The Nutcracker, homeschool extras

We have been studying Tchaikovsky for the last 10 weeks or so of our homeschool curriculum. We started learning about his life and then began listening some of the music from his Nutcracker score. It was lots of fun. We marched with the toy soldiers, ate chocolate chips when we listened to the Spanish Hot Chocolate Dance, and drank tea when we listened to the Chinese Tea Dance. We read books, colored pictures, and watched the ballet on DVD.

Olivia watched a DVD of the Nutcracker Ballet. Her assignment was to pay attention to detail and remember it so that she could then draw a scene from the ballet afterward. She chose the Waltz of the Snowflakes. 

For an early Christmas present, Olivia received a new dress with ballerinas, a miniature nutcracker, and the news that she and I would be going to see the Nutcracker ballet. Olivia was more than excited! :)

We went to the Carolina theater to see the ballet. It was a cold, windy  and rainy afternoon but we had a great time. The characters from Act 1 of the ballet were mingling in the lobby as we came in. The butler had a tray of gingersnaps that he was handing out. It was so much fun. And what a great theater! Olivia and I had seats in the front row of the mezzanine so we had a great view looking down on the stage.

Olivia loved the Nutcracker prince of course. She liked Clara's pink dress at the party in Act 1. She also said that the Russian Candy Cane dancers were her favorite. They had red and white striped tutus in the classic style. She also liked the Pas de Deux with Sugar Plum Fairy.