Dearest Adele,
Last week we lived through the Music Champion Celebration yet again. It was a delight and Carlie was golden. Lots of misty eyed teachers and shiny faced kids left Koerner hall that day.
Here are a few highlights.
On Stage Highlight:
Lauren Best, Carlie Howell and I collaborated with a terrific class of grade one kids to teach their unit about telling directions by Toronto landmarks through drama, music, dance and eventually poetry too. It was quite a creative process. Rufus, Lauren and Carlie composed music to go directly with the dance. Here is a link to their song with the children's poems and the projections that went behind the dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wPK4rq-jf4
The children took the shape of the CN tower. They ran in circles as the rotating restaurant and stretched up like the elevator. They did this amazing Hockey Hall of Fame goally sequence that immediately earned cheers from the audience. (Who would have thought my crowning achievement as a choreographer/collaborator for children's dance would be about hockey!) They swam past Toronto's beaches and fell like cherry blossoms in High Park. The kids who got the most laughs were the "Tourists" work did this groovy little improvised dance while taking pictures of the Toronto landmarks, selfies and photos of the audience. I "conducted" the dance from the front row but really this was just an excuse to see it again up close. Tears left my heavily mascared eyes and got caught in the corners of my grin. They were truly magnificent. You would have loved them!
Backstage Highlight:
Near the beginning of the show, Carlie realized she'd left her electric bass in the dressing room and she needed it for the first act. I ran back to get it but on the way I was stopped by the stage volunteer and teacher who were in crisis because we were missing a parent-cello player and her cello. A whole cello player - AND a cello! I found someone to run and go look for her and helped to calm the kids and teacher who were due to go on stage. The parent ran up all frazzled. I assured her that all was just fine, and that she would have a great performance, she just needed to get on stage fast. Unfortunately there were about 40 excited kids between her and the stage and that took some effort to get her past them. Finally the parent cello player (and her cello) as well as the children were all on stage ready to play and Carlie ran off stage and said, "Where my bass?" to which I helpfully replied, "What bass?" Then I remembered and ran full tilt in my very high heels back to the dressing room to get it. Our stage volunteers dramatized several times after the show my apparently cartoonish run to the dressing room. I guess I took the corner with a fast skitter step hop hop hop on one foot (in my fancy heels.) I know I certainly frightened the poor musician practicing in the dressing room as I hurricaned past her. Anyway, it worked out. And it all gave us a story, that I can share with you!
Big hug and much child-love-creative-joy to you.
Nicole
Last week we lived through the Music Champion Celebration yet again. It was a delight and Carlie was golden. Lots of misty eyed teachers and shiny faced kids left Koerner hall that day.
Here are a few highlights.
On Stage Highlight:
Lauren Best, Carlie Howell and I collaborated with a terrific class of grade one kids to teach their unit about telling directions by Toronto landmarks through drama, music, dance and eventually poetry too. It was quite a creative process. Rufus, Lauren and Carlie composed music to go directly with the dance. Here is a link to their song with the children's poems and the projections that went behind the dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wPK4rq-jf4
The children took the shape of the CN tower. They ran in circles as the rotating restaurant and stretched up like the elevator. They did this amazing Hockey Hall of Fame goally sequence that immediately earned cheers from the audience. (Who would have thought my crowning achievement as a choreographer/collaborator for children's dance would be about hockey!) They swam past Toronto's beaches and fell like cherry blossoms in High Park. The kids who got the most laughs were the "Tourists" work did this groovy little improvised dance while taking pictures of the Toronto landmarks, selfies and photos of the audience. I "conducted" the dance from the front row but really this was just an excuse to see it again up close. Tears left my heavily mascared eyes and got caught in the corners of my grin. They were truly magnificent. You would have loved them!
Backstage Highlight:
Near the beginning of the show, Carlie realized she'd left her electric bass in the dressing room and she needed it for the first act. I ran back to get it but on the way I was stopped by the stage volunteer and teacher who were in crisis because we were missing a parent-cello player and her cello. A whole cello player - AND a cello! I found someone to run and go look for her and helped to calm the kids and teacher who were due to go on stage. The parent ran up all frazzled. I assured her that all was just fine, and that she would have a great performance, she just needed to get on stage fast. Unfortunately there were about 40 excited kids between her and the stage and that took some effort to get her past them. Finally the parent cello player (and her cello) as well as the children were all on stage ready to play and Carlie ran off stage and said, "Where my bass?" to which I helpfully replied, "What bass?" Then I remembered and ran full tilt in my very high heels back to the dressing room to get it. Our stage volunteers dramatized several times after the show my apparently cartoonish run to the dressing room. I guess I took the corner with a fast skitter step hop hop hop on one foot (in my fancy heels.) I know I certainly frightened the poor musician practicing in the dressing room as I hurricaned past her. Anyway, it worked out. And it all gave us a story, that I can share with you!
Big hug and much child-love-creative-joy to you.
Nicole
Backstage Highlight - OMG - I missed the 'hungama' [Hindi for dramatic confusion] - I was right there - attached to a headset stage left - all we knew about was the missing Cello playing parent and we were panicking as the children were in place - The teacher and I heaved a sigh of relief when we saw her walk on stage and the show rolled on...
ReplyDeleteBackstage Highlight - OMG - I missed the 'hungama' [Hindi for dramatic confusion] - I was right there - attached to a headset stage left - all we knew about was the missing Cello playing parent and we were panicking as the children were in place - The teacher and I heaved a sigh of relief when we saw her walk on stage and the show rolled on...
ReplyDeleteThe MC performance looked smooth as silk from up in the sound/projection booth so I would never have guessed that there was such high heeled mayhem going on back stage. I do recall hearing the stage manager ask if the cello player was anywhere to be seen but since she walked on stage aplenty later, I assumed that all was well. Talk about cool under pressure for all of you performers!!!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely LOVE the video, song, little voices and imagining the sweetness of the movement and storytelling. What fortunate kds to have you all supporting them and helping them shine!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the backstage mayhem and can picture it all quite vividly. No one can hurricane in high heels like our Nicole! Fantastic.
Congratulations, all! Such a wonderful community of generous artists!
Much love, Karen