Thank you for helping us to make a difference in the lives of our Antelope Valley youth. Introduction 2

Transcription

1

2 Introduction Dear Educator, As you make plans for your students to attend an upcoming presentation of the Arts for Youth program at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center, we invite you to prepare your students by using this guide to assure that from beginning to end; the experience is both memorable and educationally enriching. The material in this guide is for you the teacher, and will assist you in preparing your students before the day of the event, and extending the educational value to beyond the walls of the theatre. We provide activity and/or discussion ideas, and other resources that will help to prepare your students to better understand and enjoy what they are about to see, and to help them connect what they see on stage to their studies. We also encourage you to discuss important aspects of the artistic experience, including audience etiquette. We hope that your students find their imagination comes alive as lights shine, curtains open, and applause rings through Lancaster Performing Arts Center. As importantly, we hope that this Curriculum Guide helps you to bring the arts alive in your classroom! Thank you for helping us to make a difference in the lives of our Antelope Valley youth. Arts for Youth Program Lancaster Performing Arts Center, City of Lancaster What s inside Introduction 2 Overview of the California Content Standards for Public Schools 3 Theatre Etiquette 4 Be a Theatre Critic for dance/ A Note from the Artistic Director 5 What s Important to Know? Origins of the story Sleeping Beauty 6 What is Oral Tradition? What are Fairy Tales? 7 About the Author 7 History of Sleeping Beauty as a Ballet 7 Music of Sleeping Beauty 8 Plot of the ballet Sleeping Beauty 8 History of Antelope Valley Ballet 8 PERFORMANCE Play your Part 10 How to Play your Part 10 Content Standards 10 References 11

3 Overview of the California Content Standards for Public Schools LPAC s Arts for Youth program meets the criteria for California Content Standards for K-12 education. Curriculum Connections: Math, Literature/Story Writing, French language, VPA: Dance, use of body language, movement, and expression as communication instead of words; Music; History, P.E., Creativity, Teamwork. Applicable California Content Standards Samples easily applied in your classroom See page 10 for more standards. Comprehensive, educational extended Study Guides that address scholastic needs can be sent to each classroom on CD so that you may select which portions are most appropriate for your class. Contact AV Ballet at The activity guide meets the following California State Standards for Education: English Language Arts: Grade K, 3.3 Identify characters, setting, and important events. Grade Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.7 Capitalization 1.8 Spelling Grade 2, 3.2 Generate alternative endings to plots 1.2 Penmanship 1.6 Capitalization 1.8 Spelling Grade 3, 3.2 Comprehend basic plots of classic fairy tales, myths, folktales, legends and fables. 3.3 Determine what characters are like by what they say or do and by how the author or Illustrator portrays them. 1.2 Penmanship Cursive. 1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions. 1.7 Capitalization. 1.8 Spelling 1.9 Alphabetical Order Visual and Performing Arts, Dance: Grade K-12: 3.1 Describe commonalities among and differences between dances from various countries. 3.4 Describe how costumes and shows influence dance movement. Grade 9-12: 3.2 Describe ways in which folk/traditional, social, and theatrical dances reflect their specific cultural context. Grade 4, 2.0 Writing Application 2.1 Narratives 2.2 Responses 2.4 Summary 1.6 Capitalization Grade 5, 3.3 Contrast the actions, motives and appearances of characters in a work of fiction. 3.4 Themes 3.5 Describe the functions and effects of common literary devices. 3.7 Literary Criticism 2.2 Responses to Literature. 1.4 Capitalization. Grade 6, 1.2 Vocabulary and Concept Development. 3.2 Analyze the effect of qualities of the characters. 3.4 Define how tone or meaning is conveyed in poetry. 3.6 Identify and Analyze features of themes. 3.7 Explain the effects of common literary devices. 3.8 Literary Criticism. 1.4 Capitalization. Grade 7, 3.2 Identify events that advance the plot 3.3 Analyze Characterization. 3.4 Identify and Analyze recurring themes. 3.6 Literary Criticism. 2.5 Write Summaries of reading Materials. 1.6 Capitalization. Grade Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development. 1.1 Analyze Idioms, Analogies, Metaphors, and Similes to infer the Literal and Figurative meanings of phrases. 3.2 Evaluate the Structural Elements. 3.5 Identify and Analyze recurring Themes. 3.6 Identify significant Literary Devices. 3.7 Literary Criticism. 2.2 Responses to Literature. Mathematics: Kindergarten Number Sense 1.2 Count a number of objects. Grade 1, 1.1 Count 2.1 Addition Facts 2.6 Solve Addition and Subtraction with 1 and 2 digit numbers. Algebra and Functions: 1.1 Write and Solve number sentences from problem situation 1.2 Understand the meaning of the symbols +,-,=. Measurement and Geometry: 1.3 Tell Time to the nearest half hour. Grade 2, Algebra and Function 1.2 Relate problem situations to number sentences involving addition and subtraction Measurement and Geometry 1.3 Telling Time. Grade 3, Algebra and Function 1.3 Solve problems involving numeric equations or inequalities 2.2 Extend and recognize a linear pattern by its rules. Content standards adopted by the California State Board of Education. For more information, visit: See extended study guide for History and Social Sciences.

4 Theatre Etiquette Arrive on time Plan for possible delays in travel / parking. Please arrive a minimum of 30 minutes prior to show time. Students: Leave recording devices of any kind at home or in your backpack at school. Video or audio recording and photography, including camera phones, are often prohibited by law and may disrupt the performance. They are not permitted and are considered very rude to the others around you. Teachers: Turn off or silence all personal electronics. Beeps, clicks, tones and buzzes and light pollution emanated by personal electronics such as watches, pagers, Bluetooth devices, cell phones, etc. interrupt the performance and spoil the theatre experience. Observe the instructions of ushers The ushers are present to offer assistance, ensure rules are observed and provide guidance in the case of an emergency evacuation. Please show them consideration. You will be asked to exit to the right of the theatre at the end of the performance. Be respectful While entering and exiting the theatre: Put your hands in your pockets or behind your back. Talk very quietly. Once seated: Do not talk. Keep your feet on the ground. Put your hands in your lap or fold your arms. Abstain from eating or drinking inside the theatre Crackling wrappers and containers and food messes in the auditorium are unwelcome. Food, candy, gum and drinks should never be brought inside the theatre. Avoid talking, waving and shouting during the performance Laughing and applauding are encouraged at appropriate times. Shouting to actors/friends is disrespectful to others. Save personal conversation for after the show. If you must talk, please whisper very quietly. Do not exit the auditorium during the performance except in the case of emergency If you must leave, please wait for an appropriate break in the performance. Teachers, please arrive early enough to escort students to the restroom prior to the start of the show. Do not get onto the stage or place items on the edge of the stage To ensure the safety and security of performers and audiences, this behavior is strictly prohibited unless expressly permitted by a performer or staff member. Dispose of garbage in proper receptacles Help preserve a pleasant environment by depositing all debris in appropriate receptacles. Extend common courtesy and respect to your fellow audience members Civility creates a comfortable and welcoming theatre experience for all. Bring very small children only to age-appropriate performances Small children easily become restless at programs intended for older children, and may cause distractions.

5 Be a Theatre Critic for Dance During the performance watch and listen for: Facial expressions, gestures, and actions Use of Stage and Space, Time and Energy Lighting and Music Props and Scenery Interaction with audience and each other Appropriate times to laugh, cheer, boo, cry, and sigh Use of special effects, costuming, sets, backdrops, and props Locomotion means used (walk, run, hop, jump, leap, slide, slither). Can you think of any other ways to move? How do all of these things help tell the story without using voices/words? Why the boys will enjoy the performance even if they won t admit it! I am often asked why would the boys enjoy ballet? Teachers often believe that the boys won't enjoy it. While a certain number of students - male and female - may not enjoy the ballet, most students do. There are many reasons to enjoy it! Live performance is always exciting because you never know exactly what will happen. There are male dancers as well as female. While the music in Sleeping Beauty is classical music, many of the students will be familiar with it. A lot of ballet music is used at Disneyland and in movies like Fantasia, so it is familiar music to kids. In fact, the Disney version of Sleeping Beauty used music from the ballet! I have added a scene to the ballet that is not usually in the story when it is told as a classical ballet. However, the scene is included in the Disney film. I have added it specifically for the boys and for audience members who like action. And that scene is the battle with the dragon. The evil fairy Carabosse turns herself into a dragon and the Prince must battle the dragon to enter the castle and awaken the sleeping princess Aurora. We strive to provide fun, inspiring, thought-provoking entertainment for the entire family. There are many wonderful activities that can be done in the classroom to coordinate with this live performance. It can be a wonderful way to end the school year!! Remember that on the way out, after the performance, the dancers will be in the lobby in costume and you will be able to see them up close! Our full activity guide is ready for you and available. To receive a full copy, or for further information you can visit our website our blog or us at antelopevalleyballet@gmail.com. See you at the theatre! Kathleen Burnett, Artistic Director, Antelope Valley Ballet

6 What s Important to Know Origins of the Story of Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault, or Little Briar Rose by the Brothers Grimm, is a classic fairytale involving a beautiful princess called Aurora, enchantment and a handsome prince. The fairy tale Sleeping Beauty is believed to be derived from oral tradition. The first time the story was published was in 1697 in a book by Charles Perrault entitled Tales of Mother Goose". The most familiar Sleeping Beauty in the English-speaking world has become the 1959 Walt Disney animated film, which draws as much from Tchaikovsky s ballet (premiered at Saint Petersburg in 1890) as it does from Perrault. The ballet version of the story is based on Charles Perrault s telling of Sleeping Beauty. What is Oral Tradition? What are Fairy Tales? An oral tradition is the manner in which information is passed from one generation to the next in the absence of writing or a recording medium. In the days before near-universal literacy, bards would sing or chant their people's stories. They employed various mnemonic techniques to aid in their own memory and to help their listeners keep track of the story. A mnemonic device is any learning technique that aids memory. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something, particularly lists, but a mnemonic may also be visual, kinesthetic or auditory. Mnemonics rely on associations between easy-to-remember constructs which can be related back to the data that is to be remembered. This oral tradition was a way to keep the history or culture of the people alive, and since it was a form of story-telling, it was a popular entertainment. The Grimm Brothers and Milman Parry ( ) are some of the big names in the academic study of the oral tradition. Parry discovered there were formulas (the mnemonic devices) that people used that allowed them to create part-improvised part-memorized performances. Since Parry died young, his assistant Alfred Lord ( ) carried on his work. The origin of the word "fairy," as given by Thomas Keightley in his Fairy Mythology, and later in the Appendix of his Tales and Popular Fictions, is the Latin fatum, "to enchant." The word was derived directly from the French form of the root. The various forms of the root were:--latin.... fatum, "to enchant ; French.... fee, feerie, "illusion." The word "fairy" was used in four senses. Fairy represented (1) Illusion, or enchantment. (2) Abode of the Faes, the country of the Fays. (3) Inhabitants collectively, the people of Fairyland. (4) The individual in Fairyland, the fairy Knight, or Elf. Every child loves fairy tales. Since the days of Aesop, they have taught us lessons about human nature, like how patience is important and strangers are creepy. Information on Oral Tradition and Fairy Tales:

7 What s Important to Know About Charles Perrault Charles Perrault was born almost 400 years ago, in He wrote many books, but he will be remembered forever for just one: Stories or Tales from Times Past, with Morals: Tales of Mother Goose. They contained only eight fairy tales and they have become classics around the world. You have probably heard some of these stories in your own life! They include Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Blue Beard, Puss in Boots, Cinderella, and Little Tom Thumb. Many of these stories were already well-known to people even in Charles Perrault s time, but they had never been written down. They were stories told orally (which means spoken out loud), around the fire or at bedtime, to entertain and teach children. Some stories that Perrault wrote down were popular all over Europe, and some were also written down later in Germany as Grimm Fairy Tales. If it were not for writers like Charles Perrault, many of these stories would have been lost to us. What s even better is that he wrote them with such style and wit. Charles Perrault was born to a wealthy family in Paris, France. He was always interested in learning. He went to the best schools, where he was always top of his class. When he grew up, Charles Perrault got married and became a lawyer. He also worked with his brother collecting taxes for the city of Paris. He was always ahead of his time, and caused a stir for writing that modern ideas are better than ancient ideas. He believed in the future and in progress, so it is very strange that we celebrate him for Tales of Times Past! Charles Perrault knew a lot about a lot of things, and he was interested in making life beautiful for people. When some noblemen wanted to close the Tuileries Gardens in Paris to everyone except the King, Charles Perrault argued that they should be open to the public, and they still are to this day. The King still liked him, and gave Perrault several appointments and positions, including looking after Royal buildings, designing tapestries, and writing poems. When Charles Perrault became a member of the famous Academie Francaise in 1671, he again showed his love for the people by opening up the ceremony to the public for the first time. When his wife died he gave up his public life to educate their children. Believe it or not he was almost 70 years old when he wrote his first fairy tales in 1697! They were instant hits, and it is from Perrault Fairy Tales that we get the most famous versions of some classic stories. Charles Perrault died five years later, in Paris in the year Information on Charles Perrault from History of Sleeping Beauty as a Ballet In 1888 the director of the Imperial Theater in Moscow told Tchaikovsky he was going to write a new ballet plot, and asked the famous composer to write the music. The story was based on the imaginative Frenchman Charles Perrault's 18th century tale "The Sleeping Beauty". Tchaikovsky loved the story when he read it, and became super-enthusiastic about the ballet. It was his second ballet, and he composed in a whirl of intensity, loving every second of it. Tchaikovsky ended up writing the ballet in ultra-record time, even with constant interruptions from having to travel. He blazed out a sketch for the entire four hours of music in roughly 40 days (according to his own estimation). Whoa!

8 What s Important to Know, Ctd. Learning from the hilarious disaster that was Swan Lake (his first ballet), Tchaikovsky worked really closely with legendary choreographer Marius Petipa to get everything perfect. The premiere of the Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty ballet was in St Petersburg in January It was a smash-hit, loved by audiences and critics. At the 50th performance the dancers gave Tchaikovsky a crown on stage. Now it's a ballet favorite and still performed all over the world. A lot of aspects, such as the choreography, of the first production are still around today. Although at four hours long, some ballet directors (like AV Ballet) edit the ballet to a shorter length. The Music of Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty is Tchaikovsky's second ballet. He injected it with the same sweeping symphonic drama, great melodies, and warm sweetness. Some say it's the Tchaikovsky ballet with the most amount of enjoyable melodies! It's very finely composed, not too romantic or sloshy, and with just the right amount of fairy tale colors. Tchaikovsky also attached musical themes to different characters, then blended and played with these to create a story-telling tapestry of sound. Walt Disney actually wanted an original score for his motion picture and spent a great deal of time attempting to develop one. In the end, however, he decided that the classical grandeur of the ballet s score, full of waltzes, did not need to be mimicked, but rather used outright. George Bruns adapted it. The Plot of the Ballet Sleeping Beauty It starts with the celebration of Princess Aurora's christening. But the King made a social faux-pas, forgetting to invite the evil fairy Carabosse. She turns up anyway, fuming, and puts a curse on Aurora. When she turns 16, the Princess will prick her finger and die. But the good Lilac Fairy comes to the rescue, and reduces the curse to 100 years of sleep. Not bad! On her 16th birthday Aurora accidentally pricks her finger. A short century later, a dashing Prince stumbles on the old castle where Aurora slumbers. The Lilac Fairy gives him a vision of Aurora and tells him he will have to fight the evil fairy Carabosse who has turned herself into a dragon in order to enter the castle in which Aurora sleeps. He battles Carabosse, enters the castle, and kisses Aurora, breaking the spell. In the grand wedding scene, everyone dances and celebrates, and other fairy tale characters from different stories also take part. This final Act is so huge that it's sometimes just performed on its own! A Brief History of the Antelope Valley Ballet The Antelope Valley Ballet was founded in the fall of 1998 by Kathleen Burnett and Lara Arnaiz. The mission statement for AV Ballet is to provide dancers from across the Antelope Valley region with professional quality performance opportunities in a company setting; to provide high quality performances locally and regionally, stimulating interest in and appreciation for dance as a performing art; to be a positive force in the cultural climate of the Antelope Valley and the state of California, interacting with and supporting

9 What s Important to Know Ctd. all the arts. Since its founding, the Antelope Valley Ballet has produced two to three productions each year at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center in Lancaster, CA. We have always had morning performances for school children, home schools, seniors, and disabled people. In addition to our productions at LPAC, we also present lecture demonstrations and smaller performances for classrooms and organizations across the Antelope Valley. Our past productions have included The Nutcracker, Giselle, Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Alice in Wonderland, Fractured Fairy Tales, A Midsummer Night s Dream, Sports, Pointe and Shoot, Hansel and Gretel, and the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. We are proud to have had our dancers accepted to the finest professional ballet summer programs in the United States including Houston Ballet Academy, School of American Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Texas Ballet Theatre, The Rock, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Anaheim Ballet, Inland Pacific Ballet, and Arizona Ballet. Former dancers have danced professionally with Houston Ballet, Hubbard Street II, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Memphis Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Dance. The Antelope Valley Ballet has received grants from Ralph M. Parson s Foundation, Boeing, Deluxe Checks, the LPAC Foundation, and the LA County Arts Commission. We also receive very generous support from individual donors who live here in the Antelope Valley. Although we do not have a ballet school, the AV Ballet supports the local dance studios.

10 PERFORMANCE Play Your Part You have an important role to play; it wouldn t be a performance without you! Your part is to pretend the stories, emotions and feelings depicted by the dances are real. Part of this includes accepting certain theatrical ways, or conventions: 1. Performers tell the story with movement, costumes, props, and music (although music is not always necessary to convey a story or emotions. This can be accomplished by movement alone). 2. Dance Performers may speak to the audience, call out, sing to the music, make noise or yell. 3. Performers may play several different characters (doubling) by changing their costume, movement or posture. This can even be done just by playing different music for each character. How to play your part: A performance is different from television or a movie. The dancers are right in front of you and can see your reactions, feel your attention, and hear your laughter and applause. Watch and listen carefully to understand the dancers, the music and story (although dance does not always have to convey a story; dance can be movement just for movement s sake and pure creativity). The stories, emotions, and ideas are told by the performers through movement and expressions, and come to life through your imagination. Applicable California Content Standards: Utilize after watching a performance and post-discussion: Students will experience the symmetry of the choreography and the dramatic content of the music. Discuss the aesthetic qualities of the performance; things they liked about it and things they didn t. Describe how the qualities of a theatrical production contribute to the success of a dance performance (e.g., music, lighting, costuming, set design). Describe the focus and physical control of the dancers. Learn what it means to be a good audience member (see page 4, 5, and Play Your Part above; this is also discussed prior to the show). Experience how dance uses geometric patterns and spatial relationships; music - which is math; control of the body - which uses both sides of the brain simultaneously o Lighting design discuss how it enhances the performance and helps create the emotional setting o Costumes - how they tell the audience something about the character the dancer is portraying and/or how the costume tells the audience about the emotional state of the piece o Drama & emotional content - how to tell a story without words Students discover the excitement of live performance. Although the movement and technical elements of the production are well planned and rehearsed; you never know what will happen in live performances.

11 Story Telling Exercises Select one of the characters from Sleeping Beauty. Write a short biography of that character. This is a biography of From the Fairy Tale Written by Brief Biography: How would you describe this character? What is this character s main contribution to the story? If you could meet this character what would you ask him/her? Discussion Questions: 1. Suppose that you had been chosen to write a new ending for Sleeping Beauty. What would you change? Would it be a happy ending? 2. What is beautiful to you? Is something that is beautiful to you beautiful to the person sitting next to you? If a person is beautiful does that mean they are nice? 3. What was your favorite part of the ballet? (for example: the music, the costumes, the scenery, the movement). 4. Was it hard to follow the story without using words? 5. Do you think it is hard to dance on the tips of your toes? 6. What is the difference between sport and art?

12 Study guide created by: Kathleen Burnett, Artistic Direcor, AVB; Expanded by Lancaster Performing Arts Center antelopevalleyballet.com