A Guide for Educators TABLE OF CONTENTS

Message from Joedy Cook, Founder and CEO ........................................................... 2

The Ugly Duckling Program Description .................................................................... 3

The Ugly Duckling Characters and Synopsis............................................................... 4

The Artists................................................................................................................... 5

Glossary ...................................................................................................................... 6

Story Telling Without Words ...................................................................................... 7

Move Your Body!........................................................................................................ 10

Music of The Ugly Duckling ........................................................................................ 11

Attending A Ballet Performance................................................................................. 12

Additional Resources.................................................................................................. 13

Educational Outreach Programs of Ballet Quad Cities ............................................... 14

Message from Joedy Cook, Founder and CEO

Greetings!

Founding Ballet Quad Cities over 23 years ago has given me a unique perspective on the impact the arts can have on a child. In today’s multimedia, 24/7 world where we are bombarded by interactive messages, it is vital to be able to reach every child with the important message of respect and tolerance brought to them with the universal languages of dance and music. I am thrilled to be working with you for The Ugly Duckling: A Message of Acceptance Told Through Dance. This two-part program is designed to explore how Ballet Quad Cities’ choreographer Courtney Lyon uses the characters in author Hans Christian Andersen‘s “The Ugly Duckling” to create a ballet with the message of tolerance. The following information and resources are intended to help your students become familiar with the music, the story, the dance steps, and most importantly the message of tolerance, and to prepare them for their theater experience of the live ballet performance. Classroom activities have been suggested. If you choose to use them, I hope you’ll find that the students’ theater experience is enhanced and will result in long lasting results of positive, productive communication, social and cultural awareness, and an appreciation and understanding of the value of the arts, specifically dance and music. Thank you for participating in this one of a kind, two-part theater experience. I welcome your feedback as we work together to grow the success of this program and continue to reach thousands of youth annually in our community.

Warmly,

Joedy Cook Founder and CEO, Ballet Quad Cities 309-786-3779 jcookballetqc@mediacombb.net

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The Ugly Duckling DescriptionThe Ugly Duckling: A Message of Acceptance Told Through Dance is a mainstay of Ballet Quad Cities’ educational outreach programs. Since it was created in 2007, over 30,000 students have participated in the program. Every year 1st and 2nd graders in Iowa and Illinois are visited by the professional dancers of Ballet Quad Cities in their classroom and then travel to see The Ugly Duckling performed live in a theater. This two-part program introduces students to a culture of respect in their classroom and community and promotes social and emotional skill development through an engaging program presented by Ballet Quad Cities’ professional dancers.

Part One, The Classroom Visit. This lesson teaches children to recognize and manage emotions, be tolerant and appreciative of differences, initiate and sustain friendships, and be able to seek help from peers or other adults when needed. To develop empathy, the children role-play with the dancers of Ballet Quad Cities in their classroom, learning choreography of the various characters in The Ugly Duckling. The students identify the mood and emotions of the characters and dance the emotions to the music of The Ugly Duckling. The professional dancers and the characters serve as positive role models for the students. Children will see costumes and props, learn basic dance terminology and technique, theater etiquette, and musical terms and practice analytical skills as applied to the arts. Part One serves as an introduction to Part Two, The Theater Experience.

Part Two, The Theater Experience. On the performance day, the students will arrive to the theater and be seated by class. They will be in the audience with other 1 st and 2nd graders from the area. The students will watch a “sneak peek behind the curtain” lecture demonstration. They will get to see how pointe shoes work, and find out what the dancers need to do to get ready for the performance. When the performance begins, the students will get the full performance experience of being in dark theater, with stage lights, sets, costumes and music, watching the professional dancers on stage in The Ugly Duckling. All the aspects of the performance will come together to reinforce the social and emotional messages of tolerance and respect that the students practiced in Part One.

This program is designed to enrich the elementary school experience for 6- and 7-year-olds, and incorporates first and second grade Fine Arts Anchor Standards.

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The Ugly Duckling Ballet Synopsis The Characters: The Ugly Duckling, Mother Duck, 4 Little Ducklings, Rooster, 2 Geese, Tom Cat, Hen, Hunting Dog, Snowflakes, 2 Swans

Scene I Dawn breaks over the barnyard. The Rooster crows, waking Mother Duck and her four Ducklings who have been keeping watch over a very large egg. When the large egg begins to crack, the little Ducklings gather around to meet their new sister. They are excited to show her around their happy home in the barnyard on the banks of the Mississippi river. The little Ducklings notice that their new sister looks different than they do- she is taller, has bigger wings and much bigger feet! They are not bothered by her differences. They love her all the same. However, the Rooster and Geese who live nearby are not as kind. They tease her and call her names like “Ugly Duckling.” They think that because she looks different than the other ducklings, she isn’t as good of a bird. They play games like London Bridges and Duck, Duck, Goose and exclude the Ugly Duckling from the fun. She becomes very unhappy and doesn’t want to embarrass her family, so she decides to run away from home, sneaking off into the forest when no one is watching. Scene II Lost and lonely in the forest, the Ugly Duckling encounters startling noises and strange new animals. She becomes friends with a Tom Cat and a Hen who help her escape the dangerous Hunting Dog’s attacks. The Ugly Duckling, though comforted by her new friendships, misses the barnyard and wonders if she’ll ever find a place to fit in. Sad and alone, she is overcome by the winter’s bitter winds and whirling snow. Scene III Spring arrives, the snow melts, and the duckling floats down the Mississippi River. She meets two graceful white Swans. The Swans recognize the Ugly Duckling and rescue her from her lonely time in the forest. They take her home to the barnyard. The Ugly Duckling is welcomed back by her family, who are surprised to discover that she was never an ugly duckling, but a graceful swan! Joyously, they all dance together—even the Rooster and the Geese.

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The Artists THE PROFESSIONAL DANCERS Ballet Quad Cities was founded in 1996. Now entering its 23rd season, Ballet Quad Cities consists of four men and nine women professional performers who have trained extensively in the art of dance and performance. Ballet Quad Cities dancers come from all over the nation, perform all across the region, and can be seen locally on the Adler Theatre stage in The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, the Brunner Theater Center in MUSICMOVES, the Bartlett Performing Arts Center in Dracula Unleashed! and the Lincoln Park Classic Theatre for Ballet Under the Stars.

THE CHOREOGRAPHER Courtney Lyon, Artistic Director of Ballet Quad Cities enjoys creating ballets for children and adults. Before becoming a choreographer in 2007, Ms. Lyon was a professional ballet dancer with Ballet Quad Cities. She has choreographed the full-length ballets The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Romeo + Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Rite of Spring, Murder Mystery at the Ballet, The Firebird, and Billy the Kid and ballets for children like The Ugly Duckling, The Three Little Pigs and Peter and the Wolf.

THE COMPOSERS To set the happy mood in Scene I in the barnyard on the sunny banks of the Mississippi River, the ragtime music of Canadian Brass is heard. Canadian Brass is a quintet (5 musicians) made of a tuba player, trombone player, French horn player and two trumpet players who play music from famous composers like Mozart, Bach and Gershwin. In Scene II, Hector Berlioz’s "Symphonie Fantastique" sets the variety of tones for the atmosphere of the dark forest and the swirling snowflakes. The smooth, rippling music of the River is by Finis Jhung and Scott Killian. When the swans appear in Scene III, the music is Robert Schumann’s quiet, delicate piano music "Scenes from Childhood, Dreaming." The happy finale of the ballet concludes with the energetic Canadian Brass.

THE AUTHOR The story of The Ugly Duckling was written by Hans Christian Andersen and first published in 1843. From the start it was a popular story and was read aloud at parties and other social events. Andersen acknowledged that The Ugly Duckling was essentially his autobiography; he felt like he shared many traits with the Duckling, like being tall and awkward and very different from the other children his age. His imagination and creativity helped him become a beloved author, and he wrote other popular stories that are still told today including the Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen, The Princess and the Pea, and The Emperor’s New Clothes. Most of his tales include messages of acceptance and respect.

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Glossary Choreographer A person who creates dance movements and patterns for a ballet

Composer A person who writes music.

Costumes The clothing a performer wears on stage to portray a specific character.

Props Objects that can be touched or danced with on stage that help tell a story.

Scenery Things on stage that set the atmosphere, like backdrops and set pieces.

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WordsStory T elling Without

Storytelling Without WordsWEATHER DANCES The Ugly Duckling gets lost in a snowstorm in the forest. Ask your students to describe a snowflake. Have them make their bodies into the shape of a snowflake. Ask them to move as if they were gently falling from the sky. Encourage the students to create dances for other weather patterns like a tornado, a sunny day or thunderstorm.

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Storytelling Without WordsMOOD CARDS The Ugly Duckling felt sad when the rooster was not nice to her. How did she feel when she ran away from home? How did she feel when she made new friends who were nice? Print and cut out mood cards. Have each student pick a card. Let the students take turns demonstrating the mood card to his or her classmates. Start with facial expressions, and then progress to full body gestures and poses. Have the students work in small groups to make movements phrases with that convey emotion. Let the groups perform for each other and discuss the emotions.

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Storytelling Without Words

SCENERY AND COSTUMESDesign and draw the sets and costumes for The Ugly Duckling. Choose a setting: The dark forest, the sunny barnyard or the swans gliding on the river. Then draw a dancer on the stage. What character is the dancer portraying? What does the dancer’s costume look like?

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Move Your Body!

Let’s Dance! Learn the Basics of Ballet with these fun, short videos. https:/ / youtu.be/ IZrb66ZfE3k 6 positions of the feet https:/ / youtu.be/ S5H wZJQ8NuA 5 positions of the arms https:/ / youtu.be/ jAIIedcUMY4 learn how to plie with kids in New York City! https:/ / www.facebook.com/ 113365272533/ videos/ vb.113365272533/ 1015337625585253 4/ ?type=2&theater learn a dance from the Rock Island Academy DREAMS dancers! http:/ / wqad.com/ 2013/ 02/ 21/ ballet-quad-cities-and-bullying-connecting-with-kids/ Costumes, Characters and Movement: Channel 8 News visits the Ugly Duckling Ballet!

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Music of The Ugly Duckling

Listen to Robert Schumann’s “Kinderscenen, Op.15, Scenes from Childhood." https:/ / youtu.be/ 6z82w0l6kwE Choreographer Courtney Lyon chose this piece of music to represent the swans. Swans are graceful white birds. Image a swan gliding across a still pond. How would you move if you were a swan? Would you be loud or quiet? Would you move quickly or slowly?

Listen to Canadian Brass play “Dixie Bach” https:/ / youtu.be/ nylX u48L Fnw?list=PL UCMUcH 178OX lO38wT ue-GhbFoujrb7pT This piece of music represents the Geese and the Rooster. The Rooster is the bird who is proud and cocky, and sometimes mean. The Geese are vain and silly birds who are friends with the Rooster. What kind of pose could you make with your body to show that you are proud? What is a silly dance that could represent the geese?

Listen to Hector Berlioz’s “Symphonie Fantastique, 5th Movement” https:/ / youtu.be/ cao6WyF-61s T his piece of music is used to set the scene in the forest. T he Ugly Duckling has run away from home and is alone. Does the music sound like it is sunny and happy or dark and scary? How do you think the Ugly Duckling feels dancing to this music? What are facial expressions that the Ugly Duckling might have? What kind of body movements? Are they big and bold movements or small and nervous movements? YOUR TURN TO CHOREOGRAPH! Listen to this piece of music that represents the Mississippi river. https:/ / youtu.be/ Jw8pNjhjbmY Is it happy music or sad music? Fast or slow? Imagine you are the Ugly Duckling. You have grown into a swan and are going home to your family. How do the waves of the river move? What does it feel like to swim in the river? What do you look like? What emotions do you feel? Make up your own dance and perform it with this music for your classmates!

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Attending a Ballet Performance Going to see a ballet is the SAME as going to a movie:

! The lights dim before the performance begins and the theater stays dark.

! Audience members are expected to stay quietly in their seats.

! Cell phones must be turned off. Audience may not take pictures or video.

Going to see a ballet is DIFFERENT than going to a movie: ! There is no talking in a ballet. The story is told through movement, music, costumes and sets. ! It is performed live. The dancers can see and hear the audience’s reactions.

! The audience can clap or laugh during the performance. At the end of the performance, the dancers will bow. The audience can clap loudly and even give the performers a standing ovation! ! The audience might dress more nicely than normal school clothes.

! MOST IMPORANTLY: Enjoy and have fun!

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Additional Resources

Dogs Don’t Do Ballet by Anna Kemp https:/ / www.amazon.com/ Dogs-Dont-Ballet-Anna-Kemp/ dp/ 141699839X

Video Dictionary of Classical Ballet https:/ / www.amazon.com/ Video-Dictionary-Classical-Ballet/ dp/ B0000DI86M/ ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UT F8&qid=1471459694&sr=8-1fkmr0&keywords=Boross% 2C+Rosemary% 2C+Visual+Dictionary+of+Classical+Ballet+for+ Children% 2C+Kultur+Video% 2C+2005.

101 Stories of the Great Ballet by George Balanchine and Francis Mason https:/ / www.amazon.com/ Stories-Great-Ballets-Scene--scene/dp/0385033982/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1471460818&sr=827&keywords=ballet+books

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Educational Outreach ProgramsSocial, Emotional and Experiential Learning

Ballet Quad Cities is a professional ballet company in Rock Island, IL founded in 1996. We have a dedicated staff consisting of a CEO, an Artistic Director, an Artistic Associate and an Office Manager. We employ 13 full time professional dancers who perform in our mainstage productions throughout the year in the Quad Cities and surrounding regions. Our professional dancers are also teaching artists who spend several hours a week leading educational outreach programs for people of all ages. Not only do we believe that exposing children to the arts is necessary for a well-rounded education but we have seen the positive impact it can have in all academic subjects by promoting discipline, self-expression and communication, focus, memory, team work, confidence and problem solving. Most importantly, dance is a tool for a direct tie-in to the National Learning Standards and Social Emotional Learning. Here is an outline of our programs for school aged children and examples of the common core standards. We tailor the program to the grade level.

Live Performance Experience: The Nutcracker

This is a two-part program beginning with a school visit, and ending with a School Matinee performance.

Good for Physical Education class, music class First, teams of dancers will visit the students in their classroom

for approx. 40 minutes in their classroom, gymnasium, or all school assembly. The students will be led though the story of “The Nutcracker” learning choreography, examining music, and seeing costumes and props. The teachers are encouraged to use the online educators guide found on www.balletquadcities.com with links to music, videos, pictures and fun educational activities. Example: Grade 3 Music Standard

Next, the students will be bused to the Adler Theatre 10:00am December 13, 2020 for the school matinee performance.

Dance Me a Story; Exploring Literature through Ballet

This is a one-time visit to a classroom for approximately 40 minutes.

Good for Music, Physical Education, Language arts

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Using movement and music, a team of dancers will lead the children through a book picked from the current unit. The teachers will be able to assess students’ comprehension, participation in, communication about, and retention of the story. Example: The common core for language arts for second graders is craft and structure. The students will identify beginning, middle and end, can view the story from different characters perspectives, and discuss the rhythm and meaning of repeated words and lines all through choreography. This program was created to inspire people of all ages to read.

The Ugly Duckling; A Message of Acceptance Told through Dance

This is a two-part program beginning with a school visit and ending with a live performance experience.

Physical Education or Music room First, dancers visit the classroom. Using the language of Social

Emotional Learning and Cultural Competency we dance the story of the Hans Christen Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling” with music. Teachers are encouraged to use the online educators guide found on www.balletquadcities.com with links to music, videos, pictures and fun educational activities.

Next the students are bused to Rock Island High School 10:00am January 16, 2020 for the school matinee performance

The Sleeping Beauty

Experience Tchaikovsky’s grand masterpiece, a perfect storybook ballet filled with good and evil, beautiful fairies and a handsome prince. Based on Marius Petipa’s 1890 staging, Ballet Quad Cities’ full-cast production is a must-see for students of all ages. School matinee performance is at the Adler Theatre 10:00am on April 17, 2020.

CONTACT US:Amanda Aunan, Office Manager: aaunanballetqc@mediacombb.netOffice phone: (309) 786-3779Please visit balletquadcities.com and Ballet Quad Cities on Facebook to see video clips and photos and find more information about these exciting educational outreach programs!

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