IYDT s Outreach Program Presents. Introduction to the. Nutcracker

Transcription

1 IYDT s Outreach Program Presents Introduction to the Nutcracker 2014

2 INTRODUCTION TO BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER Illinois Youth Dance Theatre (IYDT) is a non-profit dance company committed to the art of dance. With budget cuts and the decline of arts education in public schools, it is more important than ever to share the unique power of the performing arts in a nurturing environment through professional instruction, viewing of guest artists, and the use of professional sets and costuming. Since The Nutcracker s premiere at the Mariinsky Theatre on December 17, 1892, The Nutcracker has captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world and has been performed more than any other ballet. Illinois Youth Dance Theatre (IYDT) would like to continue this tradition with its Outreach Program Introduction to Ballet by perpetuating the program s mission of presenting ballet to young children. The goal is to preserve the art form and the enduring impact it can have on children s lives by way of community outreach and public performing. IYDT s Outreach Program is the only one of its kind in the Northern and Western Chicago Illinois Suburbs, to bring the beauty of classical ballet and music to children each year. It is also one of the most affordable educational outreach programs in the region. Providing students with an introduction to a world of culture and tradition, which would otherwise be unavailable to them. Each Educational Outreach Program includes: Lecture Demonstration on ballet, stage technique, workings of a theatre, and pantomime Participation in simple movement activities Viewing of a ballet performance Question and answer period Opportunity to meet the dancers afterwards Goals of each Educational Outreach Program: Present the art of classical ballet Introduce music Teach theatre etiquette In addition to the above, IYDT requires very little to make this program accessible to everyone. The main requirement is a large open space. Examples of such space would include: a gym, multi-purpose room, cafeteria, or a classroom with the chairs removed. IYDT is able to provide a sound system and TV with a DVD player (or something similar) if you cannot provide them, but requires a week s notice.

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Discussion Questions 7 History History of Ballet 8 History of The Nutcracker 11 Notable Nutcrackers 13 History Activities 14 Synopsis The Nutcracker Synopsis 15 Synopsis Activities 16 Cast, Characters, and Children 18 Music Composer - Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky 19 Score 21 Musicality and instruments 22 Music Activities 24 IYDT Info History 25 Who s Who Behind the Scenes 26 Theatre Etiquette 28 Closing Activities 29 Nutcracker Activities Incorporating English and History 31

4 Introduction Discussion QUESTIONS WELCOME! What first comes to your mind when you hear the word ballet? What are the various elements that are used in the creation of a ballet? What do you know about The Nutcracker? Who has attended a ballet or performance of The Nutcracker? What do you want to know about ballet or The Nutcracker? IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 7

5 History History People have always danced. In the beginning, dancing was part of religious and community ceremonies, but by the time of the Ancient Greeks and Romans, dancing had become a form of entertainment. However, during the middle ages, the Church in Europe claimed dancing to be sinful. The Renaissance arrived in the 1400s, reviving the popularity of dance once again. Today, ballet as we know it, comes from the European courts of the 16th and 17th centuries of King Louis the XIV, who was an avid dancer and performer himself. Below are some general questions we have answered to help students better understand the basics of ballet. Why are so many ballet terms in French? The French were among the first to record the movements. In fact, many of the terms are actually everyday words that sound fancy to us. For example, plié means to bend in French. Is the word ballet French as well? It is, but it actually comes from the Italian word ballare. What is the first ballet? In 16th century France and Italy, royalty competed to have the most splendid court. The monarchs would search for and employ the best poets, musicians and artists. At this time, dancing became ballet de cour meaning court King Louis the XIV ballet, which was increasingly theatrical, featuring elaborate scenery and lavish costumes, plus a series of processions, poetic speeches, music and dancing. The first known ballet, Le Ballet Comique de la Reine, was performed in 1581 at the wedding of the Queen of France s sister. Le Ballet Comique de la Reine HISTORY OF BALLET HISTORY OF BALLET Who were the first professional dancers? At first, ballets were performed at the Royal Court, but in 1669 King Louis XIV opened the first opera house in Paris, France. Here, ballet was first viewed publicly in the theater as part of the opera. The first opera featuring ballet, entitled Pomone, included dances created by Beauchamp. Women participated in ballets at court, but were not seen in the theater until As soon as the number of performances increased, courtiers who danced for a hobby gave way to professional dancers who trained longer and harder. However, the physical movement of the first professional dancers was severely hindered by their lavish and weighty costumes and headpieces. They also wore dancing shoes with tiny heels, which made it rather difficult to dance with pointed toes. When did women become the center focus in ballet? Early in the 18th century, ballerina Marie Camargo shocked the audiences by shortening her skirts to just above the ankle. She did this to be freer in her movements and to allow the audience to see her intricate footwork and complex jumps, which often rivaled those of the men. At this time, female dancers also began to dominate the stage over their male counterparts. Ballet companies were now being established in France to train dancers for the opera performances. The first official ballet company, a collection of dancers who trained professionally, was based at the Paris Opera and opened in When was the pointe shoe introduced? By 1830, ballet as a theatrical art truly came into its own. Influenced by the Romantic Movement, ballet took on a whole new look, which was sweeping the world of art, music, literature, and philosophy. Female dancers now wore calf-length, white bell-shaped tulle skirts and the pointe shoe was introduced. This enhanced the image of the ballerina as light and elusive, the pointe shoe was introduced, enabling women to dance on the tips of their toes, creating an ethereal effect. When was dance established in North America? Marie Camargo Almost all contemporary ballet companies and dancers are influenced by Les Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghileff. They are regarded as the most influential company of the twentieth century, because it promoted groundbreaking artistic collaborations among the forefront s of each artistic genre. The first visit by Les Ballets Russes to North America was from , which stimulated great interest in ballet. For example, dancer George Balanchine came to the United States and founded the New York City ballet, originally the American Ballet, and became renowned for perfecting the abstract ballet and for establishing neoclassicism through his choreographic masterpieces such as Serenade, Agon and Concerto Barocco. Serge Diaghileff 8 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 9

6 History History HISTORY OF BALLET What is the difference between classical and contemporary ballet? A classical ballet has certain rules that must be followed, where a contemporary ballet has none. A contemporary ballet may not contain music, costumes, scenery, story or footwear, whose purpose is to draw attention to the shape and speed of the dancer s movements. A Classical Ballet has five specific components that must be included: 1. It must tell a story: often a fairy tale involving a boy/girl plot with a problem to be resolved by the end of the ballet. 2. It must have costumes and scenery. 3. It must use music that enhances the story 4. It must have a folk or character dance. 5. The female dancers must wear pointe shoes. What is the difference between ballet and 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, enabling dancers to move in every direction with ease, which can be traced to the European court tradition that directed the performance toward the sovereign in attendance. Other styles of dance include: Ethnic/Traditional: Any dance form developed by a particular culture, like African, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Cuban, Hawaiian, etc.1 Jazz: Originated in America and is truly an American dance form that combines elements of African, modern, and ballet.2 Modern: A dance form that originated around the turn of the century in both Europe and America. Isadora Duncan, known as the mother of modern dance, began dancing barefoot and without the traditional ballet costumes as a rebellion against the constraints of ballet. Modern dance is based on the feet being parallel from the hips, rather than turned out as they are in ballet.3 Social: Any dance form that people enjoy when they are gathered together. Ballroom dancing, street dancing, and folk dancing fit into this category.⁴ Tap: Another distinctly American dance form, which combines elements of jazz dance and borrows from the Irish jig and Dutch clogging.⁵ The first performance of the The Nutcracker was held as a double premiere together with Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky s last opera, Iolanta, on December 17, 1892, at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. The libretto, a text written for and set to music in a ballet, is adapted from a German writer, E.T.A. Hoffmann, who wrote The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by Alexandre Dumas père called The Tale of the Nutcracker. Although the libretto was by Marius Petipa, who exactly choreographed the first production has been debated. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King HISTORY OF THE NUTCRACKER Petipa began work on the choreography in August 1892; however, illness removed him Imperial Mariinsky Theatre from its completion and his assistant of seven years, Lev Ivanov, was brought in. Although Ivanov is often credited as the choreographer, some contemporary accounts credit Petipa. Even though the original production was not a success, the twenty-minute suite that Tchaikovsky extracted from the ballet was. Since then, his score has become one of his most famous compositions, in particular the pieces featured in the suite. Among other things, the score is noted for its use of the celesta, an instrument that the composer had already employed in his much lesser known symphonic ballad The Voyevoda. Although popular inside of Russia, The Nutcracker was not performed outside of Russia until 1934, when Nicholas Sergeyev staged it at the Sadler Wells Theatre in England. Later, in 1940, The Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo debuted a shortened version of The Nutcracker in the United States. It was this production of The Nutcracker that George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova remembered and danced out for San Francisco Ballet s Willam Christensen. Because of this, the United States got its first full-length version in 1944, even though the director had never seen it! This version gave birth to the American tradition that lives on through ballet companies every holiday season! Kirov-trained Balanchine must have been inspired by the success and he created a new staging in 1954, which has become The Nutcracker most American audiences know. The Balanchine production in turn, inspired many other versions throughout the world. 134th Annual San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival 2Fosse ⁴Ballroom Dance ⁵Sauvignon Glover George Balanchine teaching. Courtesy NYCB Archives Ballet Society Collection 3Martha Graham 10 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 11

7 History History HISTORY OF THE NUTCRACKER The closest to the original production is the Royal Ballet s current version seen in a slightly revised production since the Opera House has reopened. Based on contemporary accounts and photographs, and such of the traditional choreography that seemed likely to be genuine, it is as near as it s now possible to get to Ivanov. The story is a very straightforward retelling; in early performances Marie (also known as Clara) was played by a child but later on a young dancer from the company took the role. Perhaps the best known version by a British company was Festival Ballet s 1957 production, with choreography by David Lichine and designs by Benois. Since its inception, the complete Nutcracker production has enjoyed enormous popularity since the late 1960s and is now performed by countless ballet companies, primarily during the Christmas season; especially in the United States Major American ballet companies generate around forty percent of their annual ticket revenues from performances of The Nutcracker. NOTABLE NUTCRACKERS The Original Nutcracker December 17, 1892 Maryinsky Theater, St. Petersburg The Imperial Russian Ballet Choreography: Lev Ivanov Scenario: Petipa/Ivanov, after Dumas Père, after E.T.A. Hoffmann Scenery: M.I. Botcharov with K. Ivanov Costumes: I.A. Vsevolojsky with Pommarev Principal Dancers: Antonietta dell Era and Pavel Gerdt The First Nutcracker outside of Russia January 30, 1934 Sadler Wells Theatre, London The Vic-Wells Ballet Choreography: after Ivanov, staged by Nicholas Sergeyev Scenery: Hedley Briggs Principal Dancers: Alicia Markova and Stanly Judson The First Nutcracker in the United States (A condensed one-act version) October 17, st Street Theater, New York Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo Choreography: after Ivanov, staged by Alexandra Fedorova Scenery and Costumes: Alexandre Benois Principal Dancers: Alicia Markova and André Eglevsky Act I - The children receive their Christmas presents The One We All Know February 2, 1954 City Center, New York New York City Ballet Choreography: George Balanchine Scenery: Horace Armistead Costumes: Karinska Principal Dancers: Maria Tallchief and Nicholas Magallanes IYDT s 2000 Production Premiered December 2000 McHenry, Illinois IYDT, Spring Grove Choreography: Alyce Keaggy-Brinkmann Scenery: Grosh Backdrops Costumes: Courtesy of Milwaukee Ballet Principal Dancers: Alyce Keaggy-Brinkmann, George Quintero, Amy Toporek Act I - Herr Drosselmeyer presents the Dolls 12 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 13

8 History Synopsis HISTORY ACTIVITIES Improvisation Use improvisation to explore, discover, and invent movement Improvise spontaneous dances using poetry, stories, and props Choreography Create a dance phrase, repeat it, and vary it (making changes in the space, time, and/or force or energy) Use scientific and/or mathematical concepts to create movement studies THE NUTCRACKER SYNOPSIS Overture: A small town bordering Russia in the 1840 s As the curtain opens, Marie is fast asleep dreaming of the wonderful Christmas to come. In her dream, Holiday Spirit comes to visit her accompanied by her little sprinkles of spirit. She and the Sprinkles give Marie a beautiful party dress and adorn her with ribbons and bows. Holiday s Christmas gift to Marie is an enchanting dream of Christmas festivities and a journey to magical places with a cherished toy come to life. Marie waits with excitements as the Sprinkles unite the delightful vision soon to happen. Act I: Party at the Stahlbaum House The Stahlbaum Family is preparing for their annual Christmas Eve party. A Mother and Father put the finishing touches on the tree, Marie whirls excitedly. The guests arrive and the merriment begins! Dancing is an important part of the celebration, and the adults begin with smiles and laughter. Suddenly, a mysterious flash interrupts the dance. Marie s Godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer, arrives with extraordinary gifts. First are three life-sized dolls that dance as if they are alive. He presents gifts to Fritz, Marie s brother, Emma, Marie s sister, and the other boys and girls. Last is the gift to Marie an oddlooking soldier doll that cracks nuts with his teeth. Marie dances joyously with her gift, showing it off to everyone. Fritz is jealous and grabs the Nutcracker from her arms. A tug of war takes place, and the Nutcracker is broken in the scuffle, Drosselmeyer gently repairs the doll, and gives it back to Marie. The party ends, the guests depart and the family retires to bed. Thinking of her Nutcracker she sneaks back into the salon to cradle him on the couch. Unexpectedly, the magic begins. Giant mice creep into the room. Herr Drosselmeyer appears and brings the Nutcracker to life, along with the boys toy soldiers. They battle the giant mice and the Rat King until they defeat them in triumph. To Marie s astonishment, the Nutcracker transforms into a Prince. The Nutcracker Prince then leads Marie on a journey through a breathtaking Snow Forrest. The Snow Queen and her Cavalier welcome them, and the Snow Princesses lead the Snowflakes in a whirling, dazzling display. Act II: The Land of Sweets The Prince has brought Marie to the Land of Sweets. Marie s Guardian Angel and her tiny angels greet them, followed by many other who dwell in this delightful place. They introduce Marie, and bow before the Fairies of the Land Sugar Plum Fairy and Dew Drop Fairy. Marie and the Prince are crowned and seated on a beautiful thrown where they watch the exquisite beings entertain and bring them gifts. Act I - Marie dances with Herr Drosselmeyer after he brings her Nutcracker to life There is hot chocolate from Spain, Candy Canes that spring out from a Gingerbread house, and silks from Arabia. Tea and fortune cookies come from China, Marzipan candies dance with joy, Scottish tartans are given to Marie and the Prince from Scotland and Russian dancers entertain with zest. Next, graceful Flowers twirl and sway lead by Dew Drop Fairy, Rose Fairy, and Violet Fairy. Finally, the Sugar Plum Fairy herself dances with Marie, along with her handsome Cavalier. At last, laden with gifts, Marie bids them goodbye. The Fairies and the Guardian Angel wish her many more magical dreams and leads Marie and Prince back to her world, where she can continue to dream until Christmas morning. 14 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 15

9 Synopsis Synopsis SYNOPSIS ACTIVITIES Pantomime Pantomime is a way to communicate without using words. Instead, you use your face and your body to help show actions, thoughts, or feelings. Throughout the story of The Nutcracker students will see a great deal of pantomime going on to help explain the story. Pantomime Activities Arrange the classroom space so that students have space to move around. Emotions Stand in front of the class, and tell them that you are going to speak to them without using any words. Tell them that you will point to someone who should tell the class what you are feeling. Smile to the students. Point to a student. (The student should say happy. ) Frown and pretend to cry. Point to a student. (The student should say sad. ) Furrow your brow and fold your arms. Point to a student. (The student should say angry. ) Actions Tell the class that you are going to pretend to do something. They must guess what you are trying to communicate. Pantomime the process of getting into a car, starting it, and driving it. Pantomime the process of getting groceries, picking them, and putting them in the cart Pantomime the process of washing your hair, turning on the water, and adding shampoo Guided Practice Tell the students that they will now do a pantomime. Have them get up and start moving by walking around the room. Tell them to pretend that they are walking to school. Then, give the students the following prompts: You are walking to school in the pouring rain. You are walking to school after a big snowstorm with a foot of snow on the ground. You stayed up late, so you are very tired when you are walking to school. It is the last day of school, and you cannot wait to get there. When you have finished the exercise, ask the students to talk about what kinds of things they did to show the different situations. How did they change their body movements to show that they were walking through snow? To show that they were tired? Ask students if they think it would be possible to tell an entire story without words. SYNOPSIS ACTIVITIES Acting out the Story Tell them that you are going to read them the story of The Nutcracker1. As you read, they should listen carefully and think about how they could tell it without words. After you have read the story, tell the students that you are going to re-tell part of the story through pantomime. Their job is to guess which scene you are miming. A good scene to use for this exercise starts when Marie is happily turning and dancing in the parlor at the beginning of the ballet. She is holding one of her dolls. She looks at it lovingly and holds it to her chest. Tchaikovsky wrote the musical piece Marche to portray this moment. Pantomime the scene and ask the children to guess the character you portrayed (Marie). Ask the students what happened in the scene you pantomimed. (Marie woke up and went to her find her doll.) Ask the class if you spoke any words (No). If not, how did they know what was happening and what you were feeling? Tell the class that it is their turn to pantomime a scene. Tell them that this time; they will work in groups to tell the story together. Choose a scene to be re-enacted through dance or pantomime. Now choose three other students to pantomime Fritz being jealous of the Nutcracker doll Marie has received, takes the doll and breaks it. Choose three new students to play thew parts, adding in the breaking of the Nutcracker doll. To give students another example of group pantomime, show the clip of the Nutcracker and the Mouse King battling with their armies behind them. Tchaikovsky wrote the musical piece The Battle to portray this. Conclusion Have students view the two video clips from The Nutcracker talked about above. After they view the clips, have them discuss how the dance helped to tell the story without words. How did the dancers movements help to show you what was happening in the story? How were their movements similar to the movements you used when you acted out the scene? How were the dance movements different from your pantomimes in class? 1 The Nutcracker book by Susan Jeffers (ISBN: ) will be used while talking about the synopsis of the story of The Nutcracker. This picture book is great for ages 4-8. Act I - Marie dances with the Nutcracker 16 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 17

10 Cast, Characters, and Children Music CAST, CHARACTERS, AND CHILDREN COMPOSER PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Mother Stahlbaum Father Stahlbaum Herr Drosselmeyer Marie Fritz Columbine Soldier Doll Party Scene Adults Maids Nutcracker Angels *Cherubs Spanish Spain: Hot Chocolate Russia Russian: Peppermint Tchaikovsky was born in Russia on May 7th, 1840 during the Romantic era, making him a Russian Romantic composer. From the time he was very small, he heard beautiful folk music of the Russian countryside playing all around him. Growing up, Tchaikovsky was the second eldest of six children, had the chance to learn different languages, and go to the theater and concerts. One night, after a concert, he could not fall asleep. The music kept going in his head. Soon after Peter started piano lessons at seven years old, and by the time he was eight, he could read music as well as his teacher. Dream Fairy Nutcracker Prince *Dream Sprites Marie s Friends Rat King *Rat Princesses *Mice *Soldiers *Chinese China: Tea *Gingerbread Arabian Arabian: Coffee Even though he loved music and always tried to study it. Tchaikovsky began attending the St. Petersburg School of Jurisprudence in 1850, where he studied law and mathematics. In 1859, he became a clerk in the Ministry of Justice. But Tchaikovsky did not like his job as a lawyer and kept finding his way back to music. In 1962, the St. Petersburg Conservatory opened. The next year, after just four years, he quit his job to study composition full time at the conservatory. *Emma *Emma s Friends Jester Porcelain Dolls Harlequina Snow Queen and King Snowflakes *Sprinkles Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier Marzipan Denmark: Marzipan Dew Drop Fairy Flowers While studying at the conservatory Tchaikovsky met the famous pianist and composer Anton Rubenstein; who was also the director of the conservatory. It is he who would encourage Tchaikovsky in his career transition. He took an interest in Tchaikovsky and had him study everything, including conducting. He was terrified of facing an orchestra, fearing his head would fall from his shoulders, so he conducted with his left hand under his chin to keep it attached. Graduating after four years, he went on to teach for 12 years at the Moscow Conservatory, where he began to compose. In his first two years there he had already written his first symphony and the opera Voyevoda. By the time he was 29, Tchaikovsky composed his first masterpiece, Romeo and Juliet. From 1869 to 1875 he wrote three more operas and became music critic for Russkiye Vedomosti in *What production of The Nutcracker would be complete without a cast of children? When The Nutcracker first premiered in St. Petersburg they featured children in the first act. Since then companies in Europe and Russia regularly used young students in the corps de ballet and as supers. They were regarded as cute and the pleasure of performing on stage gave them incentive to work at their lessons. Carrying on this tradition IYDT has several roles for young dancers and are denoted with an asterisk. Each young dancer is selected based on an audition held in August. A panel of teachers and the Artistic Director observe the student s efforts in the audition. They are then rated on their ability to do the steps, take correction, musicality, concentration and poise. At the end of the audition the results are collected and discussed and the cast is chosen. In 1877, Tchaikovsky came under the patronage of Madame Nadezhda von Meck who gave him a yearly allowance permitting him to give up teaching and devote his time to composition. They never met each other, but their correspondence was extensive and frank. He wrote his fourth symphony in dedication to Mme. von Meck. During this time, Tchaikovsky became well regarded in Russia, Britain, and the United States. He also wrote one of his most famous pieces, in 1880 called the 1812 Overture, which uses cannons and church bells. Because it sounds so grand it is often chosen to accompany fireworks at 4th of July celebrations. Five years later, he moved to Klin where he lived in isolation and wrote Manfred and 1889 brought tours as a conductor to Germany, France and England. After the production of The Sleeping Beauty in 1890, Tchaikovsky went to Florence to work on his opera The Queen of Spades that was produced in St. Petersburg later that year. This was also the time when his sponsorship by Mme. von Meck ended. The following year in1891, brought the very successful tour of the United States and Tchaikovsky s appearance at the opening of the Music Hall (renamed Carnegie Hall) followed the next year with the premiere of The Nutcracker. In 1893, he received an honorary doctorate of music from Cambridge University. His sixth and final symphony, which he believed ti be his best work, was completed in A few days later on November 6, Tchaikovsky died of cholera at the age of Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 19

11 Music Music COMPOSER PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Tchaikovsky s beautiful music made him the most popular of all Russian composers. His music was also known for its emotional and highly individual style. The music he loved so much communicated strong emotion with a brooding sound, which many people believe was the result of his nervous, unhappy life. Throughout his lifespan Tchaikovsky ended up writing some of the most loved music of the Romantic Era. He wrote six symphonies, nine operas, four concertos, three string quartets, and numerous songs, suites, and overtures, but only three ballet scores. These three, written in the last years of his life, just happen to be the three most famous ballets of all time: Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. With these ballets Tchaikovsky raised the status of ballet music to previously unknown distinction, though such a revolution did not happen instantly. In his lifetime his ballet music was considered too symphonic, much as some of today s critics claim his symphonies are too balletic. Nonetheless, Tchaikovsky s music, imbued with its sweeping lyricism, richness, and danceable qualities is a frequent choice of inspiration for choreographers. SCORE The Nutcracker score belongs to the Romantic Period and is one of Tchaikovsky s most popular compositions containing some of his most memorable melodies, several of which are frequently used in television and film. For example, the Russian dance is one of the most recognizable pieces in the ballet, along with the famous Waltz of the Flowers and March, as well as the ubiquitous Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Overall, the ballet contains surprisingly advanced harmonies and a wealth of melodic invention that is unsurpassed in ballet music even though Tchaikovsky was less than satisfied with his composition. The score began after the success of The Sleeping Beauty in 1890, when Ivan Vsevolozhsky, the director of the Imperial Theatres, commissioned Tchaikovsky to compose a double-bill program featuring both an opera and a ballet. For the ballet, Tchaikovsky joined forces with Marius Petipa, with whom he had collaborated on The Sleeping Beauty. Petipa gave Tchaikovsky extremely detailed instructions for the composition of each number, down to the tempo and number of bars. Tchaikovsky did not appreciate having to work under such constraints and found himself reluctant to work on the ballet and thus the completion of the work was interrupted for a short time when Tchaikovsky visited the United States for twenty-five days to conduct concerts for the opening of Carnegie Hall. When Tchaikovsky finally worked on the score he drew inspiration from current music and his life experiences. Some of the melodies from existing music were the Grossvatertanz that ends the party scene, which is a traditional tune that, due to its shifting meters, was used to encourage people to leave a party. The final children s dance earlier in the party is the French nursery song Bon Voyage, Cher Dumollet. The Arabian dance is based on a Georgian lullaby, the Trepak borrows from several well-known Russian folk dances, and Mother Ginger is a reworking of the French folk song Girofle, Girofla, which is about a little boy with three birdhouses for swallows. A story is also told that Tchaikovsky is said to have argued with a friend who wagered that the he could not write a melody based on the notes of the scale in an octave in sequence. Tchaikovsky asked if it mattered whether the notes were in ascending or descending order, and was assured it did not. This resulted in the Adagio from the Grand pas de deux. Adding to this, Tchaikovsky s sister died shortly before composing, which influenced a melancholy, descending scale melody for the adagio of the Grand Pas de Deux. Act I Snow Queen and her Cavalier dance together in the Land of Snow The music debuted as The Nutcracker Suite (eight sections of the complete ballet) at a performance for the Russian Musical Society in St. Petersburg in It was so successful that five sections had to be repeated. The reaction to the full ballet, however, was less universally flattering. While some supported his work, many took Tchaikovsky to task for being too symphonic, tedious, and wrongly conceived for dancing. As Tchaikovsky died in 1893, he never knew what a big success his work would achieve. Today, versions of the ballet have had the order of the dances Act I - Marie dances with the Prince slightly re-arranged by omitting, re-ordering, or inserting selections from elsewhere, adding to the confusion over the suites. This is due in part to the length of the score. The original ballet was only about 85 minutes long if performed without applause or an intermission and therefore much shorter than either Swan Lake or The Sleeping Beauty. 20 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 21

12 Music Music MUSICALITY AND INSTRUMENTS Music and How it Applies to Ballet Just as a music score tells a musician what to play on an instrument, it tells a choreographer what to choreograph. A phrase of four to eight measures where the notes are grouped together in a musical line may signify a good place for the choreographer to change patterns or sequencing. The tempo or speed at which a piece or passage of music is meant to be played may impact the speed of the movement. For example, the tempo of the music in the battle scene is faster, and thus, the movement matches it. The same goes for the Pas de Deux, where the movement and tempo are slower. If there is an accent, where the music gives an emphasis or prominence to something, the choreographer may choose to give the movement an accent; for example, in the Battle Scene, Spanish, or Russian. For a motif or recurring subject, theme, or idea, the choreographer may choose to repeat certain movements. In Marzipan, hops in attitude, pas de chats, and pirouettes are all repeated throughout the divertissement. Different Tempos used in The Nutcracker Below is a breakdown of some of the different tempos and where they are used through the performance. MUSICALITY AND INSTRUMENTS Instruments used in The Nutcracker Woodwinds: bassoons, clarinets, English horn, flute, oboes, piccolo, recorder, and saxophone Brass: horns, trumpets, trombones, tuba Percussion: a celesta*, timpani, a snare drum, cymbals, a bass drum, a triangle, a tambourine, castanets, a tam-tam, a glockenspiel, and toy instruments** (a rattle, a trumpet, a drum, a cuckoo, a quail, cymbals, and a rifle) Voice: Chorus Strings: harps, violins, violas, cellos, and double basses *The Celesta is a bell like sounding instrument played with a keyboard which is showcased in the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, because Tchaikovsky wanted it to characterize the Sugar Plum with its heavenly sweet sound. It also appears elsewhere in Act II. **Tchaikovsky incorporates many children s instruments into the score, including a rattle, cuckoo, quail, toy trumpet and miniature drum. He had purchased many of these instruments in Paris, the city where he also discovered the celesta. Woodwinds Brass Slow Andante: at a walking pace (73 77 BPM) Pine Forest Andante Pas de Deux - Andante Marie and the Nutcracker Andante and Allegro Dance of the Parents Andante and Allegro Arrival of Drosselmeyer Andante and Waltz Grandfather Dance - Andante, Allegro Moderato: (86 97 BPM) Christmas Tree Scene Allegro and Moderato Marie and the Nutcracker Allegro and Moderato Marica: in the manner of a march (83 85 BPM) Waltz: performed in triple time Snowflakes Waltz Waltz of the Flowers Waltz Final Waltz and Apotheosis - Waltz Bassoon Clarinet English Horn Flute Oboe Piccolo Recorder Saxophone Percussion French Horn Trombone Trumpet Stings Tuba Fast Allegro: fast, quickly and bright ( BPM) Overture Allegro Battle Scene Allegro Divertissements Allegro Vivace: lively and fast ( BPM) March Marica Vivace Celesta Timpani Snare Drum Cymbal Triangle Tambourine Castanets Bow Violin Viola Cello Double Bass Bass Drum 22 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT Tam-Tam Glockenspiel Harp IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 23

13 Music IYDT Info MUSIC ACTIVITIES General Discussion Questions Which piece was your favorite? Explain. What kinds of images did the music evoke? How was the music written to evoke these images? How important is the role of music in ballet? Chinese Dance You will need scarves (or something to wave) Discuss the difference between the sound of the flute and the string family. Show pictures of the instruments. Practice raising arms high when you hear the flute and low when you hear the plucked strings. Teach how to use your body at different levels. Move into self-space (students scattered in room in personal space). Add scarves. Move around the room waving the scarves high (and dancing high ) when the flute is played, and waving the scarves low (and dancing low ) when the strings are played. The ending is tricky when both are played at the same time. Watch the students the first time to see what they do during that tricky part. Before the song starts over to dance again, discuss the ending: What is happening with the instruments, and how they can move when both the flute and strings are played together. Russian Dance Practice keeping the steady beat with the music patting on legs. Pass out rhythm sticks and have the students play on the beat with the music. Have the students play on the beat but in different values if that makes sense. Have them play on the whole note, the half note, and the quarter notes so they can feel the different pulses. Feel free to add many other things to this idea. Teach accents and have them tap the rhythm sticks differently on the strong beat. Have them play the rhythm sticks focusing on the dynamics. They can also march to this song while playing the rhythm sticks to the beat. March of the Toy Soldiers Have the class follow your lead with hands on thighs using tiptoe fingers (your fingers are tapping on thigh, not whole hand). Can you hear the difference between the marching music and the scurrying music? Practice with hands first. Play the March and when you hear the strong marching music, tap your thigh alternating hands on the beat. When you hear the scurrying music, have your hands scurry like a mouse up and down your arms or legs. Next, in their self-space, staying in place, have the students march on the march, or scurrying like a mouse. When you feel they can do this well, make half the class soldiers and the other half mice. The soldiers walk in one line spaced apart led by the Nutcracker. Have a path for them to follow or choose a student who can lead well. The mice also scurry in one line led by the Mouse King. When their music plays they move; when it changes they freeze. The mice move in between the soldiers, but must get out of the way before the soldiers move again. HISTORY Illinois Youth Dance Theatre (IYDT) was founded in 2000, by Artistic Director Alyce Keaggy-Brinkmann, who danced professionally with the Milwaukee Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet. The vision of IYDT was to create a non-profit dance company committed to the art of dance. Brinkmann wanted dancers to experience the joy of intense and focused dance at its highest possible training and performing level, all the while having quality performance settings, the chance to work with renowned guest artists, professional sets, costumes, and instruction. The first annual performance of The Nutcracker was held at McHenry High School in It consisted of 2 performances with 50 performers and featured guest artists from the Joffrey Ballet. Since 2000, the production has grown to 5 sold out performances reaching 3,000 people each year. Audience members have flocked from within an hour radius of the Lake Zurich Performing Arts Center, stretching from the southern tip of Wisconsin to the city of Chicago. Dance enthusiasts have even traveled from Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas just to see the performance. In 2010, IYDT opened its production doors to neighboring schools growing their production to over 90 performers from six dance schools. The ballroom department from Center for Ballroom and Dance is also incorporated into the party scene in each of the productions consisting of ballroom competitors from the Chicagoland area. In the fall of 2011, a Gala performance was added as a holiday fundraiser to kick off the season. In the spring of 2001, IYDT premiered the full length ballet Paquita. Following this, each year has alternated between a classical full length production and a mixed repertoire bill in order to incorporate other genres into the performing experience. The company has performed such ballets as La Bayadère (ACT III Shades), Cinderella, Giselle, Joan of Arc, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake. The company has also been fortunate enough work with Susan Clark who restaged Les Slyphides and Ariel Cisneros who restaged Don Quixote. The Spring Performance Mixed Bill has given local choreographers an opportunity to explore their craft creating resident new works such as Water to Wine, Besides Momentum, Passage, Isaiah 41:10, and Kibo. IYDT promotes the opportunity for community outreach and public performing through numerous genres. For Nutcracker, IYDT participates in the Around the World Program to create awareness about Tchaikovsky s music, the story of The Nutcracker, and the different cultural nationalities represented. Through this, IYDT is able to reach more than 1,000 elementary to high school aged children. In 2003, IYDT started to travel to the local schools performing excerpts of The Nutcracker. This presentation gave a chance for under privileged students and young dancers to see live ballet, where they otherwise may have not been able too. Since 2009, IYDT has also performed annually in Hope Through Dance, a festival spread over two weekends raising funds for suicide awareness and to provide services for suicide survivors. As a whole IYDT, wishes to spread the joy of dance to as many children, teens, and adults as possible to inspire, educate, and entertain. 24 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 25

14 IYDT Info IYDT Info WHO S WHO BEHIND THE SCENES Before an audience sees a ballet, many people put in a lot of work behind the scenes. These Individuals and their responsibilities are listed below Artistic Director The Artistic Director makes all the artistic decisions for the Company. They choose which dancers, choreographers, designers, etc. will be hired, selects which ballets will be performed and is involved in all aspects of Company business. Choreographer The Choreographer creates and teaches dances to the dancers in the company. Ballet Master or Ballet Mistress Once the steps are learned, the work of perfecting them begins. The process never ends; no matter how many times you perform a ballet there are always new things to discover. The Ballet Mistress or Master may also restage a work the Company has in its repertoire. Dancer A dancer trains many years, to transform everyday steps such as bending, stretching, jumping, and turning into the language of dance, before seeking a job as a professional dancer. They train much like an athlete, working for strength, muscular control, and flexibility. They must also perfect their movements so that they appear effortless, learn techniques to communicate stories and emotions without using words, and develop an awareness of music. WHO S WHO BEHIND THE SCENES Prop Master The Prop Master is responsible for purchasing, acquiring, or manufacturing any props needed and accountable for positioning the props in their correct place before each show. Production Manager The Production Manager coordinates all the technical aspects of the performance, including lights, scenery and sound. The whole production team must transform the theater into whatever magical setting the Artistic Director has in mind. Lighting Designer The Lighting Designer must make sure the entire stage is suitably illuminated and can draw the audience s attention to certain areas, create a sense of time of day or location, and create a unifying look to all the elements on stage. Designers usually begin work on paper away from the stage, but have a busy time once in the theater. Every light must be focused on a particular area of the stage; a color for those lights chosen and then the building of various cues begins. Once the correct balance is arrived a cue is recorded on a computer. Stage Manager Once it comes time to coordinate all the production activities on stage, it is up to the Stage Manager to take control. He or she is the person who makes sure everyone is in their place to begin the show, tells the backstage crew when to execute their moves, lighting cues and sound cues, and takes responsibility should an emergency arise. Before performances dancers have rehearsals on stage, because no matter how well a rehearsal studio floor is marked out, the sense of dancing in a large open space like a theater is very different. Dancers also arrive about two hours before the show to prepare. Not only do they have to put on their make-up and costumes but there is also the need to take a warm up class to prepare the body. Costume Shop Manager The Costume Shop Manager is in charge of the construction of the costumes and responsible for keeping them clean, in good repair, and fitted to the different dancers who will wear them. Washable costumes are laundered after each show while articles that must be dry cleaned sometimes wait up to 20 times of wearing. Costume Designer The Costume Designer designs the costumes for the production in order to enhance a character s personality and create an evolving plot of color, changing social status, or period through the visual design of garments and accessories. The designer must ensure the designs let the dancer move as the role requires. They must also work well with the artistic director and scenic and lighting designer. Scenic Designer The Scenic Designer is responsible for establishing an overall visual concept for the production and design the stage environment for the performance. Act II - Flowers 26 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 27

15 Theatre Etiquette Closing Activities THEATRE ETIQUETTE Let your children know, in advance, what behavior is expected of them at a live performance. Unlike television or the movies, the people on stage are there at that moment and are dancing for the audience s pleasure. Any noise distracts them. Thus, in order to show respect for those efforts, every audience member must give the performance their full attention and avoid any behavior that interferes with anyone else doing the same. The below rules will help to accomplish this goal, and you should do your best to understand and follow them: CLOSING ACTIVITIES Questions to Promote Conversation Have students discuss their opinions about the dances with their peers in a supportive and constructive way. Who was your favorite character? What was your favorite divertissement? Do you have any questions? 1. Proper attire consists of church clothes. Please no denim or sweatshirts. 2. Always arrive at the theatre with plenty of time (about 30 minutes prior to the performance) to find your seats and settle down into them. Late arrivals mean disruption for everyone else, including the performers. The performance will begin promptly at the advertised curtain time and lasts approximately two hours, with one intermission. 3. Arrival: Once you arrive at the theater with your tickets, please show them to the usher, and he/ she will help you to locate your seats. 4. The performance will be exciting, but let your children know they will be required to sit quietly in their seats for a fairly long period of time. 5. Use the bathroom before the show begins or at intermission, not during the performance. Act II - Marzipan Where s the Nutcracker Game There are ten Nutcracker pictures hidden throughout the school. The first person to correctly identify where they are, write them down, and turn it into the office will win two free tickets to see The Nutcracker. Good Luck! 6. No talking or whispering during the performance. You will have plenty of time to discuss your impressions at intermission or after the show, plus you may miss something important. 7. No hooting, whistling or yelling during the performance. The performance has begun when anyone on stage starts talking or dancing, or when the orchestra starts playing. You are welcome to show your appreciation for the performance with applause at the end of the ballet or sometimes at the end of a section or solo. You are also welcome to laugh if someone on stage is being intentionally funny. 8. No gum, candy, or food in the theatre, because it makes noise and sticky messes. 9. No shoving or running in the lobby 10. No cameras or video recorders of any kind are allowed. Flashes are dangerous for the dancers and unapproved photos and videos violate copyright laws. Educate your children on what to look for during the performance (costumes, music, set designs, etc.) to help them fully engage. You may also want to encourage them to come up with their own ideas on what to look for. Nutcracker Trivia How many costumes are used in each performance? How many hours does it take to make a tutu? How many performers are in each performance? How many pairs of pointe shoes are used in a production? How many gallons of snow fall during each performance? How tall does the Christmas tree get in Act I? How many loads of laundry are done after a production? How many props are used during each performance? How many hours volunteers spend helping during each production? How many hours of rehearsal go into each production? 221 Costumes 75 Hours 79 Dancers 48 Pairs 78 Gallons 12 Feet 20 Loads 160 Props 500 Hours 118 Hours 28 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 29

16 Closing Activities Nutcracker Activities Incorporating English and History Quiz See what you have learned CLOSING ACTIVITIES 1. Marie s brother s name is? A. George B. Fritz C. Nathan D. John 2. In most versions of The Nutcracker, what grows to larger than the living room? A. Couch B. Nutcracker C. Clock D. Tree 3. The Chinese divertissement in Act II is represents which sweet? A. Tea B. Marzipan C. Tartans D. Peppermints 4. Who reigns over the Kingdom of Sweets? A. Prince B. Snow Queen C. Sugar Plum Fairy D. Dew Drop Fairy 5. The toy soldiers in Act I come to life to battle the? A. Mice B. Marie C. Nutcracker D. Fritz 6. What time does the clock strike when the mice awake Marie? A. 1 am B. 9 pm C. 2 am D. 12am 7. What does Marie throw to defeat the Mouse King and win the battle? A. Punch B. Shoe C. Piece of cheese D. Sword 8. What kind of party are the Stahlbaum s holding? A. Birthday B. Anniversary C. Christmas D. Wedding 9. What kind of weather does Marie and her Prince encounter at the end of Act I? A. Snow B. Rain C. Fog D. Wind 10. How many divertissements are there in Act II? A. Five B. Nine C. Eight D. Twelve NUTCRACKER ACTIVITIES INCORPORATING ENGLISH AND HISTORY Language Arts Writing Assignments Grades: K 1st: Have students write two sentences about what they liked best about The Nutcracker story or ballet. Have them draw a picture to go with their writing. Grades 2nd 3rd : Have students write a friendly letter to one of the characters or dancers from The Nutcracker explaining what they liked best about the character they chose. Reading and Literary Response and Analysis: Compare and Contrast Read a different version of The Nutcracker aloud to your students. The version of the The Nutcracker you read should be slightly different from what students saw in the ballet. Have students chart the differences they notice on a Venn diagram or other graphic organizer. Depending on the grade level, have your students use a graphic organizer to write compare and contrast sentences, paragraph(s) or an essay. Book Example, see page 17. Literary Response and Analysis and Writing Applications Have students compare The Nutcracker with another folk tale, fairy tale, or story they have read or are familiar with. Students may compare and contrast the two stories from any of a variety of angles; transformation, dream, journey, recurring characters, the problem, the resolution, etc. Use a Venn diagram or other graphic organizer to record similarities and differences. Use the graphic organizer as pre writing to then write sentences, a paragraph, or an essay. Parts of Speech Activity: Written and Oral English Language Conventions Select one part of speech for students to act out every time it occurs in a read aloud of The Nutcracker. (i.e. nouns, or verbs, or adjectives, or adverbs.) Grade 2: Nouns and an introduction to adjectives Grade 3: Verbs and an introduction to adjectives and adverbs Grade 4: Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs Fill in the Blank Use the fill in the blank passage as a comprehension exercise. This can be done together as a class for younger or primary grades. A variety of additional tasks can be built into this one exercise. Variation #1: Parts of speech students can underline each example of a specified part that occurs in the passage of speech (i.e. all of the nouns, verbs, etc.). Variation #2: Synonyms and Antonyms - Students may provide either a synonym or an antonym for each example of a specific part of speech. (i.e. verbs, adjectives, adverbs) to create a more vivid description. WVariation #3: Syllables Have students underline all words in the passage that have two syllables, etc. Act II - Gum Drop and Peppermints 30 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT IYDT Introduction to The Nutcracker 31

17 Nutcracker Activities Incorporating English and History NUTCRACKER ACTIVITIES INCORPORATING ENGLISH AND HISTORY Language Arts Cont. Nutcracker Mad Lib: Written and Oral English Language Conventions Students are given a synopsis of The Nutcracker and then are asked to create their own version, replacing designated words with new grammatically correct words. Students can be assigned to create a specific genre, i.e. scary, silly, fantasy, or left to their own choice. Social Studies Change the Setting for The Nutcracker: Literary Response and Analysis For this production of The Nutcracker, the ballet had been set in Russia in the 1840s. Have students write about what would happen if the story took place in a different time period and a different location. What would you change (costumes, sets, characters, folk dances, music, landmarks, locations, events, animals, etc.)? Have students re-write their own version of the story using a different setting, time period, or both be sure that they consider how costumes, sets, characters, folk dances, music, landmarks, locations, events, and animals might be different. Families & Traditions The Nutcracker takes place at Christmas and shows how Marie s family celebrates the holiday. What holiday traditions are special to your family? Use a Venn diagram or other graphic organizer to compare and contrast your holiday traditions with your parents or guardian. How is it different from your grandparents? Habitat Have students consider the dance of the snowflakes scene in The Nutcracker. Discuss what animals they might find living in this kind of habitat? What else would you likely find living in this habitat (plants, trees, insects, etc.)? Have students record their ideas on a graphic organizer and draw pictures to go along with it. Act II - Spanish 32 Introduction to The Nutcracker IYDT