Jelly Jam Time
Story Dancing Classes and Puppet Shows
Risa Packed the house with one of her Library performances.
Our Story
Jelly Jam Time began as a Story-Dance class in 2008 in a preschool where founder Risa Lenore worked as a teacher for many years. It has since expanded to cover many creative arenas, always staying true to its values of creativity, exploration, discovery, movement, kindness and play.
Risa Lenore and Jelly Jam Time Bio
Jelly Jam Time has been growing with founder Risa Lenore her whole life. She spent her early years helping out in her mother's vibrant kindergarten classroom, not realizing she was training for her future. After studying dance, theater and anthropology at Beloit College in Wisconsin, Risa became a preschool teacher in Berkeley, CA and continued to perform. She travelled the country as a physical actor. For many years, she has told stories, made costumes for theater and danced throughout the bay area. In 2007, Risa left for Paris, France to study physical theater and movement at Jacques LeCoq's International School of Theatre. Upon her return, Jelly Jam Time began as a perfect combination of early childhood education and of Risa's many creative talents. Risa's educational and artistic strengths have since been nourished with intensive trainings in puppetry through Humber College in Toronto, CA, brain-compatible dance education with Anne Green Gilbert in Seattle, WA, ECE courses through the Peralta colleges, and Alameda County's Integrated Learning Specialist program. Now, Risa not only teaches a multitude of creative drama/movement/storydance classes, she also performs puppet shows, leads educator trainings and is learning what life is like as a mother. Risa strives to bring high quality programming to early childhood education; integrating play and story while valuing childrens' creative input!
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To see Risa's other artwork go to https://www.laughterndyenomite.com/
Testimonials
“Risa Dye’s performances as Jelly Jam Time have become a staple of our regular performance rotation at the museum. She has customized her shows to fit themes like our 25th Birthday Bash, winter and Halloween. She is incredibly easy to work with leading up to the event and during the event. She is such an engaging performer for children and adults of all ages. Her shows are very interactive and original—all the stories, songs and puppets are designed by Risa, so it is truly a unique experience. I cannot recommend Risa’s Storydancing and Puppet Shows enough!”
-Sarah, Public Programs Specialist at the Bay Area Discovery Museum
"Risa is a gift and a wonder. Circus arts, storytelling, costume making, song writing, puppetry.....everything she touches turns to magic. Her creativity is boundless, her energy contagious. She holds children with the utmost respect and compassion, and truly sees each child's individual spark. I feel blessed to have had such a gentle, wise, joyful teacher for both of my girls. Jelly Jam Time continues to be a highlight of the week! Thank you, Risa!"
-Rachael (mother of 2)
" I love Jelly Jam Time because we do lots of fun things and because we do different things every Jelly Jam Time. Risa is my favorite teacher. Risa is Caring, loves to help people, and she is very smart. "
-Lila Rose. 5 year old
"Thank you for the wonderful Jelly Jam Time puppet show you brought to our library! The kids really enjoyed your show. I found the ways that you invite the audiences to participate are very effective in bring them into the story."
-Chao
Chinatown Branch Librarian
San Francisco