Artist: The Clayfoot Strutters

Album: Going Elsewhere

“In my classes, I use music quite a lot to change the atmosphere in the room,” says Suzi Tortora who teaches students as young as 3 months old at her practice, Dancing Dialogue: Healing & Expressive Arts Center. “If I feel like the energy could become chaotic, I just switch the music instead of having to say ‘stop’ or ‘slow down.’”

While her students respond well to her musical choices, many, like those from Going Elsewhere, aren’t necessarily designed for tots. “I’m interested in exposing kids to good music, so I don’t actually play many children’s songs. I like to introduce them to music like this that has a lot of texture to it,” says Tortora.

For more on Suzi Tortora and her music choices, check out “Tunes for Tots.”