I feel very fortunate to call this my job! Thanks to everyone who takes the time to send their feedback. Please enjoy some select testimonials from past shows.
“Thank you again for your fantastic visit to Madison! I have heard so many positive comments from the teachers, kids and parents. Everyone was thrilled! You have an amazing gift to inspire people and to make them feel ready and able to take on a challenge. Thank you for sharing that with our school.” Liz Heinrichs, Madison, WI
"I just finished one of the best weeks I have had as a teacher! I couldn't be happier with how the week went and I encourage anyone with the resources available to get Rene to your school (State Conference, District Training, anywhere teachers would be). Rene is an unbelievable performer, a great motivator, and one of those rare people who are able to take a complicated move and break it down so a kindergartner or first grader can learn it...”
School Assembly Program:
“Your performance was spectacular, but even better was the positive message of giving your best effort and to not measure your success by comparing yourself to others. One teacher even said, ‘It was the best assembly I’ve seen,’ and she has been teaching here for more than 20 years.” Amy Tischler, Livonia, MI.
“Rene gave a fabulous performance. I have received a barrage of positive feedback from staff, parents and students. I would highly recommend Rene!” Vida Town, Seattle, WA
“We have many different assemblies come to Russell throughout each school year, but I have never heard so many compliments before…from the students, our staff, and the administrators.” Krissa Baylor, Milpitas, CA
"It's not just the Best Jump Rope Assembly and Double dutch assembly I've seen, it's the best assembly, we've ever had."
“I would like to thank you for touching the lives of our children and teachers...you have a special gift to teach, and you do it with passion. Our teachers are still crying tears of happiness for the positive experience you created for our students.” Doug Stebbins, West Carollton, OH.
“The kids and staff are still talking about Rene Day. After 33 years I don’t impress easily, but you were worth the wait. You were terrific.” Bob Scharer, Carnation, Washington
“Dear Rene—I don’t know where to start. I have never seen 600 students so attentive and engaged in an assembly. Their enthusiasm was very touching. Teachers were very impressed—“Best assembly in 30 years.” The entire school was motivated to continue discussions, write essays, and do projects on achieving your personal best. Kids are jump roping at recess.” Mary Jo Stacks, East Lansing, MI
“Thank you again for your fantastic visit to Madison! I have heard so many positive comments from the teachers, kids and parents. Everyone was thrilled! You have an amazing gift to inspire people and to make them feel ready and able to take on a challenge. Thank you for sharing that with our school.” Liz Heinrichs, Madison, WI
“René is a natural on stage and she dazzled our lower and middle school students with her “My Life as a Hot Dog” jump rope assembly. She is a ‘must-have’ guest speaker for all schools!” Shannon Graves, Kamuela, HI.
“Having René was the highlight performance of the school year. My students are still talking about her.” Emily Adams, Kennesaw, GA.
“I heard SOOOOO many positive comments about your show from both staff and students. Later, a fifth-grade student who has low self esteem said, ‘I’m going to stay positive. I know I can do better.’ Those feelings came directly from your show!” Kathy Wells, Beaverton, OR.
“René is tremendous. Not only is she incredibly talented, but more importantly, she delivers a wonderful and useful message. I could not recommend this powerful presentation strongly enough.” Dan Maslana, Pleasanton, CA.
“What people need to know about René is that she is more than an entertainer - she’s a teacher.” Patti Tibaldi, Traverse City, MI – through grant sources, Patti has brought René to 20 schools.
WOW!! WOW!! HOW AWESOME IS RENE?
We loved it! The kids and staff were wonderfully entertained and left with great enthusiasm and a reminder to stay focused and to face their greatest challenges a step at a time.
Mistakes are indeed an important part in learning. I was so thrilled with her performance and message. Definitely a return visit would be a blessing.
Thank you for the opportunity to encourage our kids. It's Student Achievement Testing season across the US and we were in need of a little boost of energy and motivation. Rene was amazing. Aloha, Kim McCarty Hawaii
Workshops and Teacher Training:
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✴Rene breaks skills down better than any presenter I've seen.
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✴You progressions are perfect.
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✴Thank you for teaching me skills I've been trying for years.
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✴You make the tricks seem easier.
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✴Your teaching techniques are motivating and encouraging.
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✴I've been coming to conferences for 23 years. Yours is the BEST workshop I've attended.
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✴You taught me skills that I didn't think were possible.
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✴Rene has consistently presented dynamic, entertaining, and educational programs for the alliance for health physical education, recreation and dance for over 15 years. Thank you for continuing to represent our profession is such a positive way.
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✴A+++ I've been attending your sessions for years, and I never get tired of seeing you present. Thanks for another great session.
- Session Evaluations by conference attendees
"I just finished one of the best weeks I have had as a teacher! Our PTO grants an artist-in-resident annually and the four special teachers (art, music, media, and PE rotate it). Since I had no idea who to get and it was my turn I immediately went to my favorite list-serv (naspe pe talk) and posed this situation to the readers. I was flooded with lots of good ideas and I checked into most of them. At least four or five responders recommended Rene Bibaud, a jump rope artist. I really liked the idea of jump rope because we do it anyway, and it's an inexpensive type of activity which most kids can do anywhere, anytime, and totally unsupervised. Well, I couldn't be happier with how the week went and I encourage anyone with the resources available to get Rene to your school (State Conference, District Training, anywhere teachers would be). Rene is an unbelievable performer, a great motivator, and one of those rare people who are able to take a complicated move and break it down so a kindergartner or first grader can learn it. She had every single kid in our school successfully doing double dutch! She almost seemed Psychic because she could always pick the most unconfident kid in the class, she would then have them go first and they would always succeed! You could see that child's posture grow about six inches with pride and self-confidence when they were done! I have already heard from parents who told me their kids bypassed their normal after-school TV show and went straight outside and practiced the things Rene taught them in gym today! Many kids I would expect this behavior from, but some of the parents were those of kids who disliked jump rope before working with Rene."
-Robin Walker
Towne Meadow Elementary School
Carmel, Indiana
Feel free to continue reading about Rene’s special event performances, or a newspaper article on Rene’s jump rope school assembly. If you’d prefer, go to testimonials by state, to read what folks in your area have to say in your state.
Major Events:
“René has performed with Cirque du Soleil since 1996. Her work is creative and dynamic. She knows how to keep an audience enthralled. I can whole-heartedly recommend René.” Jacques Marcotte, Artistic Coordinator, Cirque du Soleil Special Events.
"René electrified the Lynx crowd with her one-of-a-kind talent! The crowd was thrilled with René's show!” Chad Folkestad, Minnesota Lynx & Timberwolves.
Rene performed during half-time of our men's basketball game vs. UCLA. Rene wowed the crowd and was one of the best halftime acts we've had! I had numerous people ask me after the performance where we had found her. The game was nationally televised on ABC and a portion of the halftime performance was even picked up on TV. We would welcome Rene back any time she is in Seattle! Amy Wilson, Assistant Director of Marketing & Promotions.
“Not only did René perform a great act for us, but she's a true pro to work with. She has a solid WNBA halftime show to offer and I think people in my line of work will really enjoy working with her.” Mike Chant, NY Liberty & Knicks.
“René warmed the hearts of the crowd. She received a standing ovation and ESPN ran 30 seconds of her performance during their game of the week, which is practically unheard of. We’ll definitely have her back.” Mark Hollis, Associate Athletic Director, Michigan State University.
Rene also performed a high energy half-time routine using fans in the audience as well as band members and cheerleaders – she kept the energy in the coliseum pumped up. We were very grateful to have Rene at the 2006 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament – 2 school assemblies, an educational outreach program and a half-time performance all in 2 days!”
– Bernie McGlade, Associate Commissioner at the Atlantic Coast Conference
Articles:
Bibaud shares joys of jumping
World jump rope champ visits area elementary schools
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
A fistful of adjectives - dynamic, energetic, committed, inspiring - does not begin to describe Rene Bibaud.
The Seattle resident is a five-time world champion of jump rope and has made a career out of what could never be termed child's play after watching her routine. "I have been jumping for 24 years performing, competing and coaching," she told students at Oak Park Elementary School on Wednesday morning. "This is my job, I travel to hundreds of schools every year performing and teaching." "Rope jumping is a great way to stay in shape and have fun," added Bibaud, also making sure to address the 'cool' factor of her sport: "A lot of professional athletes jump rope to keep in shape, basketball players, swimmers, volleyball players and skiers." Bibaud hit town last week to amaze and inspire hundreds of area students, including those at four Traverse City Area Public Schools elementary schools. During her hour-long presentations at Eastern, Oak Park, Willow Hill and Old Mission Elementary Schools, she jumped and taught other students to jump in front of the whole school. Each school's Parent Teacher Organization sponsored her visit. After introducing herself, Bibaud demonstrated her competitive freestyle routine, morphing into a blur of action and gravity-defying moves with her jump rope.
Bibaud then got down to her mission: use jump rope to convey messages of self-esteem and personal empowerment to children. Traveling to schools nationwide, Bibaud shares her personal journey with the jump rope.
When she was in the fifth grade, a demonstration team visited her school and a teacher was inspired to start a jump rope team, called the Hot Dogs. "I wanted to be on that team, but I wasn't good enough," Bibaud shared with the students at Oak Park.
The next year, she tried out again and this time listened carefully to the coach's three mantras: try you best, work at your own level and be willing to make mistakes but continue trying. She internalized these concepts and now shares them to others as a means to create their own success. "I made the team that year but I still wasn't the best jumper," recalled Bibaud. "But I got to where I am today, a five time world champion and four years with Cirque Du Soliel, because of those three things that I learned in sixth grade."
Bibaud brought students out on the gym floor to try their hand at basic jumps. Then she had them try a trickier, one-legged jump and next brought another crew out to demonstrate paired jumping. Double Dutch jumping rounded out her program, as she had students and a teacher try their hands and navigating two ropes at once.
"I jump rope in gym and am actually working on a routine with other sixth graders for an assembly at the end of the month," said Madelaine Mitchell-Ward, a sixth grade student at Oak Park Elementary and a volunteer jumper with Bibaud. "I really like jump roping and I think it was really fun." Mitchell-Ward left the assembly inspired to try harder and jump rope more often. She said she has struggle in the past learning to jump Double Dutch, never really getting it. But after watching a kindergarten student master the footwork and timing, she is now determined to master it. "She showed that little kid learning it and now I'm going to try it," she said.
Testimonials
Jump Rope School Assemblies