Horizons School Matinee Series C R E D I T S : Editor: Shannon Dozoryst, Education and Outreach Coordinator Horizons Educator s Resource Guide content prepared by Shannon Dozoryst Athletes of Dance copyright- Evan-Moor Corp. 2000 Teachers have permission to reproduce any and all parts of this study guide for classroom use only T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S Teacher Letter 2 About the Company 3 Setting/Characters 4 Synopsis 5 History 6 Q&A 7 Behind the Scenes 8 Vocabulary 9-10 Activities 11-12 Athletes of Dance 13-21 2012-2013 Educator s Resource Guide ABOUT YOUNG AUDITORIUM AT UW-WHITEWATER The Young Auditorium is located on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus and serves both the campus and public communities. The auditorium presents the highest quality arts and entertainment programming in a wide variety of disciplines for diverse audiences. There is something for everyone each season at Young Auditorium including touring Broadway shows; classical, jazz, rock, pop and folk music; family entertainment; school matinee performances; world-class ballet and opera; comedy; and lectures. The Nutcracker Thursday, December 12, 2013-10:00 a.m. The ground breaking for the auditorium in June 1991 was made possible through the Irvin L. Young Foundation. The Foundation, along with the auditorium, honors an individual whose name has long been associated with philanthropy and humanitarianism throughout the state of Wisconsin and around the world. From humble beginnings, without the advantages of a high school or college education, Mr. Irvin Young used his time, talents and strong entrepreneurial spirit to establish a variety of successful businesses. Inspired by a business trip to Africa and the commitments he formed there, Mr. Young established Horizons School Matinee Series the Irvin L. Young Foundation in 1949. Mrs. Fern Young continued her husband s benevolence until her death in January 2002. Thousands of people, both at home and abroad, have been positively affected by their kindness. It is our goal that, by bearing Mr. Young s name, we continue in his path of serving Wisconsin residents for years to come. Activity Sheets 22-25 Reflecting on the Performance 26-27 Resources 28 Theatre Vocabulary 29-30 Courtesy Counts 31 For Your Information 32-33 The mission of the Horizons program is to support the curriculum of schools by providing culturally diverse programs and outreach opportunities for K-12 students. This will be accomplished through 1) providing performances and hands-on, interactive outreach opportunities that cultivate and appreciation for the performing arts among young people that will last throughout their lives and 2) supporting teachers through professional development opportunities in the arts. It is our vision that someday every K-12 student in the auditorium s service region will attend a Horizon s performance and/or participate in an outreach event each year.
P A G E 2 Horizons School Matinee Series Dear Teachers, Thank you for choosing to attend a Horizons School Matinee Series performance at Young Auditorium. We strive to provide programs that enhance your curriculum and allow you to explore arts integration in the classroom with your students. To help meet that goal, we offer a resource guide for each performance. This guide has been designed to help you prepare your students with before activities that help them engage in the performance and after activities that encourage them to evaluate the performance and make relevant personal and academic connections. Within the guide you will find a variety of activities that can be used to enhance the core subject areas as well as the creative arts. Wisconsin Standards are listed for each lesson to help you link them to your existing curriculum. The materials in this guide reflect the grade range recommended by the performing arts group. As teachers, you know best what the needs and abilities of your students are; therefore, please select and/ or adapt any of the material to best meet the needs of your particular group of students. It is also part of our mission to provide teachers with support in the efforts to integrate arts in their curriculum and bring teaching artists into the classroom to work directly with students. Please visit our website www.uww.edu/youngauditorium for more information about the Horizons Outreach Program and Reaching New Horizons: Arts Integration in the Classroom,, our new professional development series for teachers. As you prepare for your visit to the Young Auditorium, please do not hesitate to contact our staff. We are happy to assist you in making your trip a positive and memorable experience for your students. Thank you for your support! Young Auditorium
About The Dance Factory P A G E 3 The Dance Factory opened in 1995. Currently 400 students are enrolled on a weekly basis. Classes are offered in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, lyrical, hip hop, Irish step, as well as choreography. In addition, The Dance Factory offers a graded technique class in the Cecchetti Method. The American Standard Performance Awards are also offered. The Dance Factory s staff is primarily Chicago-based and most of the staff still performs professionally. Meet Tina Lendman, Artistic Director Tina is an educator, director, choreographer, adjudicator, and producer. She is the founder, director, and heart of The Dance Factory. Tina has choreographed locally, nationally, and internationally, and with her excellence as a dance adjudicator she is often sought after for her services in these same venues. Tina established a cultural student foreign exchange program with the country of Belize. Many of Tina s students have gone on to successful careers in the arts. Fun Facts about Tina Nickname - Misty Favorite Dance - Everything! Favorite Dancer - Suzanne Farrell/ Savion Glover Favorite Movie - Ever After Favorite Actor/ Actress - John Wayne/ Cameron Diaz Favorite Musical Act - U2, Peter Gabriel Favorite Color - Red In my spare time I like to... ride horses. I became a dancer... to be like my mom. In five years... I will be happier than I am now! Artistic Director of The Dance Factory, Tina Lendman, and dancers from The Dance Factory give students at Clinton Elementary a behind the scenes perspective of the ballet in November 2007.
P A G E 4 Setting/ Characters Setting A middle-class home, Christmas Eve, in Germany, early 19th century. The Stahlbaums are having a Christmas party. Cast of Characters The Nutcracker Doll and Nutcracker Prince The Von Stahlbaum parents Clara Von Stahlbaum Fritz Von Stahlbaum Grandparents of Clara and Fritz Herr Drosselmeyer, a guest of the Stahlbaum s Ratilda, the Mouse Queen The Mouse King Sugar Plum Fairy Servants Life-sized Toys: Little dolls Soldiers Harlequin, a clown or jester
P A G E 5 Synopsis Act I The Von Stahlbaum s and their children, Clara and Fritz, are hosting a Christmas party and are preparing to greet and exchange gifts with their guests. The party is interrupted by the surprise arrival of the eccentric Herr Drosselmeyer. Keeping with his character, he delights the crowd with wonderful gifts, magical toys, and marvelous mechanical dolls. He presents Clara with a wonderful wooden Nutcracker that he has made especially for her. Drosselmeyer gathers the children and using life-sized dolls as props, tells them the story of The Nutcracker. Herr Drosselmeyer s Fairytale In a far away land called the Kingdom of Sweets, there lived the handsome Nutcracker Prince and the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy. The two were very much in love and anxiously awaited the day they would be married. Before the glorious wedding day, the evil Mouse Queen, Ratilda, grew jealous because she was neither beautiful, nor in love. Out of spite, Ratilda tried to steal the Sugar Plum Fairy s beauty, but the Nutcracker Prince stopped her. Angry with the Prince, Ratilda cast an evil spell turning him into an ugly wooden nutcracker. After Drosselmeyer s story, all the children except Clara return to the party. The Stahlbaum s daughter is a girl with a romantic soul and she cannot bear the thought of the Prince being separated from his true love. She asks Drosselmeyer if anything can be done to help the Nutcracker Prince. Drosselmeyer tells Clara that, if she is willing to go through great trials, she can help and gives her the Nutcracker doll. Clara s jealous brother Fritz attempts to snatch the doll away from Clara and in the scuffle ends up breaking the Nutcracker doll. Herr Drosselmeyer consoles Clara by mending the Nutcracker s broken jaw with a handkerchief. After a long evening, the children are sent to bed and the guests disperse. Unable to sleep that evening, Clara goes downstairs around midnight to check on her doll and is frightened by a large group of mice. When the mice turn on Clara, and she is about to sacrifice her life for the Nutcracker, Drosselmeyer intervenes. Impressed by Clara s brave act, Drosselmeyer decides to teach her magic. Drosselmeyer then vanishes as quickly as he appeared and Clara faces her next trial. Just as the Mouse King is about to defeat the Nutcracker, Clara summons all her strength and bravery and helps defeat the vile rodent. Ratilda s spell is now broken and the Nutcracker returns to his human form as the handsome Prince! Eternally grateful to Clara, the Nutcracker Prince takes her to see the extraordinary Kingdom of Sweets as Act 1 closes. Act II Drosselymeyer prepares the Kingdom of the Sweets for Clara s visit and vanishes before she arrives. The Nutcracker Prince introduces Clara to the Sugar Plum Fairy and the King and Queen, and the wedding ceremony begins. An array of delicious entertainment awaits. There are the exotic Spanish, Arabian, Chinese, and Russian dancers followed by the little shepherds. Mother Ginger also appears with a crowd of little children hiding under her skirt! Then the magnificent Waltz of the Flowers takes place. Finally, the Nutcracker Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy dance a romantic pas de deux, a duet, or dance for two, for Clara. Drosselmeyer appears and tells Clara it is time to go. The Nutcracker Prince says good-bye to Clara and she awakens from her magical dream to find herself back in her own home on Christmas morning. Synopsis Continued... Young Auditorium
History P A G E 6 The Ballet The Nutcracker is a ballet in two acts. Act I takes place in two scenes. Scene 1 is in the Stahlbaums living room. Scene 2 takes place in the Land of Snow. Act II takes place in The Kingdom of the Sweets. The music for The Nutcracker was written by Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky. He was commissioned to produce The Nutcracker by Marinsky Theatre in 1891. The story is based on the tale of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Lev Ivanov created the original choreography. The Nutcracker was first performed at the Marinsky Theatre on December 17, 1892. At the time it was considered a failure, due to the weakness of the action and the poor opportunities it gave the ballerina. It was not until the 1950 s and 1960 s in America that The Nutcracker became a traditional holiday favorite. Today, almost every ballet company in America presents The Nutcracker at Christmas time. Tchaikovsky By 1860 Tchaikovsky was one of the most famous composers in the world, universally regarded as the greatest musician in the history of Russia. He was the author of symphonies, concertos, opera, quartets, and occasional pieces, but some of his best successes came in writing for ballet. Swan Lake (1876) and especially The Sleeping Beauty (1889) proved to be masterpieces of the ballet medium. Late in 1890 he was approached by Prince Vselvolozhsky, director of the Imperial Theater in St. Petersburg, and Marius Petipa, the famous French dancer and choreographer, to compose a full evening s entertainment consisting of a one act opera and a ballet. Tchaikovsky was to choose the subject of the opera (he chose King Renn s Daughter by the Danish dramatist Hendrik Herz), but the subject for the ballet was later specified as E.T.A. Hoffmann s story of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. It was one of the most popular tales in Russia at the time. The story, or scenario was created for the new ballet by Marius Petipa, who had also choreographed the premier of The Sleeping Beauty. It was based on a French adaptation by Alexandre Dumas Pere of Hoffmann s original story. This adaptation softened the grisly elements and erotic undertones of the original narrative. (Most Russian folk tales were written for adults, not children, and served as reminders and morality lessons for daily life.) Tchaikovsky did object to the lack of faithfulness to Hoffmann s original work, but eventually reconciled himself to the changes. The premiere of the ballet and the opera was delayed until December, 1892. Tchaikovsky decided to display some of his new music at a concert he was scheduled to give in March in St. Petersburg. He selected a suite of eight numbers from The Nutcracker. The performance by the Russian Musical Society was so successful that five of the movements had to be immediately encored. The premier of the ballet was less successful; Petipa fell ill and final preparations for the production fell to his assistant Lev Ivanov. Ivanov was a solid choreographer but lacked Petipa s fiery genius; the Sugar Plum Fairy was performed by a ballerina of memorable homeliness; and the audience was upset that the corps de ballet that they were accustomed to was replaced in Act I by the children in the party scene. It was years before The Nutcracker became the holiday tradition that it is today.
Answers: 1. The Christmas tree grows. 7. The Land of Snow The toy soldiers come to life. 8. E.T.A. Hoffmann The mice appear. 9. In the Stahlbaum living room and The Land of Snow The Nutcracker comes to life. 10. In the Kingdom of Sweets 2. Clara assists the Nutcracker Prince. 11. Mother Ginger 3. Clara s brother Fritz breaks it by mistake. 12. Clara wakes up and is safely home 4. Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky 5. Herr Drosselmeyer 6. St. Petersburg, Russia P A G E 7 Questions about the synopsis and history of The Nutcracker 1. Can you name three of the four remarkable things that happen in the Stahlbaum s living room at midnight? 2. How is the Mouse King defeated? 3. How does the nutcracker get broken? 4. Who wrote the music to The Nutcracker? 5. Who gives Clara the nutcracker? 6. In what country and city was The Nutcracker first performed? 7. Where does the Prince take Clara first? 8. Who wrote the story of The Nutcracker? 9. Where does Act I take place? 10. Where does Act II take place? 11. What character in Act II hides little children under her skirt? 12. What happens at the end of the story? Young
P A G E 8 Behind the Scenes An incredible amount of work goes into mounting a dance production and much of that work takes place backstage and in the scene and costume shops. The costume director, with helpers, makes many of the costumes used in performances. Costumes are designed especially for each ballet. Classical ballets often require long or short classical tutus for the women. These take hours to construct and can cost thousands of dollars. Sometimes costumes will be used to transform a dancer into a bird, butterfly, or a gorilla depending on the storyline of the ballet. Once the costumes are made and used they are carefully maintained (mended, washed, stored) for future use by the company. The scenery, too, is designed and constructed specifically for each ballet just as the costumes are. Story ballets usually have a lot of scenery, representing different settings, and props to help the dancers develop the plot. Abstract ballets (those that don t tell a specific story) may have a painted background (called a backdrop), and painted pieces hung on the sides and across the top of the stage (called legs and borders) made from large pieces of painted canvas. Other ballets use only plain black legs or a plain white backdrop on which lighting effects create the scene. Many lights illuminate the stage, making the dancers more visible and creating special effects. These lights are set on poles or trees backstage and hang from the ceiling in front of and directly above the stage. The lights shine so brightly that it is difficult for the dancers to see individual people in the audience. The production manager is the head of the production department. He/she is responsible for coordinating everything that happens backstage during a performance. The technical director, stage manager, lighting director, musical director and other scenic specialists work with him/her to make the entire production come together.
P A G E 9 Vocabulary Dance Glossary and Pronunciation Guide French is the international language of ballet, and many dance terms still retain their French names. Here are some terms commonly used in ballet, which will help your understanding of dance. Barre A horizontal pole or railing, usually wooden, at or slightly above waist height. The dancer holds the barre at the beginning of each practice session while performing basic movements that stretch the muscles and limber up the entire body. Choreographer Composer who created the dance steps for the ballet. Corps de ballet Ballet company; group of dancers who work for the same company. When they dance together, they are the corps de ballet. Finale The final dance. Jete (zhu-tay) Jumps; to throw. Leotard A close fitting garment usually with long sleeves, a high neck, and ankle length legs, worn for practice or performance by dancers, acrobats, and aerialists. Mime Telling a story through language of gestures; no words. Pas de Deux (pah-duh-duh) A dance for two, usually for a man and a woman. Pirouette (peer-wet) Turn Plie (plee-ay) Bending the knees; the first exercise at the barre, doing plies warms up the leg muscles for the rest of the exercises. Pointe The tip of the toe in ballet. Strengthened ballet slippers allow ballerinas to stand fully en pointe, with feet arched, so that the toe, instep, ankle, knee, and hip are all in line. (Male dancers don t dance on pointe.) Pointe shoe Starched and baked satin shoe, which enables women to rise on their toes ( en pointe ). Port de bras (pour-duh-brah) To move the arms Y Releve To rise on the toes Reverence (ray-vare-ahnss) A low bow (curtsey), the fi nal movement executed at the end of every class and performance.
P A G E 1 0 Round de jambe (rone-de-zhom) A circling motion of the leg Saute (soh-tay) To jump or hop Solo A dance for one Supported work Woman is lifted or carried by her partner Temps leve (tahn luh-vay) To spring upward on one or two feet and land on the same. Tendu (tahn-dew) To stretch or point Tour Turn Tumout Rotation of the legs from the hip socket; dancers strive to attain the 180 first position. Tutu (tew-tew) The brief, fluffy skirt that became standard wear of a ballerina during the rise of romantic ballet; it is sometimes still worn. Vocabulary Continued... Young
P A G E 1 1 Activities The following activities are suggested for either before or after attending the ballet. Create Your Own Production Many people with many talents are behind the scenes in placing a ballet or any dance sequence on stage. Below is a list of predominate figures and steps to follow to transform your classroom into a theater! You can make this as simple or complex of an activity as you desire. Teachers First select a story that all your students are familiar with. Next, select a cast. Then, have additional students become each of the required people listed below and let their imaginations go from there Before a Performance: 1. Artistic Director Head of the company. She/he decides how many and which dancers or actors join the company, what pieces are performed, when and where. 2. Ballet Master/ Mistress Each morning a 1 ½ hour ballet class is conducted to maintain and improve dancers technique. It serves to warm up their muscles for a long day of rehearsal. 3. Choreographer Person who creates the dance. The choreographer chooses the music, auditions the dancers for soloist and corps roles, sets the patterns and the steps. Setting one minute of choreography may take one hour in the studio! 4. Repetiteur The rehearsal director. Once a ballet is set (new or old) the repetiteur continues to review it with the dancers. S/he knows all the parts, can teach parts, can tell dancers when they are wrong, and develops a unified look. S/he makes sure everyone dances to the music, stays in line, and answers questions. 5. Set Designers, Costume Designers, Lighting Designers Design sets, costumes, and stage lighting. Designers talk with the choreographer, watch his/her work with dancers, create designs for sets, costumes, and lighting that complement and complete the choreographer s ideas. For the Performance: 6. Costume Master/ Mistress Person who constructs, fits and maintains all costumes. May also be a costume designer. Shoe Master/ Mistress Person who orders the correct number and kind of shoes each dancer will need per performance. 7. Prop Master/ Mistress Responsible for any items carried or used on stage. For example, chairs, baskets, tables, sword, etc. curtain to open and close. 8. Technical Director Constructs, paints all backdrops, flats, act curtains, legs and borders to dress the stage. May also be the scenic designer. 9. Music Director Prepares scores for live musicians, or recorded music for rehearsal and performance. Runs the music equipment at the performance. 10. Stage Manager Runs the performance. Directs music to start, lights to go on or change, curtain to open and close. 11. Audience a production cannot exist without an audience! These are only the key artistic people. Not included are many assistants in all areas, box office, printers, ticket takers, ushers, advertisers, administrative staff, or crew persons behind the curtain to set up and operate the equipment and tear down a show. Storytelling Methods Discuss all the ways a story can be told: in a book, by a storyteller, through a play, through music, as a ballet, in a comic book, on television, in a movie, etc. Are there any other storytelling methods that you can think of? Talk about how the story of The Nutcracker was told in the ballet. Discuss some of the different ways specific parts of the story could have been told. Choose a familiar story that your students will know; perhaps something they have just read in class. Choose three ways it can be told, and divide into groups to tell the story in these different ways to the class. Young children may need to do this as a group.
P A G E 1 2 Costume Design Talk about the importance of the costume design in the production of The Nutcracker. Costume design usually begins with a drawing or rendering of what each character will look like during every moment of the production. Have your students design their own costumes for Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Mouse King. Remind them to be aware of all the movement that takes place in the ballet dancing on pointe, lifts, etc. Expressive Movement Explore natural movements that express surprise. Exaggerate these movements. Explore natural movements that express happiness. Exaggerate these movements. Select a scene from The Nutcracker that possesses these emotions. Using the surprise and happiness exaggerated movements, choreograph the scene. You don t have to use music, but if you do, anything can be used traditional, rock, classical, or jazz. Let the movement tell the story of the scene. The most important element in this exercise is the feeling from inside that the choreographer and the performers bring. Learning through Movement Get your class moving! Physically! Consider all the opportunities dance can provide for you and your class: an alternate form of learning; deepening and enriching other material; learning about the self and others in a special way; changing feelings and feeling good; engaging, involving, and focusing each child. Form the alphabet or express an emotion through body movement. Use the letters formed by movement to spell words. Play math games: students form a circle; those in the center are dancers, etc. Two are asked to leave the center and join the circle; how many are left? Also, ask students to create their own math problems that can be solved through movement in the circle. Have the students act simple body functions involved in throwing a baseball: one student is the arm, another the ball, another the glove. Take it one level higher and introduce the curve ball, a slow ball, or the ball hitting a wall! Writing Music First listen to excerpts from Tchaikovsky s The Nutcracker Ballet on CD. Discuss how Tchaikovsky composed the music to tell the story of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, which was a popular tale written by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Challenge your students to do the reverse by playing an instrumental piece of music and asking them to write a one act synopsis as if it were a story performed as a ballet. When they are finished, allow them to share their stories with the class. Research Research articles on dancers, their struggles and achievements and try to relate them to your own life. Any similarities? Differences? Investigate information on a dancer (Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, etc.) and report the most interesting or impressive facts about the dancer s life to your classmates. Healthy Activity Involve a physical education teacher and discuss the relationship between dance and athletics. It is not uncommon for football players to take ballet for flexibility and endurance. Study health factors involved with dance. Good diet is necessary for any strenuous exercise. Most dancers are extremely healthy individuals because they do get a lot of exercise and are aware of their body capabilities. However, there is a lot of pressure, especially for female dancers, to keep their weight down. What are the factors involved in making sure that one stays healthy while participating in a demanding physical activity?
P A G E 2 6 Reflecting on the Performance Adapt these activities for Grades 2-5 Write a friendly letter - As a way to reflect on the play, ask your students to write the Young Auditorium staff a letter. Our staff would love to hear what your students think about the Horizons productions they experience. For your convenience there is a letter template on the next page that is ready for you to reproduce for your students. This activity will provide your students with the opportunity to practice their writing skills by writing a critical evaluation of the Horizons performance for an authentic audience. Write a Review - Create an idea map on the board by asking students to brainstorm everything they remember from the performance. The first part of this activity should be objective; remind students that they will be able to express their opinions when the write the review. Prompt students with the following questions: What kinds of songs did they sing? In what different ways did the actors use their voices? What costumes did the Actors wear? How did the different characters move? What did the set on the stage look like? What else can you remember? - Instruct students to write a review that includes the following components: 1) A rating, out of five stars 2) One paragraph that objectively describes what you saw and heard at the performance 3) For each star in your rating, explain one thing you liked about the performance (e.g. a four star rating equals four things you liked about the show) 4) For each star under five, explain one thing you didn t like about the performance (e.g. a three star rating equal two things you didn t like about the show) 5) Use at least two of the new vocabulary words from this study guide in your review 6) Use the stages of the writing process to produce your review: prewriting, draft, review, revise, edit 7) Publish your work by sending it to Young Auditorium! (Use the address on the letter template on the next page.) We would love to hear from you, and our education coordinator will write back! Create a Theatre Journal - Download and reproduce the four Theatre Journal pages available on the Young Auditorium web site. www.uww.edu/youngauditorium/horizonsseries.php Copy the pages back-to-back and fold them down the middle into a booklet. There are a variety of writing and drawing activities to stimulate your students imaginations before and after the play.
P A G E 2 7 Young Auditorium Horizons School Matinee Series 930 W. Main Street Whitewater, WI 53190 Dear Horizons: My name is I liked the play because My favorite part was when One question that I have is: Signed: (your signature)
P A G E 2 8 Resources PICTURE BOOKS Angelina Ballerina by Katherine Hoalbird Angelina Mouseling, more than anything else in the world, wanted to become a ballerina. (Pre-K - 1) Backstage by Robert Maiorano Olivia travels through the backstage world of a ballet rehearsal to meet her mother. (Pre-K - 1) Myra by Barbara Bottner A dancing class is disrupted when Myra actually changes into the animals the other pupils are imitating. (K - 2) Max by Rachel Isadora Max finds a new way to warm up for Saturday baseball games by attending his sister s dance class! (K 2) My Ballet Class by Rachel Isadora Through a young girl s eyes we witness the events of her ballet class. (K 2) At Every Turn! It s Ballet by Stephanie R. Sorine Black-and-white photos reveal how everyday movements such as jumping, bending, stretching, and reaching are transformed into ballet movements. (K 2) I m Dancing by Michael Spector Words and pictures capture a ballet class of beginners. (K 2) FICTION On Stage, Please by Veronica Tennant The reader follows Jennifer s high and low points during her first year of school at the Professional School of Ballet in Toronto. (4 6) Ballet Fever by Betty Cavanna Teddi Baldwin s life revolves around ballet as she trains to become a dancer. (5 7) Maybe Next Year by Amy Hest Talented 12-year-old Kate wants to be a ballet dancer, but when dancing comes into conflict with her home life, she begins to wonder where her commitment really lies. (5-7) Ballet Magic by Nancy Robison Stacey s sudden spurt of growth makes her feel unfit for ballet, until she learns that it is possible to be tall and graceful. (5 7) A Special Gift by Marcia L. Simon Peter tries to cope with the difficulties of developing his skills as a dancer while at the same time maintaining his identity as an athlete. ( 5 7) Just Like Jenny by Sandra F. Asher As the classes become harder and the competition with her friend Jenny becomes keener, 13-year-old Stephie begins to doubt her ability and dedication. (5 8) NON-FICTION A Very Young Dancer by Jill Krementz This photo essay captures the day-to-day life of 10-year-old Stephanie as she attends the School of American Ballet and prepares for her role in The Nutcracker. (All ages) Arthur Mitchell by Tobi Tobias (3 5) Maria Tallchief by Tobi Tobias (3 5) I Am a Dancer by Lynn Haney Follow the lives of three young dancers as they study ballet and prepare for their performances with professional ballet companies. (3 6) If You Were a Ballet Dancer by Ruth B. Gross Questions and answers provide the young reader with information about ballet as a career and a life style. (4 6) Silent Dancer by Bruce Hlibok Ten-year-old Nancy is deaf, and she also studies dance at the Joffrey Ballet School. (4 6) Ballet, How It All Began by Vivian L. Weaver Beginning with its roots in 15th century France and Italy, the reader explores the history of ballet through the present. (5 8) Frogs and the Ballet by Donald Elliott Members of the Frog Corps-de-Ballet introduce many of the ballet steps and tell of the training and practice that makes each step so beautiful and seemingly effortless. (5 and up) Baryshnikov a Most Spectacular Dancer by Saul Goodman (5 7) Ballet for Boys and Girls by Kathrine Sorley Walker and Joan Butler Photographs, an anecdotal text and clear explanations create a meaningful overview of the world of dance. (5 and up)
P A G E 2 9 Theatre Vocabulary A-Z Act: 1.To perform a role on stage; 2. One of the main divisions of a play or opera, i.e. Act I, Act II Actor: Someone who performs a role on stage Applause: To show approval by clapping the hands Apron: The part of the stage that extends in front of the main curtain Audience: Spectators that listen to or watch a performance Backstage: The part of the stage and theater that the audience cannot see Balcony: A platform inside of a building extending out over part of the main floor, as in a theatre Blackout: A fast shutdown of lights to darkness Bow: To bend the head, body or knee in acknowledgement Box Office: Refers to the ticket office where people can buy tickets for a show Cast: The group of actors or performers in a show Catwalk: A walkway above the stage used to gain access to equipment Choreographer: A person who arranges dances or other movements Company: The cast, crew, and other staff associated with a show Costumes: Clothes worn by the actors on stage Crew: People that perform the technical tasks for a show Cue: The signal for an actor or crew member to do an action Curtain Call: At the end of a performance, the acknowledgement of applause by actors taking bows Dialogue: The spoken text of a play, conversations between characters Director: Person who guides the actors in the development of a show Downstage: The part of the stage nearest to the audience Dress Rehearsals: A full rehearsal in costume, to practice the show as it will be on show night Dressing Rooms: Room in which actors change into their costumes and apply makeup Equity: Short for American Actors Equity Association, the trade union of actors, directors, designers and stage managers (www.actorsequity.org) Follow Spot: A hand operated lighting instrument that emits a high intensity beam of light used to follow an actor on stage Front of House: Areas of the theatre in front of the proscenium arch, includes lobby areas open to the general public Gel: Thin, transparent sheet of colored plastic used to color stage lights Ghost Light: A light on a pole that is left on stage when nobody is there so the last person out and the first person in won t fall off the end of the stage in the dark Green Room: Room close to the stage for the actors to meet and relax House: 1.The audience inside the theatre; 2. The seating area inside the theatre Intermission: A brief break between acts of a performance, usually ten to twenty minutes long Load In/ Load Out: Process of moving a production in or out of the theatre Matinee: A performance held in the daytime, especially in the afternoon
P A G E 3 0 Musical: A play whose action and dialogue is interspersed with singing and dancing Orchestra Pit: Sunken area immediately in front of the stage, intended to accommodate an orchestra Props: Something other than scenery or costumes that is used in a performance, short for properties Proscenium: The frame separating the stage from the audience Rehearsal: A practice session in preparation for a public performance Script: The text or a musical or play Set: The complete stage setting for a scene or act Sound Check: A thorough test of the sound system before a performance Stage: the part of the theatre on which performances take place Stage Manager: A person who is in charge of the stage and the related details of a performance Stage Right/ Stage Left: The left and right of the stage from the point of view of the actor on stage looking at the audience Theatre: A building or area for dramatic performances Understudy: Someone who studies another actor s part in order to be his or her substitute in an emergency Upstage: The part of the stage furthest from the audience Usher: A person who guides audience members to their seats Wardrobe: The general name for the costume department Wings: The out of view area to the left and right sides of the stage A Lesson in Theatre Etiquette A fun way to review theatre etiquette with your students is to have them compare appropriate dress and behavior for the theatre with other activities such as attending a concert, going to a movie, swimming at the beach, going to a sports game, or going to the mall with family or friends. Divide the class into groups and assign each group a different activity. Have the groups list the appropriate dress and behavior for their activity and why. The groups can then briefly role play their activity and present their ideas to the rest of the class. After all groups have presented, discuss how we behave differently for a live theater performance than we do for other activities (such as watching TV or a movie). Print copies and review the Courtesy Counts sheet in this guide with your students.
P A G E 3 1 Courtesy Counts Please share this information with your students... most children are unfamiliar with proper theatre behavior. Make sure you share these courtesies as a part of their experience, and be sure to select shows appropriate for their age & attention span. Ask students to use the restroom before the performance begins. Produce positive energy Watching a live theatre performance is very different from watching a movie or television show. A live presentation has not been prerecorded with the mistakes edited out. The audience s behavior and reactions can either add or detract from a performance. Each audience member affects those around him/her as well as the performers. Concentrate on helping the performers by producing only positive energy! Find your seat An usher will show you where to sit. Walk slowly and talk quietly as you are seated. Keep it clean Gum, food, and beverages are not allowed in the theatre! Quiet on the set... Young Auditorium is known for its excellent acoustics, so if you make a noise others will hear you (including the performers)! Please no talking, humming, unwrapping cough drops and candy, or foot tapping during the performance. Exceptions to this rule include shows that ask for audience participation. Applause and laughter are appreciated and appropriate. Unplug... Turn off pagers, cell phones, cameras, and watch alarms during performances. Better yet, leave them at home or school! Only use your memory as a recording device... Flash photography and video recording are not allowed during performances because the bursts of light are dangerous to the performers on stage and distracting to other patrons. Please keep recording equipment at home or school, or conceal it in a jacket pocket or purse. Respect personal space... Please keep feet on the floor, not on the seat or balcony rail in front of you. Shifting in your seat, wearing hats, or wandering in the aisles is extremely distracting to those around you; please stay in your seat until intermission or the final curtain.
P A G E 3 2 FOR YOUR INFORMATION (teachers & chaperones) PLACE: All Horizons School Matinee Series performances will be held in Young Auditorium, on the UW-W campus. Musical Encounters concerts are held in the Light Recital Hall in the Greenhill Center of the Arts. You will be escorted from the auditorium to the recital hall if you are attending a concert. TIME: The doors of the auditorium will be opened 30 minutes prior to curtain time. Please arrange your schedule so the buses will arrive with time for seating and a bathroom stop. Late arrivals will not be seated until there is an appropriate pause in the production. BUSES: The east side of Lot 1 is reserved for buses that are staying for the duration of the Horizon s performance. Buses that are not staying will pull into Lot 2 and line up along the curb to drop off and pick up students. Please make sure that your bus driver receives the Bus Driver s Memo available on our website. WHEELCHAIR: All entrances are wheelchair accessible. If you have upper level seats, use the elevator. Main floor seats are on the same level as the lobby. Please inform us at least 4 weeks in advance if you need wheelchair seating or any other special accommodations. RESTROOM: Main floor men s and women s restrooms are located on each side of the auditorium. On the upper level, the women s restroom is on the south side and the men s restroom is on the north side of the building. Please try to limit your restroom visits to before or after the show. SEATING: An auditorium escort has been assigned to your school. The escort will direct you to your seats. All seats are reserved; thus each group must adhere to the seating assignment and may use only the number of seats reserved. Please plan to have chaperones seated with the students under their supervision. Chaperones - please do not bring infants/babies to the school matinee performance. After all the students and respective chaperones have been seated, please settle in and remain seated during the entire show. No one should leave the hall until after the final curtain, except in the case of emergency. Leaving during the performance is exceedingly distracting for both the performers and members of the audience. If students must leave during the performance for any reason, re-entry into the auditorium will be allowed only when there is an appropriate pause in the program. CAMERAS/ RECORDERS AND CELL PHONES: The use of cameras or recorders during any performance is strictly forbidden. Please do not bring them to the program. Cell phones must be turned off for the duration of the program. We encourage you to ask your students not to bring cell phones with them to the theatre. FOOD, drinks, and chewing gum are not permitted in the auditorium. EMERGENCY: Please contact the nearest usher in case of emergency. LOST ARTICLES: Report lost articles to the house manager, or call 262-472-4444. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
P A G E 3 3 EXITING: Please disperse in an orderly manner. Teachers and chaperones have the responsibility of keeping their group together. Ushers are not assigned to oversee your exit from the building. BUS PICK-UP: Your bus pick-up will be the same place as the drop-off. LUNCH: Local fast food establishments and restaurants, as well as UW-W campus dining (262-472-1161) are happy to accommodate your group for lunch. Please make advanced arrangements to promote efficient service. LUNCH SPACE: Schools may request a place to eat their bag lunches. Young Auditorium can accommodate a very limited number of people eating lunch picnic-style seated on the floor. This must be scheduled in advance. You will receive an admission slip in the mail confirming lunch space, which you must bring along with your lunches. We thank you, in advance, for cooperating in implementing these procedures, giving all audience members the opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Thank you for coming we appreciate having you as a part of the Horizons program! SPECIAL NOTE: Please print the Bus Driver Memo/ Map from our website www.uww.edu/youngauditorium and give it to your driver on the day of the show! Policies Please note the following policies are in place to ensure enjoyment for all! The house opens at least one-half hour before the curtain. A seat must be purchased for everyone attending an event, including teachers, chaperones, and bus drivers. Timing is everything... so don t be late! Performances begin at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. so plan to arrive at the theater 30 minutes early. Patrons arriving late are seated only when there is a suitable pause in the performance.
Staff 930 W. Main Street Whitewater, WI 53190 262-472-4444 (main office) 262-472-4400 (fax) www.uww.edu/youngauditorium Shannon Dozoryst Education and Outreach Coordinator 262-472-1432 (office) 262-472-4400 (fax) dozoryss@uww.edu Ken Kohberger, Director Shannon Dozoryst, Education and Outreach Coordinator Malinda Hunter, Office Manager Leslie LaMuro, Marketing Director Michael Morrissey, Audience Services Coordinator David Nees, Technical Director Ben Strand, Development Director/ Assistant Director The Horizons School Matinee Series is funded cooperatively by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, participating schools, grants from the Wisconsin Arts Board, Dorothy Remp Elmer Children s Arts Outreach Endowment, Nasco, and Target, and a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, in addition to various public and private institutions. Young Auditorium is a non-profit organization under Section 115 of the Internal Revenue Code. John F. Kennedy Center Partners in Education Program The Young Auditorium and School District of Janesville are members of the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D. C. Selected because of their demonstrated commitment to the improvement of education in and through the arts, the Partnership Team participates in collaborative efforts to make the arts integral to education. For more information, please visit http://www.kennedy-center.org/education/partners. The Dorothy Remp Elmer Children s Arts Outreach Endowment