The Nutcracker

A good audience…

HOW TO BE A GOOD AUDIENCE

o Does not talk aloud or annoy others

o Does not bring food into the theatre

o Does not run in the lobby

o Does not throw objects or fidget with things

o Does not lie down; lean on neighbors, or sleep

o Does not leave trash in the theatre

o Turns off their cell phone

o Applauds when the dancers take a bow

Did you know….

Marius Petipa from Marseilles, France choreographed the Nutcracker. The Nutcracker was originally based on the story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, written by

German author E.T.A. Hoffman. Years later, Alexander Dumas rewrote the story and

Peter Tchaikovsky was asked to write the music in 1891.

The Nutcracker is a ballet set in German on Christmas Eve of 1835. Drosselmeyer has

made a special nutcracker doll for his goddaughter, Clara. After the Christmas Eve

party, Clara falls asleep on the couch. Uncle Drosselmeyer’s magic begins. The walls of

the house begin to change The Nutcracker grows into a Prince that fights the Mouse

King. During the battle, Clara throws her shoe at the Mouse King which allows the

Nutcracker Prince time to slay the evil Mouse King.

Uncle Drosselmeyer then transforms the Nutcracker prince into a handsome cavalier.

The charming cavalier then takes Clara through the Land of Snow on a fantastic

journey to the Kingdom of Sweets. Clara is then honored for her act of courage by

performances of special dances.

Research and mark with an

X which continent Germany

is located.

Research and mark with a

where France is located

How many words can you makes from the words

The Nutcracker

Answer This….

1. Who was the original choreographer of The Nutcracker?

2. Who is the composer of The Nutcracker?

3. On what book is The Nutcracker based?

4. Who is the author of the book?

5. On what holiday does the story of The Nutcracker happen?

The Nutcracker Maze

The Nutcracker doll is locked in combat with the fearsome King Rat. Help

Clara find her way across the floor to help her friend, avoiding all the

other rats as you go!

When dancers stop

dancing they must take up

a new career. Many

become teachers,

choreographers, or

directors. What is a

choreographer?

WRITE ABOUT IT….

How do you prepare to

be a professional

dancer?

What is a person that

makes up a dance

called?

Male dancers must be very strong to

leap, jump and lift ballerinas.

Research the muscles a

male dancer must develop.

Write a report about a famous ballet

dancer. Begin your search with the

February 13, 1995 issue of Time

Magazine (page 72).

Search the internet and find

famous male athletes that

takes or has taken ballet.

What famous painter and sculptor

enjoyed watching dancers in

Paris?

He created La Petite Daneuse

(“The Little Dancer”)

Out of Bronze

Dance

Z Y Z S S W N P N L P T C X V

E Z G P T O A O M E H N H B P

N O A O I N I R R U Q E O U M

M C A T L T E F M N J M R M L

E R C E A O O M R U Q N E O A

B A B V R R N T E R P G O V N

U B E R M F T H N L Z I G E O

Y L S A K L H E C P E L R M S

E B N E L Y T S C E Z A A E R

S C I M A N Y D B H T A P N E

E N A R R A T I V E N X H T P

N O I T C E J O R P G I Y O L

B M N U M Y E H G I I A Q A N

J Z A U W R M A G I I L Z U N

V X R N L E V E L S U G C D E

ACTION ALIGNMENT AXIAL

CHOREOGRAPHY DYNAMICS ELEMENTS

ELEVATION JUMP LEVELS

MOVEMENT NARRATIVE PERFORMANCE

PERSONAL PROJECTION RUN

SPACE STYLE TECHNIQUE

TECHNOLOGY WARMUP

Can you?

You will notice that ballet dancers do

not speak. They often use “body

talk” or mime to act out the story.

Act out a scene from “Nutcracker”

with a friend. See if your class can

read your “body talk.”

Can you remember……

Name the different characters/sweets from the second act.

What props were on the stage?

What was your favorite dance in the Land of the Sweets?

Fairy Tales

Using the Venn Diagram below to compare and contrast The Nutcracker with

another folk tale or story. Use the diagram to help you write a paragraph

about The Nutcracker and the other story your chose.

The Nutcracker:

Act I: The Adventure Begins

Fill in the blanks with the words from the Word Bank below.

Clara’s ___________________________ begin to shake and she wakes up to find that the

Christmas tree has come to life and the _________________________ has grown. Other toys

have come to life an _________________ group of mice enter the room. The horrible

____________________ challenges the Nutcracker to fight, but Clara saves the Nutcracker by

conquering the Mouse King with her ___________________. The Nutcracker is transformed

into a __________________________ who takes Clara on a fantastic

_______________________________ where they encounter the snowflakes and the

__________________ with whom she dances. A beautiful _____________________ carries

Clara and the Nutcracker to see the ______________________ in the Land of the Sweets.

Word Bank

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Consider the Dance of the Snowflakes scene in The Nutcracker. What animals might you

find living in this kind of habitat? What else would you likely find living in this habitat

(plants, trees, insects, etc)? Write your ideas below, and draw a picture

.

Color the characters from the Nutcracker.

Post Performance

Discussion Questions

1. What was your favorite part of the ballet? (For example: the

music, the costumes, the scenery, the movement)

2. Was it hard to follow the story without using words?

3. Do you think it is hard to dance on the tips of your toes?

4. Did you like the ballet?

5. Would you like to see another ballet in the future?

6. Pick any character. What emotions did you see in that character?

7. Do you think that ballet is an athletic activity similar to football or

gymnastics? Why or why not?

8. What did you feel when you were watching the ballet?

After watching The Bristol Ballet‘s performance of The

Nutcracker and using the workbook, please take a moment to

fill out this evaluation form. Your answers will assist us in

planning future programs and meeting the needs of your

students.

Name of school and system

Are you a student or teacher?

If a teacher: Grade Level Subject area taught:

Rate the following on a scale from 1 to 5 with 5 being the best.

1. The ballet was a positive experience for you 1 2 3 4 5

2. I used/did the activities from the workbook 1 2 3 4 5

3. The activities in the study guide were helpful in preparing for the performance 1 2 3 4 5

4. I would attend this or another Bristol Ballet performance 1 2 3 4 5

5. Which activity did you or your students enjoy the most?

6. Did your or your student’s impression/opinion of ballet change after this sequence?

7. Is there anything you would like to see added or changed?

8. Additional comments or suggestions?