Summer Arts isn’t just for university students.

On a recent morning, 100 youngsters from the Salinas City Elementary School District came to campus to work with instructors from Summer Arts poetry and dance classes.

Members of CONTRA-TIEMPO Urban Latin Dance Theater helped the migrant students perfect some moves. The children formed a big circle in the University Center ballroom, and with the help of Summer Arts students, learned to integrate basic dance steps with elements of mime, turning to their neighbors to mimic making a phone call or taking a photo.

Then came the music, energizing the dance moves with Latin rhythms.

In another room, poets – including U.S. poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera – had students repeating words and putting them to music.

The program was provided by agrant from the National Endowment for the Arts.