By Stacey Blakeman Dance in Schools and Communities Manager at San Francisco Ballet May 5, 2010
We are getting close to performance day! The dancers at Redding Elementary have finished the last section of our dance—which is a fun finale featuring Indian Bhangra. The bouncy music invites everyone to “come dance” and brings smiles to all of our faces. As part of their costumes the dancers have chosen one word to be represented on their t-shirts: “courage.”
After our first in-school performance, we had a discussion about what it takes to be a good dancer: in addition to knowing the steps and the formations or the music, performing takes confidence and courage from within. As we talked, I could see many of the students realizing what this meant for them. During each rehearsal, there are lots of questions about the May 8 performance:
“What will the other dances be like?”
“How do we know when it is our turn?”
“What happens if my partner for the dance is sick?”
For many students it will be their first time to the de Young, and their first time on a real stage!
The students have all grown through this process. It is amazing to see children who were once shy, now leading lines and patterns. We are so proud of the students from Redding Elementary and are excited to support them through performance day!
Final Practices for the 2010 Performance Project
Dance in Schools and Communities Manager at San Francisco Ballet
May 5, 2010
We are getting close to performance day! The dancers at Redding Elementary have finished the last section of our dance—which is a fun finale featuring Indian Bhangra. The bouncy music invites everyone to “come dance” and brings smiles to all of our faces. As part of their costumes the dancers have chosen one word to be represented on their t-shirts: “courage.”
After our first in-school performance, we had a discussion about what it takes to be a good dancer: in addition to knowing the steps and the formations or the music, performing takes confidence and courage from within. As we talked, I could see many of the students realizing what this meant for them. During each rehearsal, there are lots of questions about the May 8 performance:
“What will the other dances be like?”
“How do we know when it is our turn?”
“What happens if my partner for the dance is sick?”
For many students it will be their first time to the de Young, and their first time on a real stage!
The students have all grown through this process. It is amazing to see children who were once shy, now leading lines and patterns. We are so proud of the students from Redding Elementary and are excited to support them through performance day!
Dancers finishing Mongolian Horse dance