Caroline – Volunteer Spotlight

Caroline

Everyone Can Dance – In Person Programming led by Caroline

Caroline has been an amazing volunteer involved with the GiGi’s Playhouse Community for many years. Caroline is thoughtful, generous, positive, engaging with everyone, creative, and energetic. When she lived in Illinois, she created and led the GiGi’s Dance program. Then a few years ago, we were so lucky to have Caroline move to the Twin Cities, where she immediately came to GiGi’s Twin Cities and brought her dance program to us – and it was a big hit! When we had in person programming at GiGi’s Playhouse Twin Cities – St. Louis Park, she led teens and adults through a weekly dance program a few times a year that would conclude with a recital performance for family and friends. The recitals were spectacular!  She empowered a crew of volunteers to help give all the participants that extra support, encouragement, and assistance as everyone was learning dance steps, as well as right through the recital.

Caroline also volunteered to be the choreographer for the Theater groups in the Fall of 2019 to incorporate dance steps into their performances. The performers loved dancing! It turned out amazing.

Ever since we started going to virtual programming this spring, Caroline has been on board for planning out how a dance program could work for us virtually – and given some of our audio restrictions with GoToMeeting conferencing format, we needed to take time to think through how this logistically would work for our community so that this could be both a positive experience for the participants as well as the leader. Caroline creatively came up with using Spotify to share with families to stream music in their homes if they were interested, and then coupled with us experimenting with trying out a microphone and special speaker in her home which helped her to share her music directly too – it all worked out wonderfully. We expanded the age range for the program from teens and adults that we offered in person, to ages 10 – 18+, along with their families virtually. We first started on week evenings, and we have now brought it over to Saturday mornings at 10am. From the beginning of Caroline offering this program virtually in October, it was also an immediate hit!! We have had a great turnout of kids, teens, adults, and families. Caroline was also able to have one of her friends help lead when they had led dance from outside in our warmer weather.

If anyone in your family ages 10 – 18+ likes to dance, join us for three Saturdays in December, at 10am, where our theme is “High School Musical”. You can sign up on our calendar here: HERE

Caroline also led Teen Tastic virtually a few times with Erik, where they featured the topic, “Cooking with Teens”, which included having Breakfast for Dinner and Spooky Marshmallow Spiders the two different evenings. Everyone had so much fun, and there were lots of laughs!

This upcoming January, Caroline will be leading up Yoga for all ages on Saturdays at 10am. She has learned how to be a yoga instructor, and is excited to lead that up for our community too. Then in February, she’s again leading Dance for ages 10-18+ and families, on Saturdays at 10am. Our 2021 programs are not yet posted on our local calendar, but look to sign up for these great program opportunities from Caroline next year!

Thank you Caroline for your continued leadership on behalf of GiGi’s Playhouse Twin Cities as well as previously in Illinois! We are honored to have you be part of our community.

Are you interested in volunteering virtually at GiGi’s Playhouse Twin Cities?

The first step is to sign up: HERE

Are you interested in getting a family member involved with our GiGi’s Playhouse Twin Cities Programming?

The first step is to sign up for our Local newsletter: HERE

Then, check out our Local calendar: HERE 

Details and more information about our Local programs can be found: HERE

Also, check out all the details for On Demand and Live National virtual programming: HERE