Nutcracker info packet 12.4.09

INTRODUCTION
Welcome
Dear Educator,
Welcome to the Sacramento Ballet’s annual production of the Nutcracker. Please use this
teacher information guide to help make your Theatre-going experience enjoyable and
educational in accordance with California K-12 arts education standards. We believe that
arts education is an invaluable aspect of learning, development, and growth for California
students, and strive to contribute quality arts education in our community. We look forward
to sharing this classic Christmas tale with you and your students, and thank you for joining
us at the ballet where we hope your visit with Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy is absolutely
magical!
Our education packet includes an array of information, activities, and materials to use with
your students before and after your visit to the ballet.
Thank you again for your support of the Sacramento Ballet,
Sacramento Ballet
Ron Cunningham, Carrine Binda, Artistic Directors
Rae-Nani Stokes, Community Engagement Manager
www.sacballet.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
What is Ballet?
4
History of the Nutcracker Ballet
5
Sacramento Ballet’s the Nutcracker—Choreographer
6
Nutcracker Composer
7
Sacramento Philharmonic
8
Community Center Theater
11
The Nutcracker Story
12
Glossary of Terms
14
California Visual and Performing Arts Standards
15
Community Center Theater, Theater Etiquette
14
The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet
15
1.0 Artistic Perception Activity
16
2.0 Creative Expression Activity
17
3.0 Historical and Cultural Context Activity
19
4.0 Aesthetic Valuing Activity
20
5.0 Connections, Relationships, Applications
21
Auditory Activity
22
Movement Component
23
Visual Arts Activity
24
Coloring Activity
25
Word Jumble
26
Crossword
27
Word Search
28
Resources
29
www.sacballet.org
MISSION
The Sacramento Ballet entertains,
educates, inspires and engages people
through the powerful vehicle of dance.
WHAT IS BALLET?
BALLET IS DANCE AND DANCE IS ART
A painter uses color and elements of design to paint a picture or communicate a message, a writer uses
words, and dancers use their bodies. Dance is an art form that uses physical movements to express
emotions, culture, or as social interaction. Dancers use their arms, legs, heads, and torsos to twist,
bend, jump, and turn through space making their bodies their “instrument” or “tool” of communication.
There are many types of dance throughout the world with different sets of movements that make up their
technique, however most dance forms are rhythmical or accompanied by music and are presented in a
performance, spiritual, or social setting.
Ballet is a form of dance that dates back approximately 500 years and is rooted in European culture and
French Court Dances. Ballet is unique in the positioning of legs with outward hip rotation called turn out,
and is the only form where female dancers wear special shoes and dance on their tip-toes, or en pointe.
Ballet has a codified set of steps that make up the technique, and each has a French name which
means ballet utilizes its own movement vocabulary. Professional Ballet is a performance dance that is
executed by trained dancers, however classical ballet training is considered a strong foundation for
many other dance forms such as jazz, tap, modern and contemporary.
DANCE AROUND THE WORLD
Dance is a universal art form, and is found in
cultures in all parts of the world. In Africa,
Asia, Europe, and North, Central and South
America, indigenous people have dances for
many purposes including, but not limited to
performance art. Dance around the world is
enjoyed for social and/or religious reasons in
addition to the viewing pleasure of an
audience. Some dance forms have been
fused to create new forms for performance,
such as Jazz, Modern and Musical Theater
which create new movements and/or take
elements of world dance and mix them with
the codified techniques of classical dance.
Many new styles and forms have emerged
around the world as dancers, teachers, and
choreographers have used fusion to create
dance which offers a broader vocabulary,
mixing elements from different styles.
Other forms of Dance include but are not limited to:
Ethnic
Liturgical
Jazz
Spiritual
Modern
Contemporary
Social
Hip Hop
Tap
Breakdancing
Musical Theater
www.sacballet.org
Can you think of some of the ways
these dance forms are similar?
Can you describe 5 ways these
dance forms are different?
You can think about movement
styles, costumes, settings, and
reasons the dance is performed.
HISTORY OF THE NUTCRACKER BALLET
The Nutcracker Ballet is an American Christmas pastime and opportunity for many dancers to first experience performing. The Nutcracker’s origins trace back to Russia in the late 1800’s where a “dream
team” of Choreographer Petipa and Composer Tchaycovski created the ballet based on ETA Hoffman’s
story the Nutcracker and the Mouseking. Petipa became ill while choreographing the ballet and his assistant Lev Ivonov completed the choreography. The ballet was not highly received at its debut in St.
Petersburg, and not until 50 years later did it become an American Christmas icon.
In the 1900’s touring Russian ballet companies brought the Nutcracker to the United States. Four years
later The Nutcracker was born as a full-length Ballet when William Christiensen choreographed it for the
San Francisco Ballet. In 1954 George Balanchine created his Nutcracker for the New York City Ballet
which CBS televised in 1958, making ballet and specifically the Nutcracker, more accessible to American audiences.
American audiences loved the Nutcracker
for the same reasons it was disliked in Russia, the use of children in major roles for
example, and the idealized Christmas
scenario. The ballet reflected our
idealization of home and the holidays.
The Nutcracker has become a cultural icon
in the United States and a cornerstone of
ballet repertoire, reflecting our values of
home, holidays, and magic.
Following suit of NYCB and SFB, professional ballet companies and ballet schools across the United
States created their own versions of the Nutcracker. Every year ballet patrons relive the ballet’s Christmas magic, and new dance students practice to perfect the ballet. Most versions of the Nutcracker
share elements of ETA Hoffman’s original story and the use of Tchakiovski’s music. Many versions include both professional dancers and roles for dance students.
In 1987 Sacramento Ballet continued the legacy of the Nutcracker by staging an original version. Our
current production is choreographed by Ron Cunningham with beautiful sets and dramatic costumes. It
includes a cast of over 500 children. Each year the company and cast rehearses 3 months for the
2-week run sharing the Nutcracker legacy and magic with audiences of all ages.
The Nutcracker has become a cultural icon in the United States and a cornerstone in Ballet repertoire
reflecting our values of children, home, holidays, and magic with the excellence and beauty of ballet.
www.sacballet.org
CHOREOGRAPHER
RON CUNNINGHAM
The Sacramento Ballet features a full-length version of the time-honored Christmas classic: The Nutcracker Ballet, choreographed by Ron Cunningham. The current version made its debut 23 years ago
with beautiful sets and brightly colored costumes. Mr. Cunningham incorporates many elements of
design and detail in his version of the Nutcracker. He includes many roles for students which allows
local dance students to begin the performing experience early in their training, and experience
performing on a full-size stage. Mr. Cunningham’s version of the Nutcracker has over 500 students
performing along side the Sacramento Ballet Company members each year, and is the longest running
holiday event in Sacramento.
www.sacballet.org
THE NUTCRACKER COMPOSER: PETER ILICH TCHAIKOVSKY
The music of the Nutcracker is a swirling and
vivid score which allows for a wonderful
expression of movement and story. Its
harmonious melodies have delighted
audiences since the late 1800’s and it is a
masterwork of Russian composer Peter Ilich
Tchaikovsky’s.
Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky was born in 1840 to a
working class family with expectations of
raising him to be a civil servant. Early on he
showed an inclination towards music despite
little encouragement from his parents. He
began studying music on and off at four
years of age. He also attended the school of
jurisprudence.
Tchaikovsky turned to music to release
emotion, dedicating his first waltz to his
mother after her passing. After a brief career
as a civil servant Tchaikovsky quit his job to
study music full time at the St. Petersburg
Conservatory. He graduated in 1865 and his
first symphony performed publically in 1868.
Tchaikovsky’s work was often harshly judged
by critics, yet popular with audiences. He
was the first Russian composer to incorporate Western European ideals into his composition and move away from nationalistic
themes. Tchaikovsky wanted to incorporate a
worldly professionalism and high skill while
pleasing a broad, international public.
Despite difficulties in his personal life,
Tchaikovsky excelled professionally, He was
a professor at the Moscow Conservatory and
a composer. He secured private patron-ship
and gave up his professorship to focus on
composing.
Tchaikovsky was recognized by the Tzar of
Russia and made Russian nobility. He
received a lifetime pension, and in 1893
received an honorary Doctorate of Music
from the University of Cambridge in Britain.
Tchaikovsky’s music created a bridge between old and new styles. He included
harmonies, melodies and tempos reminiscent of folk tunes and created a Western
European sound, through scale, color, and sequential style. He infused his compositions with an emotional intensity.
Tchaikovsky made tremendous strides for dance music , composing for the ballets
Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and the Nutcracker, displaying danseuse (quality
where the melody matches physical movement perfectly).
Tchaikovsky’s music has been described as romantic, charming, unpretentious,
technically challenging, elegant , nationalistic, lyrical and intensely emotional, yet in
all his music one can hear his thoughtfulness to craftsmanship and tunefulness. He
passed in 1893 at the age of 53, leaving behind a legacy of internationally
recognized music which audiences delight in to this day.
www.sacballet.org
SACRAMENTO PHILHARMONIC
LOVER OF HARMONY
The Sacramento Philharmonic partners with the Sacramento Ballet in the production of the Nutcracker playing the music live and creating another layer of magic and excitement to the holiday
tradition. The Sacramento Philharmonic is a well-respected, professional orchestra providing
Sacramento with high quality music and reviving the city’s passion for classical music. The Philharmonic is a large group of musicians that rehearse and play classical music in Sacrament for
large audiences. The group is conducted (lead) by the Conductor and Music Director Michael
Morgan. The conductor’s job is to make sure all the musicians are playing the correct section of
music at the correct time, to lead the group in tempo (how fast or slow the music is played), volume (how loud or soft the music is played), and artistic direction.. The Sacramento Philharmonic
boasts world renown guest conductors and musicians. It is in its 13th season and is a leading
orchestra in the central valley. They currently have an orchestra comprised of over 83 musicians
with over 22 different instruments and give back to the community through outreach, family programs, and partnerships with other local arts organizations such as the Sacramento Ballet and
Sacramento Opera.
For more information about the Sacramento Philharmonic
visit them online at: http://www.sacphil.org/
www.sacballet.org
INSTRUMENTS OF THE SACAMENTO PHILHARMONIC
Violin, Violin 2
Viola
Cello
Oboe
Bass
English Horn
Flute
Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Piccolo
Bassoon
www.sacballet.org
Contra Bassoon
INSTRUMENTS OF THE SACAMENTO PHILHARMONIC
Trombone
French Horn
Trumpet
Bass Trombone
Timpani
Tuba
Keyboards
Harp
Percussion
www.sacballet.org
COMMUNITY CENTER THEATER
The Community Center Theater is the premiere home to the performing arts in
Sacramento. It is a large theater where people can view live performances,
located at 13th and L Streets in the heart of Downtown. Locally it hosts the
Sacramento Ballet, The Sacramento Opera, the Sacramento Philharmonic, and
The Sacramento Broadway Series in addition to many other world famous
performers, speakers, and events. The location is part of the Sacramento
Convention Center Complex and can seat over 2,000 in its 3-level Theatre.
THEATER ETIQUETTE
Please inform your students of the following guidelines. We want everyone to enjoy their magical
experience at the ballet. We encourage you to use the following live performance guidelines as a
teaching tool for good behavior at the performance.
No late seating: Please arrive early to allow time for parking and entering the theater. Once the
performance has begun, we will not interrupt the performance by opening the doors to the seating area.
No food or drink may be brought into the theatre: No refreshments are sold during student
matinees. No outside food or drink is allowed in the theatre.
No electronic or recording devices of any kind:
All performance elements are protected by copyright, taking photographs or making a recording of any
kind is prohibited by law.
In addition: The dancers use a red light at the back of the theatre to help them turn. They focus on this
light (called “spotting”) to help keep them from getting dizzy. A camera flash, cell phone light or video
light could confuse the dancers and possibly cause them to fall.
Stay in your seat: Once the performance has begun, no child is allowed in the lobby without an adult.
Please note: you will not be allowed back into the seating area of theater if you leave your seat. Patrons
will be allowed to return to their seats when the performance has ended or at intermission.
No talking: We would like everyone to appreciate the live performance and not be distracted.
Applause: Show your appreciation with thunderous applause. Do not scream. If you wish to express
your enthusiasm with words, yell “Brava!” for the ballerina and “Bravo!” for the male dancer.
No throwing: It is distracting to your fellow audience members and especially to the dancers on stage.
Adults are requested to remove disruptive children: Students may be asked to leave the theatre for
inappropriate behavior. Please keep your feet off of the seat in front of you.
Turn off your cell phones and ENJOY THE SHOW!
www.sacballet.org
1.0 ARTISTIC PERCEPTION ACTIVITY
PRE-PERFORMANCE BRAINSTORM ACTIVITY
Have students as a group or on a piece of paper as a writing activity answer the following questions:
1) What do you think of when you think of
the word ballet?
2) Can boys dance ballet?
3) What are costumes?
Ballet is a wonderful door that opens
discussions and learning about
dance, music, art, storytelling. Ask
your students a few questions to get
them ready for seeing and learning
while at the ballet.
4) Where do ballet dancers dance?
Have students save their answers and have them answer the same questions on a separate sheet of
paper after viewing the ballet. Compare the answers.
www.sacballet.org
2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION ACTIVITY
MOVEMENT ACTIVITY– Warm Ups
Warming up is an integral part of any dance or movement exercise. Like athletes Ballet dancers must
warm up their bodies to prevent injury and maximize their physical ability while training and performing.
Warming up the body does not have to be simple executing steps. Movement games are a great way to
get the body moving and introduce students to a physical self awareness, their physical connection and
relationship to fellow students, and a familiarity with movement before stepping into dance steps and/or
movements. As an instructor, experiment with different ways to warm your students up. When weather
permits take them outside to do the warm up games in a larger out-door area.
Grades K-2
Musical Chairs
Materials: Circle of chairs, mats or cushions (something for each student to sit on), one per student, CD
player or radio
Place the chairs in a circle, start each student seated on a chair. Have all students stand and remove
one chair. Explain that students will circle the chairs going counter clockwise, moving to the music.
When the music stops they must find a chair/mat/cushion to sit on. There will be one person who does
not find a chair. Have them sit outside the circle until the next round. Encourage students to try different
movements as the make their way around the circle, clapping, stomping, and turning are all great ways
to move in a circle. Also encourage students to be aware of their physical space so they don’t bump into
one another. Each time the music stops and one person steps out, also remove a chair. Continue until
one chair and two students are left. Continue through the last round until one student is seated in one
chair.
After each round replace the chairs and begin again. Continue game at least 3-4 times. While engaged
in the “game” students will experience an increased sense of physical awareness, both of themselves
and in relation to their fellow students. Students will also gain increased experience moving to music,
familiarizing themselves with the beginning stages of dance.
www.sacballet.org
2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION ACTIVITY
MOVEMENT ACTIVITY– Warm Ups Continued
Grades K-12
Name Game
Materials: Space for entire group to stand in a circle
Have group stand in a circle. Begin with one person making a movement, shape or gesture (like jumping, or waving) while saying their name. You can give the prompt for older students to do a gesture that
reflects how they are feeling (i.e. if they are happy they can jump up and down, if they are tired they
could rest their head on their forearm). Have entire group in unison copy the shape/movement and say
the first person’s name. Continue to the next student. Have the second student say their name and
make a movement. Group does the first person’s movement and name, then adds the second person’s
movement and name. Continue around the circle until all students have said their name and created a
movement, shape or gesture and entire group is doing all the movements and names in a row. By the
end, there will be a series of movement/names reflecting all participants.
Discuss how a series of movements is a basic dance, thus, all participants have contributed to choreographing dance: a series of prescribed movements. As the instructor you can also encourage a wide
variety of movements. Allow all appropriate movements to be valid, if a student is having trouble coming
up with something give them to the count of three, if they shrug their shoulders or nod their head this
can be their movement. Movements can be simple! This exercise is a good warm up to get the body
moving, the brain stimulated, utilize memory, and stimulate creativity.
www.sacballet.org
3 .0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT ACTIVITY
CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
In the Nutcracker story Clara’s family celebrates the Winter Holiday Christmas. What are other holidays
that people celebrate around the world? As a class, research different holidays celebrated around the
world answering the questions:
1) Who celebrates this holiday?
2) What do people do on this holiday? Are there games they play, songs they sing, food they eat, etc.
that is part of the holiday tradition?
3) When is this holiday celebrated?
4) Where is this holiday celebrated?
5) Why do people celebrate this holiday?
6) How is this holiday celebrated—what are customs and traditions people do when celebrating this
holiday?
Your class can stick to winter holidays, or can explore holidays celebrated around the world all
throughout the year. This activity can be as a group learning project presented by the teacher for
younger grades, or can be assigned individually to students who write up their findings and/or present
their findings as in-class presentations.
In addition to presenting the information verbally or written have students draw a picture relating a visual
element to their findings. For example, students can draw a picture of people celebrating their holiday, a
flag from the country where the holiday is celebrated, or an item used in the celebration. For the
Nutcracker and Christmas a student might draw a picture of a Christmas tree.
www.sacballet.org
4 .0 AESTHETIC VALUING ACTIVITY
POST PERFORMANCE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) What is one thing you remember about the performance?
2) What was your favorite part?
3) Ballet dancers dance to music. What does the music sound like in the Nutcracker?
4) What kinds of costumes did the dancers wear?
5) What was your favorite costume?
6) How did the dancers move?
7) What kinds of shapes did the dancers make with their bodies?
8) What colors did you see in the ballet? When did you see those colors?
9) Both kids and adults dance in the Nutcracker. What kinds of parts do kids play in the Nutcracker?
10) What time of year does the story take place?
11) Where does the story take place?
12) What time period is the story set? Is it today, in the past, or in the future?
13) Who are the main characters in the Nutcracker?
14) What does an audience do when they like the dance they have seen?
15) Do you have any holiday traditions you celebrate with your family?
16) Clara goes to a magical land of sweets and candy, if you could go to a magical land what would it be
like? What would you like to do there? What would it look like? What would it smell like? What would
you eat there? What kinds of sounds would you hear there? What kinds of things could you touch?
VISUAL ART ACTIVITY
1) Have students draw a picture of their ideal imaginary land using the cues above. This project can
also be done as a multi-media collage using found objects, pictures from magazines, etc.
www.sacballet.org
5.0 CONNECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS
AND APPLICATIONS ACTIVITY
CULTURE
Culture stems from a group’s set of values. A value is a belief that you/
your family or your community thinks is important. Use the space below
to write down three values that are important to your family. Why are
they important?
ASSOCIATIONS
Have you ever seen a movie, play, painting, dance or heard music that
reminded you of home? What images, sights, sounds, smells, tastes
and textures remind you of home?
CONNECTION
Does your family celebrate any holidays? What is your favorite holiday
tradition or something your family likes to do on a regular basis?
HISTORY Match
Match the dates to the corresponding events
Sacramento Ballet premiere’s its version of
Ron Cunningham’s the Nutcracker
1958
The Nutcracker is first performed at the Marinskii Theatre
1987
George Balanchine’s Nutcracker airs on CBS
1892
www.sacballet.org
AUDITORY ACTIVITY
Supplies: CD Player, CD of Nutcracker Ballet Music by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky
Directions: Play Trepak from second act of Nutcracker. Play Arabian from Second Act of Nutcracker.
Discuss using discussion questions below.
1)
2)
3)
4)
What were some differences you head in the two pieces of music?
Which piece of music was faster? Which piece was slower?
How did the first piece of music make you feel?
How did the second piece of music make you feel?
Have students lie down (or sit depending
on space available) and close their eyes.
Play the first piece again and ask students
following question:
 With your eyes closed did you see
anything while listening to the music?
Pictures, colors, places, people?





Have students lie down or sit with eyes
closed and play the second piece of
music and ask same questions:
 With your eyes closed did you see
anything while listening to the
music? Pictures, colors, places,
people?
What are differences in what you saw between the two pieces of music?
What about the music made you see what you saw?
What about the music do you think made you feel what you felt?
If the music were a color, what color would it be and why?
The second piece of music is called Arabian—why do you think it has that title?
www.sacballet.org
MOVEMENT COMPONENT
DIRECTIONS
To be done after a physical warm up, such as walking and running around the room,
jumping jax, or as a component of a dance class:
Play the first piece of music. Have the students dance how the music makes them feel.
As you watch them dance, describe what you are seeing, i.e. “I see jumping, spinning,
big shapes…” - give the students directions such as:







Dance as fast as you can
Dance as slow as you can
Dance as big as you can
Dance as little as you can
Make large shapes
Make small shapes
Dance on the floor






Dance as if you were under water
Think of an animal, dance like that animal
Roll
Jump
Run
Walk
www.sacballet.org
VISUAL ARTS ACTIVITY: Design a set and costume for the dancer and the stage.
RESOURCES
www.sacballet.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-msgr&p=peter%20ilyich%20tchaikovsky&type=
Instruments: http://www.sacphil.org/ftp_only/the_instruments_of_the_orchestra.pdf
http://www.sfballet.org/
http://www.nycballet.com/nycb/home/
http://abt.org/
http://www.pnb.org/
http://www.pnbunleashed.com/PNB_Unleashed/PNB_Unleashed.html
http://paballet.org/
Fischer Jennifer; Nutcracker Nation; Yale University Press; New Haven CT; 2003
California Department of Education; Visual and Performing Arts Framework for California Public
Schools; Sacramento, CA; 2004