Ballet Palm Beach

Study Guide

December 2, 2015

Study Guide

Nutcracker Suite
Presented by Ballet Palm Beach

Wednesday, December 2, 2015 at 10:30 AM

Show lasts approximately 60 minutes
Geared for Grades 3 – 12

presented at

Eissey Campus Theatre

Palm Beach State College
11051 Campus Drive, Palm Beach Gardens

561-207-5900

Ballet Palm Beach will perform a student friendly one hour version of the much loved favorite, The Nutcracker, with music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (op. 71). The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on Sunday, December 18, 1892.

The Story of the Nutcracker

I. The Party Scene

It is Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum house -- A large and grand house with the most beautiful tree imaginable. The Stahlbaums are hosting their annual Christmas party, welcoming the arrival of their family and friends. The children, Clara and Fritz, are dancing and playing as they welcome their friends too.

The party grows festive with music and dance as godfather Drosselmeyer arrives. He is a skilled clock and toy maker and always full of surprises. Drosselmeyer draws everyone's attention as he presents two life-size dolls. They are the delight of the party, each taking a turn to dance.

The children begin to open gifts when Drosselmeyer presents his to Clara and Fritz. Although his gift to Fritz is quite nice, he gives Clara a beautiful Nutcracker thatbecomes the hit of the party. Fritz becomes jealous and, having a bit more spunk than a boy should have, grabs the nutcracker from Clara and promptly breaks it. Clara is heartbroken looking on as Drosselmeyer quickly repairs the Nutcracker with a handkerchief he magically draws from the air.

As the evening grows late, the guests depart and the Stahlbaum family retires for the evening. Clara, worried about her beloved Nutcracker, sneaks back to the tree to check on him, falling asleep with him in her arms.

II. The Fight Scene

As the clock strikes midnight strange things begin to happen. Clara begins shrinking as her beautiful Christmas tree grows high above her. The toys around the tree come to life while the room fills with an army of mice, led by the fierce Mouse King. As the Nutcracker awakens, he leads his army of toy soldiers into battle with the mice. The Mouse King corners the Nutcracker and battles him one-on-one. The Nutcracker seems to be no match for the Mouse King.

The Nutcracker and his army can go on no longer and are captured by the mice and their King. Clara makes a final daring charge throwing her slipper at the Mouse King, hitting him square on the head. The Mouse King drops to the floor and the mice run away, carrying off their leader's lifeless body.

II. The Land of Snow (this scene will not be performed during the school show)

The Nutcracker turns into a Prince and takes Clara on a journey to the Land of Snow, an enchanted forest wonderlandwhere they are welcomed by dancing snowflakes.

III. The Land of Sweets

The Prince escorts Clara to the Land of Sweets where they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Prince tells her about their daring battle with the army of mice and she rewards them with a celebration of dances.

  • The Spanish Dance
  • The Arabian Dance
  • The Russian Dance
  • The Chinese Dance
  • The Mirliton Dance
  • The Waltz of Flowers

As a finale, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier dance a beautiful Pas De Deux (this will not be performed during the school show)

IV.The Dream Ends

Clara awakens from her dream and finds herself by her Christmas tree with her beloved Nutcracker.

THE COMPANY:

BALLET PALM BEACH

Ballet Palm Beach is a not-for-profit ballet company committed to preserving the art of classical ballet, enriching our community through the beauty of ballet, and impacting young lives through the discipline of dance. Artistic Director Colleen Smith founded Ballet Palm Beach (then known as Florida Classical Ballet Theatre) in 2001 to give dance students in northern Palm Beach County the opportunity to perform in full-length classical ballet productions. In its first year, Ballet Palm Beach performed only one production, The Nutcracker, to enthusiastic audience response. Since its first season, Ballet Palm Beach has grown to become a fixture in the arts and culture community, presenting four full-length productions each year and employing Resident Artists featured in each show.

PRE-PERFORMANCE DISCUSSIONS:

1.Prior to attending the performance, students should discuss audience etiquette.

Common etiquette rules include:

a)Turning off cellphones or electronic devices

b)No video or other recordingsare allowed inside the theatre

c)No food or drink is allowed in the theatre

d)Audience members should remain seated and should not leave or enter the auditorium during the performance

e)There is no talking during the performance

f)Clapping should be polite and appropriate

Discuss why these rules exist. Consider a short role-playing exercise during which students can experience what it is like if an audience is disruptive during classtime.

2.Through discussion or written response, reflect on the following:

  • What are some plays or live theatreproductions you have seen?
  • Have you seen ballet performed before?
  • How is a story told through dance?
  • What is a ballet? What makes itdifferent from other dancing?
  • Compare and contrast: How is telling astory through ballet the same/different

from a live theatre play? A movie in atheatre? A television show at home? A

book? Which do you prefer? Why?

  • Who decides how the dancers tell thestory?
  • How do the dancers learn their parts?

3.Through discussion or written response, reflect on the following:

  • Are you familiar with the literature that these dances are based upon?
  • Have you seen a play or other artistic presentation based on these books?
  • What is your favorite book and how would you present it as a dance?

4.In a ballet performance there are typically no words spoken on the stage. The dancers must tell the audience the story using only their body movements and gestures, which they execute to the accompaniment of music. Often mime is used to relay specific elements of the story.

Divide students into groups of two or more. Using the gestures, students can create their own stories using mime and perform them for the rest of the class. Canthe audience follow the story?

5.Introduce the class to a small sample ofcommonly seen ballet steps. Familiarity withbasic ballet technique will provide studentsreference points to help students enjoy theperformance.

Pas de deux: A dance for two dancers, usually one female and one male

Bourrées: Tiny rapid steps performed by female dancers while on pointe, giving the illusion of floating above the ground

Arabesque: One leg is stretched behind the body either on the ground or in the air at a 90-degree angle or higher.

Sauté: A jump from two feet to two feet. When a turn is added to the jump the step is called a Tour en l’air. The dancer canmake 1, 2 or 3 revolutions in the air before landing.

POST-PERFORMANCE DISCUSSIONS:

1.But ballet is just for girls….

Ballet can be enjoyed by boys, girls, men and women. It is very hard work and requires great athletic ability, coordination and strength. Many dancers perform a 2 ½ hour ballet with only a few short breaks.

Are you able to lifta personabove your head and have it appeareffortless? Are you able to perform several gravity-defying leaps?

Compare and contrast qualities ofprofessional dancers to those ofprofessional athletes.Make a list of qualities that are similarbetween a ballet dancer and any of thefollowing types of athletes: football player, hockey player, basketball player, figure skater.

2.Write a response to Nutcracker Suitecommenting on various elements in theballet (e.g. the dancers, music, costumes,and special effects)

  • What did you like and dislike about theperformance?
  • How does the ballet compare towhat you had pictured before the performance?
  • How was it different or similar to otherballets or shows you have seen?
  • How did the choreographer use danceto show emotions or tell the story?

3. Define overture and listen to the overture to the Nutcracker. Ask the students what mood they think this piece of music will have (happy, sad, etc.). Listen and then discuss.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES:

  1. Ballets tell stories using music and movement. Create original movements to correspond with emotions and themes that you might find in a piece of literature (ie. love, friendship, loyalty, jealousy, anger, playfulness)
  2. March of the Toys: Have the students dance pretending to their favorite toy.
  3. Arabian Dance (coffee) and Chinese Dance (tea): Listen and then compare the differences between the two pieces. Have students fold a piece of paper in half. Have them draw what they feel while listening to the Arabian Dance on one side. On the other half of the paper have them draw what they feel while listening to the Chinese Dance. Compare and contrast the drawings.

Arabian Dance -

Chinese Dance -

  1. Construct ballerina snowflakes.

INTERNET LINKS:

A 5 minute synopsis of the Nutcracker Story

Ballet Palm Beach

Ballet terms defined

Anaheim Ballet shows you how to stretch!

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