Teach the Beat!

Bringing the distinctive D.C. sound of go-go into the classroom.

Teaching for Change is honored to work with D.C.  area schools and the authors of The Beat! Go-Go Music from Washington, D.C. to develop lessons and share teaching ideas for infusing the history and music of go-go in middle and high school social studies, language arts, math, music, and/or D.C. history classes, and to bring renowned go-go performers into D.C. classrooms.

"Go-go has stayed true to time-honored cultural scripts such as live call-and-response, live instrumentation, as well as its locally rooted fashions, slang, dance, distribution and economic systems. Simply put: Go-Go never sold out. There is a grit and texture to the music that gives voice to the communities where it was created." –Natalie Hopkinson

LEARN MORE ABOUT GO-GO     SIGN UP    DONATE

April 30th and May 3rd: Sweet Cherie is Back at Two Rivers

“This was one of the highlights of our school year - thank you!”
— Amanda Silverstein, Two Rivers teacher

Sweet Cherie rocked 5th-grade classes at both Two Rivers campuses again this spring! Students were enamored with Sweet Cherie and blown away by her workshop facilitation. Immersing them in a makeshift go-go in their classrooms, Sweet Cherie broke down the origins and fundamentals of go-go music, her time playing with the godfather of go-go, Chuck Brown, and the elements of a go-go. Students beamed when Sweet Cherie called their name and gave them eight counts to “do their dance,” like a talker does at a go-go.  

Silverstein shared:

The kids had so much fun and were excited for someone important to visit them and teach them things! They definitely appreciated having someone to look up to who is from D.C. I am going to encourage more students to go to formal and informal music events, especially go-go! Many students were excited and commented things like "I have seen her before!" or "I love that band!" or "I can't believe she is here!" One of them even said, "This is the best day of my life."

Copyright © The Beat · All Rights Reserved

Website developed by Teaching for Change with support from
the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Image credits: Thomas Sayers Ellis

Privacy Notice | Search this website