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ABTKids Daily

Week of August 17-21, 2020

Scene from George Balanchine's Theme and Variations. © The George Balanchine Trust. Photo: Gene Schiavone.
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Experience the excitement of classical ballet at home with ABTKids Daily!

Welcome to ABTKids Daily, American Ballet Theatre’s new home for families and educators to discover digital content for their virtual classrooms.  Join us each day to Meet an ABT Dancer, engage with an ABT Teaching Artist, learn fun facts and enjoy ballet-themed activities from the comfort of your own home.

As America’s National Ballet Company®, ABT is dedicated to preserving and extending the great legacy of classical dancing, through exciting performances and educational programming of the highest quality, presented to the widest possible audience.

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Join us each Monday morning to bring the joy of classical ballet to your family. A weekly curriculum will be posted for your discovery!

 

ABTKids Daily is generously supported by
Bloomberg Philanthropies

 

Explore this week’s materials below or view the archive here.

Week of August 17-21, 2020


To Read

To Watch

To Do

Tchaikovsky Week!

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Meet a Dancer Composer Monday

This week we are celebrating the life and accomplishments of one of the most influential ballet composers of all time, Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky (1840-1893).

With a repertoire consisting of over 100 pieces including classics such as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky played a crucial role in vitalizing the music composition within ballets. He was born in Russian and become the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression around the world!

Are you familiar with Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky or Pëtr Ilič Čajkovskij or maybe you’ve heard of Pjotr Ilitj Tjajkovskij? Plot twist, they are all the same person and, in an even bigger plot twist, this is only a snippet of a very comprehensive list of names you may come across when researching Mr. Tchaikovsky… or Tsjaïkovskiej! With his name translated and spelled uniquely in over 30 different languages, Tchaikovsky and his name has been embraced by cultures all over the world!

Read the List!

Tchaikovsky Name Quiz

Match the spelling of Tchaikovsky’s name with the country where it originates.

Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky

Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski

Peter Ilyitch Ciajkovskij

Petr Ilyich Čajkovskij

Pjotr Il’ič Čajkovskij

Piotra Iljicza Czajkowskiego

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Time's up

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Teaching Artist Tuesday

Join one of ABT’s Teaching Artists as they introduce you to one of ABT’s fabulous ballets. Learn a dance, stop and sketch, and don’t forget to have fun!

Up this week: Ms. Stephanie!

Call and Response with the Bluebird from The Sleeping Beauty

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What's Up Wednesday

Choreographer Word Search

The versatility of Tchaikovsky’s music has been cherished and celebrated by generations of choreographers and audiences. Through a combination of Russian folk and Western European melodies during the Romantic period, Tchaikovsky created a unique sound with intricate rhythms and complex emotions.

Not only are Tchaikovsky’s ballet compositions constantly being reimagined and restaged by choreographers across the globe, his symphonic pieces have also made famous ballet debuts such as George Balanchine’s Ballet Imperial (Concerto No. 2 in G for Piano and Orchestra, op.44) and David Parsons’s Walk this Way (Symphony No. 2 in C, Op. 17 “Little Russian”)

Since 1940, American Ballet Theatre has performed 24 different ballets using the music of Tchaikovsky with over 20 different choreographers. See how many you can find in the word search below!

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Throwback Thursday

Historical Pen Pals

Today’s throwback goes all the way back to 1889 with a correspondence between ballet’s favorite dynamic duo, “The father of classical ballet” Marius Petipa and Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky!

Tchaikovsky and Petipa worked closely to create classics such as The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Despite the challenges of miscommunication and delayed arrivals that come along with long distance communication in the 1800s, Petipa and Tchaikovsky maintained a strong relationship.

In this letter, which has been translated from Russian to English, Tchaikovsky shares his concern about the delayed production of The Sleeping Beauty with his friend and colleague Petipa. Click the image to read the letter.

Four other letters between Tchaikovsky and Petipa have been preserved and are showcased at the Tchaikovsky House Museum in Kiln, Russia.

Explore the Museum (English)Explore the Museum (Russian)

Creating with a Partner

Creating with a partner is challenging when you are side by side. Imagine having to create a piece of artwork with a partner while being hundreds of miles away and only begin able to communicate through letters!

Step inside the shoes of Tchaikovsky and Petipa and write a story or sketch a drawing in your half of the worksheet (Friend 1). Then share it with a friend or relative to finish your artistic creation in the remaining empty section (Friend 2). Click the worksheet to get started.

Bonus Challenge

Can you find a Pen Pal in another state? Another country? Another continent?

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Funtime Friday

Create Your Own Instrument - a Kazoo!


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Explore the ABTKids Daily Archive

ABT JKO School Virtual Classes

In the Spring of 2020, @ABTSchool launched virtual classes taught by former ABT dancers, ABT JKO School faculty and ABT teaching artists – all certified in the ABT National Training Curriculum.

These classes engaged, recommended for ages 2-4 and 5-8, by explore musicality, foster creativity and imagination, and teach ballet fundamentals. These classes engage ABT’s youngest students and their families, as well as the global community at large!

View the full series on @ABTSchool IGTV or ABT’s YouTube Channel.

@ABTSchool IGTVYouTube

Photo: Richard Corman.
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