Joan Liberman received a Bachelor’s degree in World Music and Dance from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her studies and performances focused on folk music and dances of Mexico, Greece and Turkey. She also studied gamelan music and the classical dance forms of West Java, Indonesia, in which dancers imitate traditional wooden rod puppet characters. Joan performed with the Northern California-based West Java Arts for 7 years, including a summer of field study in West Java.

Joan subsequently received a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Mills College in Oakland, California. In Portland, Oregon, she worked as a preschool teacher and a teacher trainer for many years. Her classroom specialty was leading creative movement sessions and song circles, sometimes accompanying herself on guitar, banjo or autoharp.

Joan’s new career path involves volunteering as a hospice visitor, leading sing-alongs at senior facilities, and teaching Dance for PD classes. After 40+ years as a teacher of young children, Joan is thrilled to bring the joys and benefits of music, movement, creativity and social connection to folks at the other end of the human lifespan!