Teaching Youth to Create Ensembles for Their Own Development: A Performance-Based Approach to Out-of-School Time Practice

• In Event: Expanding Possibilities: Equity, Identity, and Culture in Out-of-School Time Spaces

Abstract

This study examines how ensemble building—a practice rooted in improvisational performance—can transform youth development in out-of-school time (OST) programs. Drawing on Vygotskian theory we analyze the methodology and practices of a free OST program serving marginalized urban youth. Using qualitative data from observations, interviews, and focus groups, we show how program leaders introduce ensemble practices, enabling youth to shift from individual performance to collective co-creation. Participants begin to make these performance tools their own, using them to build developmental environments independently in the program and later in their lives beyond the program. Our findings highlight ensemble building as a relational, reparative alternative to individualistic models of resilience, contributing a practical framework for OST educators committed to fostering equitable and imaginative futures.

Authors

• Carrie L. Lobman, Rutgers University

• Bonny L. Gildin, All Stars Project Inc.