Dance Contest | Tiny Time Travel

Children will see how “rules” of communication may differ across cultures with this video from the PBS KIDS show Tiny Time Travel.

Cammy and her friend Evalynn are creating a dance for a dance contest. When Cammy suggests a move in which they pat each other’s heads, Evalynn gets upset and leaves. Cammy is confused as to why Evalynn got upset, so Tony and Tyler suggest Cammy ask Evalynn. Evalynn explains that she is Hmong and some people in the Hmong culture, like Evalynn and her dad, believe the head is where the soul lives. The reason Evalynn doesn’t want Cammy to touch her head is because she believes it will scare her soul away. Now that Cammy understands Evalynn’s point of view, she is happy to do a different dance move. Tony and Tyler use tiny time travel so Cammy and Evalynn can enter the dance contest with their new dance.

As you watch, see how the characters:

• Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, gain information, or clarify something that is not understood
• Apply mental state words to self, others, and characters in stories