Darren Siman is the founder of InHomeJams. As a 9-year-old kid, he had a ton of unfocused energy, and since he loved to bang on pots and pans, he began taking drum lessons. After one month of playing “rat-tat-tat” on a rubber drum pad, he lost the excitement he once had and temporarily quit music. Years later, he found a passionate teacher who instilled newfound confidence, encouraging him to reach new heights. His teacher’s ability to connect and make learning fun, not only helped him rediscover his own love of music, but inspired him to share it with others.

Darren created InHomeJams to make the same impact on his students. By rockin’ out and jammin’, kids create, collaborate, and celebrate the joy of music to last a lifetime!

Jackie Bowden is the founder of MiniMovers. She is a graduate of Salem State University where she graduated with honors with a minor in dance.

Jackie has taught dance at various studios on the North Shore and is the co-director of Kaleidoscope Dance Company. Additionally, she is an actress and cheerleading coach. While working as a substitute teacher, Jackie realized how there is truly a lack of movement in the everyday lives of young children. This inspired her to start MiniMovers, a mobile dance studio, in Greater Boston.

Her mission is to get kids up and moving and to establish the building blocks of creativity so they can be healthy for life!

Laura grew up in a musical family where gatherings became jam sessions and singalongs. At the age of five, she began studying piano at the New England Conservatory of Music. Throughout her life, Laura has danced and performed in theater venues and has sung various types of music—gospel, classical, musical theater, and a cappella, but her heart lies in jazz.

A graduate of Trinity College in Hartford with a degree in Psychology, Laura focused on counseling children and completed internships at Hartford Children’s Medical Center and the Institute of Living. After graduation, she lived in Italy where she performed as a singer and continued to work with children, always using music as an educational tool. Upon returning to the US, Laura began teaching music and movement classes to preschool children in Cambridge and Boston using her original songs. She then studied with the Center for Music and Young Children, and became a certified Music Together center director.

In 2000, she opened GroovyBabyMusic™: an award-winning school committed to bringing the best research-based programming to kids newborn to age 5 in Greater Boston.

With HipKids™, Laura expands her offerings with music, movement, and art classes with a cool vibe for elementary school-age kids, 6 to 12. She chose to team up with InHomeJams™, MiniMovers™, and Kidcasso™ in order to give kids the best opportunities to discover, learn, and thrive.

In every endeavor, Laura is committed to bringing the joy of music to every child, offering scholarships to every family in need, and producing free events for the community.

GroovyBabyMusic and HipKids thrive with a team of enthusiastic, talented teachers who share Laura’s dream… to make learning music, movement and art fun and enriching for children.

When she’s not teaching children, Laura sings jazz with the Laura Love Trio in Boston!

Taryn is a fine artist who is best known for her work in art
therapy with various populations including children and
adults with pervasive developmental disorders. She holds a
Master of Arts degree from New York University and has
trained in painting and sculpture since she was a child.
Taryn has worked as an art therapist and educator for the
Rebecca School, Nassau University Medical Center, Hosmer
Elementary School, Free Arts NYC, and more. Previously,
Taryn also worked as the Assistant Director of Therapeutic
Day Services for The Charles River Center overseeing art
programs, curriculum, staff and case management for
patients while serving as the primary contact for patient families. Most recently, Taryn and her husband welcomed their daughter Ava into the world, inspiring Taryn to create a collection of hand-painted wooden artwork and accessories for baby nursery’s and kid’s rooms. Taryn enjoys working as a freelance artist, teaching classes, and completing community projects like wall-murals for local pre-schools and playrooms. She is a wonderful addition to the Kidcasso team of dedicated teachers and we are happy to have her join us at HipKids!