Carnival of Cultures
A manifold THANK YOU! Thanks to your children for their great job! Thanks to many of you who volunteered at the Carnival of Cultures! And thanks for your support of performing arts program!
I have though a request: As always, I am dependent of pictures and video that other people make and share later with me. This time, I have some videos from the Carnival, but not a single picture. If you have something to share with me I would love it.
Next big events:
Festival of Nations on May 5th-8th
(more about the Festival of Nations at http://festivalofnations.com/)
The Festival of Nations is the biggest state-wide intercultural event where plenty ethnic groups can present their culture. Last year, our school (former 4th grade) participated at the German Culture Booth.
This year, I hope our current 4th graders will do it as well. I also applied for the Dance Performance.
Recently, I got the confirmation that a TCGIS dance group may present German Folklore Dance(s) which is great! But I also got a list of requirements, and they are hard to complete because they don't leave us much time.
Our dance group is required to come to the Technical Review on MARCH 20th (SUNDAY) with a ready dance program. We have also to be dressed in ethnic (German) costumes. The background of this issue is that the Festival of Nations is organized by the International Institute of Minnesota. This is a solid organization that will check our readiness and the authenticity of our program, costumes and soundtracks.
The event itself will take place on MAY 7th (SATURDAY) at the St. Paul RiverCentre. We will be one in a number of dance groups at the Children Dance Performance of Ethnic Groups.
To the attention of interested 4th and 5th graders
Following steps are important to be done by March 20th:
-confirmation: Attached is a permission form for you to let us know whether your children would be able to participate in both technical review (March 20th) and dance performance (May 7th). Please turn them in ASAP (main office or directly to me). I understand that right now, the list is not completed, and you will need some time to discuss it with your children, check your schedules etc. On March 20th, however, we have to submit the final list of dancers. It's important because the International Institute will issue a ticket for each person, and it will be difficult to make any changes after March 20th. Please notice that the number of participants will be limited to 24, and it would be fair if we do it on first come - first served basis.
-soundtracks: I already have some recordings, but if you have one of the following I would appreciate it:
Sternpolka and/or Holsteiner Dreitour
-costumes: I've already contacted the GAI and I will write a message to the parents in the next Elternbrief. But I also would ask you to help with costumes. Girls will basically need Dirndls, and boys Lederhosen.
-rehearsals: We have to maintain intensive rehearsals for the next 1,5 weeks. On Thursday (March 10), I will ask children to come downstairs at 10:20am. On Friday (March 11), it will be 8:00 to 8:35 am again + recess time (11:20 to 11:50am). I could also offer you a rehearsal on Saturday (10am to 12 pm?). If I could find volunteers for Saturday I would encourage you to bring siblings - we would have a big play date. I will send you the schedule for the next week later.
-technical review on March 20th Sunday at the International Institute of MN (Como Ave, St. Paul): we are scheduled for 2:10pm, but I would ask you to come by 1:30pm to get prepared. I totally understand that some of you will be out of town on that day. I hope, people at the Institute will understand it, too. But I think, at least more than half of our group must be present.
The next school concert is on May 21st (Saturday)
As last year, there will be a joint event of TCGIS, GAI and the German Chamber of Commerce. Our contribution this year will be a concert from 2 to 4pm. Please mark this date in your calendars, and I hope to see all of you at the St. Thomas More Concert Hall. I already heard about some schedule conflicts, and I am very sorry for that. As far as I know it was very hard to find any date in May because of a tight schedule of all participants.
In the meantime, I will work with students on the pieces for the program on May 21st.
Short news from the classes
All grades continue to have instruction in dance basics, singing and drama. We have a lot of drama projects going on. They are mostly German fairy tales. I'm working in collaboration with classroom teachers to make drama pieces ready by the end of April.
KB is working on Schneewittchen (Snow White); 1A - Frau Holle; 1B - Aschenputtel (Cinderella)
5th grade is preparing a surprise - there will be a comedy.
2nd grade is working on pirate songs, 3rd grade is learning songs from the musical Ritter Rost.
6th grade is busy with Ancient Greece and Greek Theater.
I hope to have a lot of pictures from Carnival of Cultures soon :-)
Thank you!
