Makaroff Youth Ballet s The Land of Sweets an introduction to the nutcracker Friday, December 15, 2017 12:30 p.m. Run Time: Approx. 60 minutes Grades: 3-8 INSIDE THIS GUIDE Welcome 3 Standards 4 About 5 Lesson Plans 6 Discover the Arts 7 In the Spotlight 9 Resource Room 15 Welcome! We are so excited that you are able to join us for the 2017-18 Bemis Education Series. Throughout this season we will celebrate and recognize generations who have paved the way and those yet to come. Join us as we explore the cultures, experiences and memories that have influenced and shaped us as individuals. With each unique performance we will learn, live and hope while we grow together through the performing arts. We look forward to telling each unique story and providing a platform for expression through the arts. From lesson ideas and professional development workshops to backstage tours, allow us to partner with you to provide students with exciting educational opportunities! For questions contact the education sales department (920) 730-3726 or educationsales@foxcitiespac.com. Community Partners Series Partner With additional support from
WELCOME TO THE FOX CITIES P.A.C. We are in need of an audience are you up for the part? THEATER ETIQUETTE When entering the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, remember to show respect for others by waiting your turn and speaking quietly. Remember that during the performance the live performers can see and hear you. Even the smallest sounds can be heard throughout the theater, so it is best to remain quiet so everyone can enjoy the performance. Applause is the best way to express how much you enjoyed the performance! Important things to remember: Student backpacks, gum, drinks and food are not allowed in the theater. Cell phones should be turned off and stowed. Note that recording or taking photos in the theater is strictly prohibited; however, photos may be taken in the lobby. It s a long way down please do not drop items off balconies. This study guide was created for you by the Education Team as a part of The Boldt Company Beyond the Stage Education program. To download copies of this study guide or to find additional resources for this performance or view past study guides please visit: www.foxcitiespac.com. Questions about your show reservation? Contact our education sales team at educationsales@foxcitiespac.com or call (920) 730-3726. ENJOY THE SHOW! INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS Be prepared to arrive early You should plan on arriving to the Center 30 minutes before the show. Allow for travel time, parking and trips to the restroom. Know your needs To best serve the needs of you and your students, please indicate in advance if you have individuals who require special services or seating needs upon making your reservation. Seating Seating is based on a number of factors including when the reservation is made, size of group, students ages and any special seating needs. DID YOU KNOW? The Center has over 153,076 gross square footage (approx. the same as three football fields). There are a total of over 230 plumbing fixtures! It required 75 million pounds of concrete to build the Center. Some of the walls are up to three feet thick to help muffle outside sound.
WISCONSIN ACADEMIC STANDARDS To assist you in your planning the Wisconsin Academic Standards that are most likely to connect with this performance are listed below. DANCE COMMUNICATION AND EXPRESSION: Students in Wisconsin will understand the expressive power of dance as a means of communication and understand that it is subject to multiple interpretations. APPRECIATION: Students in Wisconsin will reflect upon and appreciate dance as an art form past and present. HEALTHFUL LIVING: Students in Wisconsin will make connections between dance and healthful living. SOCIAL STUDIES GEOGRAPHY: Students in Wisconsin will learn about geography through the study of the relationships among people, places and environments. HISTORY: Students in Wisconsin will learn about the history of Wisconsin, the United States, and the world, examining change and continuity over time in order to develop historical perspective, explain historical relationships and analyze issues that affect the present and the future. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES: Students in Wisconsin will learn about the behavioral sciences by exploring concepts from the discipline of sociology, the study of the interactions among individuals, groups and institutions; the discipline of psychology, the study of factors that influence individual identity and learning; and the discipline of anthropology, the study of cultures in various times and settings. THEATER PLAY READING AND ANALYSIS: Students in Wisconsin will attend live theater and read plays, be able to analyze and evaluate the play and articulate (create meaning from) the play s message for individuals and society. RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS: Students in Wisconsin will research and analyze methods of presentation and audience response for theater, the interconnections of theater, community, other cultures and historical periods for use as general knowledge. MUSIC THE ARTS: Students in Wisconsin will relate music to the other arts and disciplines outside the arts. HISTORY AND CULTURE: Students in Wisconsin will relate music to history and culture.
ABOUT THE COMPANY The Makaroff Youth Ballet (MYB) is a non-profit ballet company located in Appleton, Wisconsin. Under the artistic guidance of Jeanette Makaroff, the company offers superior ballet training and pre-professional performance experience of the highest quality. MYB is comprised of advanced and dedicated young dancers from the Fox Valley and surrounding communities. Each year, the company performances near the winter holidays and in the spring, often featuring pieces of both traditional and modern ballet. Many MYB Alumni have pursued dance professionally with leading ballet and dance companies throughout the country. ABOUT THE SHOW Herr Drosselmeyer, Clara s godfather, loves stories and he has the perfect one to share The Nutcracker. Join him as he tells the classic tale of his unique gift, a magical battle and a world of sweets. Students will be transported directly to the Land of Sweets with Clara and the Nutcracker Prince as they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her court of flowers. They are so pleased with Clara that sweets from many lands are invited to entertain her. Finally, their dances draw Clara s lovely dream to a peaceful close.
LESSON ONE: PANTOMIME Objective: Students will explore how pantomime is used to keep the story moving forward in ballet and how dancers use their bodies instead of words. MATERIALS Large, decorated box OPENING DISCUSSION In some ballets, dancers use pantomime as a way to tell the story. Balletic mime evolved from the pantomime of commedia dell arte, a form of masked theater that became popular in the mid-16 th century. By the beginning of the 20 th century, ballet was moving away from the mimed storytelling. The conventional pantomime gestures were becoming replaced by significant movements of the entire body. WARM UP Gather students into a circle and ask if any of them have ever seen a mime? Play an example of ET the Mime The Car : www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpmbv3rd_hi Define the word mime for students as a theatrical technique of using action, character or emotion without words, using only gestures, expression and movement. Next write pantomime on the board for students and define it as a way to express or represent something through the use of gestures, but it is often accompanied by music. Take your large decorated box and explain to the students that you have a special object inside that you would like to share with them. Pull off the cover of the box and remove an object using only your movement and expression to show what the object is. Pick an object that would be easy for students to identify and interact with (i.e. a ball, a cat, a broom, etc.) Place the object back into the box and pass it to the student next to you. DID YOU KNOW? When and where did ballet start? Ballet had its beginning in the royal courts of Europe in the 16 th century and spread throughout the world. The late Lincoln Kirstein and the late George Balanchine formed New York City Ballet in 1948. What is ballet? Ballet is a form of dance identified by a common vocabulary of steps that has been arranged and added to by dancers and choreographers over the centuries. The basic vocabulary stems from the five positions of the feet, legs and arms. What language is used for ballet? The French terminology used for the social dancing of the court of Louis XIV of France, who reigned from 1643 to 1715, has remained the language of ballet. How do dancers stand on the tips of their toes? Pointe shoes are special shoes worn by women in ballet. The tip of the shoe is made of layers of canvas and glue that give it a hard, flat surface for the dancer to stand on. The shoes are covered with satin and have a leather sole. Source: thoughtco.com
Instruct the student to take the object out of the box and show it to the class. If needed, remind students to not use words or sounds, only movement and expression. Continue around the circle until each student has taken the object out of the box and interacted with it through pantomime. For example: if your object was a cat, one could pet the kitty and snuggle it close before putting it back in the box. ACTIVITY Read aloud The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers and then read The Nutcracker by the New York City Ballet and Valeria Docampo. Discuss what is similar and what is different in the stories. Write down findings on the board and circle where the stories overlap. Look at where the stories overlap and discuss where the moments or scenes fall in the story line (beginning, middle or end). Select one scene from each section of the story (3 total) and brainstorm one to two simple actions that would be associated with what is happening in the scene. Example: Overlapping action: Clara and Fritz listen at the ballroom door, waiting for the party to begin. Action: Shuffle feet excitedly, while cupping ear with hand. Divide students into groups and explain that they will pantomime what is happening in their assigned scene. Remind students that they are not allowed to use words and they must show not tell what is happening. Allow each group of students time to work on the scene and determine the action that they will be performing. Check in with each group and move them into a rehearsal stage. Provide students with time to practice and then invite each group to perform their short pantomime scene. CLOSING DISCUSSION Ballet doesn t use words to tell the story and instead the dancers use their bodies and faces to tell what is happening. Watch Act 1 part 8 of The Nutcracker and see if you can tell what is happening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-zx4pykvkm Bending, stretching, jumping and turning, are all activities dancers do; however, dancers work hard and long to transform these everyday movements into the language of dance. Ballet is distinctive from dance in that it requires a special technique, established almost 500 years ago, involving steps and body movements that are unique to this discipline. The most striking feature of the technique is the turnout of the legs from the hip. This turnout enables ballet dancers to move to either side as well as forward and back with equal ease, giving them command over a full circle of movement. The dancer s turnout from the hips and strong frontal orientation of ballet staging can be traced to the European court tradition that directed the performance toward the sovereign in attendance. Classical ballet technique and steps create modern ballets in a different way. The dancers wear simple leotards and tights and may dance in bare feet or soft slippers. In ballets where there is no story to follow, the audience s attention is drawn toward the shape and speed of the dancers movements to the music.
LESSON TWO: THE STORY COMES TO LIFE (ACT I) Objective: Students will analyze the music of The Nutcracker and discuss the narrative dance that is featured throughout the ballet. MATERIALS Open space Speakers Internet (podcast) OPENING DISCUSSION Do you like stories? What are some of your favorite ones? How do you enjoy stories, do you like people to read them to you? Or do you like to read them? Art often tells a story and can use many different forms to tell it. Ballet is just one example and it is a beautiful platform from which stories can be told. Today we are going to explore how we can use our bodies to tell stories. WARM UP Share with students that you will be introducing them to a piece of classical music by composer Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Explain that the music was composed as a ballet based on the story of The Nutcracker by German author E.T.A. Hoffman. Ask students if they can remember some high points of the story of The Nutcracker. Who was the main character? What was happening? Play Classics for Kids podcast The Nutcracker : www.classicsforkids.com/shows/shows.php?id=93 to provide an overview with the music. Following the podcast, discuss the different music that was heard in the episode. Ask students: was there a certain piece that you liked the most? Share with the class. ACTIVITY Gather students into an open space in the classroom and ask them to locate their own personal space. Personal space means each student is able to extend their arms out without hitting another student, wall or furniture. There should also be enough space for you to maneuver around them. Explain to students that the entire first act of The Nutcracker is an example of narrative dance, meaning it tells a story. Thinking back to the readings from Lesson One, divide the first portion of the story into three main parts and ask the following question in connection to each. As you ask questions, use them as prompts to encourage students to explore the movement associated with each portion of the story. DID YOU KNOW? Nutcrackers in the form of wood carvings of a soldier, knight, king or other profession have existed since at least the 15 th century. Figurative nutcrackers are a good luck symbol in Germany and a folk tale recounts that a puppet-maker won a nut-cracking challenge by creating a doll with a mouth lever to crack the nuts. These nutcrackers portray a person with a large mouth which the operator opens by lifting a lever in the back of the figurine. Originally one could insert a nut in the big-toothed mouth, press down and thereby crack the nut. Modern nutcrackers in this style serve mostly for decoration, mainly at Christmas time, a season of which they have long been a traditional symbol. According to German folklore, nutcrackers were given as keepsakes to bring good luck to one s family and protect homes. The legend says that a nutcracker represents power and strength and serves like a trusty watch dog guarding family from evil spirits and danger. Source: themagicofnutcrackers.com
The party... (Scene II - March or Scene III Children s Gallop & Arrival of Guests) How do you move when you are excited? How do you dance at a party? With others? What gestures do you make when you open a present? How could you demonstrate teasing or chasing with dance steps? The toy breaks... (Scene V The Scene & Grandfather s Dance) How do you feel when a toy you love breaks? How would you move? How would you then move when it is repaired, yet fragile? The Nutcracker comes to life and battles with the Mouse King... (Scene VI Magic Spell Begins & Battle) With movements, how can you show the Nutcracker coming to life? How can you dance a battle? How can you show happiness that the Nutcracker won the battle and you get to go to his magical land? After brainstorming with the class, divide students into groups and assign each one of the three story sections. Ask each group to create a simple movement sequence that tells their portion of the story, based on the movements suggested during the question time. Once students have a Draft One of their movement, have them perform it for another group. Have students answer What portion of the story is this movement portraying? What are the characters doing? Encourage students to edit their drafts and re-work their sequences using the suggested music. Once completed, have students share their movements with the class. CLOSING DISCUSSSION How did the music influence your movement? How did the story influence your movement. Was it difficult to combine? Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky was born in Kamsko-Votinsk, Russia on May 7, 1840. He was a very bright child who could read Russian, French and German by the time he was six years old. He also hated physical exercise, did not like to wash and didn t care about how he looked or what he wore. He showed an interest in music that was so strong for a young child that his governess worried about him. If he could not find a piano to try out the music he made up, he would use his fingers to tap out his tunes on the windowpanes of his house. One time while he was doing this he tapped so hard that he broke the glass of the window, and cut himself very badly. Peter began taking piano lessons when he was six years old. After attending boarding school he studied law and mathematics and got a job as a clerk working in the Ministry of Justice. After just four years he quit his job to go to music school full time in order to study composition. He was soon invited to teach classes. Tchaikovsky was a nervous, unhappy man all his life, yet his beautiful music made him the most popular of all Russian composers. He wrote the music for the three most famous ballets of all time, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. In his lifetime he also wrote nine operas, six symphonies, four concertos, three string quartets and numerous songs, suites and overtures. One of his most famous pieces is the 1812 Overture, which uses cannons and church bells; because it sounds so grand it is often chose to accompany fireworks at 4th of July celebrations. Tchaikovsky was only 53 when he died in St. Petersburg in 1893. He had just completed his sixth symphony, which he felt was the best piece of music he ever created.. (Source: jpballet.org) 9
LESSON THREE: THE LAND OF SWEETS (PART II) Objective: Students will be introduced to some of the additional characters from The Nutcracker ballet as they discover character roles in the second act. MATERIALS Map Paper and writing utensils Internet and computers Open space OPENING DISCUSSION One of the unique things about longer ballets is the way the story keeps getting interrupted by various dances. Two of Tchaikovsky s ballets Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker have second acts where the plot is filled with dancers performing entertaining dances to honor the hero and heroine of Act I. These dances are called divertissements, which is French for entertainments. The people in the Land of Sweets dance for Clara with thematic dances that explore different countries through movement and food. WARM UP Share with students that Clara and Prince leave the snowy forest and arrive in the Land of Sweets where they are ushered in by golden angels and greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. Explain that students will be introduced to four characters and one scene from the performance through simple body stretches. Encourage students to find an open space and work to focus during these exercises. Explain that when ballerinas warm their bodies up for movement, they will often stretch their bodies to help them be ready. Introduce students to these simple movements: Angel Pose (Tiptoe Balance) stand with feet together, raise heels and balance as you slowly move your wings up and down. Chocolates from Spain (Love Lunge Variation) Step one foot forward and bend deeply at the knee until the kneecap of the back leg rests gently on the floor. With one hand on the hip of the back leg, use the other hand to demonstrate the flourish of a bright fan above. Candy Canes from Russia with feet together and palms press overhead, lean from side to side to stretch like a candy cane. Next, coming back to the center, pick up one knee and reach for your toes. Sugar Plum Fairy Standing on one leg, reach back for the top of the foot (same arm as leg), stretching the front of the thigh. Begin to push the foot further back as you balance, also stretching open the shoulder and arm. Gracefully, reach the other arm up for balance. DID YOU KNOW? The top-ranking position in most U.S. ballet companies are the principals or senior principals. These dancers perform the leading roles and serve as the cornerstone of their ballet companies, though they often appear in other companies performances as guest stars. Soloists in a dance company dance solos and often learn principal roles as understudies, occasionally performing them when the principal has to miss a show. The next two ranks - coryphées and corps de ballet are intertwined as they coryphées are members of the lower corps de ballet that have been promoted because of their talent. Coryphées are often given solo parts but usually continue to dance as corps members after each contract. At the lowest level of the company, corps de ballet, or artists, feature in shows as ensemble dancers. Character artists are the final level of the ballet company hierarchy, though these dancers often outrank all but the principals. That s because these dancers are often respected senior members of a company who also had to perform roles that required a lot of acting as well as skilled dancing. Source: www.thoughtco.com
Sleigh Pose balancing on the sitting bones, lift legs off the floor, knees slightly bent. Reach arms toward toes, leaning back and keeping space under the lower back. Can you hold this pose as you wave goodbye to the Land of Sweets? Movement from elovinyoga.com ACTIVITY The second act is filled with delicacies that represent different countries in the world. Display a map of the world for students and point out Russia and share that The Nutcracker originated from this country. As previously discussed the Land of Sweets is filled with delicious treats. Share that the foods displayed in The Nutcracker include chocolate, coffee, tea, candy canes, gingerbread and marzipan. Ask students if they have ideas of what countries these delicacies might represent? Explain that today students will explore where these foods originated from. Write on the board originate and define for students as a specific beginning for an object. Synonyms could be invented, created, developed, began. Divide students into groups of three and pass out blank sheets of paper. Explain that students are going to find the country of origin for the list of foods. Have students search country of origin for and research where the food most likely came from. Instruct students to write down their answers. Once each group has completed, gather the class back together and have them share their findings. Locate each of the countries identified on the map and consider its location compared to Russia. Once completed, share the list below of where The Nutcracker attributes the delicacies to. Spanish Dance: Chocolate Arabian Dance: Coffee Chinese Dance: Tea Russian Dance: Candy Canes Mother Ginger: Bon-bons Reed Flutes: Marzipan Chocolate characters dance to the lively music of trumpets and castanets of the Spanish fandango. The women of coffee dance in veils and move their bodies like rising steam to an Arabian song. Mandarin tea dances to an exotic Asian flute chorus. Matryoshkas (Russian dolls) follow the Mandarin tea leaping and dancing to an invigorating Russian trepak dance. A giant gingerbread house, known as Mother Ginger, dances onto the Sugar Plum Fairy s court. She opens her skirt and eight little gingerbread children come dancing out circling around her. This is also known as "The Dance of the Mirlitons," with its delightful scoring for flutes. A mirliton is both a small sweet French cake and a type of musical instrument that produces a coarse, reedy sound. CLOSING DISCUSSION When The Nutcracker ballet was created, several foreign delicacies were very special and rare. People did not travel the world frequently, so foreign products were much harder to get! Which one on this list is your favorite?
LESSON FOUR: THE NUTCRACKER Objective: Students will artistically look at nutcrackers and create their own symmetrical nutcrackers from paper. MATERIALS Nutcrackers (various designs) Markers or Tempera paints Blank white paper How It s Made video Dark 4B pencils Black Sharpe markers OPENING DISCUSSION The iconic nutcracker the ballet is based around is a common sight during the holiday season. How many of you have nutcrackers displayed in your home during the holidays? Or if not, have you seen them in stores, on television or other people s homes? Can you describe some that you have seen? Today we are going to create our own nutcrackers. WARM UP Share examples of nutcrackers (real and photos) and examine the detail found in each. Provide an overview of the nutcracker history (Did You Know p. 8) Possess rich history that extends about 300 years ago in Germany. Provided a supplemental income during the winter months when other industries such as mining dwindled. Nutcrackers only became popular in North America about 50 years after the Second World War. Soldiers stationed in Germany began sending nutcrackers home to America as gifts. Thus began the tradition of collecting nutcrackers in North America. Have students watch the short How It s Made video on nutcrackers: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmtgmlyt-fy DID YOU KNOW? Ballerinas can be found wearing all different types of outfits and costumes, including a leotard in class or a tutu on stage. As a student, a female ballet dancer is usually required to wear a leotard and tights while taking ballet class. In some schools, they will have specific colors for different levels or days of the week, but usually schools will require pink tights. For variation or pas de deux class, some schools require their female students to wear classical tutus. This is so both the ballerina and her partner can become more familiar with partnering while wearing a tutu. Many ballet dancers, especially professionals, are seen in pictures wearing all sorts of workout clothing called warm-ups. Dancers will wear these before class to help warm their muscles as they stretch and prepare for class or after to stay warm in between rehearsals or classes. While many professionals wear warms-ups, it is usually not allowed in school because wearing excess clothing makes it more difficult for the teacher to see and correct the lines and positions a student is trying to make. Of course, ballet dancer also wear ballet shoes, often called ballet slippers. Most schools require girls to wear pink ballet shoes to match the color of their tights. On stage, a ballerina may wear a variety of different costumes, depending on the style and/or ballet she is performing. If performing a classical role, she may be wearing a classical or romantic tutu. If she is in a character role, she may be wearing a longer, fuller dress with character shoes. Source: ballethub.com
ACTIVITY Pass out blank pieces of paper to students (white printer paper) and a pencil. Instruct students to fold their paper in half, vertically and draw half of a nutcracker based on the pictures or examples seen. Remind them that half will include half a nose, half a mouth, one eye, etc) this will keep it symmetrical. Once they are pleased with their created half, provide each student with a dark 4B pencil and scissors. Instruct them to trace over their pencil lines with the darker pencil. Next have students fold the paper in on itself and rub over the pencil lines with the handle of a pair of scissors. This will cause the nutcracker to be transferred lightly to the other side of the paper. NOTE: the transfer will be quite light, so at this stage students can erase and make any changes as necessary. For example, some nutcrackers might be way too skinny or way too wide. Encourage students to adjust and re-transfer as needed. Once the basic figure is complete, instruct students to add on accessories like swords, drums, batons or anything they might like their nutcracker to hold. If students are happy with their final drafted drawing, have them pass over the pencil lines with a permanent black marker. Have students take their completed drawing and fill in the design using markers or tempera paint. Once dried, display the students drawings in the classroom and allow students to complete a gallery walk, looking at each other s work. For a fun atmosphere, play music from The Nutcracker. CLOSING DISCUSSION How did you determine what your nutcracker was going to look like? Were other classmate s nutcrackers similar? Why do you think Clara, from the story of The Nutcracker, so enjoyed these dolls?
Don t let this experience end with the drop of the curtain. Keep the conversation going with your students and reflect on the performance that you just attended. Here are a few questions to get the conversation started! What do you think Clara learned from her experience with the Nutcracker prince? What was your part of the performance? Which moment do you remember most from the performance? What was happening? What did you learn about different cultures explored during the divertissements? Did it make you want to learn more about that culture? Describe the music you heard. How did the music add to the mood or atmosphere of the performance? Describe some of the costumes you saw in the performance. What did they tell you about the character and his or her role in the ballet? If you were going to tell a friend about the performance, how would you describe it in one sentence?
BOOKS The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers The Nutcracker by the New York City Ballet and Valeria Docampo WEBSITES Arts Edge free digital resource for teaching and learning in, through and about the arts www.artedge.kennedy-center.org This educator resource guide is created as part of The Boldt Company Beyond the Stage Education Program.
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