Study Guide – 4th Grade – Ballethnic Dance Company

The History of ….
U
Co-Founding Artistic Directors
rban Nutcracker celebrates nineteen years as a full-length ballet as
Ballethnic “celebrate 24” years of artistic excellence. Waverly T. Lucas, II,
Co-Founder of Ballethnic, developed the innovative concept to create an ethnic twist on
the classical ballet , Nutcracker, in 1990. He choreographed Act II in 1991 and later
added Act I developing his full-length ballet in 1993. Urban Nutcracker provided
opportunities for children and professional artists of color to express their artistic
talents and cultural diversity on a main stage. It was founded as a vehicle to provide
opportunities for leading roles in a story that shows the rich history of Atlanta and
particularly African-American culture. Through Mr. Lucas choreography and with
highly trained professional dancers from such companies as Dance Theatre of
Harlem, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Basel Ballet, American Ballet Theatre
and the Atlanta Ballet, hundreds of young ladies and particularly young men have
been able to experience ballet on a professional level. Many urban youth have been
able to experience African-American culture in classical dance through Ballethnic
Dance Company. Through Ballethnic’s residencies associated with Urban Nutcracker,
many students who may not have seen Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre or Dance
Theatre of Harlem have been privileged to work one on one with Ballethnic’s
professional dancers.
Ballethnic is proud to be an active part of the community by educating through
dance. Ballethnic has experienced first hand the true meaning of family and community through it’s Parents Organization and volunteers.
Urban Nutcracker has become a family event on stage and backstage. Busy staff,
parents and volunteers spend countless hours rehearsing, sewing, painting and typing.
This enthusiasm is the main ingredient in keeping Urban Nutcracker alive and active!!!
Urban Nutcracker
ACT I
One snowy Christmas eve on Sweet Auburn Avenue, the air is fragrant with the smell of roasting
nuts, gingerbread and pound cake from Newmoon Bakery. Grey twists of smoke rise from the chimney
tops, and colored lights twinkle in every window, while shimmering Christmas music whispers promises of magic to come.
Attorney Johnson’s comfortable home is alive with friends and family congregating for the annual
Christmas party. While Grandma and Aunt Bertha bustle about, young Sarah and her brother Leroy,
Attorney Johnson’s children, play with their cousins and friends. They imagine the wonderful presents
they will receive, especially from their Godfather, Professor Issac. Their Godfather looks mysterious
because he wears an eye patch: the results of an earlier experiment gone awry. Professor Issac is a brilliant inventor and makes mechanical dolls with such skill that they appear quite life-like.
When the mysterious Professor Issac arrives, he shocks the guests with his appearance and manner.
The warmth and joyousness of the occasion overwhelms the Professor and he too joins in the gift giving.
He unveils his latest invention, four life size dolls. Issac waves his arms like a magician, and with a bit
of gold dust the dolls come to life, each performing a mechanical dance. While the children enjoy the
dolls, Professor Issac calls to this goddaughter, Sarah, “And now a special doll for you, Sarah”, he tells
her with genuine affection; “This is the Nutcracker.” A bright eyed Sarah takes the doll. She has never
seen anything like it in the whole world, and Sarah falls in love with him at first sight. His big brown
eyes beam with tenderness and kindness, for this is a special doll based on his hero, Marcus Garvey.
“Since he has made such an impression on you…” continued her Godfather, “...he will be put in your
special care, but you must share with Leroy.”
Sarah is thrilled with the effortless and cheerful way he cracks the Christmas nuts, but Leroy says the
Nutcracker is an ugly fellow. He yanks and attempts to pull the Nutcracker away from Sarah until,
Crack….Crack!!! The Nutcracker’s arm falls off. “Leroy, how can you be so cruel?!?!”, Sarah sobs. “My
poor Nutcracker!” Their father scolds Leroy bitterly. Sarah is quickly aided by her Godfather, who
magically mends the Nutcracker’s broken arm with a swoop of his hand. Grandma and Aunt Bertha,
realizing how tired the children are, join everyone in a final dance before the guests begin to leave.
After the guests are gone, the family goes upstairs to bed. Sarah creeps downstairs to get her Nutcracker doll. With the Nutcracker in her arms, Sarah falls into a deep sleep under the Christmas tree.
Soft rustlings and whisperings coming from every side of the room suddenly make her awaken. Then,
with sudden splitting and splintering of floorboards, thousands of rats advance right up to the Christmas tree where Sarah lies. As the tree grows, Professor Issac reappears and rescues the Nutcracker.
With a poof of smoke the doll seems lifelike and leads his Garveyites soldiers to battle, but the army is
devoured by the horde of villainous rats. “Oh my poor Nutcracker!” Sarah cries, as she hurls her shoe as
hard as she can directly at the Queen of the Rats. “Pow” a direct hit!! Down goes the Queen Rat!!!!!
As she sinks to the floor, Sarah sobs in a sad voice. The Nutcracker appears from behind the Christmas tree saying, “My dearest lady, you have saved by life and I shall be eternally grateful, and now I
would be most honored if you would follow me to my kingdom to share our hour of victory.” “Where
are we going?” Sarah asks the Nutcracker.
And as he turned to answer she sees he is no longer a wooden fellow but has become the Chocolatier,
the handsome young Prince of the Land of the Sweets. “We are on our way to the most delicious place
in the world!” He smiles and presents Sarah to the Snow King and Queen for their journey down Sweet
Auburn Avenue, through the Land of Snow, to the Land of Sweets.
ACT II
Hand-in-hand Sarah and the Chocolatier travel down Sweet Auburn Avenue through the Land of the
Snow to the Land of Sweets. Not a cold Land of Snow, but a land where falling snowflakes taste like
candy and the snowflakes dance all around. The Snow King, the Snow Queen and their Court of Snowflakes welcome Sarah and the Chocolatier. Continuing down Sweet Auburn they come to the Land of the
Sweets: a place where the sun always shines, the streets are paved with candy, and the places and towers
are make of cake, gingerbread and other good things to eat. It’s also a place where there are never any
angry words exchanged, and where everyone is treated with kindness, good humor, and respect. The
Chocolatier leads Sarah through the sparkling Marzipan Palace into the Sugar Crystal Hall and sits her
on a throne.
Sarah is still in awe when Leroy appears to tell of the Chocolatier’s battle with the Queen Rat and how
Sarah had saved the Chocolatier’s life. Everyone in the Royal Court dances in honor of the visitors, and
each Candy Snowflake turns into a beautiful Flower Princess, twirling and waltzing in the breeze.
The inhabitants of the Land of Sweets come from all corners of the world to bring gifts and dance at a
Royal Banquet to celebrate the Chocolatier’s return, led by the beautiful Brown Sugar, who is the Queen
of Sweet Auburn, in her Banana Split boat.
The Coca-Cola pas de six bring soda drinks for everyone to enjoy and dance a bubbly little dance. The
Spicedrops bring various foods and tumble gingerly, then the Flower Princesses of the kingdom
assemble for the Waltz of the Flowers, led by the beautiful, kind and gracious Wildflower.
Brown Sugar and the Chocolatier end an evening of elegance and grandeur with a celebration of
dance. Before it is all over, the whole court is dancing and Sarah is enjoying the splendor of the dance
banquet as though it were all part of a wonderful dream. It is the happiness and joyousness of the occasion that brings everyone together, despite their differences. Everyone comes together and
communicates through dance, a language without words. And they all had happy memories ever
after!!!!!!
The End
URBAN NUTCRACKER 2014
Resource Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
In what city does the Urban Nutcracker take place?
What is a choreographer?
Who is the choreographer of Urban Nutcracker?
Who was Professor Issac's hero?
What was Mr. Johnson’s profession?
How many children did the Johnson’s have?
The battle scene is between ____________________________ and
__________________________.
8. What did the Professor use to bring the dolls to life?
9. Who is Sarah’s brother and what did he do to the Nutcracker doll?
10. Who does the Nutcracker become?
11. What did the snowflakes taste like?
12. What are the towers made of?
13. On the journey, Sarah is presented to the ________________ and _____________ for the
journey down Sweet Auburn Avenue, through the ____________ ___ ____________.
14. Upon arrival, the children notice that the streets are paved with __________ and the palaces and towers are made of ____________, ________________ and other good things to
eat.
15. The Queen of Sweet Auburn is _________________________.
16. The Queen arrives in her __________________ ______________ ___________________.
17. Who brings soft drinks for everyone to enjoy?
18. The Waltz of the Flowers is lead by the beautiful ______________________.
19. Who is a ballerina?
20. Who is a danseur?
21. What character did you like the most? Why?
22. What character did you like the least? Why?
23. Create a character for Urban Nutcracker. Draw and color it or create a doll.
ON THE WEBSITE: Visit www.ballethnic.org
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Where are the Ballethnic studios located?
Name three types of classes taught at the studio.
What group of students does the Danseur Project focus on?
At what age can students begin classes?
Name of Ballethnic founders.
Name two company members.
T he
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BALLETHNIC DANCE COMPANY, INC.
2587 Cheney Street, East Point, Georgia 30344
Phone: (404) 762-1416 Fax: (404) 762-6319 Website: www.ballethnic.org
Sirk Photography
School Show Performances:
19--20, 2015
March 19
10:30 a.m.
General Public Performances: March 1919-22, 2015
Rialto Center for the Arts
Atlanta, Georgia
413--9tix
Box Office: (404) 413
Resource Guide Answers
1.
Atlanta
2.
One who creates and arranges dances and ballets (Webster II).
3.
Waverly T. Lucas II
4.
Marcus Garvey
5.
Lawyer/Attorney
6.
Two
7.
Rats and Soldiers
8.
Gold dust
9.
Leroy, he broke it
10. Chocolatier
11. Candy
12. Candy, Gingerbread and other sweets
13. Snow Queen, Snow Queen Land of Sweets
14. Candy
15. Brown Sugar
16. Banana Boat
17. Pas de Six
18. Wildflower
19. A woman who is a principal dancer in a troupe (Webster II)
20. A male who is a ballet dancer (Webster II)
21. Open
22. Open
23. Open
Website Answers:
1.
East Point, Georgia
2.
Ballet, African, Modern, Per Pointe, Pointe, Hip Hop, Pas de Deux, Tap, Jazz, Nutrition, Men’s, Costume Design, Stage Etiquette, Yoga and Ballethnicize
3.
Boys
4.
Three
5.
Waverly T. Lucas, II and Nena Gilreath
6.
Nena Gilreath and Waverly T. Lucas, II, Regine Metayer, Brandy Carwile, Savery Morgan
Ballethnic Dance Company
Ballethnic 25
Register
TODAY!!!
School Shows:
March 1818-19, 2015
Public Performances:
March 19,20,21,22, 2015
SCHOOL SHOW RESERVATIONS 2015
The Leopard Tale
Ballethnic Dance Company presents Act I of The Leopard Tale for school performances at the
Rialto Center for the Arts. The Leopard Tale is a dramatic portrayal of the leopard and his innate survival skills through several dance idioms. Choreographer Waverly T. Lucas II presents
members of the animal kingdom performed by professional dancers, local youth and guest artists. Students will love the costumes make up, and original musical score which was
composed and performed by Ballethnic’s Musical Director, L. Gerard Reid. Catch the Leopard!!
_______________ @$10.00 PER PERSON =$ ____________ TOTAL
______ WEDNESDAY, March 18 , 2015@ 10:00 am
______ THURSDAY, March 19, 2015@ 10:00 am
$50.00 Deposit or Full Payment
CONTACT:____________________________________________________________________________
AND
SCHOOL/GROUP: ________________________________________ AGES/GRADES: ____________ #_______BUSES
A Completed Application
are required to reserve seats.
MAILING ADDRESS: ________________________________________________
CITY: ______________________________________ ZIP: ____________________
DAY PHONE: ________________________ FAX: __________________________
EVENING/CELL PHONE: ____________________________________________
(We will use this number only in an emergency)
E-MAIL: _____________________________________________________
HANDICAPPED: _____ yes _____ no If yes, number / type_________________________
CHECK PAYMENT:
AMOUNT ENCLOSED: _______________ CHECK# _______________
Make Check Payable : Ballethnic Dance Company, Inc
To use a credit card: (check one): VISA ________
MASTERCARD _________
Amex___________
ACCOUNT NAME: ______________________________________________________________________
ACCOUNT NUMBER: ____________________________________________________________________
EXPIRES: _______________ TOTAL AMOUNT OF THIS CHARGE: $______________________________
APPLICATIONS BY FAX ARE ACCEPTED WITH CREDIT CARD ONLY!
Return to: Karen Idlett
Ballethnic Dance Company, Inc.
Box 901489, East Point, GA 30364
Phone: (404) 762-1416 Fax: (404) 762-6319
URBAN NUTCRACKER
Puzzle
You will find these words in all directions:
Forward, Backwards, Diagonally, Up and Down.
Good Luck!!!
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GOLD DUST
SCHOOL SHOW
BIG MAMA
URBAN NUTCRACKER
Color Me Page
“One God One Aim One Destiny”
“A people without the knowledge of
their past history, origin and culture is
like a tree without roots.”
“If you have no confidence in self, you
are twice defeated in the race of life.”
“There is no force like success, and that is
why the individual makes all effort to
surround himself throughout life with
the evidence of it; as of the individual, so
should it be of the nation.”
“The Black skin is not a badge of shame,
but rather a glorious symbol of national
greatness.”
“With confidence, you have won before
you have started.”
started
WHO AM I ?
Drawing Fun
Follow the sample and make your own Christmas tree
URBAN NUTCRACKER 2012
Puzzle
ANSWERS
R E K C A R C T U N N A B R U
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Who Am I ?
Answer
Marcus Garvey
Ballethnic Academy of Dance
The Official School Ballethnic Dance Company, Inc
2587 Cheney Street East Point, GA 30344
Phone: (404) 762-1416 Email: [email protected]
Fall and Spring Classes on going now until May 16, 2015
With an Open House Performance
May 16, 2015@ 2:00pm
Arts Transition Camp– Ages: 5 & up
June 1-26, 2015
Pre-Camp—Ages 12 & up
June 23-26, 2015
Summer Dance Diversity Camp– Ages: 6 & up
June 29– July 24, 2015 with an Open House performance
on
July 25, 2015 @ 2:00pm
Classes include:
Ballet, Pointe, Men’s Classes, Pas de Deux, Pre-Pointe,
Modern, Jazz, African, Hip Hop, Tap &
Kiddie Ballethnicize
Adult Classes:
Ballet, Ballethnicize, Afro Yoga & Stretch-Out Stress