Bonlee and Bennett Enjoy a Week with Priya AND Diali
What do you get when your week starts in India and ends in Africa? At Bonlee and Bennett Schools, the answer was rhythm, laughter, a few sore muscles, a whole lot of learning–(and perhaps a bit of jetlag!).
From October 13–17, students traveled across continents over 6,000 miles—without ever leaving their school floors—through a two-part artist residency that began with Priya Chellani of Indigo Dance and wrapped up with Diali Cissokho, a master drummer and storyteller from Senegal.
Priya, who hails from Mumbai, brought the vibrant energy of Bollywood dance to Chatham County. She taught students the quick steps and bright gestures of Indian dance, sharing bits of her culture along the way—about traditional food, the dazzling costumes, and the music that fuels India’s love for cinema. When Priya told the students that India’s population is around 1.5 billion people, one fifth-grader gasped, “One billion—with a B? woah!”
The week’s energy was contagious. On day one, a sweaty fifth-grade boy announced proudly, “That lady has mad dancing skills. She made me sweat—and I liked it! And I hate to sweat.” Another student, a seventh-grade girl, said, “I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s way more energetic than I thought—it feels like a workout!”
Students also learned to use colorful folk dance sticks, Dandiya, traditionally part of the Navratri Festival—a nine-day celebration of color, joy, and connection. The challenge? Keep the rhythm and avoid bonking your partner with a stick. Coordination was key, and giggles were frequent.
One student at Bennett said, “I thought I had good rhythm, but dancing and hitting sticks is way more difficult than it looks. I’ve learned so much that I can use in my dance class.”
Midweek, the program took an unexpected turn when Priya became ill. But in true Chatham Arts Council fashion, the show went on—and took a new direction, landing in West Africa with artist Diali Cissokho.
Diali, a beloved returning artist, filled the room with his joyful spirit and deep wisdom. One student spotted him and ran up, grinning: “I saw you in fifth grade and got your autograph—it’s still in my backpack!” Diali laughed, amazed. “What 11-year-old keeps up with anything that long?”
Through drumming, storytelling, and laughter, Diali shared pieces of his life growing up in Senegal. He told students, “Hold things in your life close—you are lucky. You have so many things I never had.” He spoke about wanting to go to school so much that, as a boy, he would follow his friends to class and sit outside the door, pretending he was a student. The room fell silent as teachers nodded and students listened. “Respect your teachers,” he said. “Don’t take school—or them—for granted.”
Diali performed for Bonlee school and conducted workshops with fifth- and seventh-grade students at Bennett. Bennett students sat in a circle with drums between their feet. The anticipation in the room on the first day to touch the drums was high. “You do not touch the drums until I tell you. These are my drums and they are special to me. Just like you have a toy at your house that is special to you. You take care of it. I ask that you take care of my drums the same way.” The only thing you heard next was a few “yes sirs” from the students.
Diali has a way of having high expectations for students and simultaneously expressing a high level of care and love. “It’s the most perfect example of high expectations for students that I have ever seen,” said Amanda Moran, Director of the Chatham Artists-in-Schools Initiative. Diali expects students to do their very best and when they struggle he gives them one-on-one attention, continues to demand excellence, and then praises in a magical way. “I loved it when I finally got it and my classmates clapped for me. I was kinda proud; I’m not gonna lie.” said a Bennett seventh-grader.
From Bollywood beats to African drums, students not only learned about rhythm and movement but also about gratitude, perseverance, and the power of cultural connection. As one Bonlee teacher put it, “It was like watching the world come alive right in front of them.”
Priya Chellani and Diali Cissokho’s work at Bonlee K-8 School was sponsored by Yoga Garden Pittsboro. Their work at Bennett K-8 School was sponsored by Miki Adams. Both events are part of the Chatham Arts Council’s Artists-in-Schools Initiative.
Arts for Resilient Kids programming is made possible by partnerships with Chatham County Schools, Chatham County, the North Carolina Arts Council, and many individual, foundation, and business donors. If you feel inspired to help us educate kids through the arts, click here to donate.
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