NOTE:  RITA HAS RETIRED! She enjoyed all the years she performed & sang with young children. Her CD is still available for sale at  www.cdbaby.com/ritakirsch RECORDINGS "That's a great album!  I'm recommending "Samba Snap" to my internet group of pre-school teachers all across the USA & in Canada." - Barbara Dewitt, Pre-school Director "... excellent quality recording." - James Van Valkenburg, Violist, Detroit Symphony Orchestra "The kids at Storytime love 'Samba Snap.' I would like to buy an additional copy for the library to circulate." - Joy Wong, Children's Librarian "The boys love 'Samba Snap.' You should see them marching and dancing all around the family room." - Ellen Boyd, Parent "We listen to it every minute in the car. We really love it!" - Pauline Combs, Parent I feel like we should get one for the house and one for the car because they are constantly saying: Where's Rita's CD?" - Laura Zatkin, Parent Parents' Choice Foundation, the country's oldest and most respected non-profit consumer guide to children's media, gave "Samba Snap" a Gold Award.  The Gold Award winners are "... the highest quality, most appealing products, with the highest production standards, universal human values and a unique, individual quality." In 1998 when "Samba Snap" won a Gold Award, Silver Awards were given to albums by Disney and Sesame Street. Rita sings 15 of her original songs and four favorite traditional songs.   Her puppet Candy CowTM adds to the fun by popping up here and there, and at the end, asking, "Can we play Side One again?"   It was created for singers and non-singers.   Many songs have the directions for creative movement included in the lyrics so everyone can easily participate without memorization or practice!   "Samba Snap" was designed for children, parents, early childhood teachers, and special education teachers.   The lyrics and an activity sheet are enclosed.   It is recommended for ages birth to seven years. Rita's original song, "No More Chocolate," is included on the audio cassette "IF WE DARE TO CARE," a collection of Michigan's favorite children's recording artists to benefit the prevention of child abuse, with narration by Isiah Thomas. BACKGROUND Rita attended the University of Michigan and graduated from Wayne State University with a B.A. degree in Sociology.   She has had training in puppetry, drama, voice, dance, creative writing, art, and foreign languages. MEMBERSHIPS: Metro-Detroit Association for the Education of Young Children (MDAEYC) International Ventriloquists' Association Rita and her puppet Candy CowTM have been performing successful concerts at schools, libraries, and birthday parties since 1988.   She is the creator and instructor of her own parent-child music classes at The Community House in Birmingham and for Parks and Recreation in Troy.   She presents puppetry workshops for adults who work with young children.   She plays guitar, ukulele, and autoharp.    She appeared twice on WQRS-FM on the Dick Marsh Show as the featured guest, singing her original songs.