Alyssa Braud is an OMC company dancer as well as a teacher at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired. As a teacher and a dancer, Alyssa knows how vital art is to her community. Her work and support of OMC have been significant to the continuation of the company. Of Moving Colors Productions is incredibly honored to have her on our team!
Name someone who has been an important mentor or a source of inspiration to you and why? "My mother has always been a source of inspiration to me. She taught me to see the world in a beautiful way and always keep art in my life."
What is your favorite part of your job? "I am a teacher at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired and the best part of my job is getting to form connections with my students and make learning fun."
How have you learned to communicate differently with your students in your teaching? "Since my students are visually impaired, I have to explain everything in great detail. Rather than looking at pictures or different objects to understand what we are learning, I have to create something that they can feel and give them those objects to explore."
How do you teach visually impaired children online during quarantine? "Well, most of our students do not have internet access or access to computers. We have been mailing them laptops and braillers with supplies they need. I have been calling my students on the phone and we do our lessons that way. The students who still have vision complete assignments on google classroom when they can. We try to Zoom but it doesn’t always work out. We have also been making YouTube videos about books and other topics that the kids can listen to. "
What role does art play in your life? Has that role changed since the COVID-19 outbreak? "Art is very prominent in my everyday life especially when it comes to dancing. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, I have not been dancing as much and have started to take up other artistic endeavors such as painting."
How are you choosing to relax during quarantine? "During quarantine, I have been relaxing by trying out recipes I have always wanted to try, staying fit with yoga and barre workouts, and catching up on Netflix shows I never had time to watch. "
Recently, Alyssa was asked to create a movement interview to express what quarantine and social distancing has been like as a dancer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xww90IxQQDg&t=94s
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