New Victory Arts Break: Little Murmur

New Victory Arts Break videos and activities are designed to have your family ready and raring for showtime before you even leave home. Here’s how to use them! All set? Then let’s get creative together and prep your kid for Little Murmur with the activities below.

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New Victory Arts Break videos are filmed at the New Victory Theater. We acknowledge that New Victory resides on the seized homeland of the Lenape people and the intertribal territory of many First Nations. We celebrate and pay deep respect to all Indigenous peoples, past, present and future, and we encourage you to learn more about these vibrant communities.

Did You Know?

Little Murmur is based on the true story of a young person’s experience with dyslexia. It’s about facing challenges, overcoming the odds and celebrating differences. Learn a little more about the show—and about dyslexia—then watch the trailer together!

• The show’s creator, Aakash Odedra, made a show for adults called Murmur, which he then adapted into Little Murmur. The show is autobiographical—a true story based on his experience growing up with dyslexia.
• Little Murmur is a solo piece—there’s only one performer on stage the whole time. But, from one show to the next, two performers do take turns, so depending on which performance you come to, you may see either Subhash Viman Gorania or Kallirroi Vratti.
• You’ll see some different dance styles during the show, including a classical Indian dance style called Kathak. The performers also add their own flair to the piece—Subhash adds more classical Indian dance, and Kallirroi adds some Greek folk dance!
• Learn about misconceptions around dyslexia from the British Dyslexia Association, and hear from some familiar faces about the strengths and skills that their dyslexia gives them.

Try It Out!

When Aakash Odedra was young, he found school very challenging. He spelled his name wrong until he was 21! Dance became the way he expressed himself, and finding out the truth about his name’s spelling gave him a sense of belonging. Get ready for the show together by using your bodies as a form of self-expression!

1. Gather some pieces of paper and markers, and have your kid write their name nice and big. Make sure that each letter stands alone—no cursive!

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2. Help your kid choreograph a name dance by creating a movement for each letter in their name, using different body parts to draw each letter in the air.

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3. Throw a name dance party! Create a name dance for yourself to perform alongside your kid, and invite other family members to join. Try drawing your names super big or super tiny. What do they look like fast? How about slow? Can you give each letter an emotion?

Talk About It!

As you make your way to the theater, get your kid in a Little Murmur mindset with some show-themed conversation starters! Ask them:

• What does it mean to be different? When does it feel great to be different? When does it feel hard to be different?
• When you meet someone different from you, how do you make them feel welcome or included?
• Everyone takes in new information differently—reading, listening, doing. How do you learn best?
• What are ways that you express yourself creatively?

The fun doesn’t have to stop here! Follow along with New Victory Teaching Artists in a few Arts Break videos and activities from the archive, highlighting movement and self-expression.

Show off your moves with pathos (and donuts)! Dance your feelings with Sun Kim.

Note some neighborhood landmarks and turn them into movement with P. Tyler Britt.

Set up a camera to help frame (and reframe) three moves with Hassiem Muhammad.