Elizabeth Johnson Camozzi

I teach primarily ESL students, where English is their second language.  During a junior high session where the students had defined instruments, had watched instruments being played and were listening for specific instruments, a student looked at me and honestly asked, “Mrs. Camozzi, is a pencil falling music?  Is a foot-tap music?  Is a chair falling music?”  I asked him, “When a chicken talks, is it Hmong?” (hoping that the word ‘incidental’ may happen in some form)

He smirked and said, “Yes!  He says pab!  pab!” (Said, “bpah, bphah”).  I agreed, while the rest of the class began to laugh wildly.  Pab, I found, meant, “help!”

After a successful summer enrolled in the University of St. Thomas’s graduate  program, I hit the ground running with the 2010-11 school year at Noble Academy!  The students enthusiastically took to my curriculum, with body percussion, Dalcroze movement, and much experience with mallets.  I can now say with confidence that I see 30+ eighth graders weekly, who enter my room giggly with anticipation.

My husband and I also bought a home and have been spending most weekends as “weekend warriors”, fixing faucets, weeding gardens and painting rooms.  Our puppy loves the changes she sees, and especially loves the new yard!

A moment to remember from this fall:  the eighth grade students spent a busy September chanting, singing and playing the recorder as a large ensemble.  As October rolled around, I began to introduce choir and vocal technique.  One student said to me, “Mrs. C, I’m new here.  And I don’t sing.  It’s not cool.”  I smiled and said, “we’ll see”.  The class was spent moving to the music, locating the notes on the staff and then putting it to body percussion, vocally exploring through tales and ending with a canon in Latin.  When I wrapped up the session and asked, “how is choir different than what you had thought it was?”  The same student from the beginning of class raised his hand eagerly and said, “well, it’s crazy challenging.  But because everyone here is trying, it’s a lot of fun.  I think I like choir.”

my new answer to student protests, “We’ll see” (with a wink)

With only a few weeks left of teaching, followed by enrollment in graduate classes at the University of St. Thomas in Music Education, I am feeling thrilled with the year!

The middle school “Arts Performance Night” was a first-ever success!  The students rose to the occasion and there were very few errors.  We encountered issues with a tiny stage, microphone and lighting problems with finesse, and the students acted professionally as they clearly represented the future of a thriving music program.  Many students are eager for what they will be able to do next year.  The parent comments centered around two comments: “Wow, I never knew my child could sing like that!” and “they looked like they were having a lot of fun.  What’s next?”.

Another session of aerials arts wrapped up at Xelia’s Aerial Arts Studio with a student showcase.  Here I am performing on knot tissu (silks with a knot in the end of them, which allows for us to do complicated free-falls without hitting the ground).  Jeff and I will be continuing our studies, gaining strength with each session.  Our next show will not be until the fall, the summer being used to train for more challenging aerials.  My goal is to climb with more ease and success.

Liz Camozzi Performs on Knot Tissu

Until then, I wish you the best of springs.  I will now go enjoy the sun.

As April… and May showers hopefully bring May flowers, life is budding in Minneapolis, our city of arts.  The year at Noble Academy has wrapped up successfully, with two wonderful guest artists visiting the music room.  The middle school students have thrived on guitar, recorder, Orff instruments and vocal ensembles, and will be showing their talent for an “Arts Performance Night”, Thursday May 20th at Noble Academy.  The choir’s program is:

1) Nyob Zoo by the full choir.  A song in Hmong welcoming family and friends to a festive and important occasion.

2) Round and Round- full choir

3) Peace Round- full choir

4) Ode to Joy- Guitar ensemble

5) Sib Pab Ciaj Vaj- Men’s chorus.  A song in Hmong about the importance of community and teamwork.  Also Noble Academy’s Principal’s favorite song

6) Amazing Grace- Recorder Ensemble

7) Oh Shenandoah- Women’s chorus

8) The water is wide- full choir

9) Lean on me- full choir.  This is by far the students’ favorite song.  We will plan on ending on a festive note!

Also happening in the spring of 2010: My husband Jeff and I have been training at Xelia’s Aerial Arts studio in Minneapolis.  For the past 5 months we have trained in the circus arts of body tumbling, trapeze, and silks (tissu).  We will be performing at the end of May, both on silks.

Link to Xelias Aerial Arts

Lindy hop and swing dancing has taken it’s seat in our social life.  We recently attended Midwest Lindyfest in Minneapolis.  What a brilliant event, with national instructors and competitors all weekend.  Below is a picture of me and a partner from Denver competing at the local Jack and Jill contest.

As the school year winds down, I will be attending St. Thomas University’s graduate program in Music Education, focusing on Kodaly instruction.  A long awaited goal, I feel eager and ready to attend a semester of studies on music education and history.  I sincerely believe that every teacher should continue their education, as we are the bearers of our nation’s education

How quickly a year flies!

Fall in Minnesota was a beautiful mix of color and sound: between the Minnesota foliage and my ever-growing music classes, life was full!  430+ students, all learning the basics of vocal technique, recorders and percussion made for a LOUD and fun time!  The highlights of the classroom: preparation for the Hmong New Year and learning enough Hmong to lead a song (in Hmong), welcoming all families to our program.  Nyob Zoo Xyoo Tsiab!

Mrs. Camozzi at the Hmong New Year 12/18/09

The highlights of home-life: adopting our puppy, Nola.  A pure mutt, our 3-year old dog has been a pain and a joy to have around the house.  We both agree that the addition of Nola has made our house into a home.  Nola is always excited, ever-curious and always a lover.  Her paws are into everything, and most likely attached to one of us if possible.  Having some Australian Cattle Dog in her, it is true what they say: Nola is very much a velcro-dog!

Nola, relaxing after her adoption 9/09

Jeff and I have also kept in shape by training at a local circus school, Xelia’s aerial arts in Minneapolis.  In each session, we work on stationary trapeze, ropes/silks and body building.  My students worried that I would stop teaching to join the circus- but I assured them that I will never get to that point.  🙂 Along with rehearsing with a local swing dance team, it has been a great way to keep our energy (and uniqueness!).

Jeff and I as "acrobandits" for our first acrobatic routine, 10/09

The winter break was a time for relaxation, playing games, and hosting our first Christmas!  Sadly, we did not make the trip to Asheville for LindyFocus- a week-long dance camp around new year’s, though we plan on having a routine in hand for next year!  Instead, we hosted a small family Christmas and spent time with friends.  Game nights, dancing and sleeping in were all a welcomed part of our vacation.  Oh, and not to mention the below-zero days and snow emergencies on Christmas day!

Liz-made stockings for our first family Christmas

With a wonderful and adventurous 2009 behind us, I can only wish that 2010 be full of new adventures, joys and surprises!  Happy New year and I wish you all the best!

Wrapping up labor day weekend is always nostalgic.  After returning to Atlanta to pick up my husband, clean up the apartment and turn in the keys, drive to Greenville South Carolina and eat a “birthday dinner”, I would say that my labor day weekend was everything *but* relaxing.  Always fun, though!

Driving the moving truck back to Minneapolis from Atlanta.

Jeff and I managed to squeeze in a “Fly like Frankie” aerials workshop at Furman University en route to Minneapolis, MN.  Our final move back to Minneapolis- with a quick afternoon of flips and fun- was successful!  We returned home late Sunday night and spent Monday relaxing before the school year begins on Tuesday.

Most recent thoughts as the era of yellow-buses and early-mornings begin: training at Noble Academy (http://www.nobleacademy.us/) has been eye-opening.  I feel as if I’m among professionals and mentors.  Each grade has an impressive leader, the school is led by intensively passionate administrators who want their children to succeed.  Over the past two weeks of home visits and staff development, I feel as if I’m beginning the school year not as a ‘new’ staff member, but one who already knows names and faces, who understands where some of the families are coming from, and who feels supported.

I believe that September will be full of early mornings and late nights (and beginning circus/aerials training once a week!) as I get back into the routine.  Also on the list of to-do’s: a dog, saving to buy the house and spending time with good friends.  All in a good day’s work!

A true Saturday morning to look forward to on our porch. The good life.

“Oh, it’s soh good to be back in Minnesohta” (said with a true accent).  Land of big cars, big lanes, slow drivers and friendly (most of the time?) smiles!  Every weekend has been filled with walks to nearby parks, finding gems of coffee shops tucked in unknown corners, being with friends and hosting a few surprisingly fun get-togethers at our house.  With a grill and a fire-pit, we are officially living a Minnesota life!

Anodyne, near Lake Harriet. A cup of Au Lait and a good book on teaching.

We have officially moved *back* across the country 2 times: once in my little VW bug and a second time in our moving truck.  The route from Atlanta to Minneapolis is ingrained in our minds, I honestly believe we could do it without a map at this point.  With one more trip (in my husband’s car) over labor day, including a pitt-stop in Greenville, South Carolina for an aerials workshop, we will officially be Minnesota residents!

Aside from fixing up the house we’re renting to own in South Minneapolis, I have had the opportunity to attend “Responsive Classroom” training, planned my school-year based on Kodaly methods (with some exception of ELL and Responsive Classroom training), and taken on African drumming through “Drumbone”, a group based out of Hamline University on Tuesday nights.  I hope to continue my learning of drumming so that I could take it to my classroom, though my bruised thumbs think less of the training.

Picnic at Lake Harriet Bandshell with Robert Bell jazz music in the background

As training takes a precedence over my week days, my evenings will continue to be spent in Minnesota-summer bliss.  Picnics at the lake, walks near the Mississippi and time with friends have all made this move back home a very special event.  Now I’m off to set up my classroom!

Dear Atlanta, 

You have been so much fun, and with the friends I’ve met, I can say that some of the nicest dancers in the US  live in your HOT city!  I’ll miss the sun, the warm winters and the fact that I never once in 2 years wore boots.  And the fact that during my time there, any sickness I had I can count on one hand.  I’ll be back… in a few weeks to pack up our apartment!

Love, Liz

The boxes are beginning to be packed, my car full of basic supplies: clothing for the Minnesota summer (slightly cooler than Atlanta), teaching supplies to set up the beginnings of my music room, pots, pans, dishes and MUSIC!  (I won the battle and I *am* bringing my crosley record player!).  

Tomorrow bright and early we begin our road trip, Jeff and I will squeeze ourselves into my clean little bug (new tires, new battery, new lights) and head as far north as possible before we hit the hay.   Quite literally too, we’re thinking to make this first of three road-trips as inexpensive as possible.  

Our ETA to the Twin Cities is Sunday mid-late afternoon, where we’ll crash with Shawn and Chelsea, meet up with the parents, and help my brother and his wife move out of their house.  Coincidentally, due to their move, my brother/wife had to cancel their wedding reception: meaning family is flying in for the whole non-shin-dig!  I get to be with my parents!  

The rest of the week will be spent unpacking our things into said brother’s old house, painting hideous bachelor’s-pad walls, scrubbing floors, getting rid of more cat hair, and being with friends.  I heard rumor that the Twin Cities BalFest is happening, I may volunteer to see people once more!

More to come, I’m sure.

~Liz

Welcome to Elizabeth (Liz) Johnson Camozzi’s website.   Artist, musician, dancer, and teacher are all words to strongly describe this talented woman.  Currently moving back from Atlanta, Georgia to her hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Liz is looking forward to teaching music, dancing at the local lindy hop venues and enjoying time with family and friends.

This website was created for personal and professional use.  Above are the tabs for her lindy hop dance history and information, professional pursuits of classical music through the flute and other mediums, and her history and latest news of teaching music: both in the classroom and privately for flute instruction.  Please see links for her professional dance website that is operated by herself and her husband, fullswingmotion.com, links to her personal blog, lilpiccolo and other interesting links.

If you have any questions or would like to contact her, please see the “about” tab, which holds basic information.