Some pieces arrive with a kind of sparkle that never fades. My Many Colored Days is one of those works.
Originally developed in 1998, this dance piece began simply, as many good ideas do, with curiosity and play. Inspired by Dr. Seuss’s My Many Colored Days, it invited dancers to explore emotions through color, character, and movement. The format was loose by design. A story read aloud. Classical music underscoring the experience. Dancers responding in real time through improvisation and guided choreography. It was never about perfection. It was about presence.
The first public performances took place with guests and dancers at Borders Books, Music, and Café in North Canton, Ohio. The setting was informal and welcoming, which suited the spirit of the work perfectly. Audiences leaned in. Children recognized themselves in the animals. Adults smiled, often surprised by how deeply something so playful could resonate.
Shortly thereafter, the piece found a natural home with preschool students in the Joy of Dance program through Canton Ballet and the Living Fountain Dance Center. It quickly became a favorite. Young dancers gravitated toward the scarves, the music, and the chance to embody feelings without needing the right words. Educators noticed something important. Students were not just moving. They were processing, expressing, and connecting.
Because it was received so warmly by both students and teachers, the format began to travel. What started as a classroom exploration became a shared experience in schools, churches, and community centers. Students on mission trips carried it with them. Scarves were packed alongside shoes. Stories were shared across cultures. Movement became a common language.
Over time, My Many Colored Days was taught and performed in multiple languages as the work traveled internationally. In Ukraine, including Crimea in 2004, in Brazil, in Haiti, and in Italy, dancers gathered to hear the story read aloud and respond with their bodies. The animals and emotions translated easily. A horse having an exciting red day. Flamingos jumping and dancing pink. A bee busy buzzing with yellow energy. These images crossed borders without explanation. The joy was immediate. The meaning was shared.
What is perhaps most remarkable is how consistently this piece has stayed alive. There is rarely a dancer who studied with Kimberly Jarvis who did not, at some point, play with the storybook, swirl a colored scarf, and listen as the words unfolded over music. It became part of the collective memory of the community. A touchstone. A reminder that dance can be both gentle and profound.
Even now, years later, the spirit of the piece continues. This school year, students at Cloverleaf Elementary School are once again dancing their way through the characters. New bodies. New voices. The same invitation. To notice how you feel today. To move honestly. To see emotion not as something to fix, but something to experience.
That is the quiet power of My Many Colored Days. It does not demand attention. It earns it. It creates space for imagination, empathy, and discovery. It meets dancers where they are, whether they are four years old or adults revisiting a childhood story with fresh eyes.
Some dances are meant for the stage. Others are meant to be carried. This one continues to do both, filled with color, curiosity, and an incredible spirit that refuses to fade.
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