SPEAKER_01]: After catching his breath, he looked around and noticed Henry nearby. [SPEAKER_01]: Hi! [SPEAKER_01]: The boy greeted Henry with a friendly wave. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm Liam. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry waved back.

10:09 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm Henry, he replied. [SPEAKER_01]: How come you didn't dance with us? [SPEAKER_01]: Liam asked. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry felt his cheeks grow a little warm, not expecting such a direct question. [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I... Well, I like dancing. [SPEAKER_01]: I just didn't want to do it in front of everybody.

10:32 [SPEAKER_01]: He admitted... Liam smiled sympathetically. [SPEAKER_01]: I understand. [SPEAKER_01]: I got really nervous when I had to audition for my school musical. [SPEAKER_01]: I had to sing all by myself in front of people. [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't know. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry's eyes widened. [SPEAKER_01]: You are in a musical, he asked.

10:58 [SPEAKER_01]: Liam nodded enthusiastically. [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, we perform in a few weeks, he explained. [SPEAKER_01]: I was nervous at the audition because people were watching, but once I started singing, I had fun. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry Grind. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm in choir, he said. [SPEAKER_01]: Before the boys could talk much more, the musicians returned to their places on stage.

11:29 [SPEAKER_01]: The fiddle player tested a few notes, and the drummer gave the wooden drum a quick, dumb dumb, Liam immediately stood up. [SPEAKER_01]: They're starting again, he said excitedly, then he turned to Henry and asked, do you want [SPEAKER_01]: Henry looked toward the stage, children were already gathering in front again, part of him wanted to follow Liam, but another part of him still felt nervous.

12:06 [SPEAKER_01]: I want to, Henry admitted, but I'm still worried about everyone watching me. [SPEAKER_01]: Liam nodded. [SPEAKER_01]: We can go together, and if you don't like it, we can come back, he suggested. [SPEAKER_01]: That made Henry feel a bit better. [SPEAKER_01]: He looked at his mommy, who gave him an encouraging nod.

12:33 [SPEAKER_01]: OK, let's go, said Henry. [SPEAKER_01]: The two boys walked together toward the front of the stage. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry stayed close beside his new friend as the music began. [SPEAKER_01]: At first, he only tapped his feet and swayed, just as he had on the picnic blanket. [SPEAKER_01]: Liam started doing the same hopping step Henry had noticed earlier.

13:01 [SPEAKER_01]: He bounced to one side, then the other, [SPEAKER_01]: Henry left, and Liam left too. [SPEAKER_01]: Little by little, Henry let himself move more freely. [SPEAKER_01]: He stepped side to side and bounced to the drumbeat. [SPEAKER_01]: When the fiddle swept into a fast, swirling melody, Henry spun around with his arms wide open.

13:33 [SPEAKER_01]: The nervous feeling had not completely disappeared, but Henry was having too much fun to think about it very much. [SPEAKER_01]: When Henry looked around, he saw the same thing he had noticed from his blanket. [SPEAKER_01]: The other children were dancing in all kinds of ways, and nobody seemed to judge them at all.

13:58 [SPEAKER_01]: by the end of the song. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry was smiling from ear to ear. [SPEAKER_01]: The crowd applauded and Henry clapped along with them. [SPEAKER_01]: That was fun. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry exclaimed, Liam smiled. [SPEAKER_01]: Want to stay for the [SPEAKER_01]: For the rest of the song set, Henry did not need any more encouragement.

14:33 [SPEAKER_01]: He and Liam danced together until the final notes faded away. [SPEAKER_01]: When the concert ended, the boys returned to their blankets, feeling tired and happy. [SPEAKER_01]: I'm glad you asked me to dance and retolt Liam. [SPEAKER_01]: Before leaving the park, the boy's waived goodbye, and said they hoped they would see each other again soon.

15:06 [SPEAKER_01]: Henry liked that idea. [SPEAKER_01]: That evening Henry climbed into his cozy bed and settled in, thinking about how grateful he felt. [SPEAKER_01]: Henry was grateful that he had gone up to the stage to dance. [SPEAKER_01]: Even though he had been nervous about it, he took a deep dragon breath in and out.

15:52 [SPEAKER_01]: Henry was also grateful that he had met Liam, who had encouraged him to dance, which had turned out to be very fun. [SPEAKER_01]: He had come to the concert expecting to hear wonderful music, but he had also tried something that made him nervous, and he had made a new friend along the way.

16:20 [SPEAKER_01]: Henry squeezed his arms tight, then relaxed and took another deep dragon breath in and out. [SPEAKER_01]: most of all, Henry felt grateful for the music he and his mommy had enjoyed together at the park. [SPEAKER_01]: It had been a wonderful time, smiling, Henry took one final deep dragon breath in and out [SPEAKER_01]: He closed his eyes and relaxed completely, drifting off to sleep with lively music playing in his mind.

17:36 [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you for joining us to be calm on our way island. [SPEAKER_01]: See you next time.