DANCING WITH THE GODS

Back in August, I signed up to take a class from the Utah Opera Festival and Michael Ballam on how to have my students create an opera of their own! I am crazy. I know this. But, I thought it would be a fun alternative to a grade level program this year. So, starting in September, my students began the process of writing. Every word was written by them. Every note was written by them. Every piece of scenery was designed by them. All of the staging was decided my them. My job: to sing the music in my head every night as I layed down to sleep. AHHHHH!

Their story was about some modern day Olympians who were too boastful. So, the ancient Greek Gods zapped them back into the past to teach them a lesson. In order to help the Olympians become more humble, they held a dance-off with judges (Simon, the Goddess of Dance, and a Caveman). The Olympians had to compete in the disco, the fox trot, and then in an orginal dance. They learned their lesson that everyone is unique and no one is better than anyone else! Zeus gladdly zapped them back to modern times.

Our 15 minute opera took months to create and practice--it was a TREMENDOUS amount of work, but Friday's performance made it all worth it! Not surprisingly, I had tears running down my face the entire time! They were awesome! Everything went PERFECTLY and they were all so proud of themselves. They even asked me if they could go on tour! (Wait, do they need to be zapped back in time to become humble??)

It was an experience they will always remember!