EAm TC H S The Los Alamos National Bank Popejoy Schooltime Series Teaching Guide DR ca ER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NUTCRACKER BALLET Presented by The New Mexico Ballet Company Commentary by Natalie Harris Monday & Tuesday, November 28 & 29, 2016 Grades: 3-12 Teaching Guides align with the Common Core State Standards and New Mexico State Learning Standards.
Standards Addressed By Attending the Performance NMCCSS SL.1, SL.6 New Mexico Content Standards: Fine Arts/Dance & Music: Standards 3 & 5 I could have never done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time. Introduction Charles Dickens The first performance of The Nutcracker Ballet took place in Russia in 1892. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (pronounced chai-koff-skee) adapted the ballet from a story called The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, written by German author E.T.A. Hoffmann. Although it is now an audience favorite, the first performance was surprisingly not regarded as a success. In fact, 25 years passed before it was performed outside of Russia! A complete version of The Nutcracker was not performed in the United States until 1944, when it was presented by the San Francisco Ballet with choreography by William Christensen. The abbreviated version of The Nutcracker Ballet to be performed for the Los Alamos National Bank Popejoy Schooltime Series runs 60 minutes and features highlights and on-stage narration for this introduction to ballet and classical music. This project is supported by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts. 2
Act I Decoration of the Christmas Tree The energy and style of this piece echoes the busy preparations for Christmas. The Stahlbaums prepare for the arrival of their guests, while Clara and Fritz play. Finally, their guests arrive. March The children play and dance joyfully to some of the ballet s famous and memorable melodies. Children s Gallup and Entry of the Parents The children play mischievously, which transforms into a delightful dance. Arrival of Drosselmeyer An abrupt change in the music signals the arrival of Fritz and Clara s magical uncle. At first, he frightens Clara and Fritz, but then delights them by making their toys dance. Grandfather s Dance Clara receives a beautiful nutcracker, shaped like a prince, as a gift from her Uncle Drosselmeyer. After Fritz breaks it in a fit of jealous rage, he is sent to bed. Drosselmeyer then magically fixes the damaged nutcracker. After the guests final dance, everyone gets ready to say goodbye to their hosts, while Clara reluctantly bids farewell to her uncle and goodnight to her beloved nutcracker. Clara and the Nutcracker After her parents insist that Clara keep the Nutcracker downstairs, she creeps back down to check on her nutcracker and falls asleep with it under the Christmas tree. As the clock strikes midnight, Clara begins to shrink to the size of her nutcracker. Mice emerge, led by the evil Rat King. Drosselmeyer appears to protect Clara from the Rat King by bringing the Nutcracker Prince and tin soldiers to life. The Christmas tree grows to a gigantic height, and human-sized mice fill the room. The Battle The sounds of the drum, flute, and horn create the feeling of a battle as the mice and the soldiers fight. Clara distracts the Rat King with a wedge of cheese, which gives the Nutcracker Prince a chance to stab him. Listen for the dramatic change in the music that indicates when the Nutcracker has turned into the Prince. In the Pine Forest The sounds of the battle scene melt into dreamy melodies, created with a harp and other stringed instruments, as Clara and the Prince dance through a wintry landscape. Waltz of the Snowflakes While in the Land of Snow, Clara and the Prince are greeted by the Snow Queen and her cavalier. The song is unique because of the combined use of voices and instruments. Act II Divertissement (an amusement) Clara and the Prince arrive in the Land of the Sweets and the Prince describes Clara s brave deed. The Sugarplum Fairy orders a grand celebration in Clara s honor. This section is made up of a group of dances, performed to some of the bestknown melodies from the ballet. Chocolate Spanish Dance Chocolate is a Spanishflavored dance; listen for castanets. Coffee An Arabian dance. Tea (Chinese Dance) Oriental in tone; listen for the glockenspiel. Trepak (Russian Dance) A trepak is a fiery Russian dance set to a simple beat. In a trepak, the dancer squats on his or her haunches and kicks out each foot alternately. Dance of the Flutes Also called The Dance of the Toy Flutes. Mother Ginger & The Gingerbread Cookies Mother Ginger greets Clara and her Prince. Her little children, the Gingerbread Cookies, dance in their honor. Waltz of the Flowers In the Land of Sweets, even the flowers dance for Clara and the Prince. Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy The Sugarplum Fairy and her partner perform a series of dances, including a pas de deux (ballet duet). Waltz Finale The visit to the Land of the Sweets ends with a grand waltz. The change in the music signals the end of Clara s dream, as the Sugarplum Fairy bids her farewell. Clara suddenly awakens with a start and finds her Nutcracker back under the tree. She runs to hug her beloved Nutcracker and is left to wonder if it was all indeed a dream. 3
Vocabulary Sharing this vocabulary with your students will enhance their experience at the performance. Encourage them to watch for examples of these elements in the ballet. ballerina: a female ballet dancer; a Prima Ballerina is a star female ballet dancer choreography: the art of composing dances; planning and arranging the movements, steps, and patterns of dancers danseur: a male ballet dancer; a Premier Danseur is a star male ballet dancer march: music characterized by its twoor four-beat pattern with the first beat emphasized pas de deux: dances done by two people together, usually a man and a woman pirouette: a whirling about on one foot or on the points of the toes plié (plee-ay): to bend; a position where legs bend before rising or jumping up props: short for properties, the objects used by the performers, including furniture and decorative items relevé (reh-leh-vay): to rise; dancers lift their heels keeping toes down sauté (soh-tay): to jump; done after a plié; dancer s spring into the air stretching their legs scenery: the backdrops and set pieces, which set the place, time and form of the performance silhouette: a likeness cut from dark material and mounted on a light background, or one sketched in outline and solidly colored in; a shadow solos: dances done by a single person spotting: dancers focus their eyes on one point as they turn their bodies, helping them avoid dizziness tempos: the speeds at which music is played tourner (TOOR-neh): to turn; indicates that the body is to turn while executing a given step Waltz: music characterized by its threebeat pattern with the first of the three emphasized Interesting Facts for Students About Ballet: Many of the dance steps and terminology used in ballet come from the French language; that s because ballet was first popularized in France under King Louis XIV. He loved ballet so much that he took dance lessons every day. He also started the first school of ballet and his ballet master, Pierre Beauchamps, created special steps for the king alone to perform. Dancing can burn a huge amount of calories. Research shows that an hour of vigorous dancing can burn 500 to 700 calories. In fact, a ballet performance that runs for three hours is equivalent to an 18- mile run or two 90-minute soccer games. Ballet dancers invest a lot on their costume and shoes. Two to three pairs of pointe shoes are worn out every week by most ballet dancers. A tutu can cost up to $2000, requiring 60-90 hours of labor and 100 yards of ruffle. The short tutu is called a pancake, the longer - romantic. Ballets are never interactive with the audience. The storytelling is done through movement and music, and requires silent attention at all times. Clap for spins! In any performance, you can clap after dances and impressive dance moves, such as fast pirouettes, or quick rotations. In dance performances with live music, be sure to also clap when the conductor first appears. Instruments heard in The Nutcracker include: flutes, piccolos, oboes, English horns, trumpets, trombones, bass trombones, tubas, cymbals, triangle, tambourine, glockenspiel, timpani, harp, and strings. 4
The History of the Nutcracker Ballet In 1892, the first production of the ballet took place at the Mariinsky Theatre of Russia, home of the Kirov Ballet. The ballet made its way to Western Europe in the 1930s and to America by 1940, performed by Ballet Russe. The first American version of The Nutcracker Ballet was performed in 1944 by the San Francisco Ballet, where it became an annual holiday tradition. In 1954, George Balanchine, cofounder and ballet master of the New York City Ballet, created his nowfamous version of The Nutcracker Ballet. Balanchine was trained at the famous Kirov Ballet of St. Petersburg, and can be credited with helping to popularize The Nutcracker across the United States. Balanchine s Nutcracker follows the original plot closely. However, he chose to have the roles of the young girl Clara (or Marie, as she is sometimes called) and the Nutcracker Prince played by actual children, and adjusted their choreography accordingly. Because they are not adults, there is no hint of a romance between Clara and the Prince, as is seen in other versions. The New York City Ballet performs Balanchine s Nutcracker every holiday season. Robert Joffrey s (Joffrey Ballet Company) The Nutcracker premiered in 1987. It was produced in the spirit of the original ballet by Marius Petipa, but Joffrey wanted his version to have an American feel. Most productions of The Nutcracker were presented using European themes and traditions. In contrast, Joffrey s version is set in 1850s America and highlights innocence, wonder, and family ties. Joffrey worked on his production of The Nutcracker for 15 years, all the while collecting an assortment of Victorian cards, prints, illustrations, and toys, all of which would form the basis for his sets and costumes. Joffrey s research of Victorian tin toys also inspired the sleek glow in the dark mice costumes. African American choreographers have altered The Nutcracker in a variety of ways, to shift the ballet from an overwhelmingly white tradition to one that better reflects their own experience. Donald Byrd s 1995 Harlem Nutcracker tells the story of an African American family during the holidays, with a grandmotherly Clara as the matriarch. 5
Grades 3-12 NMCCSS RL.2, RL.3, RL.4, RL.7, RL. 9, SL.6 New Mexico Content Standards: Fine Arts/Dance & Music: Standards 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Show. Don t Tell. Lesson 1 Objectives Students will: Be able to communicate a specific emotion, task or story without using words or sound. Collaborate to create scenes that are performed without sound. Materials Large, clear space to move around A collection of short stories, preferably ones that are already familiar to the class (fairy tales and fables would work especially well here) Procedure 1. Assess students familiarity with ballet. You may want to review some of the more famous ballets: The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, etc. Note that every ballet tells a story without using words. Have students discuss how dancers tell a story without using words. They should come to the conclusion that dancers use physical movements and facial expressions to tell stories. 2. Have students practice expressing themselves without words. Give students a variety of emotions to convey without making any sound, using their bodies and their faces. This can be done on an individual volunteer basis, with students making their attempts in front of the class, or as a group with everyone practicing at the same time. Emotions to practice can include: joy, anger, sadness, surprise, fear, etc. Encourage students to engage their w bodies and to exaggerate facial expressions. 3. Next have students practice performing a task without speaking or making noise. Tasks can be generated by the group or given by the instructor. Tasks can include: cooking dinner, fixing a car, playing a sport, etc. The point is to get students comfortable with the idea of conveying information using only their bodies. 4. Once students are comfortable using their bodies to communicate, split students into small groups of 3-4. Assign each group a short story. Each group will explore how to communicate their story to the class using only their bodies. Allow students time to collaborate and create a scene. 5. Have each group perform their stories for the class. Ask students to identify specific movements or facial expressions that group members used that helped to communicate something important to the scene. Extensions/Modifications Turn this activity into a guessing game. Depending on students level of comfort with pantomime, you can have students pantomime and guess at which tasks are being performed (step # 3) or at which story is being performed. Discuss specific actions that helped them make their guess. For younger students, find a story that the entire group can act out together. The instructor can narrate the story as the students develop movements to act out what is being spoken. Students can either play each character as one big group or can divide into small groups where each group represents one character in the story. Assessment/Modifications Students effectively communicate basic elements of a story using only their bodies to communicate. Quality of participation 6
Nutcracker Finger Puppets Lesson 2 Grades 3-6 NMCCSS RL.2, SL.1, SL.5, SL.6 Objectives Students will: Recall details from the performance of The Nutcracker Ballet, including costumes, sets, characters and plots. Create finger puppets that resemble characters from The Nutcracker Ballet. Improvise scenes based on the story of The Nutcracker Ballet. New Mexico Content Standards: FFine Arts/Dance & Music: Standards 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Materials The The Nutcracker Finger Puppets (see pages 8-10) Paper Markers, crayons, paints, etc. Fabric, ribbon, etc. Scissors Glue A recording of Tchaikovsky s The Nutcracker Ballet (optional) Procedure 1. After viewing the program, discuss how the characters, costumes, sets, and music work together to create The Nutcracker. Have students discuss their favorite characters, costumes, etc. Encourage them to recall as much detail as possible. 2. Create a timeline of the story as presented in the ballet. What happens first? What happens after that? Include any details that students can recall about the costumes or sets including colors, accessories, props, etc. 3. After the timeline is complete, ask students to select scenes that they think would work well to recreate using finger puppets. 4. Divide students into groups. Each group should pick one scene from The Nutcracker Ballet to recreate. Have groups list the characters, costume features, set pieces, etc. that they would like to try and recreate. 5. Distribute several copies of the Ballerina Finger Puppet Template to each group. Give students time to color and decorate their dancers. Have additional craft supplies for the creation of scenery if desired. Students can draw on a large piece of paper and use it as a backdrop. 6. Allow groups time to rehearse their scenes. Scenes do not have to be exact recreations of the scenes from the ballet. Encourage students to make the scenes their own. They can add dialogue and sound effects if they wish. Remind them to make sure that their scenes make sense. Groups may use music from the ballet in their scenes if they wish. 7. Each group will present their scene to the class. After each scene discuss choices that the group made to tell their part of the story. How was their scene similar to the ballet? How was it different? What did you like? What could be improved upon? Extensions/Modifications Perform your scenes for another class. You can choose a younger class (Kindergarten or 1st grade) who has not seen the ballet. Make sure your scenes come together to tell the general story of The Nutcracker Ballet. You can also perform scenes for a class who did see the show. Ask them for feedback, comparing your version to The New Mexico Ballet Company s version. Assessment/Modifications Students are able to recall events and characters from the performance. Students create finger puppets that resemble characters from the performance. Students create original scenes based on those from the performance. Quality of participation 7
remove remove The Nutcracker: Finger Puppets How to make your Nutcracker finger puppets of Clara and the Russian dancer: 1. Print off this sheet, and colour in the two characters. 2. Glue the sheet face up onto a piece of thin cardboard. The back of an empty cereal box should be perfect. 3. Ask an adult to cut around the dotted line, and make two s in each puppet where highlighted. 4. Now pop your fingers through the s to make the characters legs, and waggle them about to make them dance! remove remove (2015) Birmingham Royal Ballet www.brb.org.uk/families 8
remove remove The Nutcracker: Finger Puppets How to make your Nutcracker finger puppets of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker doll: 1. Print off this sheet, and colour in the two characters. 2. Glue the sheet face up onto a piece of thin cardboard. The back of an empty cereal box should be perfect. 3. Ask an adult to cut around the dotted line, and make two s in each puppet where highlighted. 4. Now pop your fingers through the s to make the characters legs, and waggle them about to make them dance! remove remove (2015) Birmingham Royal Ballet www.brb.org.uk/families 9
The Nutcracker: Finger Puppets How to make your King Rat finger puppet: 1. First, ask an adult to help you cut out the template below. 2. Roll the shape into a cone, with the rat s nose as the point. 3. Slowly make the cone tighter, until the two white triangles meet one another. 4. Secure the cone with a small piece of tape on the inside, then do the same on the outside beneath the rat s chin. 5. Put on your puppet by gently pushing your index finger into the cone. Wiggle your finger to make his head move. You can also use your thumb (2015) Birmingham Royal Ballet www.brb.org.uk/families 10
Questions to Engage & Connect After seeing the show, ask your students to answer these questions: Before seeing this show, I didn t know that This show made me think about The scenery and costumes helped me figure out where the story was taking place and who the characters were by The music helped me understand what was happening on stage by... While watching the show, the strongest feeling I had was My favorite part/character of the ballet was... One question I have about the show is I think that ballet is a highly physical activity (similar to sports) because... Something I want to share with my family about the experience is Bonus Explorations Lessons & Activities Review the story of The Nutcracker as told in the performance. Have students discuss their favorite scenes. What did the dancers do with their bodies to depict different characters? Creative Writing: After reading several versions of The Nutcracker, have your students write a summary either about their favorite version and why they chose it, or write a paper comparing and contrasting two or more versions. Drama Tableaux: In groups of 3 or 4, use body shape and space to show a concept frozen in time (tableaux). This activity can be carried out with a read-aloud of The Nutcracker with pauses inserted for the formation of tableaux. Discuss the visual effect of the tableau performances after allowing time for sharing student sequences. Variation: Have each group mix up their tableau sequences. The audience must then sequence the tableaux in a way that makes sense to the plot. Variation: Have students create meaningful transitions between each tableau to form a cohesive composition. Math Angles: Create a series of tableaux that satisfy certain angle specifications. These requirements may refer to the tableaux as a w, or to the position of each individual in the tableaux. Discuss compositions as a class to determine how successfully the criteria were met. Suggestion: Recreate the fight scene with the Rat King. Two people must have their arms at acute angles. Two must show at least one obtuse angle. Two must show right angles. About The New Mexico Ballet Company Each year, the New Mexico Ballet Company provides 8,400 New Mexico school children with access to dance arts. The History of Dance and Discovery workshops, now in their 17th year, bring NMBC directly into 11 elementary schools within the Albuquerque Public Schools and Rio Rancho Schools Systems, giving the students and their teachers the opportunity to learn about the history of dance, watch live performances by professional dancers, and participate in dance as an expressive art all for free! About the Artistic Director/ Choreographer Natalie Harris became the Artistic Director for the New Mexico Ballet Company in the summer of 2015. That fall she put on her first production of The Nutcracker Ballet and choreographed a new, fully orchestrated Alice in Wonderland in April 2016. Resources Videos The Nutcracker / Baryshnikov, Kirkland, Charmoli Starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gelsey Kirkland, Alexander Minz, et al. (Sep 28, 200 Ballet 101 A Beginner s Class, DVD Starting Jennifer Nunes (Aug 21, 2004) Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / American Ballet Theatre, Murphy, Corella Starring Marcelo Gomes, Gillian Murphy and Angel Corella (Oct 4, 2005) Cinderella - Birmingham Royal Ballet Starring Elisha Willis (Apr 26, 2011) The Video Dictionary of Classical Ballet Starring Kevin McKenzie and Georgina Parkinson (Aug 15, 1991) The Little Mermaid - featuring the San Francisco Ballet Starring John Neumeier, Lera Auerbach, San Francisco Ballet, et al. (Nov 15, 2011) 11
P O P EJOY Schooltime SERIES The Schooltime Series is a proud member of The LANB Popejoy Schooltime Series is supported in part by awards from: The Eugene and Marion Castiglia Popejoy Children s Schooltime Endowment The Popejoy Schooltime Education Endowment About the Schooltime Series The Los Alamos National Bank Popejoy Schooltime Series brings you national and international touring companies and performers you can t see anywhere else in or around Albuquerque. Each touring company is selected with youth and family audiences in mind, and our repertoire reflects the cultural diversity of our global community. The Schooltime Series includes new plays, familiar stories, literary works, biographies, mythologies, folk tales, music, dance, and puppetry. These professional performing artists create educational experiences designed to encourage literacy, creativity, communication, and imagination. Send an email with your name and email address to schooltime@ popejoypresents.com requesting to be added to the mailing and monthly newsletter list. Visit us at schooltimeseries.com and facebook.com/ schooltimeseries. Popejoy Hall Popejoy Hall is New Mexico s premier nonprofit venue for the performing arts and entertainment. Our mission is to provide access to the performing arts for all New Mexicans. Etiquette The inside of a theatre is called a house and to get along, have fun, and enjoy the shows, there are rules to follow. Schooltime provides a wonderful opportunity to learn how good behavior in a live theater is different from watching television at home. For guidelines to practice with your class and chaperones go to schooltimeseries.com/house-policies. House Policies Please visit our website for detailed information about House Policies. This includes our guidelines on safety, special needs, food and drink, backpacks, cell phones, photography, recordings, and more. Credits are Teaching Guides produced by the Education Department of Popejoy Hall, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Selected Teaching Guide materials provided by The New Mexico Ballet Company, The Kennedy Center s Artsedge, The Milwaukee Ballet, factzo.com, and other resources noted within this guide.. The University of New Mexico The Los Alamos National Bank Popejoy Schooltime Series is a program of The University of New Mexico.