Happy Tuesday, my friend!

Before I share this week’s video, I want to share with you an incredible story of magical coincidences that almost didn’t happen. 

 

Nine years ago when I started the Miss Nina Weekly Video Show – YouTube was the realm of high school vloggers and cat videos.

While teaching and living in Brooklyn/NYC I’d had this urge/feeling/inspiration to make a video show for kids – one that talks directly to them like that lady on Romper Room used to at the end of her show – but I felt really odd about it.

Some businesses were using video and posting on YouTube – but nothing like they do today. And among the videos of 16 year olds complaining about their day, I felt like and old lady. And a weird old lady at that! Like, who was this strange person coming on YouTube, talking to an imaginary audience of kids and singing nursery rhymes?!

For 9 months I’d dabble in it, put up a video, and then feel so weird about it that I’d vow not to do it again. A few months later…another video. But truly, I was filled with self-consciousness that my peers and co-workers would think negatively of me. And so I stopped.

But there was that one day when my sweet two-year-old friend, Samantha, was getting treatments for her Lymphoma, and she wanted to watch “more pink guitar videos” while at the Oncology lab receiving treatments.  Well, then it was a no-brainer. I no longer cared what any of the adults thought – I only wanted to help Samantha.  And so, I started the video show.

I had no idea that the video show, while helping Samantha, was simultaneously helping other children – and specifically another little girl half way across the country.  Meet Addison:

 

11-year-old patient, Addison, gets surprise visit at Children’s Maple Grove rehab clinic

 

Above is the headline on yesterday’s Children’s Minnesota blog post. In September, I got a phone call out of the blue from a Physical Therapist in Maple Grove asking if I might make a surprise visit to a client of theirs’ that uses my videos at the end of her sessions. We set it up and I went and visited her a couple of weeks ago. But I was blown away once there. I knew she liked my videos – specifically the Ba-Rump! video –  but I had no idea about her whole story and how my video show impacted her life, health, growth and her whole family.  Children’s Minnesota just posted all about it  and I want to share the whole story with you.

I can’t even begin to tell you how moved I was by Addison, her family, Children’s Minnesota and their staff – and all the magic that is involved. Who knew that old, self-conscious me, across the country nine years ago was helping Addison? And what are the odds that I not only moved to Minnesota, but to the exact town where she lives?!

Words fail to express how incredible this all feels to me. And I wanted to share the magic of it all with you! I feel the hand of something far greater than myself at work in all of this – and I am humbled.

******

And then- more magic!! I had an incredible time at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s World Culture Festival this past Saturday in NYC!! I’ve posted photos over on Facebook & Instagram if you want to check those out. And for this week’s video, I’ve got the entirely to my original song, My Freeze Dance, recorded live there in the Nolen Library! The theme of the event was DANCE – and boy did we! And you can join in the fun too! Click play below and have some fun “freezing like a statue in a museum”! When I do this song live in my Rap, Rock & Read classes and performances, I encourage the little ones to practice some freeze poses first and suggest that they may want to freeze like a superhero, or an animal, or anything else they can think of. You may want to do some Halloween poses this week!

 

 

ENJOY!!!

And of course please share any or all of this post with someone you think might find it useful and/or enjoyable. You can share via email, facebook, Instagram, Twitter or on whatever platform you prefer.

Wishing you a magical week full of dancing and fun!

XOXO

Miss Nina