Convention Program - FRENCH CONVENTION

Alabama Federation of French Clubs
French Convention
University of Alabama, Ferguson Center
February 26, 2016
CECI OLSON, CHELSEA HIGH SCHOOL
1
LA MARSEILLAISE
L’hymne national de la France
Allons enfants de la patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé ! (bis)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes,
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras
Égorger nos fils, nos compagnes !
Aux armes, citoyens !
Formez vos bataillons !
Marchons ! Marchons !
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons !
Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle, 1792
2
FRENCH CONVENTION SCHEDULE
Friday, February 26, 2016
« À la recherche du temps perdu: l’histoire, la mémoire, la nostalgie.... »
TIME
EVENTS
8h30
Arrival. Sponsor must check in at the table outside of Theater.
Set-up any Visual Arts entry in the Ballroom.
Store props, scenery, etc. in Room 3107 (Mortar Board).
Opening Assembly - EVERYONE IN THEATER
9h00-9h30
Welcome, Introduction of Judges, Club Roll Call, T-Shirt Design and Program
Cover winners announced, Screening/Judging of Video Competition entries,
Singing of La Marseillaise.
9h45-10h45
Level I/II Skits (Theater)
* All Level I & II students attend unless competing in Written Test *
9h45-11h45
Scholars Bowl (Ballroom)
* All Level III & Advanced students attend unless competing in Written Test,
Extemporaneous Speaking, or Dictée *
Scholarship Competition: written portion begins (Rm 3114)
9h45-11h45
Written Test, now OR at 13h00-14h00
(Rm 3700 - Forum)
TIME
LEVEL I
LEVEL II
LEVEL III
ADVANCED
10h4511h15
Spelling Bee
(Theater)
Extemporaneous
Reading
(Rm 3110)
Extemporaneous
Speaking
(Rm 3111)
Dictée
(Rm 3104)
11h30
11h4512h15
12h1513h00
Spelling Bee
(Theater)
Extemporaneous
Reading
(Rm 3110)
Extemporaneous
Speaking
(Rm 3111)
Dictée
(Rm 3104)
Pause déjeuner
*All sponsors bring their lunch to the Rm 3120 (Anderson Room)*
3
TIME
LEVEL I
LEVEL II
LEVEL III
ADVANCED
13h0014h00
Written Test – now or at 9:45-11:45
(Rm 3700 - Forum)
13h0014h00
University of Alabama Tour
(Ferguson Center Information Desk)
13h0014h00
Cajun Dance Lessons !
(Rm 3300 – Heritage Room – Ballroom Annex)
13h0015h00
Scholarship Oral Interviews
(Rm 3114)
13h0013h30
Individual Oral
(Rm 3108)
Dictée
(Rm 3104)
13h3014h00
Extemporaneous
Speaking
(Rm 3111)
Individual Oral
(Rm 3108)
14h0014h30
Dictée
(Rm 3104)
Extemporaneous
Speaking
(Rm 3111)
14h3015h00
Level III/Advanced Skits
(Theater)
Individual Oral
(Rm 3108)
Extemporaneous
Reading
(Rm 3110)
Extemporaneous
Reading
(Rm 3110)
Individual Oral (Rm
3108)
14h0014h45
Dansez au Bal du Moulin de la Galette!
(Rm 3300 - Heritage Room / Ballroom Annex)
14h0015h00
University of Alabama Tour
(Ferguson Center Information Desk)
14h4516h15
Choral
(Ballroom)
16h3017h00
Closing / Awards Assembly
(Ballroom)
17h00
Au revoir et départ
4
STUDENT SCHEDULE
« À la recherche du temps perdu: l’histoire, la mémoire, la nostalgie.... »
COMPETITION
LEVEL
TIME
Choral
Solo
14h45-15h30
Group
15h30-16h15
Level I
14h00-14h30
Level II
13h00-13h30
Level III
11h45-12h15
Advanced
10h45-11h15
Level I
11h45-12h15
Level II
10h45-11h15
Level III
14h30-15h00
Advanced
14h00-14h30
Level I
13h30-14h00
Level II
14h00-14h30
Level III
10h45-11h30
Advanced
11h30-12h15
Level I/II
9h45-10h45
Level III /
Advanced
13h00-14h00
Level I
13h00-13h30
Level II
13h30-14h00
Level III
14h00-14h30
Advanced
14h30-15h00
Dictée
Extemporaneous
Reading
Extemporaneous
Speaking
Group Skit
Individual Oral
Scholars Bowl
Scholarship
Spelling Bee
Visual Arts
9h45-11h45
Written
9h45-12h15
Oral
13h00-15h00
Level I
10h45-11h30
Level II
11h30-12h15
Set-up
8h30-9h00 /
9h30-10h00
Judging
Written Test
LOCATION
Ballroom
Rm 3104
Rm 3110
Rm 3111
Theater
Rm 3108
Ballroom
Rm 3114
Theater
Ballroom
10h00-11h00
9h45-12h15 / 13h00-14h00
5
Forum
6
7
OPENING ASSEMBLY
Ferguson Center Theater
9:00 AM
Bienvenue
- Thank you for joining us today! We hope that the day will be a day well spent, as
together we celebrate the joy of communicating in French.
-  Please turn to Page 8 in your Program to follow along.
Remerciements
- University of Alabama
- Office of Coordination of Orientation and Special Programs
- Faculty and Graduate Teaching Assistants of the UA French Department
Appel
- Clubs will shout out their chant when their School’s name is called. (See listing of
Schools on Page 9.)
Brassards
- Our native and near-native French-speaking students enrich the French Convention
for everyone! We have colored armbands to honor these students:
o Blue for a student who is a native French speaker.
o Red for a student who has a French-speaking parent or who has spent
extensive time in a French-speaking context, but would not be considered a
native speaker.
- Please get to know them, find out what country they are from, or how they learned
their French.
Infos pratiques
- Please be a respectful, attentive audience in all competitions. Sit quietly, and only
enter a competition room during the short break between presenters.
- Prompting from the audience is never appropriate.
- You may only record/video/photograph your own school’s students.
- Page 12 of this Program has additional information about oral competitions.
- Consult the website (www.frenchconvention.org/competitions) for clarifications on
rules.
- Address any concern(s) to the President Club sponsor, Anne Barton (205.329.4421)
- Keep track of your belongings; do not leave them lying around!
Horaire
- The schedule is laid out for you in two different formats: by the hour (Pages 3-4) or by
the competition (Page 5).
- Scheduled times are listed as they would be in France, using the 24-hour clock. Don’t
get confused in the afternoon!
- Students, please use this Program to know when you are supposed to go where for
what. It is your responsibility – not your teacher’s – for being at your competition on
time! (Building map is on Pages 5-6 of this Program.)
- We will post any changes to the schedule at the Registration / Check-In Table.
8
Événements
- Written test: There are 2 windows of opportunity, morning and afternoon. Go when
best for you.
- If you are competing in the Dictée, you must be in the room at the scheduled start
time. It will run like a test at school, where everyone must be present at the start.
- Scholar’s Bowl: There is a full slate of teams. See the details on Page 11 in order to
keep this competition moving along efficiently!
- Choral: Teacher’s initials are next to the title if the same song is being presented by
two different competitors. Also, if you are using an accompaniment track, please label
it and turn it in to the sound tech immediately prior to the competition.
- Visual Arts: need to be set up ASAP so that judging can begin at 10h00.
- You are expected to attend as many competitions/events as possible. Watch the
group events, such as the Group Skits, the Spelling Bee, the Scholars Bowl, and the
Choral competitions.
- You won’t want to miss the Dance or the Dance Lessons upstairs at 14h00!
Jeu : À la recherche des mots perdus...
- The object of this game is to complete a set of four pieces of information:
1) Quotation ( ½ ) 2) Quotation ( other ½ ) 3) Author 4) Quotation Translation
- Since these pieces of information are all scattered among the Convention crowd, your
task is to find the other three people who have the information needed to complete
your set.
o In other words, find the person who has the other half of your quotation, its
author, and its translation.
o Of course, you may use your smartphone to help you with this task!
- Once you have a complete set, staple your papers together: Quotation, Author,
Translation.
- Write all of your names (first & last) and your school name on the stapled packet and
place it in the designated box in the Ballroom upstairs (stapler available at the box).
- Prizes will be awarded to the first ten correct completions drawn from the box during
the Closing Awards Assembly. You must be present to win!
Gagnants
- T-shirt design
- Front Program Cover
- Back Program Cover
(Frances Carraway, Advent Episcopal School)
(Ceci Olson, Chelsea High School)
(Madison Hollon & Bailey Poole, Prattville High School)
Concours Vidéo
- Please watch as the Video Contest entries are screened and judged.
Clôture
- Levels I & II are reminded to stay here in the Theater to watch the Spelling Bee and
Skits.
- Levels III and Advanced should go upstairs to the Ballroom to watch the Scholars Bowl
Teams compete. (Your skits compete after lunch.)
- To close our Opening Assembly, please join us in singing La Marseillaise, printed on
the inside front cover of your program.
9
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS & THEIR FACULTY SPONSORS
1. Academy for Science and Foreign Language (Huntsville)
Sarah Meister
2. *Advent Episcopal School (Birmingham)
Anne Barton
3. The Altamont School (Birmingham)
Jeanne Classé, Peter Rosborough, Jennifer Lorentz
4. Bob Jones High School (Madison/Huntsville)
Angela Mooney
5. Chelsea High School (Chelsea)
Bonnie Montgomery
6. Eastwood Christian School (Montgomery)
Dawn Geiger
7. George Washington Carver High School (Birmingham)
Ashlea Hand
8. Homewood High School (Homewood/Birmingham)
Melissa Dameron-Vines and Michelle Myers
9. Indian Springs School (Indian Springs Village/Birmingham)
Jonathan Horn
10. James Clemens High School (Madison/Huntsville)
Katie Gilliam
11. Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School (Irondale/Birmingham)
Leigh Noble
12. LAMP High School (Montgomery)
Kate Wilson
13. Mountain Brook Junior High School (Mountain Brook/Birmingham)
Benlee Huguley
14. Northridge High School (Tuscaloosa)
Lyn Smith
15. Opelika High School (Opelika)
Sara Ahnell
16. Prattville High School (Prattville)
Silvana Cureton
17. Shades Valley High School (Irondale/Birmingham)
Shelley Fordice
18. Vestavia Hills High School (Vestavia Hills/Birmingham)
Djamel Bouriche
19. Virgil I. Grissom High School (Huntsville)
* President Club
Regina Bone
10
SCHOLARS BOWL SEED CHART
There are several rounds this year. Please do your part to help us keep the rounds moving
along! The parentheses show the order in which the games will be played. Have your
sponsor, captain, or other designee keep tabs on the progress of the rounds so that your
team will be in place immediately when it’s your turn.
Que la meilleure équipe gagne!
11
PERTINENT ORAL COMPETITON “REMINDERS”
General Information
 Relax, have fun and do your best. The judges want you to succeed!
Performance Information
 In the interest of fairness, please help us maintain anonymity in competition as much
as possible:
o Entries will be announced by the judges by number and title.
o Competitors should not wear any identifying clothing.
 Group Skits and Choral selections must be memorized. No written scripts may be
used on stage during these competitions.
 Prompting from the audience is not permitted.
 You may only record/video/photograph your own school’s students.
Performance Time Limits
 Timing will be from the first spoken word to the bow. In order to indicate that a skit is
over, one or more students in the skit should bow at the end of the skit.
 Time limits for the individual selections:
Levels I and II:
1-2 minutes
Levels III and Advanced: 2-4 minutes
 Time limits for the group skits:
Level I/II:
4-6 minutes
Level III/Advanced:
5-8 minutes
 Time limit for the choral competitions:
Solo and Group
5 minutes
If the minimum time limit is not met, or if the maximum time limit is exceeded, one point per
10 seconds will be subtracted from the time management category on the score sheet. The
maximum penalty will be 10 points per entry. Note the following scale:
Time Management Scale
Seconds
Over/Under
1-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
31-35
36-40
41-45
46+
Points
Deducted
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
INDIVIDUAL ORAL COMPETITION – LEVEL 1
13h00 à 13h30 (Room 3108)
1. Je chante avec Toi, Liberté
Lyrics from a song made famous by Nana Mouskouri. An ode to freedom and the fight necessary
to insure we have freedom...even unto death.
2. Le dormeur du val
Written by Arthur Rimbaud at the young age of 16, this classic French poem hauntingly
juxtaposes the brutal death of a young soldier with the beauty of the nature that surrounds him.
3. Le Corbeau et le renard
La Fontaine's immortal fable of the dangers of flattery.
4. Déjeuner du matin
Jacques Prévert's poem about a troubled relationship, evoked in a tense, silent breakfast scene.
5. La pendule
A poem by Pierre Gamarra.
6. Nuit de neige
Guy de Maupassant presents a peacefully nostalgic view of a snowy night.
7. Une petite corvée pour l'été
It's already June, vacation beckons, but Emma Gauthier's teacher, Sylvie Silvy, has given her
class a small chore to do over the summer. This is an excerpt from Susie Morgenstern's book,
"La liste des fournitures".
8. La Grâce du Ciel
Amazing Grace
13
INDIVIDUAL ORAL COMPETITION – LEVEL 2
13h30 à 14h00 (Room 3108)
1. Les Prénoms de Paris
Lyrics (excerpts) from an immortal song by Jacques Brel. This pictures marvelously what Paris
means to all who know her or wish they could. Paris' names represent so many things to millions
of people.
2. Le Loup et L'Agneau
While often learned by heart by French children, this classic fable of de la Fontaine is not as
simple as it appears. Through his clever use of allegory, Jean de la Fontaine entertains while
skillfully sending a direct message denouncing the power of the monarchy and criticizing the
justice system during the reign of Le Roi Louis XIV.
3. À la recherche de tout ce qui est perdu
One boy’s account of his failed attempts to keep track of his belongings...
4. Soyez polis
Jacques Prévert tells us of the romance between the sun and the earth.
5. Pour faire le portrait d'un oiseau
Jacques Prevert's surrealistic poem about the best way to realize a "painting" of a wild bird.
6. L'Horloge
As presented in Charles Baudelaire's Les fleurs du mal, the clock is sinister and impassable, and
time is the ultimate victor over mankind.
7. Guillaume Shakespeare
A presentation of some of Shakespeare's best work.
8. Une histoire de Madeline
Madeline remembers a funny day.
9. Candide
Voltaire reads the opening of his masterpiece.
10. Un poème
General poem with an element from history.
14
INDIVIDUAL ORAL COMPETITION – LEVEL 3
14h00 à 14h30 (Room 3108)
1. L'Horloge
The genius of Charles Baudelaire shines in this gripping poem about the struggle of man to, as
Thoreau would say, "suck the marrow out of life." Baudelaire implores his listeners to be wary of
the ticking of the clock of life before it is too late!
2. À la recherche d’une recette perdue?
Chef Georges shares how to make a perfectly delectable Proustian treat: une madeleine.
3. Le Petit Prince
Excerpt from Chapter 16, where the author explains that the Little Prince visited the "seventh
planet", Earth, which is "not just any planet”.
4. Mon Accent
One does not have to be able to pronounce French phonemes flawlessly in order to be 100%
comprehensible.
5. Heureux celui qui meurt d'aimer de Louis Aragon
Blessed is the man who dies of love.
6. Dis, c'était comment quand tu étais petit ?
What a pleasure it is to hear our parents and grandparents tell what life was like when they were
young.
INDIVIDUAL ORAL COMPETITION – ADVANCED LEVEL
14h30 à 15h00 (Room 3108)
1. Liberté
Poem by Paul Eluard. This represents what liberty embodies and how it should be pursued by
every means possible and seen in every venue of life.
2. Du temps perdu
An adolescent’s reaction to his first reading assignment in Proust.
3. Je contemple souvent le ciel de ma mémoire
Proust takes his listeners on a vivid journey through the infinite and vast horizon of his memory
and his past love in this exquisite poem.
4. Je vois entrer un grand seigneur
Céleste Albaret, Marcel Proust's governess and closest confidante, reflects on the life of the great
novelist.
5. Le monologue du doudou
Milo, a beloved family toy that has been treasured more than 8 years, tells us of his love for his
family and of their devotion to him.
6. Hymne à la Beauté
Poem by Charles Baudelaire
15
GROUP SKIT COMPETITION – LEVELS 1&2
9h45 à 10h45 (Theater)
1. Amour Fatal
A group of girls begins to disappear. Who will discover the truth behind this great mystery?
2. Boucle d’or et les trois ours
Boucle d'Or wanders far from home and stumbles upon the house of the three bears. First sitting
in all of their chairs and tasting all of their porridge, then lying in all of their beds she finds the little
baby bear's the most suitable for her in all three cases.
3. À la recherche de la tente (ou tante?) perdue
There seems to be some confusion about what exactly Marcel is in search of. Follow the
"tant"alizing unfolding of events...
4. Quand un mouton aura des ailes...
On September 19, 1783, the Montgolfier brothers launched the first passenger hot-air balloon on
the grounds of Versailles in the presence of the court. The passengers were a duck, a sheep, and
a rooster!
GROUP SKIT COMPETITION – LEVELS 3 & ADVANCED
13h00 à 14h00 (Theater)
1. À la recherche de la tante perdue
A group of kids are playing the newest Proustian version of the well-known “Clue” game, or
“Cluédo” in French. Who is the victim? Proust’s Aunt Léonie, of course. During the game the
pawns, all based on characters in À la recherche du temps perdu, take on a life of their own as
each is accused of foul play.
2. Ça tourne en rond, ou, Les Super-serveuses à Monte Carlo
A film director tries without success to shoot the last scene of a movie.
3. Je ne regrette rien
In an intimate interview, La Môme Piaf reflects on the best and worst moments of her life.
16
CHORAL COMPETITION – SOLO
14h45 à 15h30 (Ballroom)
1. Mon Vieux
An adult man realizes with nostalgia and regrets how little he appreciated his Dad when
he was 15. He wishes his father were still alive. This song was made immortal by
Daniel Guichard.
2. La Bohème
This is Charles Aznavour's classic song.
3. La Vie en rose (DB)
By Edith Piaf.
4. Je vole (SA)
Originally sung by Michel Sardou, this complex and profound song suggestive of an
adolescent leaving home has recently been made popular by the young French singer
and actress, Louane Emera, who sang it in the 2015 film "La Famille Bélier".
5. La Chanson de Grisabelle
Take a voluntary, Proustian stroll down "Memory" lane with the French version of this hit
song from the musical "Cats".
6. La Vie en rose (JH)
Edith Piaf's immortal song.
7. Je Ne Regrette Rien
Edith Piaf famously reflects on her life well-lived.
8. La Grâce du Ciel
Many of the lyrics in this translation of "Amazing Grace" are the same in English.
However, some are different. The singer begins by declaring that grace from heaven
has descended to save us from hell.
9. Je vole (AB)
In 1978, Michel Sardou sang of leaving his parents and small town to follow his dreams
in his hit, Je vole. In 2014, in the film La famille Bélier, actress/singer Louane plays a
character who sang Je vole as an audition piece for music school. The only hearing
member of her family, she also signed the song to her deaf parents and brother present
in the audience. Our version is flanked by a signed interpretation of the song.
17
CHORAL COMPETITION – GROUP
15h30 à 16h15 (Ballroom)
1. Tant qu'on rêve encore
From the popular musical « Le Roi Soleil », this song’s powerful lyrics and musical composition
remind us that as long as we remember the past, nothing is lost.
2. Aux Champs-Elysées
In the sun, in the rain, at noon or at midnight, there's everything you want on the Champs-Elysées!
3. Tous les Mêmes
Stromaë song about the age-old battle of the sexes.
4. Papaoutai
Stromae's song about kids growing up without their father present in their lives.
5. Le Chant des Sirènes
Childhood memories and how the places we love change over time.
6. Waterloo-Reine Sublime
Sometimes historical events mirror one's personal life! After her breakup with Kermit, Miss Piggy
rushes to Belgium where she performs as Joséphine in a commemoration of the 200th anniversary
of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo! But not even heartache can keep "Moi" down as she leads La
Chorale des Muppets in two ABBA classics!
7. Hello
Sara'h's French version of Adele's "Hello".
8. Makeda
Black History song.
9. La Vie en rose
From the iconic diminutive French singer Edith Piaf. Searching for love, no one can say it better
than Edith. Her longings, joys, and pains are felt through every one of her songs.
10. Les Filles de Mon Pays
By Enrico Macias.
11. J'ai laissé
This song reflects this year's theme of lost time in that the singer, Christophe Maé, ruminates on
what he failed to do in his past relationship and how the lack of care on his part caused him to lose
his love. He deeply regrets her loss and laments the time they can no longer spend together.
12. Le Festin
Remy the rat sings of the joys and sorrows of his life as he continuously chases his dream of
becoming a chef.
18
CLOSING / AWARDS CEREMONY
16h30 à 17h00 (Ballroom)
We hope that you have had a great day at French Convention and that you will come back
next year!
Awards for today’s competitions will be announced in the following order, and in rankings up
from Honorable Mention, to Bien, to Très Bien, to Supérieur, and finally Grand Prix.
1. Visual Arts Competitions
a. Poster I
b. Poster II
c. Exhibit
d. Scrapbook
2. Spelling Bee
a. Level 1
b. Level 2
3. Dictée
a. Level 1
b. Level 2
c. Level 3
d. Advanced Level
4. Extemporaneous Reading
a. Level 1
b. Level 2
c. Level 3
d. Advanced Level
5. Extemporaneous Speaking
a. Level 1
b. Level 2
c. Level 3
d. Level 4
6. Written Competition
a. Level 1
b. Level 2
c. Level 3
d. Advanced Level
7. Scholar’s Bowl
8. Scholarship
9. Video Competition
10. Individual Oral Competition
a. Level 1
b. Level 2
c. Level 3
d. Advanced level
11. Group Skit Competition
a. Levels 1 & 2
b. Level 3 & Advanced
12. Choral Competitions
a. Solo
b. Group
Let’s close today’s ceremony by reciting France’s national slogan together:
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité!
 Sponsors are reminded to pick up all judges’ score sheets in Room 3115 immediately
following this ceremony. Uncollected scores sheets will be discarded, NOT MAILED!
 Please email any pictures taken during today’s event to [email protected]
for inclusion on the website.
 Please take the time to fill out and submit the online evaluation in the next week, while
details are fresh on your mind.
Merci et Bonne Route!
19
NOTES
20
Dr. Bruce Edmunds and the Faculty and Graduate
Teaching Assistants of the University of Alabama
French Department
Antoinette Afriyie Timothy Alford Kelilah Anders
Maud Barthès Hannah Brown Thomas Carlton
Isabelle Drewelow Olga Henry Sandrine Hope
Carmen Mayer Honorine Ntoh Yuh Michael
Picone Paula Renzi-Callaghan Jean-Luc Robin
Shannon Skelton April Stephens
Metka Zupancic
Office of Coordination and Orientation and Special
Programs at the University of Alabama
Peter Rosborough, AFFC website creator and
webmaster
Greg Richards, of JRagUSA Promotional
Printing & Design
The Avanti Staff of the Ferguson Student Center
A special thanks to Dr. Michael Picone for giving
dance lessons!
21
MADISON HOLLON AND BAILEY POOLE, PRATTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
22