National Black Arts Festival

This July, the city of Atlanta hosted the 20 year anniversary celebration of The National Black Arts Festival. Although it really is a year round cultural celebration , this 10 day festival was an amazing opportunity to experience the dance, music, theatre, literary and visual arts of Africa.

Since we couldn't possibly attend everything that was offered, our goal was to make it to the Children's Education Village. Not only could we meet a Zulu warrior, listen to drummers, and sit in on ancient storytelling, but rumor had it that we might see someone we know and love at the Disney Animation Workshop.

Unfortunately, due to some major construction issues, we arrived at the festival a little later than planned. We did have the chance to listen to the drummers and make a few crafts, but the Zulu warrior was no where to be found. Bummer!

When we headed inside to where the animation workshop was being held, our excitement level was kicked up a notch. Right outside the magically tinted doors was a flat screen running documentaries about Disney Imagineers. Who minds waiting when you have that kind of entertainment!

And then...happiness personified. The person we were hoping to see walked right out of those doors! That person would happen to be our friend, Isaac. He is an animator at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and a talented one at that. He is also the nicest guy you would ever want to meet. =)

As we walked through the doors, we left the city of Atlanta and stepped into nirvana. We were in Disney...sort of. ;)

Once everyone was seated (and just like in his classes at the Studios), Isaac connected with those kids immediately. Especially when he shared his Disney magic pencils with them.



And Isaac, if you are reading this, I think it is quite unfair that they had erasers on their pencils. How come we never get to use the magic pencils with erasers? ;)

Can you guess who he is teaching them to draw?



Yes...Timon! And now, because they all did so well, Isaac is encouraging the kids to believe in Disney magic...do you?



Well, you should, because if you believe it, Timon and Rafiki will come!



I am ashamed to admit that we acted like we had never seen them before. Well, we have never seen them in Atlanta-LOL!

Since this class was more for the children, Mark and I had kindly stood in the back to make room for everyone. We didn't see how well Renee had done until after the class, and we were blown away! Pretty good for her first time, don't 'cha think?



Isaac thought so too, and gave her a huge hug to prove it. Did I mention that we just love this guy?



And Timon? Well, he just loved it all.