chamonixdiva's posterous

I went to Drama summer school at 9:30am and we started the work and drama at 10. The first thing we did was, we played this ame where you hold hands in a big circle, then you have someone start by squeezing one of the hands they are holding then you go round the circle (as fast as you can) squeezing hands (if that makes sense!?). Then we got put into groups of three's and we had to do a twist of our own on the story 'The Girl Who Tells Lies'. I got put in a group with Ellie and Flo. We made the story, there is a girl who tells lots of lies and one day she goes to her room and there are witches waiting for her, they then throw her in the cauldron. Then we had a ten minute break to have a snack and drink. 

After the break we had drama with Mr C. We got to choose which play we did and we chose Snow White. But we added a twist to it. You will have to wait till Friday to hear about it properly. The only thing i'm going to say is I ahve to be a PERVY DWARF, I didn't choose it. 

Then we had lunch and after lunch we had another drama session, where we had to pick one of Beatrix Potter's tales to dramatise. The group I was in chose The Tale of Tom Kitten. I am Toms sister Moppet. 

Thank you so much for reading!!!! xx

Well this post was meant for yesterday, but I was at the screening of Turbulence. 

THE BLOG CHALLENGE: My mum told me that because I haven't posted in AGES, that I had to do 1 post everyday till the end of the summer holidays and she would give me £250!!!!!!! :P

Day 1

I woke up on Monday 25th July at 08:30 so I could go to the drama, speaking and dance summer school they are putting on at my school this week and last for years 7, 8 and 9. I got there and it started at 10am, and for the first hour everyone got to know each other by doing this exercise were we had to think of an illiteration for your name that best describes you. We then went to dance then drama after lunch. In drama we found out that we had to do one of the tales written by Beatrix Potter, and the group that I was in chose 'The Tale Of Tom Kitten' and I was Tom's sister Moppet. And also we did Snow White, and in that I am Happy the dwarf. Our dance is a dance to Jessie J's Nobody's Perfect. 

Day 2

Today was the day for fun, we learnt our dance and we tried to perfect it and edit it for Friday, we figured out what plays we were going to do and how we were going to do them, we also learnt about Method Acting, were you have to stay in character throughout-even if someone interupts you, you still have to stay in character. We did lots of breathing exercises and learnt that there are 4 ways of breathing. We decided how we were going to do both our plays and are just making it better and we are sorting out costumes.  

Well, I hope you like my first/second post, of this challenge. BYE BYE xx :D

Arts Award

Part D

My Review

I think my part d of showing the class how to play Martha was very good. I thought they listened to me very well and that I took control. I thought that I should have explained it a little bit better but overall they got the drift of the game.

The things I think I could have improved were: I should have got more people to demonstrate just to make sure everyone understood it well enough, that I should have been more clearer and louder and that I should have raised the competition and bring in a prize for the fastest team.

Overall I think I handled the situation well and I took control, but I could not have done it without the calm, very good listeners in the class.

By Gaby Higginbottom. 

Arts Award

Part C

My hero is Gene Kelly.

He is my hero because he is the person I look up to. I think he inspires me because he was such a good singer, dancer and actor. His lead role in Singing In The Rain was perfect for him because he had the right amount of stamina and energy to play Don Lockwood.

Early Life

He was born Eugene Curran Kelly on August 23^rd 1912 – February 2^{nd 1996} in the Highland Park area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was the third son of James Kelly, a phonograph salesman, and Harriet Curran, who were both children of Irish Roman Catholic immigrants.

At the age of eight, he was enrolled in dance classes by his mother, along with his older brother James. Gene said “We didn't like it much and were continually involved in fistfights with the local boys who called us sissies...I didn't dance again until I was fifteen, by then I thought it would be a good way to get the girls.”

He attended St. Raphael Elementary School. He graduated from Peabody High School in 1929 at the age of sixteen. He enrolled in Pennsylvania State College to study journalism but the economic crash obliged him to seek employment to help with the family's finances. At this time, he worked hard on making dance routines with his younger brother Fred in order to earn the prize money in local contests, they also performed them in local nightclubs.

In 1931 he enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh (UoP) to study economics. While at UoP, Gene became involved in the university's Cap and Gown Club, which staged original, comedic musical productions. Earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with his graduation from UoP in 1933, he still remained an active member of the Cap and Gown Club, serving as its director from 1934 through to 1938.

The Kelly family started a dance studio on Munhall Road in 1930. However in 1932, the dance studio was renamed The Gene Kelly Studio of Dance.

In 1935 he enrolled to the University of Pittsburgh Law School. After two months he dropped out of Law School and decided to pursue his career as a dance teacher and full time entertainer.

In 1937, having successfully managed and developed the family's dance business, he moved to New York in search of work as a full time choreographer.

Career

He achieved his breakthrough as a dancer when he signed his contract with MGM studios. When MGM loaned him out to Columbia in 1944 to work with Rita Hayworth in Cover Girl he ahd his big breakthrough on film.

He starred in 26 films, such as:

Singin' In The Rain – Don Lockwood

The Pirate – Serafin

On The Town – Gabey etc. In all of the films he was in he choreographed his own dance routines and often the routines of others.

He also starred in 9 stage shows, such as:

Leave It To Me – Secretary to Mr. Goodhue

Pal Joey – Joey Evans

Time Of Your Life – Harry.

Kelly enlisted himself in the U.S. Naval Air Service at the end of 1944 and he was commissioned as Lieutenant Junior Grade. He was stationed in the Photographic Section, Washington D.C. Where he was involved in writing and directing a range of documentaries, then came his interest in the “Behind the Camera” side of film-making.

By Gaby Higginbottom. Sources: Wikipedia, IMDB, Answers and www.genekellyscene.com. 

Arts Award

Part B

Discussion

John: What show did you go and watch?

Gaby: I went to see Sister Act.

John: Was it good?

Gaby: Yes, it was my favourite show I have seen.

John: What did you like about it?

Gaby: I liked the cast, the choreography and the stage.

John: Who was your favourite character and who was it played by?

Gaby: My favourite character was Deloris who was played by Patina Miller.

John: Why was she your favourite character?

Gaby: She was my favourite character because Patina was a very good actress and a excellent singer.

John: What was your favourite song?

Gaby: My favourite song was Raise your voice sung by Deloris, Mary Patrick, Mary Lazarus, Mary Roberts and The Nuns.

John: How long was the performance?

Gaby: It lasted 2 hours and 30 minutes.

John: Would you recommend it to me?

Gaby: Yes I would, because it is your cup of tea.

Gaby: Thank you.

John: Thank you.

By Gaby Higginbottom.

Arts Award

Part D

Me: Today we are going to be doing a warming up exercise. It is an exercise that gets you thinking fast on your feet and making quick decisions. This exercise is to form a picture with all the members of your group within 2/2.5 minutes.

Me: Ok. Get yourselves into 2 groups of at least 10 people. Now the way you play the exercise/game is:

1. Select the starter (first player).

2. That person then runs into the space and forms her body into any statue she can think of and tells the class what she is. eg. “I'm a Tree.”

3. Within 10 seconds another person from the same group runs in and forms a different statue in the space, and says what they are. eg. “I'm a Bench under the Tree”

4. This then keeps on happening until everyone in the group is in the 'Picture'.

Me: Remember I will be timing how long each picture takes, the winner is the group that completes their picture the fastest.

Me: Any questions?

(Answer any of their Questions)

Me: Ok which group wants to go first?

(First group do their picture.)

(Write down time)

(Second group do theirs)

Me: The winner is ….

(If there is time do a moving picture)

By Gaby Higginbottom

Arts Award

Part B

On Wednesday 21^st July 2010, I went to see 'Sister Act' at the London Palladium with my Nan. We saw it at three even though we were meant to see it at seven thirty.

I thought it was very exciting and it was definitely better than either of the movies. Even though I would have loved to see it with Whoopi Goldberg or Sheila Hancock, I still really liked it and all of the actors.

My favourite character was Deloris played by Patina Miller. This is because I think she played the part very well and she was a good singer.

I chose this show as my Part B because in my opinion it is one of the best shows I have seen so far. It was entertaining because it was really gripping and had a good variety of songs and dances.

The good things about this show were: the storyline was unusual because it was an exaggerated set of circumstances, the singers were very good and the way the stage was set was complimentary to the show.

The evidence I have of going to see this show is, I have a programme to remind me of the performance.

By Gabriella Higginbottom.