Teacher’s Guide
Teacher’s Guides
Grade Level(s): Pre-school to 2nd
Introducing 3 Classic Ballets
Through “Prima Princessa Presents” DVDs
Click on each Ballet to view study guide:
The Sleeping Beauty see below:
Teacher’s Guide “Sleeping Beauty”
Introducing “The Sleeping Beauty”
through “Prima Princessa Presents Sleeping Beauty” DVD
Grade Level(s): Pre-school to 2
Hello Teachers and Parents!
We are about to explore the wonderful world of classical ballet and learn all about one of the most famous ballets ever created, “The Sleeping Beauty”. Through our 60 minute DVD “Prima Princessa Presents Sleeping Beauty” you will learn the story of “The Sleeping Beauty” and learn some basic ballet steps too. Our show features real professional ballet footage narrated by a cartoon ballerina so children can easily follow the story.
The “Sleeping Beauty” is a famous romantic ballet, which celebrates the power of good over evil. This ballet is set to music written by Peter Tchaikovsky and takes place in magical royal kingdom full of fairies and fairy tale characters.
This Study Guide is designed for use in conjunction with watching “Prima Princessa Presents Sleeping Beauty,” and also as a great introduction before attending a live ballet performance.
Our goal in creating the Prima Princessa series is to inspire the love of ballet in children and grown-ups alike, and to encourage everyone to get up and dance and then to go see live ballet in the theater.
Overview: This Study Guide will introduce students to the classic ballet “The Sleeping Beauty” and to all of the people who work to make a ballet happen including the dancers and those that direct them; the people who handle the stagecraft and the managerial and support staff of a ballet company. This lesson can also be used to teach children basic dance moves if an appropriate space is available.
Objectives of this Guide:
Students will:
• Learn about all the people who work together make a ballet all come together
• Learn what a non-profit organization is
• Learn about the history of “The Sleeping Beauty” and the history of fairy tales
• Learn the story of “The Sleeping Beauty”
• Learn about the main characters of the story
• Identify the music composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and his other works
• Understand that classical ballet is a creative way to tell a story through music and movement
• Become familiar with the history of ballet and classical music
• Learn how to develop an appreciation for ballet and classical music
While viewing the DVD, students will be able to do basic dance movements, which will enhance their appreciation of ballet. These moves are demonstrated by a combination of pre-school children and pre-teen ballet students from School of American Ballet, the official academy of the New York City Ballet.
Procedure:
- It is recommended that this Study Guide be done in 5 parts and done over 5 days in conjunction with viewing the DVD, “Prima Princessa Presents Sleeping Beauty”.
- Lessons “An Introduction to Classical Ballet” & “An Introduction to Classical Music” are both lessons from our “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake” Study Guide. If you have not done that unit we recommend that you present these lessons on Day 5 in conjunction with some of the fun Bonus Feature activities.
- If possible, clear a space for children to dance along with the show or set up a screen in the school gym.
Outline of Lesson Plan for “Prima Princessa Presents Sleeping Beauty”
Each viewing segments runs approximately 8-10 minutes.
Day 1:
Class Discussion:
The History of The Sleeping Beauty and Fairy Tales
Plot Summary of The Sleeping Beauty Prologue
Watch Feature: Prologue & Bourée & Plié/Relevé Dance Lessons
Day 2:
Class Discussion:
Learn About the People Involved with the Dancing in a Ballet
Plot Summary of The Sleeping Beauty Act 1
Watch Feature: Act 1 & Piqué Arabesque & Piqué Attitude Lesson
Day 3:
Class Discussion:
Learn About the People Involved with the Stagecraft in a Ballet
Plot Summary of The Sleeping Beauty Act II
Watch Feature: Act 2 and Chassé Dance Lesson
Day 4: Lesson 4
Class Discussion:
Learn About Non-Profits and Managerial Staff of a Ballet Company
Plot Summary of The Sleeping Beauty Act III
Watch Feature: Act 3 and Ballet Style Courtesy/Bow Dance Lesson
Day 5 :
Class Discussion: (if these have not been covered previously)
Introduction to Classical Ballet” & “An Introduction to Classical Music”
Watch Select Bonus Features: Choose one of the Bonus Features to watch and do one of the suggested activities to follow it.
DAY 1
Lesson: The History of The Sleeping Beauty & of Fairy Tales
History of “The Sleeping Beauty” Ballet
A famous Russian composer named Peter Tchaikovsky wrote the music for “The Sleeping Beauty” which first premiered in 1890 and is the second of his 3 ballets. Tchaikovsky was asked to write this ballet by the Imperial Theatres in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was asked to base his work on a story by the French writer Charles Perrault called “La Belle au bois dormant” which in English means “The Beauty Sleeping in the Woods”.
History of Fairy Tales
Have you ever wondered where fairy tales came from? The author Charles Perault who lived in the 1600s is considered to be the father of fairy tales. Fairy tales usually have happy endings and are stories based on existing folk legends. Folk legends are very old stories people who told about elves, fairies, goblins and other sorts of magical creatures in the woods. Perault wrote many other famous stories you may know including “Tales of Mother Goose”, “Cinderella”, “Little Red Ridinghood”, “Bluebeard” and “Puss in Boots”. You may have heard of the Brother Grimm. They were 2 German scholars very interested in history. They wrote a big collection of fairy tales in 1812 called “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” in which they rewrote many of Perault’s stories. People still read this book today.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
1. Can you remember the name of the fairy tale the “The Sleeping Beauty” was based on? (“The Beauty Sleeping in the Woods”)
2. What type of characters are often in fairy tales?” (elves, fairies, goblins)
3. Can you name one of other fairy tales that Charles Perault, the father of fairy tales, wrote aside from ‘The Beauty Sleeping in the Woods”? (“The Tales of Mother Goose”, “Cinderella”, “Little Red Ridinghood”, “Bluebeard” and “Puss in Boots”)
Plot Summary: The Sleeping Beauty’s Prologue
In the Prologue the King and Queen are having a Christening for their new baby Aurora. It is a really big event and lots of royalty and fairies are coming to see the new baby. Accidentally, the King and Queen forgot to invite the evil fairy Carbosse. She shows up any way and is very mad. To punish the King and Queen for forgetting about her, she casts an evil spell on baby Aurora. Her spell will make is so that when Aurora turns 16 she will poke her finger on a poison knitting needle and die. Fortunately, the good and equally powerful Lilac Fairy casts her own spell which lessens the power of Carbosse’s spell. Instead of dieing when her finger is pricked, Aurora will instead and all those in her kingdom will fall into a deep sleep. Only the kiss from a noble prince will be able to awaken Aurora and the kingdom.
DAY 2
Lesson: Lots of People Work Together to Make a Ballet
It takes lots of people working together doing all sorts of jobs to make a ballet happen. Some ballet companies are very small with only a dozen or so people involved and some have over 200 people! When you look onstage you see dancers, but they are not the only ones needed to make a ballet. You will soon be learning all about the artistic director, ballet master or ballet mistress, choreographer, composer, set designer, costume designer, composer, lighting designer and the managerial and support staff. However, for today’s lesson, we will start by learning about those people that are involved in directly with the dancing which includes the dancers, the artistic director, composer, choreographer, ballet master or ballet mistress.
Artistic Director
In the ballet a director is called the artistic director. The artistic director oversees the entire ballet and has a hand in all the important decisions. He or she will director will choose which dancers get which parts in the ballet.
Choreographers
In ballet the choreographer is often the artistic director. Choreographers teach dancers their parts in dances. Sometimes choreographers create new dances and sometimes they bring to life dances that were created by other choreographers. When creating new dances, a choreographer will mix together all sorts of different dance steps to make longer dance numbers that match the mood of a certain piece of music. Ballets will often contain a mix of original choreography and newly developed choreography
Today, when you watch “The Sleeping Beauty” you are seeing lots of the original choreography that was originally developed by the famous Russian choreographer Marius Petipa. Petipa, to this day, is still considered the most important ballet choreographer of all time.
Composer
A composer is the person who writes the music for a ballet. The composer will be hired by a ballet company to write the music and will be given a story or theme to use. Composers will get lots of input from both the artistic director and the choreographer. When Tchaicovsky wrote the music for “The Sleeping Beauty” he worked very closely with choreographer Marius Petipa to make sure that the music fit Petipa’s dances.
Ballet Master / Ballet Mistress
Ballet masters are in charge of dancers’ practice schedules. Ballet dancers must practice lots of hours before a ballet performance to make sure that they are learning their dances and staying in shape to dance. He/she is often there during rehearsals working directly with the dancers on the dances.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
1. Who writes the music in a ballet? (composer)
2. Who makes up the dances in a ballet (choreographer)
3. What do you call director of a ballet? (artistic director)
Plot Summary: The Sleeping Beauty’s Act I
In Act I sixteen years have passed and Aurora is celebrating her birthday at giant party being thrown by her parents. They have invited many handsome suitors to come and meet Aurora. Guards are on the look out for the evil fairy Carbosse. All the sharp knitting needles have been removed from the kingdom for the day of the party. The evil fairy Carabosse, however, is sneaking. She sneaks into the party and when no one is looking gives Aurora a knitting needle. Aurora start to play with the gift and accidentally pricks her finger She falls down into a deep slumber. The Lilac Fairy waves her magic wand and puts the entire kingdom to sleep.
DAY 3
LESSON: Learn About the People Involved with the Stagecraft in a Ballet
You have just learned about all those involved in the dancing side of a ballet. Now it is time to learn about all those involved in the staging of a performance or the stagecraft.
Stagecraft
Stagecraft is the art of creating the settings onstage which helps tell the story to the audience. In the “The Sleeping Beauty” the stagecraft is very elaborate. Set designers, lighting designers and costume designers are some of the most important people involved in the stagecraft of a ballet.
Set Designers
Set designers are in charge of building all the structures you see on stage. These structures are called sets. They need to make sure the sets can be moved on and off stage easily at the end of each acts. Sets help tell the story by letting the audience see where the story is taking place. In “The Sleeping Beauty” there are lots of gorgeous sets including a royal palace as well as magical forest.
Costume Designers
Costume designer come up with the ideas for what the dancers with wear depending on what their role is in the ballet. The costumes just cannot look good. They must be sturdy enough to dance in. Costumes are very important in ballet, because in ballet there is no talking. The costume help show the audience who the characters are. There are lots of different costumes in “The Sleeping Beauty” including a king, a queen and a princess and all sorts of fairies and fairy tale characters.
Lighting Designer
Stage lighting is very complicated. Lighting designers have to light most scenes in a ballet differently depending on whether or not the scene is night time, day time, inside or outside. The lighting needs to light up all the dancers dancing. Lightening designers will also turn of all the lights making the stage completely black so new dancers and or sets can come on stage for another scene. It takes lots of technical skill to know where to place all the lights to light up a big stage. During the show the lights are constantly changing and are usually operated from big control panels. Lighting designers must go to school study how to do all of this.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
1. Who controls the lights in a ballet? (lighting designer)
2. Who makes the sets (set designer)
3. Who designs the costumes? (costume designer)
Plot Summary: The Sleeping Beauty’s Act II
In Act II Princess Aurora and her kingdom have been asleep for 100 years. The Lilac Fairy leads noble Prince Florimund to Aurora’s beside deep within the forest. So much time has passed the kingdom is hard to find as it is overgrown with trees and bushes. When he sees Aurora he falls instantly in love with her. He bends down to kiss the Sleeping Beauty and the curse is lifted. Aurora awakens and so does the entire kingdom. Everyone is so happy to be awake again. Aurora falls immediately in love with the Prince. Soon they will be married.
DAY 4
LESSON: Learn About Non-Profits and Managerial Staff of a Ballet Company
A ballet company has not only dancers that perform the ballets, but lots of managerial and support staff. The managerial and support staff is in charge of promoting the ballets, raising money to stage the ballets, paying all the dancers and others involved in the shows as well as many other tasks.
There are many different ways to promote a ballet. Ballet companies all have websites describing their ballets and selling tickets. They can run ads for the ballets in the paper and on the radio. They will make beautiful posters to display around town promoting their ballets.
Unlike lots of rock concerts and movies, ballets are often non-profit productions. Non-profit productions are productions that because they cost more to make than their ticket sales bring in, they get extra money for the show from the government and from donors. A donor is a person who gives money to a cause to help it out and gets nothing back in return. Fortunately, there are lots of people who love ballet so much they are willing to help support it with donations.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
1. Can you name a task the managerial staff does? (promote the ballet, raise money for the ballet, pay the dancers, sell tickets)
2. Do non-profits make enough money through ticket sales to cover the cost of putting on a performance? (no)
3. What do you call someone who gives money to a cause or organization like the ballet? (donor)
Plot Summary: The Sleeping Beauty’s Act III
In Act III the magnificent wedding of Princess Aurora and Prince Florimund is held. Many special and beloved fairy tale characters and royalty from across the land come to the wedding. It is a dream come true for Aurora and her Prince and they live happily ever after.
DAY 5
If the Lessons “An Introduction to Classical Ballet” & “An Introduction to Classical Music” have not been covered previously while doing another Prima Princessa Study Guide you can cover them on Day 5. If they have been covered already, we suggest watching one or more of the Bonus Features and doing one of the suggested activities to follow it.
BONUS FEATURES & ACCOMPANING ACTIVITES
Bonus Feature: Magical Tea Party
This is a 3 minutes long bonus feature. It features 3 girls at a magical tea party hosted by Prima Princessa.
Activity: We suggest showing this feature while the kids enjoy their own special party with cookies and decaf iced tea. A party is a nice way to end this special series.
Bonus Feature: Acting on Stage – Pantomime
This 2 minute feature young children exploring the art of pantomime. Pantomime is the art of telling a story through body movement and facial expression only, no speech.
Activity: Clear some space and let your students practice pantomime as they watch the feature.
Bonus Feature: Fun Floral Crafts
This 8-minute feature shows kids making tissue paper flowers, tissue paper butterflies, pom-pom caterpillars and fresh flower arrangements.
Activities: We recommend you select one craft to do with the class. Watch this feature a few times by yourself before showing the class to become familiar with the techniques. Our favorite activity to do with a class of children is the Tissue Paper Butterflies butterflies. Butterflies appeared in the show during the Bourée Montage so it is a particular nice tie in.
LESSON: “An Introduction to Classical Ballet”
Classical ballet is the most formal ballet style and requires years of practice and training. Classical ballet is most known for pointe work, which is when a ballerina goes up on the point of her toes in “toe-shoes.” Dancing on your toes in toe-shoes make the ballerina look like she is floating, and flying, effortlessly almost like magic. So, dancing in toe-shoes is a very special thing that is only found in Classical ballet.
Did you ever wonder why ballet terms are all in French? Well, it’s because classical ballet comes from France, and the original French words are still used to day in dance classes all over the world, no matter what language you speak.
The first official classical ballet school and classical ballet company were formed about 400 years ago, in France by King Louis XIV. Back then there was no cable TV, no movies, no CD players, ipods or Radio stations. People entertained themselves by performing for each other, and the most special place of honor to perform was for the King in his court.
To encourage more dance and better dance, the King of France, created the ballet school Academie Royale de Danse and the Ballet de l”Opera, better know today as the Paris Opera Ballet. He then built the Paris Opera Theater where the Paris Opera Ballet would perform for all the French noble men and visitors.
Did you ever wonder why dancers never speak or sing on stage? Ballet is a way of telling a story through movement. Dancers do not talk on stage. Ballets are often classic storybook tales that are explained through the dancers emotions and movements, and this is called pantomime. Each classical ballet tells a story, often a love story, but instead of words dancers use their entire bodies to express themselves. When they are sad, they move very slowly and sadly to slow and sad music, and when they are happy their entire bodies jump for joy and show happiness to quick moving fun music.
Classical ballet is performed on a stage, in front of an audience, usually with a live orchestra of musicians playing their instruments in the orchestra pit in front of the stage. On the stage, there will be stage sets and lights. By using sets and lighting the stage can look like any place the designer wants; for example sets can make a stage look like a forest in one act and then be changed to like a castle ballroom in another act.
Ballet dancers have special costumes and make-up to help them look like the characters that they are pretending to be. One type of costume that you often see in Classical Ballet is a tutu. Ballerinas wear tutus fluffy skirts that are often sparkly and quite short so the audience can see their leg and footwork easily. Costumes can transform a ballerina to look like a queen, a fairy, a cat, a doll, anything that the imagination can create.
Classical Ballet and the use of toe-shoes spread throughout the world, and became very popular in Russia, Italy, Germany, France, England, and eventually in the United States too.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
1. What country was the first classical ballet school created in? (France)
2. What language is used for ballet terms? (French)
3. What is one special thing that classical ballet has that other dance forms do not have? (toe-shoes)
4. What is pantomime? (Pantomime is the art of using your body to tell a story, instead of speaking.)
LESSON: An Introduction to Classical Ballet
Classical ballet is the most formal ballet style and requires years of practice and training. Classical ballet is most known for pointe work, which is when a ballerina goes up on the point of her toes in “toe-shoes.” Dancing on your toes in toe-shoes make the ballerina look like she is floating, and flying, effortlessly almost like magic. So, dancing in toe-shoes is a very special thing that is only found in Classical ballet.
Did you ever wonder why ballet terms are all in French? Well, it’s because classical ballet comes from France, and the original French words are still used to day in dance classes all over the world, no matter what language you speak.
The first official classical ballet school and classical ballet company were formed about 400 years ago, in France by King Louis XIV. Back then there was no cable TV, no movies, no CD players, ipods or Radio stations. People entertained themselves by performing for each other, and the most special place of honor to perform was for the King in his court.
To encourage more dance and better dance, the King of France, created the ballet school Academie Royale de Danse and the Ballet de l”Opera, better know today as the Paris Opera Ballet. He then built the Paris Opera Theater where the Paris Opera Ballet would perform for all the French noble men and visitors.
Did you ever wonder why dancers never speak or sing on stage? Ballet is a way of telling a story through movement. Dancers do not talk on stage. Ballets are often classic storybook tales that are explained through the dancers emotions and movements, and this is called pantomime. Each classical ballet tells a story, often a love story, but instead of words dancers use their entire bodies to express themselves. When they are sad, they move very slowly and sadly to slow and sad music, and when they are happy their entire bodies jump for joy and show happiness to quick moving fun music.
Classical ballet is performed on a stage, in front of an audience, usually with a live orchestra of musicians playing their instruments in the orchestra pit in front of the stage. On the stage, there will be stage sets and lights. By using sets and lighting the stage can look like any place the designer wants; for example sets can make a stage look like a forest in one act and then be changed to like a castle ballroom in another act.
Ballet dancers have special costumes and make-up to help them look like the characters that they are pretending to be. One type of costume that you often see in Classical Ballet is a tutu. Ballerinas wear tutus fluffy skirts that are often sparkly and quite short so the audience can see their leg and footwork easily. Costumes can transform a ballerina to look like a queen, a fairy, a cat, a doll, anything that the imagination can create.
Classical Ballet and the use of toe-shoes spread throughout the world, and became very popular in Russia, Italy, Germany, France, England, and eventually in the United States too.
1. What country was the first classical ballet school created in?
2. What language is used for ballet terms?
3. What is one special thing that classical ballet has that other dance forms do not have?
4. What is pantomime?
5. How do dancers make the stage look like a special place from a story?
LESSON: An Introduction to Classical Music
Classical music is usually performed with classical ballet, but not always. European “classical music” is different from non-European musical forms because the music is written by a system called staff notation, which the speed and rhythm of the music is written down on paper. They are actually a series of lines, called the staff. The staff has round circles drawn onto it, and these circles s are called notes. Notes represent specific sounds. This is actually a classical music language, like you and I speak English and write with the alphabet to make words, musicians write with notes on a staff.
The actual term “classical music” did not come about until very recently, about 200 years ago, in the year 1836. The Oxford English Dictionary actually invented the term “Classical Music.”
The writers of the Oxford English Dictionary were trying to describe a specific period of time the “golden age of music” during which time some the world’s greatest composers lived and worked, from Johann Sebastian Bach to Ludvig Von Beethoven. Years later, Peter Tchaikovsky, who wrote the music to Swan Lake, was one of the most famous classic music composers ever to come from Russia.
Questions to ask children after reading Lesson:
1. Who wrote the music to Swan Lake?
2. How do you write down classical music so that people can read it?
3. Where did the term “classical music” come from?
4. Can you name some other classical music composers that you have heard?
This is an example of what staff notation looks like, an actual piece sheet music:
Teacher’s Guide “The Nutcracker”
Introducing “The Nutcracker” Ballet Through
“Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker” DVD
Grade Level(s): Pre-school to 2nd
Hello Teachers and Parents!
We are about to explore the wonderful world of classical ballet and learn all about one of the most famous ballets ever created, “The Nutcracker”. Through our 60 minute DVD “Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker” you will learn the story of “The Nutcracker” ballet and learn some basic ballet steps too. Our show features real professional ballet footage narrated by a cartoon ballerina so children can easily follow the story.
“The Nutcracker” is a famous romantic ballet that celebrates the magic of Christmas. This ballet is set to music written by Peter Tchaikovsky. It’s the story of a young girl named Clara. On Christmas Eve Clara dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and their magical journey to the Land of Sweets.
This Study Guide is designed for use in conjunction with watching “Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker,” and also as a great introduction before attending a live ballet performance.
Our goal in creating the Prima Princessa series is to inspire the love of ballet in children and grown-ups alike, and to encourage everyone to get up and dance and then to go see live ballet in the theater.
Objectives of this Guide:
Students will:
• Learn the story of “The Nutcracker” ballet and where it came from
• Learn about the main characters of “The Nutcracker”
• Learn the basic facts about the theater.
• Learn how people become a professional ballet dancers.
• Identify the music composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and his other works
• Understand that classical ballet is a creative way to tell a story through music and movement
• Become familiar with the history of ballet and classical music
• Learn how to develop an appreciation for ballet and classical music
While viewing the DVD, students will be able to do basic dance movements, which will enhance their appreciation of ballet. These moves are demonstrated by a combination of pre-school children and pre-teen ballet students from School of American Ballet, the official academy of the New York City Ballet. Make sure to clear space in the classroom for movement or show program in a gym.
Procedure:
- It is recommended that this Study Guide be done in 4 parts and done over 4 days in conjunction with viewing the DVD, “Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcrcaker”.
- Lessons “An Introduction to Classical Ballet” & “An Introduction to Classical Music” are also featured in the guide to “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake”. If you have not shown the “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake” DVD and used its study guide we suggest you either present these two lessons first before starting this program or incorporate them into days 2 & 3. If you have already covered these lessons simply omit them.
- If possible, clear a space for children to dance along with the show or set up a screen in the school gym.
Outline of Lesson Plan for “Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker”
Day 1:
Class Discussion: “The History & Story of ‘The Nutcracker’ Ballet”
Watch Feature: (approx. 10 min.) Part 1 of Act 1 & Passé Dance Lesson
Day 2:
Class Discussion: “An Introduction to Classical Ballet” & “Discover the Theater”
Watch Feature: (approx. 10 min.) Part 2 of Act 1 & Glissade Dance Lesson
Day 3:
Class Discussion: “An Intro to Classical Music” & “Becoming a Ballet Dancer”
Watch Feature: (approx. 10 min.) Act 2 and following Sauté Dance Lesson
Optional Day 4:
Nutcracker Theme Holiday Party.
Host a class Holiday Party featuring activities from the Bonus Features
LESSONS
LESSON: “The History & Story of ‘The Nutcracker’ Ballet”
History of “The Nutcracker” Ballet
Creating a ballet takes lots of people working together. A famous Russian composer named Peter Tchaikovsky wrote the music to the “The Nutcracker”. The music in “The Nutcracker” is Romantic style. The Romantic Period of history occurred in Europe during the 1800s. Writers and artists of the Romantic Period of history sought to convey deep emotions and the awe-inspiring beauty of nature in their works. The choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov designed the dances in the ballet. The written story or libretto of this ballet is based on the story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by E.T.A. Hoffman.
“The Nutcracker” was first shown in at a theater in Russian in 1892. This ballet has two acts and takes place on Christmas Eve. It is one of the most popular ballets today and is shown across the country and the world during the Christmas holiday season.
The Life of Composer Peter Tchaikovsky
As a boy growing up in Russia during 1800s, Tchaikovsky loved music and excelled at his piano lessons. His parents, however, sent him away to college to study to be a civil servant, thinking it would be a more stable career than a musician. Tchaikovsky graduated and became a civil servant, but eventually and against the wishes of his parents, he decided to pursue his love of music and enrolled in music school. He went on to become very famous composer during his time, and his work is still performed today. “The Nutcracker” as well as his two other ballets “Swan Lake” and “The Sleeping Beauty” are still performed around the world today.
Summary of the Plot of “The Nutcracker” Ballet
The first half of Act I opens with a big festive party on Christmas Eve which is hosted by the parents of a young girl named Clara. At the party Clara’s mysterious Uncle Drosselmeyer gives her a magical nutcracker. Clara is very excited to receive such a wonderful gift. After bedtime when all the guests have gone back home, Clara sneaks back downstairs to visit her nutcracker. She falls asleep by the Christmas tree. Clara dreams her nutcracker comes to life and turns into a handsome prince.
In the second half of Act I, together Clara and the Nutcracker Prince with his army of solders battle and defeat an evil Mouse King and his troops. To celebrate the defeat of the Mouse King, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince head off on a magic journey. Their first stop is to meet the Snow Queen who along with her court, dances for Clara and the Nutcracker Prince.
In Act II Clara and the Nutcracker Prince travel to the Land of Sweets and meet the Sugar Plum Fairy. A big celebration is held in honor of Clara, the girl who helped to defeat the evil Mouse King. Many different types of dancers perform for Clara. The ballet ends with Clara waking up back home on Christmas morning to her loving family.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
1. Can you remember the name of the little girl in the ballet? (Clara)
2. Where did the idea for “The Nutcracker” ballet come from?” (a story)
3. What special place do Clara and the Nutcracker Prince go to in Act II?” (Land of Sweets)
LESSON: “An Introduction to Classical Ballet”
Classical ballet is the most formal ballet style and requires years of practice and training. Classical ballet is most known for pointe work, which is when a ballerina goes up on the point of her toes in “toe-shoes.” Dancing on your toes in toe-shoes make the ballerina look like she is floating, and flying, effortlessly almost like magic. So, dancing in toe-shoes is a very special thing that is only found in Classical ballet.
Did you ever wonder why ballet terms are all in French? Well, it’s because classical ballet comes from France, and the original French words are still used to day in dance classes all over the world, no matter what language you speak.
The first official classical ballet school and classical ballet company were formed about 400 years ago, in France by King Louis XIV. Back then there was no cable TV, no movies, no CD players, ipods or Radio stations. People entertained themselves by performing for each other, and the most special place of honor to perform was for the King in his court.
To encourage more dance and better dance, the King of France, created the ballet school Academie Royale de Danse and the Ballet de l”Opera, better know today as the Paris Opera Ballet. He then built the Paris Opera Theater where the Paris Opera Ballet would perform for all the French noble men and visitors.
Did you ever wonder why dancers never speak or sing on stage? Ballet is a way of telling a story through movement. Dancers do not talk on stage. Ballets are often classic storybook tales that are explained through the dancers emotions and movements, and this is called pantomime. Each classical ballet tells a story, often a love story, but instead of words dancers use their entire bodies to express themselves. When they are sad, they move very slowly and sadly to slow and sad music, and when they are happy their entire bodies jump for joy and show happiness to quick moving fun music.
Classical ballet is performed on a stage, in front of an audience, usually with a live orchestra of musicians playing their instruments in the orchestra pit in front of the stage. On the stage, there will be stage sets and lights. By using sets and lighting the stage can look like any place the designer wants; for example sets can make a stage look like a forest in one act and then be changed to like a castle ballroom in another act.
Ballet dancers have special costumes and make-up to help them look like the characters that they are pretending to be. One type of costume that you often see in Classical Ballet is a tutu. Ballerinas wear tutus fluffy skirts that are often sparkly and quite short so the audience can see their leg and footwork easily. Costumes can transform a ballerina to look like a queen, a fairy, a cat, a doll, anything that the imagination can create.
Classical Ballet and the use of toe-shoes spread throughout the world, and became very popular in Russia, Italy, Germany, France, England, and eventually in the United States too.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
1. What country was the first classical ballet school created in? (France)
2. What language is used for ballet terms? (French)
3. What is one special thing that classical ballet has that other dance forms do not have? (toe-shoes)
4. What is pantomime? (Pantomime is the art of using your body to tell a story, instead of speaking.)
LESSON: “What Is Theater?”
Basic Overview of the Theater
Theater is when performers perform live in a specific spot, usually on a stage, in front of an audience. An audience is a group of people who watch a performance. Most often actors perform imaginary stories, but sometime these stories can be real. They may tell these stories through dance and music only like in ballet or they may also use words which is then called drama.
Theaters are often indoors, but can also be outdoors. The stage is on one end and the audience generally has chairs in front of the stage. Stages can be very complicated depending on the production. Generally there is a big curtain in front of the stage. When the curtain opens you see all the actors or dancers and the sets. What you don’t see is the space hidden behind the stage and to the left and right of the stages. These areas are called the wings and are where more actors props, costumes, and sets are hidden until it is their turn to go on stage.
Attending a live theater performance is very exciting. Generally, you will buy your tickets ahead of time. Your ticket, unlike in the movies where you sit wherever you like, tells you what seat you are to sit in. During the performance you need to sit still and no talking so that everyone can concentrate and hear the performance. Performances are divided into parts called acts. The curtain closes or the lights are turned off between acts so that sets can be moved around and new actors or dancers come onstage without the audience seeing. When the curtain lifts the actions starts again.
In the middle of a show there is a short break of about 15 minutes called an intermission. During intermission the audience members can get up and stretch, go out to the lobby to purchase a snack or go to the bathroom. When the show is over the cast will come out and take their bows. The audience claps for them. If the audience really loved the show they will often stand up in their seats clapping which is called a standing ovation.
Common Theater Terms:
Director:
A director tells the actors what to do and leads the choice of costumes and sets. In ballet the director is called the Artistic Director. The artistic director tells the dancers how to dance certain dances and how to act out without any words certain actions.
Props: These are items that actors use on stage to make their characters seem more real. A parasol, a fan and the Nutcracker doll are all examples of props in the “The Nutcracker”.
Costumes: These are the clothes that actors or dancers wear on stage. Ballet costumes need to look like certain characters, and they also must be made in such a way that dancers can dance in them. Tutus, short skirts of tulle, with tighter leotard tops, are the main costumes of ballerinas in ballets. In “The Nutcracker” there are all sorts of costumes. Dancers get dressed up like mice, solders, flowers, snow fairies and even a genie.
Sets: Sets help give the audience a sense of where the performance is taking place. These sets can often be very elaborate and takes months to build or sometimes they can be as simple as just one table and chair. There are lots of sets in “The Nutcracker”. Between acts when the curtains have closed everyone has to work really hard to switch to the new sets. In “The Nutcracker” the sets even move while onstage! These type of sets are mechanical.
Rehearsal & Dress Rehearsal
Rehearsals are when the actors and/or dancers practice the show. It takes many rehearsals for them to learn their parts. A dress rehearsal is the last rehearsal done before opening night. For this rehearsal the actor and/or dancers will wear their costumes.
Opening Night
This is the first night that the show opens.
Break a leg
This is a expression in the theater which means “Good Luck!”
Moving around on a stage:
Actors use terms “Stage Left”, “Stage Right”, “House Left”, “House Right”, “Upstage” and “Downstage” to move around the stage. They use these special terms because they are facing a different direction than the audience so their left, right, up and down are different than what the audience’s. Using these terms prevents them from getting mixed up.
Upstage is the part of the stage furthest from the audience.
Downstage is the part of the stage closest to the audience.
Stage Right and Stage Left are an actor’s right and left when he is facing the audience.
House Left and House Right are the sides of the stage an audience sees when sitting in its seats facing a stage.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
- Why do you think curtains are necessary for shows? (Sets can be moved behind a curtain without the audience seeing.)
- What is the difference between sets and costumes? (Actors wear costumes. Sets are structures placed on stage to create a sense of a certain place.)
- What do you call and actors left? What do you call an audience member’s right? (stage left, house right)
LESSON: “An Introduction to Classical Music”
Classical music is usually performed with classical ballet, but not always. European “classical music” is different from non-European musical forms because the music is written by a system called staff notation, which the speed and rhythm of the music is written down on paper. They are actually a series of lines, called the staff. The staff has round circles drawn onto it, and these circles s are called notes. Notes represent specific sounds. This is actually a classical music language, like you and I speak English and write with the alphabet to make words, musicians write with notes on a staff.
The actual term “classical music” did not come about until very recently, about 200 years ago, in the year 1836. The Oxford English Dictionary actually invented the term “Classical Music.”
The writers of the Oxford English Dictionary were trying to describe a specific period of time the “golden age of music” during which time some the world’s greatest composers lived and worked, from Johann Sebastian Bach to Ludvig Von Beethoven. Years later, Peter Tchaikovsky, who wrote the music to “The Nutcracker”, was one of the most famous classic music composers ever to come from Russia.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
1. Who wrote the music to “The Nutcracker”? (Tchaikovsky)
2. How do you write down classical music so that people can read it? (On paper with a system called staff notation)
3. Where did the term “classical music” come from? ( Oxford English Dictionary)
4. Can you name some other classical music composers that you have heard? (Bach, Beethoven are two examples)
LESSON: “Becoming a Ballet Dancer”
Becoming a ballet dancer is a long process that takes lots of hard work and training. Children usually start training in ballet starting about 6 or 7 years of age. They attend ballet class once or twice a week. The older they get the more they start going to class until they are taking class every day.
In ballet class girls wear tights, leotards and ballet slippers. Boys will wear special dance t-shirts, ballet pants and ballet slippers. Girls need to pull their hair back so it does not get in the way. No dangling jewelry in class either as that can get in the way of dancing as well. Girl dancers eventually progress to dancing in toe-shoes. A dancer’s feet need to be strong enough and their skill advanced enough before they can start dancing in toe-shoes.
Older students will often tryout for more advanced ballet schools which are run out of ballet companies in cities across the countries. Some of these schools are even boarding schools like The School of American Ballet in New York City which is the official academy of the New York City Ballet. SAB was founded in 1934 by the famous choreographer George Balanchine and dance lover Lincoln Kirsten. At the time, all the best ballet schools were in Europe and these two men saw the need to create a great ballet school in America.
After they graduate from these schools, they audition to dance with a ballet company and soon get to dance all sorts of amazing ballets in front of live audiences. A ballet company is an organization that puts on live ballet performances. In a ballet company there are principal dancers who dance the major roles and then there are corps de ballet dancers who generally dance together in groups as a back ups to the principal dancers.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson:
What is the name of the shoe that young dancers start out wearing? (ballet slippers)
Why do girls need to pull their hair back during class? (so it does not get in the way while they dance)
What is one type of dancer in a ballet company? (principal or corps de ballet)
OPTIONAL: “Nutcracker Theme Holiday Party”
Optional: Host a Nutcracker theme holiday party as a way to celebrate the end of this unit. Below are descriptions of each bonus feature and how each can be used in a class setting. We have provided an outline for a party incorporating these bonus features, but feel free to pick and choose, mix and match these bonus features as you see fit for your class.
- Do a one of the craft activities featured in the bonus features.
- Share special holiday foods.
- Do “Freeze Dancing” bonus feature in a gym as it requires lots of space.
- Do “Arm Positions and Port de Bras” bonus feature at the end of the party. This feature is a good way to slow children down after the high energy “Freeze Dance Feature”. Children stand in place and simply move their arms along to the feature.
Bonus Feature: Holiday Party
This 5-minute bonus feature shows children at a holiday party making cookies and decorating a gingerbread house. This feature is a great one to show if you plan to have a class party to cap off the end of watching “Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker”. We suggest decorating gingerbread houses at the class party. You can buy pre-made ones at craft and grocery stores.
Bonus Feature: Holiday Crafts
This 5-minute feature shows kids making cut-out paper snowflakes, paper garland chains and paper fans. We recommend you select one craft to do with the class. Watch this feature a few times to become familiar with the techniques.
Bonus Feature: Holiday Freeze Dancing
This 5-minute bonus feature is high energy and should be done in a gym or somewhere with lots of space to move around. This activity is designed to get children up and moving and experiencing dance in creative, inspiring manner.
In this feature children dance around as the music plays and when it stops they must freeze in place. Start by having your students freeze dance to this feature so they can learn how freeze dancing works. After the feature is over we suggest playing your own choice of music and starting and stopping the music manually creating a freeze dance experience.
Bonus Feature: Arm Positions & Port de Bras
This bonus feature is set to the music “Waltz of the Flowers” from “The Nutcracker”. It demonstrates basic ballet arm movement exercise with a flower motif. We recommend that children do the movements as they watch this feature to really absorb the lesson. It can be repeated several times so children start to absorb actual movements.
Introducing Swan Lake through “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake” DVD” to be:
Teacher’s Guide “Swan Lake”
Introducing “Swan Lake” Ballet Through
“Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake” DVD
Grade Level(s): Pre-school to 2nd
Introducing Swan Lake through “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake” DVD
Hello Teachers and Parents!
We are about to explore the wonderful world of classical ballet and learn all about one of the most famous ballets ever created, Swan Lake. Through our 40 minute DVD “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake” you will learn the story of Swan Lake and learn some basic ballet steps too. Our show features real professional ballet footage narrated by a cartoon ballerina so children can easily follow the story.
The Ballet Swan Lake is a gorgeous romantic ballet, which shows how a woman’s grace and beauty is like that of a swan. This ballet is set to music written by Peter Tchaikovsky, and has some of the most expressive, memorable, and graceful movements ever performed on stage.
This lesson plan is designed to be used in conjunction with watching “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake,” and also as a great introduction before attending a live ballet performance.
Our goal in creating the Prima Princessa series is to inspire the love of ballet in children and grown-ups alike, and to encourage everyone to get up and dance and then to go see live ballet in the theater.
Grade Level(s): pre-school to 2nd
Overview: This lesson will introduce students to the classic ballet Swan Lake and classical music in general. This lesson can also be used to teach children basic dance moves if an appropriate space is available.
Objectives of this Guide:
Students will:
• Learn the story of Swan Lake and something about where it came from
• Learn about the main characters of the story
• Identify the music composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and his other works
• Understand that classical ballet is a creative way to tell a story through music and movement
• Become familiar with the history of ballet and classical music
• Learn how to develop an appreciation for ballet and classical music
We recommend playing our DVD “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake” in conjunction with this written guide.
While viewing the DVD, students will be able to do basic dance movements, which will enhance their appreciation of ballet. These moves are demonstrated by a combination of pre-school children and pre-teen ballet students from School of American Ballet, the official academy of the New York City Ballet.
Procedure:
1. It is recommended that this lesson be done in 3 parts and done over 3 days in conjunction with viewing the DVD. The “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake” DVD is divided into 3 parts each featuring one Act from the show and each running about 10. Spend approximately 10 minutes discussing concepts in the related lesson plan section and then watch a section of the show with the class.
2. If possible, clear a space for children to dance along with the show or set up a screen in the school gym.
LESSON ONE: The Story of Swan Lake
Students will learn story of Swan Lake.
LESSON TWO: An Introduction to classical ballet students will learn how stories can be told verbally, musically and through physical movement.
LESSON THREE: An introduction to classical music, students will learn a brief history of classical music and classical composers.
Lesson One: The origin and story of Swan Lake
A famous Russian composer named Peter Tchaikovsky wrote Swan Lake in 1875. The legend of the Swan-Maiden goes back thousands of years. Beautiful women who turn into birds were popular themes for stories all over the world, and the swan was the most popular one because of its grace when swimming in the water.
Swan Lake tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse.
Swan Lake: Act I
It is a beautiful Spring day and Prince Siegfried arrives in the palace courtyards and celebrates his birthday with townspeople and other royalty. During the party, his mother gives him crossbow and tells him that because he is of age now, must get married. Then he takes his new crossbow and goes to the woods with his hunting buddies.
Swan Lake: Act 2
Prince Siegfried finds himself a quiet spot in the forest by an enchanted lake, Swan Lake. While Siegfried watches, he sees the most beautiful swan of all, it’s the queen of the swans. As dusk falls, the swan turns into the most beautiful young woman he has ever seen. Her name is Odette, the Swan Queen. She tells the prince that an evil sorcerer, Von Rothbart, has turned her and the other girls into swans and that the lake was formed by the tears of their parents’ who miss them so much. Von Rothbart is part black owl and part evil sorcerer.
She tells him that the only way the spell could be broken is if a noble prince pledges his dieing love to her. The Prince, about to confess his love for her, is quickly interrupted by the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart. He takes Odette from Prince Siegfried and commands all of the swan maidens to leave.
Swan Lake: Act 3
The next day is Prince Siegfried’s big birthday party. It’s a huge ball where princes and princesses from all over the land come to celebrate his birthday. Many beautiful princesses come to the party hoping that the Prince will choose them to be his new wife. Although the princesses are lovely, he cannot stop thinking about Odette, the Swan Queen. His mother the Queen commands him to choose a bride, but he cannot. Then something terrible happens. While he is dancing, the evil Von Rothbart arrives and brings his daughter, Odile to the party. He has cast a spell on Odile to make her look just like Odette. The prince instantly falls for this mysterious woman in black, as he dances with her. Oh, no, he thinks she is the Swan maiden from the lake…. He is falling for the wrong girl! It’s a trick…The Prince is being tricked by the evil sorcerer.
Little does he know, the real Odette is watching him from a window. The prince soon confesses his love to wrong girl, thinking that she is Odette. To Odette’s horror, she flies away into the night. Prince Siegfried sees the real Odette flying from the window and realizes he made a terrible mistake. Von Rothbart tells the prince the truth that this is his daughter Odile. Prince Siegfried quickly leaves the party and chases after Odette in hopes that he can make things right again.
Swan Lake: Act 4
Odette flew back to the lake and joined the rest of the girl swans. She is so sad. Prince Siegfried arrives during a terrible storm and searches for his deal Odette. He looks all through the flock of swans until he finally finds her.
He explains to Odette that the evil Von Rothbart tricked him and she forgives him. The strength of true love prevails and Odette and all the swan maidens are human again are free to go back to their loving families. Odette and Seigfired can now marry and live happily ever after.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson One:
1. Who wrote Swan Lake?
2. Who are the two main characters in Swan Lake that fall in love?
3. Who is the evil character that casts a curse on the maidens?
4. What is the evil curse?
5. How does Swan Lake end?
Important Teacher Note: It is important to note that there are different versions of Swan Lake. “Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake” DVD features a happy ending but many version have a tragic ending depicting suicide.
In the traditional Russian version, it has a happy ending where Odette and Seigfired defeat the evil Von Rothbart and live happily ever after. In some versions however, the end is tragic like Romeo and Juliet where the love stuck couple plunge to their death in the lake. In other versions there is a mighty battle where Seigfried dies and then Odette commits suicide out of sadness for losing Seigfried. Therefore if you are bringing a small child to a performance of Swan Lake, make sure you know which version it is before hand, so you can prepare your child.
Lesson 2: An introduction to classical ballet
Classical ballet is the most formal ballet style and requires years of practice and training. Classical ballet is most known for pointe work, which is when a ballerina goes up on the point of her toes in “toe-shoes.” Dancing on your toes in toe-shoes make the ballerina look like she is floating, and flying, effortlessly almost like magic. So, dancing in toe-shoes is a very special thing that is only found in Classical ballet.
Did you ever wonder why ballet terms are all in French? Well, it’s because classical ballet comes from France, and the original French words are still used to day in dance classes all over the world, no matter what language you speak.
The first official classical ballet school and classical ballet company were formed about 400 years ago, in France by King Louis XIV. Back then there was no cable TV, no movies, no CD players, ipods or Radio stations. People entertained themselves by performing for each other, and the most special place of honor to perform was for the King in his court.
To encourage more dance and better dance, the King of France, created the ballet school Academie Royale de Danse and the Ballet de l”Opera, better know today as the Paris Opera Ballet. He then built the Paris Opera Theater where the Paris Opera Ballet would perform for all the French noble men and visitors.
Did you ever wonder why dancers never speak or sing on stage? Ballet is a way of telling a story through movement. Dancers do not talk on stage. Ballets are often classic storybook tales that are explained through the dancers emotions and movements, and this is called pantomime. Each classical ballet tells a story, often a love story, but instead of words dancers use their entire bodies to express themselves. When they are sad, they move very slowly and sadly to slow and sad music, and when they are happy their entire bodies jump for joy and show happiness to quick moving fun music.
Classical ballet is performed on a stage, in front of an audience, usually with a live orchestra of musicians playing their instruments in the orchestra pit in front of the stage. On the stage, there will be stage sets and lights. By using sets and lighting the stage can look like any place the designer wants; for example sets can make a stage look like a forest in one act and then be changed to like a castle ballroom in another act.
Ballet dancers have special costumes and make-up to help them look like the characters that they are pretending to be. One type of costume that you often see in Classical Ballet is a tutu. Ballerinas wear tutus fluffy skirts that are often sparkly and quite short so the audience can see their leg and footwork easily. Costumes can transform a ballerina to look like a queen, a fairy, a cat, a doll, anything that the imagination can create.
Classical Ballet and the use of toe-shoes spread throughout the world, and became very popular in Russia, Italy, Germany, France, England, and eventually in the United States too.
1. What country was the first classical ballet school created in?
2. What language is used for ballet terms?
3. What is one special thing that classical ballet has that other dance forms do not have?
4. What is pantomime?
5. How do dancers make the stage look like a special place from a story?
Lesson 3: An introduction to classical music
Classical music is usually performed with classical ballet, but not always. European “classical music” is different from non-European musical forms because the music is written by a system called staff notation, which the speed and rhythm of the music is written down on paper. They are actually a series of lines, called the staff. The staff has round circles drawn onto it, and these circles s are called notes. Notes represent specific sounds. This is actually a classical music language, like you and I speak English and write with the alphabet to make words, musicians write with notes on a staff.
The actual term “classical music” did not come about until very recently, about 200 years ago, in the year 1836. The Oxford English Dictionary actually invented the term “Classical Music.”
The writers of the Oxford English Dictionary were trying to describe a specific period of time the “golden age of music” during which time some the world’s greatest composers lived and worked, from Johann Sebastian Bach to Ludvig Von Beethoven. Years later, Peter Tchaikovsky, who wrote the music to Swan Lake, was one of the most famous classic music composers ever to come from Russia.
Questions to ask children after reading lesson 3:
1. Who wrote the music to Swan Lake?
2. How do you write down classical music so that people can read it?
3. Where did the term “classical music” come from?
4. Can you name some other classical music composers that you have heard?
This is an example of what staff notation looks like, an actual piece sheet music:
