Self Portrait, St. Andrew’s Elementary

Over the years, Lynn Panting Dance has taken on a variety of creative projects: some small, some experimental, and some that quietly planted seeds for what came next. While these initiatives may not have an ongoing presence at the studio, they continue to reflect the values that guide our work: accessibility, creativity, and community connection. The Legacy Projects series offers a space to revisit and share these moments.

In 2013, Lynn Panting partnered with musician Sean Panting and educator Kim Cole to bring a joyful, movement-based arts project to the students of St. Andrew’s Elementary.

Over several weeks, students explored creative movement with Lynn, developing their own movement vocabulary. With Sean, they built a layered soundscape that reflected their rhythms and ideas. The project culminated in a school-wide event in the gymnasium.

A large canvas was spread across the gym floor, and each student was given a different colour of paint on their feet. They danced across the canvas to the soundscape they had helped create, using the movement they had developed themselves. The result was a vibrant, abstract painting, a joyful smush of self-expression, collaboration, and creativity.

This project remains a reminder of how movement, music, and visual art can come together to celebrate young voices and bodies in motion.

Dedicated to Kim Cole, an excellent educator who was a vital part of this project and the community and is deeply missed.