If you're local, you're in for a sweet treat!

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Mb2005014The Joan Izzo Academy of Dance presents "The Kingdom of Sweets" from the Nutcracker AND new this year:  "Holiday Rhythms: A Seasonal Medley of Movement and Sound" .  This is one combined production.    

Saturday, December 1st at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 2nd at 3:00 p.m.
 
All performances will be at Dominion High School in Sterling.
 
Tickets are $15/each, $13 for Girl Scouts and their families.  Tickets can be reserved/purchased by calling Peggy Lajoie at (703) 689-3205 
The Joan Izzo Academy of Dance presents "The Kingdom of Sweets Nutcracker Tea".
A special celebration--sandwiches, sweets, and tea (or juice) with a performance by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Sweets.  Every child will have the opportunity to meet the cast and will receive a special holiday gift.  A portion of the proceeds will be donated to local charities.
 
Saturday, December 8th, at 11:00 a.m.
To be held at St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Chantilly.
 Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children--seating is limited.  Tickets can be reserved/purchased by calling Cheryl Kijewski at (703) 754-6016   

These are truly wonderful, family-friendly events--the perfect opportunity to introduce young children to the art of dance.  I hope to see you there!

More fairies and Christmas

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I have reviewed the Huron Carol before, but this year, I'm looking at it with fresh eyes. First, let me tell you a little about the Huron Carol:

"The HuronCarol" was created by Jean de Brebeuf, missionary to the Huron nation, some three hundred and fifty years ago. In it he described the Nativity in terms relevant to the native peoples. Thus, the three kings from the east bringing costly gifts were replaced by "Chiefs from far" with with gifts of fox and beaver pelt. The Bethlehem shepherds became "wondering hunters" and the humble Bethlehem stable "a lodge of broken bark. The essential message - of the miracle and promise of new life and new hope in the midst of dark and bitter winter - was very acceptable to the Huron people, and is one we can all share to-day.

 

It was so acceptable that, even after Jean de Brebeuf's death at the hands of the rival Iroquois, the destruction of the Ste. Marie settlement, and the dispersal of the remaining Huron people, they still celebrated the nativity each winter and kept the carol alive through the oral tradition. It was translated into French about one hundred years later, and into English in 1926."

The mother of the illustrator of my lovely version of the Huron Carol has directed me to the artist's website. There, I found more picture books, and fairy prints (including one called "Gypsy Caravan," which reminded me of my favorite Gypsy blog) and paper dolls. Best of all, check out the Fairy Gazette. It looks like Victoria went to Fairyland:-)Brew a cup of tea and click away. It's serendipitous delight!

Monday Night Football Geography Extension Activities

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November_2007_042It's back to Pittsburgh tonight for Monday Night Football. This is a fact that delights the people in this household because, thanks to a friend in Pittsburgh who reads this blog, we learned that Clark bars originated in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania: heaven for chocolate lovers! Thanks to Beth, we have a stash of candy for Pittsburgh Round 2. AND we can see what the papers had to say the morning after the last MNF in Pittsburgh!I am working on plans to extend our sports-location geography beyond Monday Night Football season. The playoffs look to be in Wisconsin (I hope;-), among other places. The Super Bowl is in Arizona. The Pro Bowl is in Hawaii. We'll visit the NCAA tournament sites and some NBA sites and some Major League Soccer and Baseball sites. We've got to visit fifty states (it may be a stretch, but hey, even Alaska has the Iditarod. I figure I can find some kind of sporting event in every state). Stay tuned and email me if your state has something to offer!

Fairy trails and Fairy tales: Week One

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Christmas_treeThis week, we'll diverge from the Alphabet Path, and begin to  travel along a Christmas trail. To start, we'll become acquainted with the Christmas Tree Fairy. We'll copy and learn her song. Then, we'll study coniferous trees and learn the botanical information we can glean from looking carefully at Christmas trees:  Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Noble fir (Abies procera), and Norway spruce (Picea abies). We'll draw and illustrate the fairy and narrate the folklore. I think this fairy is likely to be crafted out of beeswax.
Then we'll move on to the Christmas Fairy Tale book. Since Katie and Mary Beth are dancing in The Nutcracker at the end of the week, it's an appropriate week to watch old DVDs of past performances and to read up on the story. Nutcracker music is likely to be heard all the time around here this week.  We'll read the story of The Nutcracker in The Fairy Tale Christmas book and in this Susan Jeffer's edition and then I'll read and discuss the notes about the story which the author of Fairy Tale Christmas has made. The older children will write critical papers discussing the story. Everyone will draw and illustrate The Nutcracker. We're planning a "tea" which will include Arabian coffee, sugarplums, and snow cookies. It's going to be a very sweet week.