Music at Shanti Bhavan: Dancing, Drumming, and Bedtime Songs
- Josie Hohenrieder
- Jul 22, 2025
- 2 min read
My favorite part of today was sitting in on the Kindergarten dance class. Once a week, the kids gather in the library for a Zoom dance lesson with their teacher. It was absolutely adorable to watch them start with stretches, practice their routine to the song Blinding Lights, and finish the class with a five-minute meditation. I help out in the classroom every day, so I loved seeing the students in a completely different environment!
The older grades have music class each week with one of the volunteers through a program called BAE. They’re currently working on mastering the ukulele, recorder, and drums. Students get to learn music in a smaller class setting, as half of the grade attends computer class while the other half has music.
After 5th grade, students can choose whether or not they want to continue pursuing music. They have the option to take piano, drums, and other instruments if they wish. Students are also free to practice piano at any time of day in the assembly hall, and as a result, the school song often echoes through the afternoon as students take the initiative to practice on their own.
Staying with the theme of music, every night after story time, the kids sing the Shanti Bhavan lullaby. A few times a week, volunteers visit the dorms to read a bedtime story to either the kindergarteners, 1st-2nd grade boys, 3rd-4th grade boys, or 1st-3rd grade girls. Tonight, I read Paddington Bear, though Dr. Seuss books are also a popular choice. Once the story ends, all the kids join together in song to close out the night and thank the reader for coming.
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