You Can't Handle Art! (part 2)

Music in Motion (photo KP)

You want art? Performance art? Classical music? Benny Goodman? Original student-painted scenery? Original student- and teacher-created costumes?

March 14, Henry's Kindergarten, first, second, and third grades delivered art. Big time.

Set to music (which I'm sure I'm supposed to recognize and know the title, but hey, I'm from Oklahoma), subgroups of each class in Kindergarten and first grade wore costumes designed and created by themselves and their Energizer Bunny teachers, and danced to illustrate the animals portrayed in the music. Students dressed as turtles, kangaroos, swans, birds (above, in motion), fish, and elephants brought the music to life, as students from older grades recited poems to the same animal-theme.

The second graders sang songs in round and harmony while standing on newly purchased risers made possible through donations of parents and the Home and School Association.

The third graders, assisted by some older students, demonstrated American swing dancing. Not exactly Cab Calloway, but who is?

Henry's full-time music teacher, Ms. Paulino, taught the students how to interpret the mood and rhythm of the music, choreographed the movements, and produced the show.

Henry's full-time art teacher, Mrs. Bock, worked with students to create the scenery/backdrop (in photo).

Invited by the school, maybe 100 parents, grandparents, and pre-school sibs showed up for the 9:30 a.m. performance. Combined with the K - 3's that was enough to fill the additional seats brought in. Enough to pack the side aisles. Enough to cause some consternation about room capacity and fire code. Enough for the school to schedule a second performance later in the day.