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The King has commanded...and his 6th grade subjects have presented their entertainment to the delight of His Royal Highness and his court.
Music specialist Jessica Barker has many cherished memories from her days in arts schools where she performed as a singer in a madrigal dinner. Last year, while brainstorming ways to connect her music classes to the global studies curriculum, she felt a madrigal dinner-themed show would be a great fit for the 6th grade final show. With the great success of last year's show, she built on the idea and today's show was a worthy successor.
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"This year, we added a rousing symphony of kazoos during the jester dance!" said Ms. Barker. "They were an immediate hit with the kids and we all laughed while learning how to play them in class."
Because of their humorous sound, it's hard to keep a straight face when playing kazoos.
"We came to the agreement that with great power comes great responsibility and we will use our kazoos for spreading good throughout Sharklovia," Ms. Barker quipped.
The king also ordered a new opening this year! As such, Clément and Titan were summoned to warm up the crowd with a few knock-knock jokes.
The king also ordered a new opening this year! As such, Clément and Titan were summoned to warm up the crowd with a few knock-knock jokes.
This show allows the 6th-graders to showcase their talents beyond what other grade-level shows have had time for.
Ms. Barker took advantage of this and allowed the students the freedom to demonstrate their passions and make individual contributions to the bigger show.
"This format allows for so much creativity and increased responsibility on the part of the student," said Ms. Barker. "Students perform in a variety of places throughout the room in a variety of different formats: dancing, singing, playing instruments, acting, and public speaking."
There is also a moment in the show in which the students are given complete creative liberty to become a character of their choosing and interact with the crowd. Many students use this time to showcase other hidden talents such as performing magic tricks and juggling.
The choreography was provided by our Dance Manager Hannah Tucker. This show proved to by one of the most rousing and energetic productions she has worked on this year.
"The 6th grade show has been full of passion and excitement leading up to the performance," Ms. Tucker said. "I am most proud of the diligence it took for the students to learn so many roles and adapt and make changes in real-time."
The rapid-fire lighting changes and sound effects were engineered by Fine Arts Coordinator Lindsay Curry. This show was more challenging than typical since it involved using the entire auditorium, not just the stage area.
Congratulations to the 6th grade, whose hard work and dedication turned their culminating show into a blockbuster event.
Jacksonville Country Day School
Located in Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville Country Day School is a private school for Pre-K 3 through 6th grade. JCDS prepares students for a healthy and productive lifetime of intellectual exploration, character development, and social responsibility.
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