The precious kiddos must have sung and practiced for hours since Monday. Everything is already starting to come into place! Although quite bumpy in some spots, went through the entire musical today, and learned the rest of the dance moves to the last 3 songs. The director from last year told me that we're much further along than they were a year ago. Tomorrow we ask that they have their lines memorized and can sing all the songs. This is a big request as there are seven songs and lots of lines for some of the cast.Today's snack was popcorn and a juice box. The children had all wanted to go outside yesterday, but we said no because it was high humidity and hot. The weather didn't change today, but since there was popcorn, I sent them out for snack time. I'm so glad I did-we really fed the birds. Five minutes later, all the kids wanted back inside; it was such a nasty heat today.
They played some great games, including the one pictured at the top. Each team has to crawl through the legs of their teammates, from back to front. The whole team gets a turn, as quickly as possible.
But the music is my favorite part. I know you're surprised. Angel voices lifted up in chorus, it is a mighty sound. When do we sing together anymore? We sometimes sing "Happy Birthday" or at a worship service if you attend one. We may go to a sing along of the Messiah annually. Karaoke doesn't count because we don't sing together; one person or a few grab a microphone.
Up here in Lutheran land, Garrison Keillor talks about the Lake Wobegon choir that breaks into four part harmony after the first breath of their favorite hymn. And then it slows down because everyone is enjoying the amazingness of it. I witnessed this myself just one month ago at a large evangelical gathering. All of the above is true. To stand in the midst of the adult voices blending and listening, and today to hear the children blending and listening too, well, sigh, to quote Genesis, "it was good."
What a fab little post. I have just come from visiting your website and found it so imaginative. It's funny that I have just finished reading two biographies about Bach with a post on him, too, and even though he never reached a higher level of academia, his achievements as a musician far superseded those of his contemporaries. And what you are doing is where eevrything starts. I happen to be married to a wonderful dance teacher who has your same zeal and enjoyment of working with kids in a creative wat and I get the same feeling of elation from your posts about the rehearsals, but above all, about the process. It's so important to teach children nowadays that in art it is the creative process that brings that self-rewarding feeling of achievement. Too many people focus on the result. Enjoy the ride, I say. Many thanks for your post.
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Those kids look like they're having a ton of fun. Great to see. Get them to use some energy :-)
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