#52 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Updated 9/2/15
Topics -- (Just click on the category you want to view)
TCHAIKOVSKY NUTCRACKER
Web Sites, Links----General Ideas----Videos----Worksheets----Books
NUTCRACKER SECTIONS
Arabian Dance------Chinese Dance------Dance of the Reed Pipes------Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Gallop and Dance of the Parents----March----March of the Toys----Little Suite----Trepak
BALLET
SWAN LAKE
SLEEPING BEAUTY
OTHER COMPOSITIONS
Symphony #2, Concerto in D
Lessons
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WEBSITES
09/15 Extensive Article on Tchaikovsky and the Russian Five:NUTCRACKER LESSON: http://www.keepingscore.org/sites/default/files/lessonplans/KSEd_Nutcracker_Ballet_Pollak.pdf
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Mighty-Handful-Forming-a-Russian-Musical-Identity
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01/07 NUTCRACKER LESSON: http://www.funlessonplans.com/awinter/nutcrack.pdf#search=%27Lesson%20Plan%20f
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NUTCRACKER LESSON: http://www.funlessonplans.com/awinter/nutcracker.htm
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COLOR PICTURE: NUTCRACKER: http://www.coloring.ws/t.asp?b=m&t=http://www.coloring.ws/christmas/26.gif
http://www.dltk-holidays.com/Xmas/color/
http://www.coloring.ws/christmas11.htm
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HISTORY OF DANCE AND BALLET (.pdf) http://www.balletmet.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BalletMet-Study-Guide.pdf
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FAVORITES: BALLASHIN W/CAULEY McCAUKIN: My favorite version of the Nutcracker is the New York City Ballet version (ala George Ballashin) with Cauley MCCaukin. (sp?) I have used the "suite " part with K and 1st-2nd with great success.
ROYAL BALLET AT COVENT GARDENT: Even though I love Barishnikov's version, for school I use the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden video. It follows the story line very faithfully and the Nutcracker doesn't dance all the star rolls like Barishnikov does.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET: My favorite is the one by the Pacific Northwest Ballet, which was totally designed by Maurice Sendak. Made, maybe, around 1990(?) Trouble is, it can be hard to find, and, when found, pricey. But it is, hands-down, the absolute best.
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RECORDINGS: http://www.classicalarchives.com/composer/3448.html
BACK to Tchaikovsky topics
**********************************************************************TCHAIKOVSKY THE COMPOSER
LESSON GUIDE: http://www.artsalive.ca/en/mus/musicresources/teachers.html#2Student guide: “Composer’s Life and Times” (lower on this page)
STUDY GUIDE (San Francisco Opera) https://d2ypq1gviimup.cloudfront.net/res/pdfs/studyguides/nutcracker_guide_9.pdf
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NUTCRACKER: GENERAL IDEAS
SHADOW PUPPETS: http://www.hvanrossum.com/cutouts.html ----~Ann in SC---------------------------------------
I have done a puppet performance of the nutcracker several times in my career and the kids love it! I used cutout paper characters from a coloring book, just taped onto a bamboo skewer, and we did shadow puppets. The paper alows the puppet to move and create a nice shadow. Each student gets a puppet and is the audience until their turn. I read the story and we "dance" to the music with our shadow puppets while the audience watches. They have to listen for their turn and show good audience behavior. I love it because the boys don't mind dancing if they are soldiers or mice! There are also enough characters for a whole class. I have used this lesson for observation more than one time! I am looking for another ballet to do because the kids ask to do it again ---- Robin Lavinder; music teacher, Franklin County Public Schools
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12/07 POWERPOINTS, COLORING PAGES, TEMPLATES, CLIP ART, STUFF FOR KIDS:
http://themes.pppst.com/nutcracker.html ---- Kelly Fothergill
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BIO FOR KIDS: http://www.classicsforkids.com/composers/bio.asp?id=75com ---- RaeAnna Goss
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12/07 LESSON BOOK: I'm using Wesley Ball's Nutcracker resources this year. It comes with 20 colorful student book with activities and listening maps for all the songs! --- RaeAnna Goss
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I take in a Nutcracker and a bunch of unshelled nuts like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds. I talk briefly about how the Nutcracker works, etc.
I have the coolest book; The Nutcracker, Children's pop-up book, by Jenni Fleetwood ISBN 0694004146 It tells the story with all kinds of pop-up features, lift-up flaps, moveable parts.
I found a great book about ballet and we talked about telling a story with movement/dance. Then everyone took two scarves and I briefly verbally set up each piece and students moved to the music. We had of course already talked about the story and music but I still gave a brief verbal description for each piece. i.e. "And now the Spanish dancer, the ladies in their sweeping red dresses and the men as the proud bullfighting matadors.
We did March of the Soldiers, Dance of the SugarPlum Fairies, Russian Trepak, Chinese, Spanish, Arabian, Waltz of the Flowers. I cut the March and the Waltz short, but the others are only about 2 minutes each. The students really got into it. They wouldn't always pick up nuances within pieces, but really showed beautiful differences between pieces. -- Laura Bartolomeo
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GUIDES AND LESSONS: http://www.lessonplanet.com/search?keywords=nutcracker&layout=tiled
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STUDY GUIDE: http://www.artsalive.ca/pdf/dan/Nutcracker_Study_Guide_AlbertaBallet.pdf
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01/07 MAKE A NUTCRACKER from a Pringles can. The Pringles can is 9" tall. The kids colored a picture of Nutcracker that is about 7 1/4" tall that they wrapped around the can and glued onto it. Then, around the top there is a 1 1/2" green felt piece for his hat, trimmed with a thin gold ribbon on the top and bottom. -- Gail Noullet
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03/05 The Nutcracker! This week I'm reading the story and then we put on the CD and move with scarves. Then they break into small groups and make up their own dances to Sugar Plum Fairy. Next week we'll use tambourines on Trepak and march in quarters and eighths to the Tin Soldiers. Finally, we'll skate on plates, but I don't remember which movement. Their dances are adorable. In 2nd, boys aren't embarrassed to dance around like ballerinas. You should see all the teachers peeking in through the window in the door. Andrea Cope
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03/05 I let the students choose to be in groups of 3 or 4. I give each group a large piece of paper and a marker. Each group lists 3 of the 8 songs that we learned actions for previously. (I made one large list on the wall so they didn't worry about spelling)...I added that they place a large letter on their poster paper for a name for their team to make it easier for me to tally points A, B, C, D, E groups. I played each piece one time---each group stood up with their paper when one of their listed songs was played. If they stood up when it wasn't a song on their list, they lose 1 point; if they stood up when it was on their paper, they win 1 point; if they forget to stand up for one of their songs, they forfeit the point. Each group has a chance to earn 3 points. (I also tried this with 4 songs each---just takes a little longer. In case of a tie between teams I choose a representative from each team to play the action game below. It was wonderful to see them thinking about which song was playing while also deciding whether or not to stand up. (Group assessment!!) -- Cheryl Bradham
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NUTCRACKER TOUT SUITE adapted from the ballet by Sandra A. Elder
Music by Tchaikovsky
Characters (in order of appearance):Clara: Evil Mouse King: Evil Mice: Nutcracker Prince: Toy Soldiers: Sugar Plum Fairy: Russian Cossacks: Arabian Dancer: Flute Players: Dancing Flowers:
Sets:
Living room: Christmas tree stage left. Doll bed under tree in front of it.
Sugar Plum Fairy's castle: two gold thrones center back stage against the wall. Pot of "flowers" stage right next to thrones.
Bedroom: Clara's bed stage right close to audience.
Plot Narration:
(Open Curtain: living room)
~ Scene one: (OVERTURE music) A little girl named Clara dances with joy in her living room because she loves the Nutcracker doll her uncle gave her for Christmas. She lays him in a doll bed and goes off to sleep in her own bedroom. Later on Clara wakes up hearing noises in the living room. She puts on her slippers and goes quietly down the hall and into the living room to see what's going on.
~ Scene two: (OVERTURE still) Clara is very afraid when an army of giant mice chase her around the living room. One of them has a crown on his head! It is the Nutcracker Prince's crown that the evil King stole from him years ago. Clara runs behind the Christmas tree to hide and the mice look around confusedly.
(MARCH) All of a sudden, in marches the Nutcracker who is not a doll any more but has magically come to life. An army of toy soldiers marches behind him and scares the evil mice away. Then the Mouse King raises up his evil fist and scares the soldiers away. He is just about to hit the Nutcracker when Clara steps out and throws her slipper right at him! The Mouse King's crown falls to the ground, and he runs away very afraid. The Nutcracker takes off his soldier hat and picks up the crown. He places it on his own head where it belongs. Now he is really the Nutcracker Prince once again. He is so thankful to Clara for saving his life that he gives her back her slipper and bows very low to say "thank you." Clara gives him a big curtsey to say "you're welcome." The Prince gives her his arm and takes her away to a big party to celebrate. (Prince/Clara exit) (Close curtain)
(Open curtain)
~ Scene 3 (at the Sugar Plum Fairy's castle): At the party, Clara and the Prince get to sit in beautiful golden thrones while the other guests dance and play music.
(DANCE OF SUGAR PLUM FAIRY) First the Sugar Plum Fairy does a lovely dance by herself. Clara and the Prince clap their hands. The Sugar Plum Fairy even gives Clara a crown to wear for the evening. Clara puts it on and now she looks like a real princess!
(TREPAK) Then some cossacks from Russia dance the Trepak, kicking their legs and crossing their arms. Everyone claps for them.
(ARABIAN DANCE) After that a beautiful girl from Arabia dances with a long scarf. Of course everyone claps for her when she's done too.
(DANCE OF THE REEDS) Then some flute players come out and play their flutes for everyone. Clara and the Prince smile and clap for them.The last thing that happens is the strangest of all. In the corner of the room are some flowers in a pot. They cover their faces with leaves.
(WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS) All of a sudden, the flowers wake up, yawn, and begin to dance for Clara and the Prince. Everyone loves it and claps the loudest of all. Just then the sun begins to come up, and everyone looks up at the sky with sad faces. Clara knows it's time for her to go back home. She sadly waves "good-bye" to the Russian cossacks. She waves "good-bye" to the Arabian girl. She waves to the flute players and also to the flowers. Everyone waves back to her sadly. The Sugar Plum Fairy gives Clara a big curtsey to say "thank you for coming to my party." Clara gives her back the little crown and curtseys back at her. Then the Nutcracker Prince bows low to say "good-bye" to his special friend Clara and they sadly shake hands. Finally Clara turns and walks away back home. (Clara exits) (Close curtain)
(Open curtain)
~ Scene 4: (OVERTURE again) Now Clara is back in bed in her house, and the sun is rising in the morning sky. She wakes up and stretches. She looks around her bedroom wondering, "Was that all a dream or did it really happen? Did I really go to the Sugar Plum Fairy's castle? Did my Nutcracker really come to life?" Then she looks down on her pillow. There he is!!! The Nutcracker doll that she put in the doll bed last night. "How did he get up here on my pillow?" she wonders. She hugs him and dances around her room happy to have her favorite doll safe in her arms.
I'm using Kindergarteners but it would work with any elem. age kids (best for k-2nd). --- Contributed by Sandra Elder
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Have students role play some of the scenes.
Do creative movement.
Design and make their own candy kingdom.
These are a few of many things I do with this unit. Enjoy! I hope some of you can use an idea or two.
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01/02 I am preparing my 8 second grade classes to attend an abreviated performance of the Nutcracker, performed by our local professional dance company. My daughter has been a student member of the company for four years and danced in the performances three years before that, so I am fortunately very familiar with it. We also have several students who, over the years, have been in the performance, so it brings it home for many students.
I am using some literature in the classroom as part of the preparation. As you know, there are several versions of the story. The Nutcracker Ballet, by Vladimir Vagin, is the version I have found to be most like the performance we will be attending. I also read Lili on Stage, by Rachel Isadora, to give them a flavor for what is going on backstage with the performers. The Day Before Christmas, by Eve Bunting, is a story about a girl attending her first Nutcracker performance.
Grade 2 Share the Music has listening maps for the Overture, March, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Chinese Dance, and Waltz of the Flowers. Several maps later, they also have Trepak (the Russian Dance). The Music Memory Series from 1999-2000 also has a listening map that my students found to be very easy to follow for Trepak.
I have purchased the CD-Rom, The Nutcracker Experience, which also comes with a CD of seven cuts of the music. I have only briefly played with the CD-Rom and have not used it to prepare my students this year.
I also show them a nutcracker and how it works. To my surprise, many of them are not familiar with a nutcracker. I make sure to mention that many nutcrackers are for decoration and are not intended to be used to crack nuts. I want to make sure no one goes home and uses the expensive collectable nutcracker to try to crack a nut! My students love to move and dance to the music with their own creations!
We talk about audience etiquette, and we talk up dressing up for the performance. Since I am familiar with what they will see, I am able to give them some interesting tidbits of information, such as Mother Ginger is really a man. They love having the inside scoop! I have also shown them clips of the videos I have purchased of the performances (you know, the $35.00 professional video that parents buy, but the camera is almost never on YOUR child...!).
On the original Fantasia, there is a segment from the Nutcracker, too.
Of course, our Music K-8 magazine has "Wacky March".
I have also shared some of the variations of the story with them, including the little golden book version The Nutcracker, by Rita Balducci (it is the one Chick-fil-A gave out a few years ago) and The Nutcracker Ballet, retold by Carol Thompson (it is a scholastic book and comes with an audio tape of the story). This version calls the girl Marie.
And we now have the Barbie Nutcracker video. We have even discussed the differences between this video and what we will see at the performance.
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01/02 Here are a few of the things I do with the Nutcracker... I always introduce Peter Tchaikovsky as the composer of the music and mention how he had to create the music by thinking about the story.. I tthen briefly describe the story and start with how he created music for tthe Toy Soldiers in the story... I'm sure tthis has been mentioned but I do the following which I gott years ago at a conference...March of the Toy soldiers: *follow the rhythm ta tripleti ta ta ta ta ta a with stamp, patpatpat pat pat, clap clap, snap (repeat)Girls do a ballerina turn and curtsy, boys twiddle thumbs and turn and do a bow. (repeat this sequence) * now do the rhythm activity backwards, snap, clapclapclap clap clap, patt pat stamp Look for the soldiers to the right then to the left, and repeat this sequence * do the first sequence again... B section: I have them copy me... I pretend like I am a mouse eating and then cleaning my whiskers and looking around... Repeat A section...Dance of the Sugar plum fairies: I put the rhythm of the a section on the board or chart... It's easy cause the rhythm repeats 3 times. then there's a coda. I have the students practice this then I pass out chopsticks and have them play along with the music. During the B section they follow me and we roll oursticks following the music as it goes higher and lower, and then we're back to the A section...Trepak: I have them listen and decide what the tempo is... then I have my little ones try to do the Russian dance with arms crossed and bent low kicking legs... This is really tough but definitely gets the wiggles out of the squirmiest... Of course even the older kids like to do this. I also have a chart that the follow. A section do each thing on the list 4 times. B section do each thing 2 times then back to a section The list... Tap head, tap shoulder, windshield wiper, hammer, click tongue, pat knees, clap hands, twist heels. (I'm sure this came from a workshop years ago also...Waltz of the flowers... I have the kids listen through and write down descriptive words about the music, (they work in pairs) We then list the descriptive words on the board. Each student then gets a scarf and practices moving their scarf and body to the music remembering the descriptive words. Then they get into quartets and each student has a number. Number one is the leader while the others follow their movements until I give themn a cue to switch. I usually give each student two turns at being the leader.... (Thanks Monica for this idea...)I have also read the story to the class with the music in the background... very dramatic...I like Jim Gamble's puppet show video of the nutcracker... it reallly shows different cultures represented in the music well... I also like to read Tchaikovsky Comes to America to my third graders...
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01/02 I just spent all morning teaching the Nutcracker to K/1 's- next week it'll be grades 2/3. I was surprised that MANY of the the little ones were already acquainted with the Nutcracker because BARBIE just made the movie! Yes, the doll, Barbie! So I bought the movie at Wal Mart to see what it was about. Not half bad for animation, but alas, the story is changed and there are not the wonderful dances we expect from this ballet. But it was quite different teaching this from year's past because they expected the girl to be named Clara (as she is in the Barbie movie) and they have quite different expectations of the Mouse King (who is truly a nasty guy in the movie- a lot of the movie is devoted to his evil doings and their overcoming them...a thrown slipper is just not enough!) But they did recognize the music because Tchaikovsky "wrote the score!"My book also uses the name Marie. I told them that this is an old tale and sometimes the names are changed.
Anyway, I made a lesson that used the book, a CD, 3 videos (clips from 3 different ones), and movement activities I got off the list. I began telling the story as the overture played, using my picture book. I used music from the scene where the tree grows to tell that part (my CD is divided into scenes). When we got to the mice and soldier battle we used ideas from this list to act out those parts (Stand up at attention and salute! marching, skittery mice, etc) Battle over, nutcracker turns into prince and I continued with the story to the Sugar Plum music. In the archives there is a neat idea from Nov. 1999 that uses chopsticks to tap out the rhythm of this music, but because I had THREE classes of K's at one time, I simply couldn't pass out stuff, but I will do that activity with older kids when I have just one class at a time.
Anyway,once we got to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy we could dance to the Russian Dance -- have kids stand up, tap head 4X, shoulders 4x, clap hands 4X, pat knees 4X--do all this 4X, Next, fold arms and "cossack" dance slow 4 X to front, then quickly in a circle, repeat, jump up and down. Then return to body percussion (head, shoulders, etc.) and finish with jumping up and down.
Sit down and watch how Disney portrayed this dance in Fantasia (with Dandelion seeds dancers).
Turn off, continue story-you can move some and watch the Disney version of each dance afterwards, if you wish.
Kids enjoyed the Chinese mushrooms dancing after they had done their own version.
For Arabic Dance, they did shadowing with me. (I would have used scarves but was limited because of number of kids.) Then watched some of the fish animation from Fantasia. I was running out of time and I wanted them to see some "real" ballet and all I had was Barbie. So I used just the Pas de Deux scene between Barbie and her Prince!! It is fine for little ones (the girls were absolutely charmed and the boys didn't go goofy).
I WILL NOT use Barbie for anyone older than K/1, and in fact am looking for the Barishnikov version. I really like that one. I want them to see real people-just couldn't find a video anywhere. About three ballets are airing on public TV --but not till Christmas--too late.
I also was going to play a bit of the Waltz of the Flowers from the Marsalis on Music tape--where the roses dance and the youth orchestra is playing.
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**********************************************************************NUTCRACKER: VIDEOS
12/08 12/08 I use the Balanchine/Caulkin one too. All ages love it! --- Heather JacksonI still use the McCauley Culkin version and had to replace my tape with a DVD. Since so many kids still watch Home Alone, it's a good connection to a familiar face. --- Karen Stafford
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12/08 I love the Baryshnikov version because of the professional dancers. Just showed it and the kids loved it. I've been looking into others, thought, since this version leaves out arabian dance, sugar plum fairy (danced by Clara instead) and Mother Ginger, which I think are neat parts of the story, coordinating with the book that I read, and that I'd want to show kids
I grew up watching Baryshnikov. There will never be another for me. --- Sarah Johnston
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12/08 George Balanchine's version with Macaulay Culkin.,
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. Its a recording of the ballet in a studio but is meant to look like it was on a stage. It also has Macaulay Culkin in it as the Nutcracker. There is no speaking like a ballet should be, except for the occational narrator in the background who gives some basic information. It is a Warner Brothers moive and is usually approved for k-12. The film runs about 90 min. ----Matthew Flynn
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12/08 I've used the VLADIMIR VAGIN. I worked out a perfect background music to underscore while I read the book. I did several movement activities to the songs and a Tchaikovsky PPT biography, then we watched the Balanchine DVD for 2 class periods. --- RaeAnna Goss
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01/07 George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (1993) My two little girls (ages 6 and 3) LOVE to put their "ballet" costumes on and watch this version over and over and over... (at Amazon.com)
My students like this version too. We love the Mouse King with 7 heads! Our school has a two video deck and I made a 1/2 hour version (cutting out some of the longer, more seriouse ballet sequences that first graders make first graders fidget) that includes the party, the growing tree, the battle and the suite of the familiar dances. We do a dance to the Russian trepak, conduct in 3 with the Arabian Dance with ribbons on the ends of rhythm sticks, a listening map by Carol King for the Chinese Tea Dance, and a real pair of toe shoes to pass around. These several lessons fill the gap nicely between program time and Christmas vacation and other grades ask to see the video again. -- Lynn Huenemann 01/02 I ordered the Nutcracker form Notes Alive and it is great! Not only does it have a behind the scenes part at the end, but includes Maurice Sendak's 3D animation. It is only 50 minutes long so I can show the whole thing. Very interesting. I also use the Nutcracker crossword and word find from MK8 as well as have the kids divide into groups after the movie to come up with their favorite characters, costumes, scenes and if the music complemented the story. Very fun and I'm having Tchaikovesky as my composer for the month. For mu little ones, we made puppets of Clara, Fritz, Drossellmeier et all and acted out the main story of E.T.A. hoffman. I never even heard of the story of the hard nut! Anyway, I highly recommend this video and hope you enjoy it!
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**********************************************************************WORKSHEETS
MAD LIB: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Nutcracker-Mad-Lib-516889PRINTABLES - GAMES, ETC., http://preschoolmom.com/Themes/ChristmasNutcracker.html
COLORING PAGES: http://www.supercoloring.com/coloring-pages/cartoons/the-nutcracker
(SCROLL DOWN TO "PRINT A WORKSHEET"): http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/f_mmf_music_library/hey-kids-meet-peter-ilyich-tchaikovsky.htm
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**********************************************************************NUTCRACKER: BOOKS
01/07 BOOKS “The Nutcracker” by E.T.A. Hoffman and illustrated by Scott Gustafson (ISBN 0-7607-0375-2) for the last few years. It is a 33 page book with beautiful illustrations and about a 20 point font. -- Denise Arthurs"Nutcracker Ballet" by Vladimir Vagin
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8/01 The Nutcracker by Janet Schulman, E. T. A. Hoffman http://www.parentinghumor.com/shop/kidholbk.html Our Special Price: $19.95 - hardcover Many, many children know and love the Nutcracker story. Every year, in every city, countless ballet troupes, accompanied by Tchaikovsky's thrilling music, perform this Christmas classic about a girl who helps a wooden nutcracker man defeat a nasty army of mice and winds up in the magical dreamworld of the Land of Toys.
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01/02 I purchased Marjorie Person's Themes to Remember books and transparency masters at my state conference. As I'm at home, I'm not positive if it's vol.1 or 2 but has words written to go with each piece from the Nutcracker Suite. The story is also included in the book and the masters include picutres that go with the sotry which the kids liked.I went throught the story with them, stopping when it came time for the music. We listened to the sung versions once and then joined in the second time while watching the overheads. The kids have really enjoyed it.I ended the lesson by doing the Ribbon Dance to"Trepak" that I got off the list from Denise. I ordered bags of metallic streamers from Oriental Trading ($6 for a dozen) and had them RUSHED so I'd have them in time. They came in 3 days! Boy have the kids loved using these streamers!
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**********************************************************************ARABIAN DANCE
12/07 We start with the Arabian Dance by curling up on the floor and hiding the scarf, either in our pockets or up our sleeve, or just crumpled up in our hands. The music starts and when they feel ready, they sneak the scarf out and let it dance slowly to the music, showing the "floaty" and flowing feel of the music. Our bodies follow the scarf around the room. At the end of the song, they should resume their starting position, still and silent. --- Dana McCabe, Minnesota--------------------------------
12/03 ARABIAN DANCE: Shadowing with scarves -- Contributed by Monica Autry
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**********************************************************************NUTCRACKER: DANCE OF THE REED PIPES
When I did this one (in the context of the musical rendition of "Nutcracker") I had the kids dressed up like vertical candy flutes and we danced it. That is, there were certain movements on the A section, then totally different movements on the B section. I used LARGE posterboard, which I taped together and secured in the back with velcro, sprayed it with red spray paint in stripes and cut an oval for their head and holes on the sides for their arms. It actually turned out REALLY funny - they had to try to do the movements while wearing a posterboard tube - the posterboard reached down to their knees which caused them to have to move in little almost-awkward steps. With their arms sticking out and their oval faces showing, it worked out quite well. Did you think of putting movement to it, instead of using "props"? It worked for us!-----------------
I have done this with streamers and scarves. Basically, the students created their own dance. One group was the A section, the other was the B section. The A section used bright/light colors and the B used darker colors and did a lot of circular motions. It looked pretty cool by the time it was over. The kids are very creative with it. Even the boys got into it. If you had a black light, they could dress all in black and used colored or white scarves to pick up the light.
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**********************************************************************CHINESE DANCE
01/07 I also use a parachute [with this music]. Students raise the parachute on the flute/piccolo sections, and tiptoe in a circle gently waving the parachute (waist level) on the pizzicato sections. At the end of music, they move the parachute quickly up and down. -- Linda in St. LouisBACK to Tchaikovsky topics
**********************************************************************DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY
12/07 We tiptoe around and "polish the stars in the sky." ---- Dana in MN--------------------------------------------
12/07 Have the kids walk around holding up the snowflakes--- everytime you get to the little descending passages, call them shooting stars and have the kids make the snowflakes go from high to low. On the part that has three little descending runs in a row, maybe let 1/3 of the kids descend at a time. On the accents, let them jump. Then as the tune tinkles upward and slides downward, they can climb to the heavens and then slide down. Then repeat the A section and do a little jump on the very last accent. --- Martha Stanley
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12/03 Disclaimers first: this wasn't intended to be a "performance". I'm experimenting this year with movement that crosses the horizontal and vertical medians of the body, to strengthen the connection between hemispheres of the brain.
That being said......I used the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy orchestral excerpt from the 2nd grade Music and You CDs.
We stand in a circle, facing one another. We all have a paper plate in each hand. Students basically do what I do. We remain in our "spots" throughout the dance.
Intro + first 6 beats of A section: Elbows bent, paper plates at shoulder height, bend knees "down, up, down up, down up"
Next 9 beats (characteristic ti ti ta, ti ti ta, ti ti ta, ti ti ti ti ta rhythm)
ti ti ta tap rhythm on legs w/plates
ti ti ti ti ta "tip toe" the rhythm in place, hands/plates at sides
Repeat as it does in the A section. After the last time, during the the descending tetrachords in the bass clarinet, go back to "down up" as in the beginning. On V-i cadence at end of A section, hands/plates straight up in the air on V, down to legs on i.
B section:
1st 8 beats: right hand slowly raises from leg to overhead, fluttering paper plate as you go
Next 8 beats: (RH down) Repeat above w/left hand/plate I think the above repeats
Then, when the melody moves in 4 beats with heavily accented 4th beat, both hands "flutter up" at the same time, coming down to legs on 4th beat
During harp arpeggios (or is it celeste? I can't remember), when pulse isn't evident, we "flutter" both plates in front of us: when RH is high, LH is low, and vice versa
When A section resumes, we repeat the A section movements, including plates up/down on cadence. Then, of course, we bow grandly.My kids think it's a hoot to hit their heads with their plates during this work of classical literature. Of course, my few little princesses who have been going to ballet class since they could stand unassisted shake their heads and put their noses in the air at first, but when they see the rest of the class having fun with it, they lighten up. :-) - Contributed by Toni Skelton
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These words can be sung with the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
(Introduction)-Waiting (8x)
(A section)-Christmas time is coming, Mistletoe, Christmas trees, Caroling, being with your friends. But I don't know if I Can wait any longer for it to come Christmas time is coming, Blinking lights, snowy nights, Santa Claus, wrapping up your gifts. Oh I hope it's--not much longer-- If it is I'll--just burst (X)* (*2nd time only)
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(B section) X1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
GOT TO WAIT, no I can't. YES YOU CAN, no I can't X8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
GOT TO WAIT, no I can't. YES YOU CAN, no I can't X15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, X21, 22, 23, 24, 25, X IT's Here! X
(Interlude)-16 glissandos on glocks
Form-Intro/A/B/interlude/A
Note-snap on the X's. Boys do the all caps in the B section, girls do the low case words. The X under the 24 is a snap done simultaneously while saying "24". (You're counting the days until Christmas.)
I sing it to the kids, have them sing with me, and then we do it with the music. Try it out yourself first, of course, so you can see how it fits. There is a clarinet or oboe lick where there are spaces between the lines in the A section.
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The Color Dance: a lesson combining literature and music. Ideas by Suzanne Humphreys
Materials needed: book, Color Dance by Ann Jonas, music for Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, coloured scarves.
Process:
1. Book: Read book. Explore colour ideas illustrated within the book.
2. Scarves: Distribute scarves. Explore the colour ideas in the book. Name the colours of the scarves. Combine scarve to make the new colours as shown in book.
3. Music: Play music. Children move creatively as the music prompts them. Children join a partner. Play copycat with them. (i.e. mirroring activity). Teacher and children choose some of the most creative actions. Allow the students creating them to lead the class in mirroring activities.
Introduction: Eight beats: Students show colours by lifting the scarves high into the air. Alternate sides: 4 beats right , 4 beats left .
Section A: First eight beats: Students tiptoe away from their group. Next eight: Stop and sway the scarf back and forth in front of themselves.
Section A1: First eight beats: Students tiptoe back to their group. Next eight: Stop and sway the scarf back and forth in front of themselves.
Section B: First 24 beats: Follow the mood of the music and toss scarves randomly high into the air. Catch them as they fall and toss them again.
Next eight beats: Whirl in a circle letting the scarves flow out in front of them.
Return of A: repeat as in first Section A
Coda: Gently descend with your scarf to the floor. Head drops. The final note is loud and sudden. At that note, the students pop up, hold their scarves high and say, "The end"
Follow up song: Color Dance by Lois Birkenshaw
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DANCE OF THE SUGARPLUM FAIRIES: ABA form;
A Section: Put the rhythm on the board:
(/=eighth)
// | | | // | // | // | // // | 3x // | | 3x z I I (etc.,) // | | | // | // | // | // // | 3x
|| 3x | |
& after we practice this I hand out chopsticks so they can perform with a delicate tapping sound.
B Section Either use the chopsticks to conduct or use them as the fairies magic wand. Once again having the kids mirror.
A section - Repeat
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**********************************************************************GALLOP AND DANCE OF THE PARENTS
01/07 I did the gallop and dance music which comes after the march I had them partner up and then stand in 2 lines across from their partner. The lead couple holds both hands and gallops (or is that sashays) down the center and then goes to the end of their lines. The rest of the lines move up...and the next head pair comes down.They had a blast!! It wasn't perfectly to the music...but the idea was there. -- Rhonda Schilling, Madison WI
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**********************************************************************NUTCRACKER: MARCH
1207 All do the A SECTION. Pat-Clap-Up-Clap (4x), then move plates to the right (one in front of face, one off to right) and left in half notes (2 sets) then quarter notes (4 sets). Repeat this and that takes care of the A section.B SECTION. White and green plate kids look down and freeze while the red plates (on left) do the B SECTION. Big brushes, then rolls on the lap, to match the melody.
BACK TO THE A SECTION - ALL PLATES.
C SECTION. Red and green plates look down and freeze while white (middle) plates do the C SECTION. We call them flying dots, but they hold the plates facing toward the center and move them up 8 beats, down 8 beats, right then left. Then repeat it. .
BACK TO A SECTION - ALL PLATES.
B SECTION MUSIC AGAIN. Red and white plates look down. Green plates (on right) do taco claps up and down, then rub the plates smooth sides together quickly making a shushing sound. Repeat.
BACK TO A SECTION. This final time the plates do the Pat-Clap-Up-Clap pattern, but hold them WAY up on the third beat of each pattern. Then we do the moving them right and left - but end with CLAP-CLAP-UP on the last three notes. Big freeze. This looks really cool and it's a nice break in the show from singing and playing instruments. -- Artie Almeida
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12/07 Candy Cane Horses and rhythm instruments. Focus - Rondo form
First listening - we play the A section, with jingle bells on the marching part and egg shakers on the galloping part. The A section repeats. We freeze for the B and C sections. Form is ABACABA. Then 1/2 of the class gets candy cane "horses." Those dollar store candy canes you stick in your yard. They march/gallop on each A section, hold horsie above their head on B and C sections. Other 1/2 of class plays the rhythm instruments mentioned above. Trade groups. --- Artie Almeida
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12/07 Students are standing in own space, scattered.
Form: ABAB ACAC ABAB DD ABAB ACAC ABAB
A section Stomp, pat-pat-pat pat pat, clap, clap, snap.....fits the rhythm of the repetitive theme ....ta tri-ple-ti ta ta ta ta ta-ah.
B section Circle R hand as if washing windows for 8. Circle L hand for 7, clap on 8 (accented note).
C section Tiptoe for 8 counts to a different space in the room.
D section RH star (small groups, 3-5) circle for 8, quick running steps LH star, circle for 8.
Inspiration: A section - nothing in particular, but they like to do it. Was borrowed from someone on this list, but I can't remember/find out who it is....
B section - Tchaikovsky would “play the piano” on the window panes, which surely left fingerprints, so Mama would clean and clean and clap her hands to get Peter’s attention so he would stop doing that.
C section - students are a mouse from The Nutcracker
D section - seems like fun. --- Cynthia Sibitzky - North Pole, Alaska
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01/07 MARCH: For the March - We did body percussion but modified, stand in a circle main theme - stomp, pat pat pat pat pat, clap clap, snap next main theme - head bobs side to side B section - quickly hold hands and go around in a circle together just 1 way then back to the rest. -- Rhonda Schilling, Madison WI
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01/07 MARCH I went to the Dollar Store and bought 18 of those large plastic candy canes you stick in your yard, I tied a bow at the curve of each one and called them Candy Cane Horses. My primary students ride them (like stick horses) on each A section and hold them above their heads on the B and C sections. One half of the class rides while the other half sits to the side with a jingle bell and an egg shaker. Jingle bells on the beat for each A section, egg shakers to the beat for B and C.
For intermediate students - Each kiddo gets a pair of drumsticks, a piece of plexiglass (or a textbook for a drumpad) and a tambourine. We play the rhythm of the A on the plexiglass - with a click on each rest, then play the B and C section on our tambourines. Silly, fun, they love it. I use red and green fabric ribbons to dance to the Russian Dance with K and 1st. -- Artie Almeida
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12/03 MARCH: A-Soldiers, B-Mice B.P: Stamp, pat (‘trip-ah-let’), clap (4x ) snap (2 beats)
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I did the Nutcracker with first graders several years ago and came up with some very simple movements. I still have all their costumes and bring them back sometimes as a "dress up" center.
March of the Soldiers (in recent years I used Music K8 Whacky March)
Soldiers (boys)-Formation: a straight line step-close, march, march, march. (repeat)
Ballerinas (girls)- Formation: lines on the sides
They "ballet"(graceful gallop) across and switch places with each other. They basically repeat this pattern for the A section.
Section B: The make a circle and boys high-step march and girls gracefully tiptoe.
My soldiers wear tall red hats with a yellow feather in the center. My ballerinas wear a simple skirt I made of white mesh material gathered and attached to a pink, silk ribbon. Ah...it makes them feel beautiful.
Chinese Dance I have the large "Chinese hats" (not sure of their real name!) Students come out in pairs with hands folded and bow to their partner, bow to the audience, and bow back to back. They ever so slightly bump (rear ends!)into each other as they bow (when back to back). Students react as though startled. The audience laughs every time. - Contributed by Monica Autry
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02/03 One of my K kids noticed the Nutcracker I had in my room that I had brought for my 2nd graders, and we started talking about it. We noticed that it had no knees or elbows, so it wasn't able to bend legs or arms. Flash!!!! We pretended to be soldiers and marched with stiff arms and legs (and of course we weren't able to talk) to the March in the Nutcracker Suite. In the middle of course is the fast part, so there we turned into mice and took tiny fast steps, all the time listening for the march music to come back to suddenly turn back into soldiers. This was a great springboard for ABA form also. The loved it.
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This is not necessarily a STAR song but it is such a winner just just HAVe to share it... and it is EASY too.
1. Teach the form of the MARCH of the Nutcracker.(any grade level.. even little ones)
2. Have each child bring a flashlight...most any size will do.
3. cover the lenses with colored cellophane or theatrical Gels work the best if you can get them.
4. for concert...Turn the lights out in the auditorium...
5. play the recording of the MARCH..
6. During the A section have only the red lights shine ... Let the students move the lights on the ceiling in any pattern but in the beat of the piece.
7. When the music changes to the B section.. have students with the red lights cover their flashlights with their hands. If the use the actual flashlight switch.. they often malfunction. and the GREEN lights shine in beat.rhythm on the ceiling.
8. for the C section the YELLOW lights.hints: for small children you can cue the changes with the ding of a triangle.
Depending on the configuration of your auditorium, you can use not only the ceiling for your "palette" but the walls as well.
This is a show stopper... and you can put it together pretty fast. Try to get parent volunteers to collect and prepare the flashlights. Probably not everyone will bring one, so have a few on hand to those children.
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01/02 I would like to add that I learned a cute lesson in musical form for Kinders, many years ago, that my students never forget. We learn the "March" as a soldiers (A) and Mice (B) they sing "Stand up at attention, Soldiers all" with the A theme. They love it!!! Then with the B theme we all pretend to be mice and scurry around with the music. They then finish the study 1 week later with an Oreo eating lesson. (The best part, especially if you have lots of kinder classes ). We eat the top layer during A theme, (Must finish only the one layer) then the creme for B theme (again only the creme) and then finish with the last cookie section during the repeat of A theme. I use an old recording in the McMillan series from years ago that is condensed for children and it fits this exercise.
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March: ABA formA section||: stamp pitypat pat pat (Patsch) clap clap snap (To the rhythm):||Twiddle thumbs while waitingRepeat from the beginning(Same rhythm as the beginning except do motions backwards)||:snap clapclapclap clap clap pat pat stamplook to the left (for the soldiers) look to the right :||||: stamp pitypat pat pat (Patsch) clap clap snap (To the rhythm):||Twiddle thumbs while waitingB Section(Have them mirror you) You can do what ever you want here I do the followingBring both hands slowly up to the left and around to the right in circularformation then scoop down and start over. I think I do four circles beforwe are back to the A Section.
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The Nutcracker March lesson ("Oh, let us go marching",etc.) was developed by Jos Wuytack, who was a protege of Carl Orff and even livedwith the family while studying Orff's music and philosophy. Jos taught itin one of the Orff level classes years ago at Memphis State. If I am notmistaken, the A section was the solders marching (stiff-legged, half-notes)and the 'little girls' or 'dolls' were skipping while saying their part ("Ilike to march just hand in hand" etc.) in a childish voice. You divide upthe class (In those days we had the girls be the dolls and the boys werethe soldiers; I guess now we should let them choose which one they want tobe!) The kids speak as they move while listening to the recording. Thenduring the B section, the 2 groups had a 'conversation' - (Soldiers, in adeep voice - "Well, what do you think about this tune?" Dolls, in a silly,high-pitched voice like they can't be bothered- "It's nice of course I likeit but don't ask me other things") I believe this section was performedstanding still. Then the diba -diba part (C)was the mice (3rd group)scurrying around. The whole thing was basically a speech piece performedwith movement, and accompanied by the recording.
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A: Come, let us go marching through this land! Come, let us go marching through this land! I like to march just hand in hand. I like to march just hand in hand. I like to march, I like to march, I like to march in band. >>I do the same thing only we do the a sectionCome, let us go marching through this land! Come, let us go marching through this land! " We've got to catch the rat this time , we've got to catch the rat this time, we've got to catch we've got to catch we've got to catch the RAT
Make a bulletin board from posters, pictures, photos, newspaper clippings, old programs, and ticket stubs.
Create coloring pages of set designs to fit the music of a scene. They color as they listen to music.
Create an atmosphere of Christmas Eve as you read a story version to the class. Rocking Chair with Christmas afghan or quilt on it, a small decorated/li7ghted tree next to the chair, and soft lights in the room. My favorite---Potpopouri(sp) of evergreen or gingerbread, or cinnamon/nutmeg simmering in the room for the SMELL of Christmas. Then read the story. Have students choose their favorite set design and make a shadow box version. Design a poster or program cover.
As listening or watching a video performance, Check students understanding of the story. Example: Pat your head when you see Fritz break the Nutcracker, raise your hand when Clara throws her slipper at the MouseKing, etc. Make up a Bingo version with pictures of characters and or instruments, facts about ballet and it's history, or cassette tapes of the themes, etc. Do in class or take on the bus.
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**********************************************************************MARCH OF THE TOYS
12/03 MARCH OF THE TOYS: We got in a large circle and we marched to the trumpets. When we hear the B section (orchestra) we did a circle (or two) with both hands like a clock. We started with the one o'clock position and went around the "clock". When we hear the flutes we put our hands high in the air and did our own movement. It was very simple but the students loved it! We named the sections out loud and named the instruments while we were doing the movements. - Contributed by Denise in SCBACK to Tchaikovsky topics
**********************************************************************RUSSIAN DANCE
12/03 Tap head 4x, Shoulders 4x, clap 4x, Tap knees 4x; Fold arms and do cossack dance slowly 3x to front; Turn quickly in circle then jump. Repeat B.P. again -- Contributed by Monica Autry------------------------
I created a paper plate choreography to go with The Russian Dance. Each student holds a plate in each hand. Here's how it goes:
A. 'Swipe' the plates over head 4x Swipe the plates low in front 4x Swipe the plates 8x across the front from right to left Repeat this 4x
B. Bend over and touch your toes with your plates and take 16 counts to slowly tap your plates 'up' your body; you'll end up standing on your tip toes with plates high over head. Repeat this 2x.
C. Touch your shoulders with the plates 4x, then touch the 'air' out in front of you 4x.
Touch your shoulders 2x, the 'air' 2x Touch your shoulders 2x, the 'air 2x
A. Repeat A
Ending: Keep swiping your plates across the front from r to l over and over until the end (I think it's 4 extra times, but I'm not listening to the recording as I'm writing this). Put plates high over head, plates facing outward and freeze until the teacher indicates plates down.
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**********************************************************************NUTCRACKER: SUITE
NUTCRACKER MOVEMENT MOVEMENT DESCRIPTIONSBUTTERFLY - flutter hand as though it were a butterfly
DIVE DOWNS - 2 beats each - hand starts at forehead and 'dives' down to waist level
CLOCK - arms straight up and down (12 and 6) move on beat, as one, clockwise
BALLERINA - start with 'clock' arms, bend elbows as though you were ballet dancing, one at waist level, one arched over head, use very fluid motions when moving (yes, even the boys like this!), 4 counts each motion when switching armsup/downs - as though you are doing aerobics!
MOVEMENTS:
clap - 8 counts; pat legs - 8 counts; clap - 8 counts; pat legs - 8 counts'
butterfly' - 8 counts (on flute)
'butterfly' - 8 counts (change hands - on clarinet)
'dive downs' - alternate hands, total of 4 (8 counts)
r-l-r-l two handed butterflies - 8 counts;
clap - 8 counts; pat legs 8 counts; spread arms out to shoulder height - 8 counts
clock - 8 counts; ballerina arms- 4 counts,
switch ballerina arms - 4 counts, switch ballerina arms - 4 counts
switch ballerina arms - 4 counts, switch clock - 8 counts
ballerina - 4 counts, switch ballerina - 4 counts,
switch ballerina - 4 counts, switchballerina - 4 counts
switch double butterfly - 20 counts;
hands on shoulders - 3 counts
hands up in air - 1 count, down- 3 counts, up - 1 count8 up/downs 1 per beat (4 down, 4 up)12 up/downs on the eighth notes! very fast repeat (immediately)ending - just keep going up and down until second to last beat, take a bow on last beat
Give awards to the dancers, such as: Most exciting character, Best costume, Most colorful costume, Best set, Funniest Character
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**********************************************************************NUTCRACKER: TREPAK
10/12 TCHAIKOVSKY/TREPAK: I've developed a tennis ball routine for Trepak that my 4th and 5th graders are really enjoying. It is a little crazy and there are tennis balls flying all over the place, but they are enjoying themselves and are really trying to keep the tennis balls under control. I'm not sure if I can adequately describe this in email, but I will do my best.Circle FormationA section: Bounce ball on accented notes, gently toss ball between hands for the other partRepeat A section
B Section: Pass the ball behind you, grab it with your other hand, bring it in front,grab it with your other hand.
Interlude: Bounce on the accented parts - It's 5 bounces
Repeat A Section
Coda - each kid turns on the strong notes all the way around the circle and toss the ball gently on the air on the last note. If you have more than 24ish kids in your class, this may be difficult and you might have to have two kids turning at the same time. ---- Beth Jahn
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12/08 ARTIE’S PARACHUTE ACTIVITY: In this performance my 18 kids used a smaller parachute-6 or 9 ' I think. Our big one is 24' and just too big and heavy. After I told them to really reach high on the big shakes, they really got it down and got some real air every time. For whatever reason, I do the opposite and do the wash machine on the interlude and small shakes on the end. My kids got the biggest air on it ever when they let go of it at the performance. Immediate "oo" response from audience and kids alike. --- Pat in WI
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12/07 PARACHUTE: A section - Big shake, freeze. Big shake, freeze. Fast shakes to match the rhythm. Repeat this three more times to match the music.
B section - Kids hold parachute in left hand and trot to right. At phrase end, turn and trot to left.
Interlude - Do the "washing machine" (move the parachute from left to right rapidly. The parachute looks like the agitator in a washing machine.)
Repeat the A section. Do the washing machine for a few measures. Bend over, on the count of 3 - throw the parachute into the air! (time this with the last note) It is way cool in my room because there is a low ceiling and the parachute usually floats up and sticks to the ceiling! Then falls down on some child's head. :) Or floats over to the side like a big jellyfish. The kids love that part for sure! --- Artie Almeida
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Students were to stand VERY straight and tall, shoulders back, head erect, arms folded criss-cross and held out at about shoulder level. Then they did the kick, but without the squat. Basically it was kick one foot out, heel to the ground, toe pointed up,. Then change feet and kick the other foot the same way. Continue alternating feet kicking first one then the other. By not doing the squat it's not all that hard to do and I think even the kinders could manage it. Kids enjoyed this one, especially the boys! --- Louise Eddington
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We BURST into the Trepak and pretend to be Jackson Pollack painting the walls and ceiling of the room by THROWING paint all over. They leap and jump and love it! We paint high and low and fast and slow and BIG! --- Dana
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The streamers I use for this one are just pieces of silky material about 4 feet long an 3 inches wide. No handles.
A section - Wave/sling ribbon up once into air with energy on each of the two accents, then wave ribbon in a wavy ocean- type motion while turning in a circle in place. Repeat. The A section then repeats with tambourine added on the accents. For the second A we do the same moves but Jump into the air on each upward wave.
B section - "Sweep the floor". (bend over and wave ribbon back and forth with one hand like wiping the floor.) Then "wash the windows,” same thing above head. A few quick waves up to match the accents heard, then turn in a circle rapidly - waving ribbon ocean-like. A repeats. Jump up and throw ribbon into air on last note. Sit down wherever your ribbon lands. (My ribbons only float about a foot away, so it's not chaotic. --- Artie Almeida
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A Section: Make a list of movements Tap heads, shoulders, hammers, hitchhikes, snap, patsch etc. Do each four times... fast tempo Repeat 3x I think;
B Section: Do each 2 times do whole list twiceRepeat A sectionWe usually do one a week adding on until we have all three... then I leave the music playing and read them the story. The kids always love this. Look in the Archives for "Movement Idea for Trepak" dated 26 Nov.2006:
http://www.musick8.com/listarchive/message_display.php?db_choice=listarchive2&e_id=192662 --- Cynthia Sibitzky - North Pole, Alaska
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01/07 TREPAK: basic hand jive for 16 (or 8 macro) beats - pat, clap, scissor, fist, thumbs that repeats with the main theme Then the middle part we do the "cassok" dance - heel out, switch to other foot...all while holding arms out in front and crossed. (or hands on hips to make it easier) we follow the rhythm of the accents right before the main theme comes back...now...to make it fit...before the end...you can't do a full hand jive.. I think you end up doing it 3 full times - then go back to the fist part and only 1 thumb and then both hands up. They loved it!!! -- -- Rhonda Schilling, Madison WI
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01/07 TREPAK - 1. Write the notation for ti-ti and tika-tika on the board. Below it, notate ti-tika, but don't give it a name. Show that you've taken half a ti-ti- and half a tika tika. Let students figure out what it's called.
2. Notate the A section: Ti-tika ti-ti ti-ti ti-ti (repeat) Ta ta ta ta ta ta ti-ti ta (repeate entire sequence)
We read it together, going a little bit faster each time.
3. Listen to the Trepak while reading the notation together. On the B section we rested.
4. Add movement. We clap for ti-ti and patsch (alternating hands) for tika-tika, so ti-tika is a clap-patsch-patsch. On ta, we normally jump, but for this they stayed on the floor and did seated jumps, hands in lap.
5. Put it all together with the music. Do the movement for the A section. In the B section, rest, but halfway through, get yourselves ready. We blew on our hands and stretched. When the accented beats hit just at the end of B, we tipped out heads to the side for each one. We finished out the A section with it's extended ta ending, popping off the floor and laughing with exhaustion.
6. We did it again. And again. And then we dragged in all the people staring through the window in the door and made them do it with us.
I've been doing this with 2nd - 5th. K and 1 could do it by following me, but the point is actually to read the notation. -- Andrea Cope
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01/07 TREPAK - More ideas regarding the Trepak. (And the other dances, too) For those of you planning to take kids to see the ballet, some simple movements in the classroom might help them to "get into" the music. Since the original question was about the Trepak, here's what we did:First off, kids are instructed to stand up VERY STRAIGHT AND TALL--almost as if they had a big board stuck in the back of their jeans, and going all the way up behind their head... Now put a very mean look on your face and cross your arms, holding them high in front of your chest.Practice the simplified step. First, place one heel to the floor while bearing weight on other foot. In one quick motion, now switch to the other foot with heel to the floor. (Might even be easier to learn the foot movements sitting in chairs, before doing it with actual weight bearing.) Just alternating the heel to the floor/other foot bearing the weight, quickly shifting from one to the other, is close enough for the kids to get the feel of it. Play the music and let them be the Russian dancers. (You might explain that PROFESSIONAL dancers do a similar step but from a crouched down position, but we are not going to try that today. No sense in having broken bones...)Am still working, mostly unsuccessfully, at recalling the words we sang to this one when we performed it. Too much water under the bridge since then. -- Louise Eddington, Muncie, Indiana
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01/07 TREPAK MOVEMENT: First....seated.....no music playing.....
Have the children "draw" a placemat on the floor in front of them.
Staple (hit the floor with the heels of the hands, one of top of the other....similar to the CPR move with interlocked fingers) one of theupper corners of the placemat.
Staple the other upper corner.
Use your pointer fingers to "draw" a dotted line down the center of the placemat...
Repeat three times......Now, use a crayon to draw all over the mat....scribbles, circles...whatever....make sure to get every corner!
Next....place a baguette (long skinny loaf of bread) on the mat and chop one end off....then the other....then go back and forth from oneend to the other.....
Staple corners again.....and draw dotted lines.
Repeat stapling....
Pretend to stir a pot of soup (that you are going to serve with the bread at the place setting you've drawn) and stir and stir and stir and finally lift the lid and spoon with a grand flourish, arms overhead.
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Now add the music. The numbers in parentheses are the number of beats for each movement.....
Start with the very first note of the music.
Staple (4) Staple (4) dotted line (8).
Repeat
Repeat
Repeat Crayon....(32)
Baguette....(32) (start with 2 whole notes, then 2 half notes, then 4 quarter notes)
Staple (4) Staple (4) dotted line (8).
Repeat
Stir (23 beats, then on beat 24----> lift the lid)
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Then try it on your feet! (Warning: the principal will walk in on this activity, with members of the school board in tow, who are touring the school with the Secretary of Education, the governor, members of the press, and the parent who complains that you have no class management skills. Ignore them and press on.)
Replace the staple with a leap to the corner of your imaginary mat, which has increased greatly in size. Land on two feet! Do it again to the other side.
The dotted line becomes a Russian-like kick step with arms folded. For those who are much younger and have stronger thighs, it is like the Russian "squat down and kick your legs out one at a time" dance........
The crayon is now free movement around the room. Ballerinas, hopping rabbits, jet planes soaring.....anything is fair game as long as they respect the space of others.
The baguette....a two-footed jump to the side....similar to the movement of an Alpine skier....knees together, feet together....jump from side to side. Use 2 whole notes....etc...as outlined above.
Stir.....arms out, spin in a circle. (Best NOT to do this after lunch!)
Lift the lid.....Strike a final pose with arms overhead, feet apart. Be ready for cries of "Again!!!" -- Cynthia Sibitzky - North Pole, Alaska
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01/07 There is a musical "Nutcracker" by Beall/Artman. There are words about a Russian recipe for that song.
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02/03 Here's what I do with the Russian Trepak:
First we listen to it and try to identify the sound of the tambourine. Is is playing throughout? When does it play? When does it drop out? What happens to the pattern when it returns later in the song? Same/different? Then I write the following rhythms on the board.
The tambo. part can be slowed way down and written like this: (q = quarter note)
q rest, rest, rest / q rest, rest, rest / q q q q / q q q rest /
q rest, rest, rest / q rest, rest, rest / q q q q / q q q q /
that's the A section. when it returns for the repeat (A1), the rhythms become dotted: but again slowed down they are: (e = eighth, s = sixteenth)
e-ss e-ss e-ss e-ss / e-ss e-ss e-ss e-ss /
ssss ssss ssss ssss / ssss ssss ssss ssss / (shake tambourine on "ssss")
ssss ssss ssss ssss / ssss ssss e-e q //
My students could NEVER read the original score, however, they CAN read what I've written above. Once I teach them how to play it this speed, we speed it up until they can play with the recording! I don't have enough tambos. for every child, so I have them sit with a partner (or group of 3-4) and take turns (they pass between A and A1.
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I do something similar w/ this. I use the same pattern, notating it on the board or overhead w/quarter notes and rests. Then we add an accent to the quarter note in the measure that include 3 rests.So we use it to learn accents.
Finally, we play this pattern, along w/a recording, on our chairs. We: (very methodically, I'm afraid!)
-stand up.
-stand behind our chairs.
-turn our chairs around.
-kneel down.
Our chair is now our drum, we're facing the board and.....GO! It's easy to get that ACCENT when you're slamming your hand on a chair. --- Contributed by Dan Fee
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02/03 My 5th graders are performing a streamer routine to Trepak from the Nutcracker this year. One of my classes has 25 students and there other has 14...so our routines will be a little different but here is the main outline:
In sets of 8:
1 - Figure 8 in front.
2 - Circle right in front.
3 - Figure 8 in front.
4 - Circle right in front.
5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - Wiggle streamer in a Z pattern while turning in a circle.
9 - 10 - 4 Big zig-zag's down in front every 4 counts
11 - Figure 8 in front.
12 - Circle right in front until done. Zip the streamer up and down in front on the last beat.
On the 5th - 8th sets of 8...I will be creative with my smaller class. The front row will do small tornados in front of their bodies. On the circle right sets, some in the back row will circle over head and those standing on the sides will circle to the side of their bodies. I think it will create a wonderful visual effect and give the students a bit more room.
We have started this with my smaller class and they are doing great. ALL the students love the streamers, boys and girls alike! The only thing that will be bad about this routine is that...it will not be long enough!!!!!!!!
Contributed by Kristin Lukow
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Helpful teaching tips: if you've never acted out a ballet before with your kids, here are a few tips.
~ show pictures and/or video clips of real ballet dancers to give your kids some dance-move ideas. basically they're going to be improvising and silently pantomiming and dancing around as you narrate the story in a microphone and keep the music going.
~ the goal is to keep the actors silent and keep the music playing during as much of the action as possible. this sometimes means repeating a piece or fading it out and switching to the next one. practice will tell you the timing.
~ allow 6 rehearsals from beginning to end. ~ schedule a dress rehearsal for another class/classes to see.
~ if performing for the entire school, make posters and hang around the school. if you write the details in bold black, students can add pictures.
~ choose two actors to be ushers to pass out programs at the door.
~ print up tickets and give each child four to take home. i have better luck getting parents in if they have a ticket to remind them to come.
Nutcracker: same thing but no cheek dots. Gold cloth sash across shirt and some glitter on his hat.
Evil Mice: gray ears cut from poster board and glued to headband. black paper dot taped to nose.
Evil Mouse King: same as mice but with crown on his head too. might have to play around to get them both on him.
Sugar Plum Fairy: dress from home. crown on head. magic wand from Dollar Store.
Clara: pj's from home. crown or tiara from Dollar Store.
Russian Cossacks: white shirt, dark pants (from home). cossack hat shape cut from poster board and covered in fake fur material. fasten to headband. opt. sash across chest.
Arabian girl: large see-through material for her to dance around with. scarf over her lower face like a veil. dress or pants from home.
Flutes: flutes to "play" = paper towel, wrapping paper tubes, or pvc pipe covered in shiny silver tape, tin foil, or silver paint.
Flowers: green gloves (leaves to cover faces with), flower shape cut out of poster board and fastened to headband or flower headband from the store.
Crowns can be made from gold bulletin board border and laminated to last. cut them long enough to go around a huge kid-hairdo plus an inch or two and they'll fit any kid in the future. just scotch tape them to fit.
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RHYTHM ACTIVITY This activity is very fun! As in all rhythm activities of this sort, once you have it down with body percussion, it is fun to transfer it over to the appropriate non-pitched percussion instruments you have in your room. For example snap becomes metal instruments like finger cymbals, clap becomes wooden instruments like woodblocks, patschen could become shaking or scraping instruments like guiro or cabasa and stomp becomes drums. I have used "ta" for quarter note values and Z for quarter note rests. Each stave consists of snap/clap/patsch/stomp.
Time signature is 4 4, of course. First line is played four times.
snap ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
clap ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
patsch ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
stomp ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
(play this line above 4 times!)
snap Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
clap Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
patsch Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l ta ta ta tal ta ta ta ta
stomp ta ta ta tal ta ta ta tal Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
snap Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l ta ta ta tal ta ta ta ta
clap ta ta ta tal ta ta ta tal Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
patsch Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
stomp Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
snap ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta Z ta Z l ta ta ta ta
clap ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta Z ta Z l ta ta ta ta
patsch ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta Z ta Z l ta ta ta ta
stomp ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta Z ta Z l ta ta ta ta
snap ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
clap ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
patsch ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
stomp ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
snap ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
clap ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
patsch ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
stomp ta Z Z Z l ta Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
snap Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
clap ta ta ta tal ta ta ta tal ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
patsch ta ta ta tal ta ta ta tal ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta
stomp Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z l Z Z Z Z
snap ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta ll
clap ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta ll
patsch ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta ll
stomp ta ta ta ta l ta ta ta ta ll
This is a really, really fun activity. And believe me, it took quite a while to write it out. I really wondered how it would turn out, though. I would be more than glad to send you a copy in the mail. But, maybe this will clear up a few things. Yes, I used the "l" as a bar line. The words snap/clap/patsch/stomp are not beats, it's kind of like writing out soprano/alto/tenor/bass. It is in 4 4 and the first line (16 beats is played four times total. The snappers follow ONLY their line, and stick to ONLY one part. Therefore, you will need to divide your kids into four groups. Only one group would snap, one group clap, one group patsch, one group stomp. For example the snap part would be:snap rest rest rest snap rest rest rest snap snap snap snapsnap snap snap snap This is performed 4 times.
Those who clap would: clap rest rest rest clap rest rest rest clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap This is performed 4 times.
Those would patsch would: patsch rest rest rest patsch rest rest rest patsch patsch patsch patsch patsch patsch patsch patsch. This is performed 4 times.
Etc.! Now, all of these parts perform at the same time, of course. I write it out for the kids so that they are reading the notation. I write each part in a different color, it is easier to follow. At the beginning all of the parts are doing the same thing. But as the piece progresses, it gets more difficult as the parts become more independent. When they have gotten their part down, we switch to unpitched percussion instruments. It's a hit every time.
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Trepak: First, I make four separate large bulleting board paper grids in different colors. These will contain the separate parts of the Trepak rhythm activity. That is, on red paper I write JUST the snapping part, on green paper, JUST the clapping part, on yellow the patschen part, on blue the stomping part. We learn all parts separately. I don't put it with music yet. I leave the music as a surprise! Many of them will recognize it right off and then I love to see their faces light up! Then, I pull out the master sheet. It has all parts on it. I make this also with bulletin board paper. Now, the snapping, clapping, patschen, stomping parts are notated in colored marker (the corresponding color - same as the bulletin board paper color used previously). We now read each separate part together. I will only do the snapping part without music, THEN, I add the music for the rest of the repetitions. When we have ALL done all of the parts together, I split them into groups; red group (snapping), green group (clapping), etc. We now perform it like that. THEN, come the instruments. This is totally up to your discretion and your assortment of instruments, but the highest sounding instruments go on the snapping part, the next highest on the clapping part, the medium sounds on the patschen and the low sounds on the stomping part. We add finger cymbals, triangles, slide whiste to the snapping part, tambourines, tick tock, finger beatz, castanest, vibra slap to the clapping part, guiro, cricket, wood blocks, claves, ratchet to the patschen part, and various drums (hand drums, conga, bongo, timpani) to the stomping part. We now do it through as an orchestra. And a good time was had by all !!! Of, yes, of course you could just make an overhead of the song as notated that I sent you! But, that's too easy!!!
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**********************************************************************SWAN LAKE
03/05 I do have an excellent picture book. "Swan Lake" by Lisbeth Zwerger. There is a musical excerpt at the top of the page to help identify the musical context of that particular story point. However, the ending is slightly different, but there is a note addressing the author's decision to change it. It's worth it, though. -- Leigh------------------------
LESSON: http://www.rpo.org/UserFiles/File/PDF/intermediate_02_03/Tchaikovsky_Bio_and_Lesson_Plan.pdf
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**********************************************************************SLEEPING BEAUTY
STUDY GUIDE: https://www.cballet.org/sites/default/files/cb/Sleeping%20Beauty%20Study%20Guide.pdf------------------
LESSON: http://www.sharemylesson.com/teaching-resource/american-ballet-theatre-the-sleeping-beauty-50028319/
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**********************************************************************LESSONS
01/16 RESOURCES, LESSONS: http://www.lessonplanet.com/lesson-plans/pyotr-ilyich-tchaikovskyBACK to Tchaikovsky topics
**********************************************************************SYMPHONIES, CONCERTOS
LESSONS:PATHETIQUE: http://www.rpo.org/UserFiles/File/PDF/intermediate_04_05/Tchaikovsky.pdf
SYMPHONY #5: http://www.rpo.org/UserFiles/File/PDF/intermediate%200809/Tchaikovsky-3.pdf
ABOUT PATHETIQUE (#6) (article): http://www.keepingscore.org/sites/default/files/lessonplans/KSEd_Nutcracker_Ballet_Pollak.pdf