1. Seizing the Teaching Moment
In a fast-paced, intercultural world
By Paola Blanton
A
“teacherpreneur”
is
both
educator
and
entrepreneur
-­‐
someone
who
innovates
in
the
pursuit
of
knowledge
by
identifying
unmet
needs
in
diverse
learning
communities.
Identifying
learning
needs,
creating
inspiring
coursework
to
fit
those
needs,
marketing
courses
independently
or
within
partnerships
and
teaching
comprise
my
regular
work
cycle.
Self-­‐motivated,
multi-­‐
lingual
and
inspired
by
the
awesome
scope
of
human
experience,
I
define
myself
as
a
connector
of
cultures,
people
and
ideas,
a
transmitter
of
inspiration
and
creator
of
engaging
and
transformational
learning
experiences
for
young
people
and
adults.
Language
and
Movement
are
each
others’
metaphors.
A
well-­‐honed,
authentic
speaking
or
writing
voice
can
move
ideas,
affect,
hearts
and
minds.
Yet
movement
can
express
what
is
beyond
the
power
of
words,
calling
into
play
a
timeless
way
of
knowing
resurging
with
great
power
today.
In
cross-­‐pollinating
the
Language
and
Movement
Arts,
it
is
my
mission
to
reveal
their
likenesses
and
show
how
their
combined
power
can
catalyze
powerful
learning
for
both
presenter
and
audience.
Across
my
travels,
I
have
seen
that
people
are
curious
about
connecting
with
one
another,
to
celebrate
cultural
links
and
explore
diversity.
New
freedoms
and
new
ways
are
out
there,
blooming
with
possibility
as
people
connect
with
ever-­‐
increasing
ease
and
speed.
The
world
needs
educators
who
model
the
multi-­‐
faceted
levels
of
fluency
needed
to
develop
global
citizens
and
innovative
thinkers
able
to
act
across
cultures
and
disciplines.
“TEACHERPRENEUR”
“The
best
teachers
know
how
to
inspire
a
passion
for
lifelong
learning”

2. 1968
Born in
Former
Yugoslavia
1996
Moved to
Brazil
2017
Return to
U.S.
2009
Returned
to Brazil
2003
Moved to
Malaysia
Global
Perspective
from
A
Life
on
the
Move!
1978
American
Citizen
Living
and
teaching
long-­‐term
in
countries
like
Brazil
and
Malaysia
has
made
me
a
global
citizen
and
educator
keenly
attuned
to
opportunities
for
connection
and
inventiveness.
My
cross-­‐cultural,
interdisciplinary
courses,
workshops,
seminars
and
retreats
span
the
Americas,
Europe,
Australasia,
and
Africa.
World
Conferences,
Symposiums,
Congresses
and
Festivals
feature
my
unique
work
in
Language
and
Performing
Arts,
World
Folklore
and
World
Dance.
•Polyglot
-­‐
teach
in
English,
Portuguese,
Macedonian
and
Spanish
•Enamored
of
the
Arts
and
Humanities
as
sources
of
inspiration
for
writing
and
performance
•Expert
at
adapting
performance
and
presentation
skills
to
academic
topics
•Reputation
for
intercultural
fluency
and
ability
to
adapt
academic
and
artistic
content
with
sensitivity
and
style
•Adept
at
uniting
groups
of
diverse
worldviews,
religions
and
cultures
through
the
performing
and
folkloric
arts
•Internationally
recognized
creator
of
inspiring
long
and
short
term
courses
in
Language
Arts,
Performing
Arts
and
the
Humanities
•International
organizer
and
producer
of
World
Culture
events
•Proficient
command
of
the
cycle
of
marketing
and
production
functions
involved
in
the
bringing
of
quality
coursework
to
diverse
audiences
Multimodal
Skill
Set

3. Malaysia Boleh!
2003-2009
The
Great
Asian
Adventure
began
in
2003,
when
as
part
of
a
teaching
couple,
I
relocated
to
Kuala
Lumpur.
An
unforeseen
contract
delay
left
me
plenty
of
time
on
my
hands,
so
I
jumped
into
my
new
host
country
dancing
feet
first.
Meeting
the
diverse
Malaysian
community
through
my
role
as
a
dance
teacher
and
festival
organizer
showed
me
that
Malaysians,
especially
women,
were
ready
for
a
cultural
space
where
they
could
interact
creatively
and
enjoy
the
multiple
benefits
that
movement
imparts
to
a
modern
lifestyle.
Before
long,
one
of
my
studios
took
me
on
as
a
partner
and
I
created
a
series
of
women-­‐only
courses
where
ladies
of
all
backgrounds
could
let
their
hair
down,
get
moving,
and
explore
imagination
and
expression
through
World
Dance.
Soon
I
was
under
the
patronage
of
the
Malaysian
Royal
Family.
Launching
a
teaching
career
from
a
pad
like
Brazil
came
with
a
big
burst
of
its
famous
energy.
Vibrant,
curious
and
spontaneous,
the
students
at
Sao
Paulo’s
Graded
American
School
were
my
initiators
into
the
intense
adventure
of
teaching
while
learning
to
adapt
and
thrive
in
a
whole
new
culture.
Fast-­‐paced,
tropical
São
Paulo
has
a
way
of
asking
everyone
to
test
their
boundaries,
so
I
jumped
feet
first
into
a
vast,
concrete
Amazonian
jungle
sprawling
with
opportunity.
I
saw
an
exemplary
IB
school
reaching
for
even
better
standards
in
academics
and
citizenship.
I
saw
that
I
could
create
solutions
that
unfied
efforts
of
diverse
teams
in
common
objectives.
Reaching
across
disciplines,
commmunities,
and
languages,
I
proposed
and
co-­‐created
creative
outlets
for
performance,
organizational,
and
outreach.
Three main ethnicities -
Malay, Indian & Chinese
live side-by-side in a
modern multicultural
society
“Learning
is
a
Lifelong
Adventure
powered
by
the
SPARK
of
Curiosity,
which
FIRES
the
Imagination
so
that
Creativity
can
BLAST
OFF!”
Brazil1996 to 2003
School-­‐wide
fairs,
fundraisers,
and
cross-­‐
disciplinary
productions
carried
over
skills
I
had
acquired
in
the
music
promotion
industry
and
fit
perfectly
into
the
vision
of
the
school,
which
was
to
become
the
flagship
international
school
of
South
America,
known
for
its
educational
excellence
and
positive
community
presence.
An
early
acquisition
of
Portuguese
enabled
me
to
become
a
liaison
between
students,
staff
and
community.
I
extended
my
reach
to
students
from
less-­‐fortunate
sectors
of
Brazilian
society,
and
worked
diligently
on
teams
dedicated
to
bridging
the
socio-­‐economic
divide.
My
classroom
became
known
for
engaging
interdisciplinary
projects
in
subjects
like
English
Lit,
Drama
and
Theory
of
Knowledge.
Performance
and
presentation
skills
along
with
inventive,
“think-­‐
outside-­‐the-­‐box”
learning
strategies
inspired
students
to
experiment
and
have
fun
with
learning.
I
learned
as
a
teacher
what
I
had
always
known
as
a
student:
that
affect
and
creativity
make
all
the
difference.
A
unit
on
Logic
in
Junior
ToK,
for
example,
resulted
in
students
creating
simple
logic
games
to
play
with
a
4th
grade
class.
A
unit
on
the
caste
system
became
“Karmic
Theater”,
in
which
students
entered
a
world
of
castes
and
role-­‐played
their
“incarnations”
in
bids
to
“re-­‐
incarnate”
next
class
period.
Or
a
unit
on
“A
Midsummer
Night’s
Dream”
brought
experimentation
with
Shakespeare’s
English
by
“translating”
it
into
modern
slang
and
contemporary
scenes.
Seven
adventurous
years
of
teaching,
exploring
and
community
involvement
in
Brazil
changed
the
course
of
my
life
and
set
me
on
a
worldwide
journey
that
would
circle
the
globe
and
expand
my
horizons
in
ways
I
had
never
before
imagined.

4. Teaching
and
performing
for
the
Royal
Family
opened
doors
to
travel,
research
and
production
opportunities
in
and
around
Southeast
Asia.
I
began
to
bring
foreign
artists
to
Malaysia
and
co-­‐produce
performing
arts
festivals
inspired
by
the
spirit
of
exchange
and
mutual
respect.
Although
I
approached
dance
through
specific
genres
like
Middle
Eastern,
Balkan
and
Contemporary
(Isadora
Duncan),
I
soon
added
my
theatrical
experience
and
began
to
create
unique
productions
blending
story-­‐telling
with
choreography,
comedy,
live
music
and
audience
participation.
With
the
press
and
Malaysian
TV
filling
the
sails,
invitations
to
teach
in
Australia,
then
Europe,
the
Middle
East
and
the
U.S.
poured
in
and
I
began
to
reach
out
geographically,
technically
and
spiritually.
I
was
invited
to
create
courses
showing,
for
example,
the
application
of
Isadora
Duncan’s
contemporary
dance
philosophy
to
a
classical
Egyptian
orchestra
(Sphinx
Festival,
Cairo
2009).
I
was
asked
to
show
how
classical
archetypes
and
myths
can
inspre
both
ritual
and
performed
dance
(Australia
2007-­‐present)
or
how
movement
ritual
can
work
with
the
psyche
in
the
process
of
individuation
(New
York,
2008-­‐present).
Eventully,
the
time
came
for
a
world
tour
and
my
beloved
KL
studio
returned
to
the
community,
even
though
I’ve
returned
for
guest
seminars.
Seizing the Moment,
Taking Risks & Inventing
I
am
grateful
to
Malaysia
for
teaching
me
to
seize
the
moment
and
put
my
ability
to
ignite
cultural
curiosity
to
practical
and
creative
use.
Working
across
the
country’s
religious
and
cultural
diversity
re-­‐confirmed
the
value
of
creating
space
where
curiosity
is
encouraged,
imagination
is
fueled,
and
creativity
is
cultivated.
Brazil 2010-2017
After
almost
a
year
on
the
road
teaching
in
Europe,
Africa,
the
Middle
East,
Canada
and
the
U.S.,
an
opportunity
to
live
and
teach
in
Brazil
again
arose.
This
time
around,
I
taught
exclusively
in
Portuguese
with
special
focus
on
non-­‐profit
programs
bringing
language
and
performing
arts
education
to
underserved
sectors
of
Brazilian
society.
A
group
of
my
little
ones
saying
“Happy
Birthday”
In
2010,
I
joined
the
NGO
“Projeto
Ativo”
and
launched
a
series
of
courses
for
disadvantaged
kids
in
World
Dance,
Physical
Theater
and
English.
Soon,
I
was
asked
to
create
a
series
of
specialized
English
courses
for
the
regional
tourism
industry
and
began
to
teach
adults
and
adolescents
in
groups
all
along
the
São
Paulo
coastline.

5. Womens’
Ritual
Movement
in Brazil
Meanwhile,
I
looked
around
and
saw
that
Brazilian
women,
already
participants
in
a
vast
and
vigorous
dance
culture,
were
ready
for
new
and
inspiring
modalities.
Interest
bloomed
in
my
World
Dance
seminars,
so
I
developed
special
courses
in
Balkan
Folkloric
dance,
Isadora
Duncan
dance
and
my
own
work
in
Ritual
Movement.
With
the
help
of
Brazilian
TV
and
media,
things
took
off!
Brazil’s
openness
to
new
ideas
is
one
of
the
most
rewarding
aspects
of
teaching
there.
As
highly
embodied
folks,
they
respond
keenly
to
practices
that
unite
body
and
soul.
Thus,
I
had
a
hunch
in
2011
that
Brazilians
would
be
inspired
by
Gabrielle
Roth’s
5
Rhythms
moving
meditation
practice.
After
producing
eight
successful
weekend
workshops
and
seminars
wth
foreign
instructors
and
through
my
own
work
as
a
5
Rhythms
Spaceholder,
I
leave
behind
a
vibrant
and
growing
community
that
has
taken
on
its
own
life.
It
was
an
honor
to
pioneer
this
practice
in
Brazil,
where
it
found
fertile
soil
among
naturally
curious,
spontaneous
and
creative
people.
Isadora Duncan dance - Brazil
5 Rhythms in Brazil
Balkan dance - Brazil
2016
-­‐
An
honor
to
have
been
invited
to
write
the
Portuguese-­‐language
preface
to
“Sacred
Woman,
Sacred
Dance”
by
Iris
Stewart,
the
book
that
introduced
me
to
the
inspiring
work
of
Isadora
Duncan
and
Gabrielle
Roth
almost
twenty
years
ago.

6. Although
I
now
prepare
to
leave
Brazil
for
the
second
time
on
my
way
home
to
the
U.S.,
I
know
I
will
always
cycle
back
to
this
vibrant,
energetic
country
where
so
much
of
my
research,
writing
and
field
work
has
taken
place.
The
time
has
come
to
bring
the
fruits
of
my
adventures
back
to
the
States
for
the
next
phase
of
growth
and
manifestation.
A
short
documentary
I
filmed
on
the
musical
traditions
of
Macedonia
in
2007
opened
the
door
to
what
is
now
a
thriving
annual
festival.
“Raqn
the
Roots
with
Malesh-­‐
Roma”
introduced
viewers
to
the
extraordinary
cultural
heritage
of
the
Maleshevo
region.
The
region
is
a
cultural
mosaic
of
Slav,
Greek
and
Ottoman
influences
expressed
through
its
music,
dance
and
cuisine.
Founded
by
myself,
the
Romany
curator
Milo
Destanovski
and
the
Municipality
of
Berovo,
the
Ethno
Square
International
Folk
Festival
has
grown
into
a
world-­‐
class
event
attracting
more
than
20,000
attendees
annually.
Large-Scale International Projects:
Ethno Square Folk Festival
2017
marks
the
festival’s
9th
edition,
with
two
days
of
concerts,
parades,
food,
wine
and
folkloric
displays.
Each
year,
it
welcomes
more
and
more
international
guests.
I
personally
organize
learning/perfomance
tours
for
musicians
and
dancers
to
Macedonia
for
an
eight-­‐day
folkloric
seminar
with
our
local
ethnologists,
musicians,
community,
elders
and
Romany
Gypsies.
Artists
interact
with
our
local
culture
through
music,
dance,
feasting
and
social
ritual
while
I
translate
from
Macedonian
to
English,
Portuguese
and
Spanish.
Every
year,
I
conduct
a
three-­‐week
seminar
for
the
kids
of
the
local
folkoric
society
in
modern
dance
and
theater
methods.
Our
group
participates
in
the
concerts
along
with
the
international
guest
artists
in
attendance.
The
late
great
Esma
Redzepova,
Queen
of
the
Gypsies
and
internationally
renowned
singer,
humanitarian
and
ambassador
of
Macedonian
culture,
was
our
star
in
2015.
Large-Scale International Projects:
Marco Polo Netflix Series
In
2014,
I
was
invited
to
act
and
coach
dramatic
movement
for
the
new
Netflix
series
“Marco
Polo”.
It
was
an
honor
to
collaborate
with
director
Daniel
Minahan
of
“Game
of
Thrones”
fame
and
creator
John
Fusco
in
the
direction
of
several
key
scenes
for
the
Weinstein
Company
production.
“The
Chamber
of
Five
Desires”
depicted
Marco’s
first
experience
with
the
Khan’s
concubines,
while
“Old
Man
of
the
Mountain”
accompanied
Marco
into
the
deadly
lair
of
the
“Assasins”.
Both
scenes
required
intensive
work
with
physical
theater
and
focused
lessons
on
historical
context,
so
that
the
actors
fully
understood
their
roles.
The
challenge
of
producing
the
director’s
vision
on
a
tight
time
schedule
meant
long
days
for
everyone,
but
the
end
result
was
more
than
worth
it.
Ready for New Adventures!
The
latest
chapter
is
already
writing
itself.
Returning
to
the
U.S.
after
all
this
time
and
experience
overseas
fills
me
with
anticipation
of
new
projects,
contacts
and
opportunities
to
learn,
teach,
share
and
grow.
I’m
looking
forward
to
immersing
myself
in
a
community
dedicated
to
discovery,
inspiration
and
cultural
exchange.
With
the
United
States
taking
stock
in
its
cultural
diversity
more
than
ever,
I
feel
the
time
is
right
for
someone
like
myself
to
come
home
to
the
same
great
country
that
welcomed
me
as
an
immigrant
child
in
the
70’s
and
gave
me
the
opportunity
to
follow
my
soul’s
path.
What
comes
next
will
emanate
from
the
same
values
that
have
accompanied
me
all
along
this
journey:
Belief
in
the
joy
of
lifelong
learning
and
celebrating
the
cycles
of
imagination
and
manifestation
that
help
us
co-­‐create
a
more
inspired
world.
Paola
Blanton
-­‐
paolablanton@gmail.com