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Performing Arts Activity Workbook For Grades K 1 Presented By

Table of Contents Introduction Goals What is Ballet Who Makes Up a Ballet Company Movement Activity Learning Ballet Learn the Ballet Positions of the Arms Worksheet Matching Ballet Positions of the Arms Answer Sheet Matching Ballet Positions of the Arms Learn the Ballet Positions of the Feet Worksheet Matching Ballet Positions of the Feet Answer Sheet Matching Ballet Positions of the Feet Discussion Ballet Positions Worksheet Ballet Terms Coloring Pages Learning Theater Production Learn the Key Elements and Personnel of Theater Production Stage Management Scenic Design Lighting Design Costume Design Discussion Theater Jobs Worksheet Crossword Puzzle Answer Sheet Crossword Puzzle Worksheet Who Am I Answer Sheet Who Am I Worksheet Build a Costume From Your Closet Discussion Build a Costume From Your Closet Worksheet Create a Backdrop Worksheet Design a Costume Worksheet Create a Prop Worksheet Build a Set 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 2

Introduction About Ballet Theatre Company Ballet Theatre Company is a 501 c 3 not for profit performing arts organization Since its founding in 1999 BTC has continued to train aspiring professional dancers stage live action entertainment and enrich the community through its youth outreach program Mission Ballet Theatre Company enriches the greater Hartford area by offering professional caliber dance productions dance education for ages 3 to adult and dance related workshops free of charge to children who otherwise would not have the opportunity through BTC s Community Youth Outreach Program About Behind the Curtain Behind the Curtain is affiliated with BTC s large stage productions such asThe Nutcracker Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty BTC will offer a live presentation including its professional dancers and artists to work directly with students to build their appreciation for the arts and educate them about the many aspects of a dance production These interactive presentations will aim to invoke an early appreciation for the performing arts and provide knowledge that will help the students become active audience members when attending performances In opening the students eyes to the many wonders of a ballet production Behind the Curtain aims to share the joys of live performances with young audiences and inspire a lifelong connection to the arts whether that be as a performer costumer member of the crew or audience member Overview and Purpose The purpose of Ballet Theatre Company s Performing Arts Activity Workbook is to provide children of all ages with the opportunity to explore the world of the performing arts through fun activities Not only will children learn about ballet and what happens behind the scenes to put on a production but they will also be able to practice essential academic skills and get creative through this workbook Their imaginations will be sparked by activities such as designing a costume or prop and coloring worksheets will enhance their engagement as they read and learn By introducing children to the beauty of ballet and production jobs we hope to 3

encourage them to get involved with the arts and see a potential future with these interests or even career paths Audience This activity workbook was created for grades K 1 It includes a variety of worksheets and information pages that practice reading comprehension and encourage the further development of a creative mind Children will need some guidance in reading the information pages and instructions throughout this activity workbook All worksheets are intended for the kindergarten to first grade age group and focus on inspiring creativity while also introducing children to the magical world of the performing arts Materials Needed This activity workbook contains comprehension worksheets coloring sheets and fun activities for children in grades K 1 Children will also need a pencil pen crayons colored pencils or markers to complete the workbook For the worksheets in the end of the workbook additional art supplies like feathers shoe boxes playdough glue popsicle sticks and more will also be helpful Contact Program Creators Stephanie Dattellas Artistic and Managing Director Kyleigh Olivier Community Youth Outreach Intern stephanie dancebtc org kyleigh olivier dancebtc org 4

Goals 1 To introduce children to the world of ballet and the performing arts through enjoyable activities 2 To develop creative and artistic skills 3 To inspire children to incorporate their creativity in their academic studies 4 To provide knowledge about the potential for career paths in the performing arts 5 To develop a desire to read and learn through a world of fantasy 6 To provide a safe and practical way to interact with Ballet Theatre Company to continue to inspire the imagination and intrigue in the arts 5

What is Ballet Ballet is an artistic dance form performed to music using formal steps and gestures Classical ballet is characterized by light graceful fluid movements and commonly involves the use of pointe shoes Over the past few centuries different methods and schools of ballet have developed The most well known are the Vaganova Method Russian the French School the Cecchetti Method Italian the Bournonville Method the Royal Academy of Dance Method English and the Balanchine Method American Each school or method uses terminology slightly differently and has its own style of movement For example the Balanchine Method typically includes very quick movements and long lines created by the legs while the Bournonville Method focuses on expressive storytelling effortless movement and a light quality What are Pointe Shoes Pointe shoes are a hard type of ballet shoe that allow the dancer to appear weightless as they dance on the tips of their toes A dancer must have multiple years of experience and strong ankles in order to be ready to dance in pointe shoes A Brief History of Ballet Ballet originated during the Italian Renaissance as a form of entertainment for wealthy people and royalty When the Italian Catherine de Medici married King Henry II ballet spread to France where it was further developed Formal steps were created and ballet performances with lavish costumes and masks grew in popularity King Louis XIV loved ballet and established the Academie Royal de Danse Soon after the first professional theatrical ballet company the Paris Opera Ballet was formed in 1669 As ballet spread throughout Europe and made its way over to the Americas various methods and schools were created In 1795 Charles Didelot invented the flying machine that suspended dancers in the air so that they could dance on their toes This eventually developed into the pointe shoe as Marie Taglioni danced the lead role of La Sylphide en pointe in 1832 Ballet continued to evolve throughout the 19th and 20th centuries 6

Who Makes Up a Ballet Company Artistic Director The artistic director is the main leader in a ballet company He or she oversees and directs the artistic activities of the company and hires the dancers choreographers designers and other artistic staff The artistic director also plans what ballets will be performed each season and other events Ballet Master Mistress The ballet master mistress is responsible for leading daily company ballet classes and rehearsing the corps de ballet He or she helps to get the dancers stage ready and works closely with the artistic director Choreographer The choreographer creates and sets movement on the dancers based on the story of the ballet or the theme of the dance Sometimes the artistic director is the resident choreographer in the company and designs much of the movement that the company performs Principal Dancer A principal dancer is very strong both technically and artistically and typically has been dancing with the ballet company for many years He or she usually plays one of the lead roles in the company s ballets Soloists Soloists are dancers selected to perform roles in which they dance by themselves Corps de Ballet The corps de ballet is a group of dancers who perform in the ensemble dancing roles in the background to support the principal dancers and soloists A dancer will typically begin in the corps de ballet and then work their way up to soloist roles and principal dancer if they are strong enough 7

Movement Activity Now that you ve learned about the people who make up a ballet company it s time for you to explore what it s like to be a dancer or choreographer Try the movement activities below in a group or by yourself 1 Draw your name on the ground or in the air around you using different parts of your body Can you use your elbow Your nose Your foot Your belly button a You can mix it up by doing big letters or small letters your first name or your last name and cursive writing or angular writing 2 Choose your favorite character from the ballet How do you think they would move Would their movement be soft and flowy or fast and angular Create two to three movements that you think this character would do and put them all together 3 It s your turn to be the choreographer Grab a friend and tell them what role they will be dancing Are they the evil character the hero or the trusty friend Then teach your friend two to three movements that you think represent this character and how they would move As a dancer in the company your friend must learn and copy all of the movements that you teach them 8

Learn the Ballet Positions of the Arms Port de bras In French port de bras means carriage of the arms In classical ballet port de bras refers to the graceful and harmonious movement of the arms Port de bras may also be used to describe the exercises used to improve the quality of arm movements 9

Name _________________________________________ Date ____________ Worksheet Matching Ballet Positions of the Arms Draw a line to match the ballet positions of the arms to their corresponding picture See how many you get right without looking back to the previous pages 1 First Position 2 Second Position 3 Third Position 4 Fourth Position 5 Fifth Position 10

Answer Sheet Matching Ballet Positions of the Arms 1 First Position 3 2 Second Position 1 3 Third Position 5 4 Fourth Position 5 Fifth Position 2 4 11

Learn the Ballet Positions of the Feet Challenge After practicing each position of the feet try combining the positions of the feet with their corresponding positions of the arms 12

Name _________________________________________ Date ____________ Worksheet Matching Ballet Positions of the Feet Draw a line to match the ballet positions of the feet to their corresponding picture See how many you get right without looking back to the previous pages 1 First Position 2 Second Position 3 Third Position 4 Fourth Position 5 Fifth Position 13

Answer Sheet Matching Ballet Positions of the Feet 1 First Position 2 Second Position 3 Third Position 4 Fourth Position 5 Fifth Position 4 2 3 5 1 14

Discussion Ballet Positions After the students have learned the ballet positions of the arms and the feet and completed the matching activity you can follow up with some discussion questions 1 What positions did the students think were the easiest to do with their body 2 What positions were the most challenging 3 Look for relationships between increased difficulty and the increasing number names of the ballet positions For example does fifth position of the feet feel harder than first position of the feet 15

Name _____________________________________________ Date ____________ Worksheet Ballet Terms Coloring Pages Learn the ballet terms and color as you go You can try the movements too Demi Pli A demi pli is a ballet movement in which the dancer bends his or her knees The ballerina below is doing a demi pli in first position so her heels stay together and glued to the floor while her legs make a diamond shape 16

Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________ Retir The retir position is created by bending one leg and attaching the pinky toe to the knee of the other leg Don t forget to turnout though the knee should be pointing to the side 17

Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________ Battement Tendu The ballet step battement tendu means stretched A dancer stretches one leg out and points their toes while standing tall on their other leg Battement tendus can be done in many different directions such as front side and back 18

Learn the Key Elements and Personnel of Theater Production Putting together a theater production requires great teamwork from a wide variety of people in order to create the performance that the Artistic Director envisions Some of these people include costume designers makeup artists stage managers lighting and sound designers electricians stagehands and many more They all work behind the scenes to help bring the production into the theater and to make sure the show runs smoothly for everyone performing The goal of the theater personnel is to provide the resources and labor needed to put together an enjoyable show for people to come see Color me as you learn about the key elements of theater 19

Stage Management Stage management personnel are responsible for overseeing the rehearsal process along with communicating and working with other production teams to make the show run smoothly Stage Manager The stage manager is the person who supervises the physical aspects of a stage production and calls the sound lighting and scenery cues throughout the show In addition a stage manager offers support and guidance to all other production teams and helps to keep everyone communicating and working efficiently Stagehand A stagehand is someone who sets props and sceneries prior to a performance and moves them during a performance as needed Headset A stage manager and some of the other crew members typically wear a headset during a performance to allow for communication between people working in different parts of the theater who are helping to run the show behind the scenes 20

Scenic Design Props structures on the stage and hung scenery are all incorporated in the scenic design of a show to help create a setting for the work being performed The arrangement of scenery for a particular scene or part of the performance is known as the set Set Designer A person who designs and creates scenery for the show Prop Designer A person who designs and creates props for the show Backdrop A scene is painted on a cloth and hung at the back of the stage to create the backdrop The backdrop helps to set the scene and contributes to the beauty of the stage Props A prop formally known as property is an object used on stage or screen by the performers to help enhance the production In practical terms a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set distinct from the actors scenery costumes and electrical equipment 21

Lighting Design Lights are hung both above and along the sides of the stage to allow the performers to be seen Lighting can be taken a step further to direct the audience s attention to different parts of the stage and to create a mood for the scene Lighting Designer A person who decides what lights should be used in different scenes of a show and how to alter them to create the desired mood The lighting designer will also create special effects for the show if needed Lighting Boom Lighting booms are placed at the edges of the stage typically behind the curtain wings to shine light on the stage and performers A lighting boom is composed of a vertical pipe on which the lights are hung and a boom base to keep the pipe stable Spotlight A spotlight projects a narrow intense beam of light directly on to a person or area on the stage to help draw attention to this figure Lighting Board The lighting board is used to control all of the electrical equipment on the stage One person operates the board during the show to alter the lights when instructed to do so by the stage manager Typically the lighting board is located in a booth high up in the back of the theater so the operator can clearly see the stage as they change the intensity of the lights color and more 22

Costume Design In order to help identify different characters and contribute to the story of the performance costumes are created for each performer Costumes are the clothes and accessories that the performers wear and costuming may be specific to a particular nation class or time period Costume Designer A person who designs and creates costumes Ballet Tutu Traditionally female ballet dancers wear a tutu on stage for their costume There are different styles of tutus with the most common being the pancake tutu and the romantic tutu The pancake tutu is short and flat sticking straight out from the dancer s hips with its stiff netting The romantic tutu is made from longer and softer netting called tulle and it usually falls between the dancer s knees and mid calf Ballet Tunic Male dancers typically wear a ballet tunic when performing a classical ballet This top is made in two pieces an under tunic and an outer tunic The under tunic is made from a stretchy fabric and extends into sleeves that match the outer tunic The outer tunic is like a vest When worn together the ballet tunic appears to be one piece but it allows the dancer to freely move his arms without the outer tunic rising above his waist when he lifts the ballerina up over his head 23

Discussion Theater Jobs While reading through each section of the Key Elements and Personnel of Theater Production ask the students the following questions 1 Which theater job would you want to have Why 2 Which theater job would you not want to have Why Point out that people have different interests and that they can change over time 24

Name ________________________________________________ Date ____________ Worksheet Crossword Puzzle Test your knowledge of the Key Elements of Theater Production below 25

Answer Sheet Crossword Puzzle 26

Name ________________________________________________ Date ____________ Worksheet Who Am I Guess which Theater Personnel each set of statements applies to Turn back to pages 14 17 if you need help 1 I love looking at different fabrics My sewing machine is almost always being used Tutus and ballet tunics are two of my favorite things to make Who am I __________________________________________________________ 2 I m a great helper behind the scenes I m very strong so I can lift heavy props and change scenery Who am I __________________________________________________________ 3 I don t think a show is complete without a beautiful backdrop I love painting scenes on cloth to create backdrops and other scenery Who am I __________________________________________________________ 4 My job is very important during the show I always wear a headset so I can call cues throughout the performance Who am I __________________________________________________________ 5 One of my talents is creating special effects My job helps to set the mood of the performance I know what lights are the best to use in each scene Who am I __________________________________________________________ 6 I think props are very important in telling the story of a performance If you need one built I m on it Who am I __________________________________________________________ 27

Answer Sheet Who Am I 1 I love looking at different fabrics My sewing machine is almost always being used Tutus and ballet tunics are two of my favorite things to make Who am I ______________________Costume Designer______________________ 2 I m a great helper behind the scenes I m very strong so I can lift heavy props and change scenery Who am I ________________________Stagehand__________________________ 3 I don t think a show is complete without a beautiful backdrop I love painting scenes on cloth to create backdrops and other scenery Who am I ________________________Set Designer________________________ 4 My job is very important during the show I always wear a headset so I can call cues throughout the performance Who am I _______________________Stage Manager_______________________ 5 One of my talents is creating special effects My job helps to set the mood of the performance I know what lights are the best to use in each scene Who am I ______________________Lighting Designer______________________ 6 I think props are very important in telling the story of a performance If you need one built I m on it Who am I ________________________Prop Designer_______________________ 28

Name ______________________________________________ Date ______________ Worksheet Build a Costume From Your Closet Part 1 Who is your favorite character from The Nutcracker Write their name in the box below Then think about the clothes you have in your closet How would you dress him or her List the clothes you would have them wear along with the color of the clothing Then draw a picture of the character in your clothes Favorite Character Clothes __________________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ 1 Why is this character your favorite character ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ 2 Why did you choose to dress them in that outfit ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ 29

Name ______________________________________________ Date ______________ Worksheet Build a Costume From Your Closet Part 2 Now repeat this activity with your least favorite character Write their name in the box below Then think about the clothes you have in your closet How would you dress him or her List the clothes you would have them wear along with the color of the clothing Then draw a picture of the character in your clothes Least Favorite Character Clothes __________________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ 1 Why is this character your least favorite character ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ 2 Why did you choose to dress them in that outfit ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ 30

Discussion Building a Costume From Your Closet After the children have completed the Build a Costume From Your Closet worksheet allow them to share their costumes with the rest of the class Once all of the students have shared ask the students if they noticed any similarities between the costuming choices The following questions can be asked as a starting point 1 Did more than one person decide to dress Clara in their pajamas 2 Did a lot of you choose to dress your favorite character in your favorite color ask them to raise their hand if they did so 3 What colors did people choose for their least favorite character s clothing see if there are similarities such as dark colors 4 How many people decided to dress the Russian dancers in something fuzzy and warm 31

Name ______________________________________________ Date ______________ Worksheet Create a Backdrop Choose your favorite scene from the ballet and create a backdrop for it in the space below 32

Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________ Worksheet Design a Costume Design a costume for your favorite dancer in the ballet on the mannequin below This time it doesn t have to be clothes from your closet you can draw a tutu a cape or anything else you d like If you re feeling really creative glue on some feathers jewels pom poms or any other craft supplies you have available 33

Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________ Worksheet Create a Prop Now s the time to get really creative Do you have any Play Doh clay styrofoam or some other craft supplies Your next challenge is to make a prop it s up to you if you want it to be a mini model or life size Either choose a prop that was used in the ballet to recreate or come up with your own prop Use the space below to brainstorm Drawing a sketch of what you want to make and creating a list of the supplies you need will definitely help you to get started Supplies _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ 34

Name ______________________________________________ Date ____________ Worksheet Build a Set Do you have any old shoe boxes laying around at home Now s the time to put them to use Your next task is to choose your favorite scene from the ballet and build a 3D shoe box set for it As the set designer it is your job to make sure you have all of the key elements the backdrop props and any other structures on the stage Brainstorm your design and any supplies you will need below Supplies _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ 35