Child Outta This World - Also Know as EAB's Holiday Concert

Friday night was EAB's 2-5th grade holiday concert. The concert was titled "Child of The World." Each classroom represented a different country. This is a common theme you see around at lots of schools so there seemed to be nothing original about it to me. And I thought it would be kinda lame.

For our lower school music teacher, this theme was never was generic. Not for a single moment. This performance brought me to tears; happy ones. It was one that truly represented our school's diversity. Was one that showcased who are students are and one that they loved from start to finish.

I had heard early on during the year ,that the holiday concerts were always amazing. I'd been told they were a tradition at EAB. This told me that I needed to support this program as fully as possible and to leave any Grinch-like attitude at the door. I'm so thankful for the heads-up as I really enjoyed the entire experience.

It was hard though at times not to let my Grinch come out, but from the beginning, I was reminded how important this concert is to the EAB community and throughout the practices told myself this.

First off, my class started practicing our song to represent Panama back in late September. I learned last week during our two hour daily rehearsals (yes, that's right teacher friends back home, 2 hours each day AND I missed all except one of my plan periods the entire week AND report cards are due tomorrow - perspective there) my class had learned ALL of the songs in the entire program. They knew all the dances and lyrics to every single song by heart. And what I loved is that most of the songs had nothing to do with holidays. They were just great songs representing different countries' popular culture or their traditional culture.

Each child also paid close to $25 for their costume (again something at first I cringed). Seeing them on stage, as you'll see though, made the show.

The storyline of the show was that a 5th grade student visited their grandparents who had traveled the world. While traveling, their grandparent bought dolls representing different countries. The dolls came to life in the grandparents' attic to reassure this 5th grader that things would be okay as she moved to a new country. Can you guess where she was going to move? If you said Brazil, you're right! The 5th graders had the leads in the play, speaking about the countries, acting out the story and singing each song on stage. Again adding to the amazement of the show.

That's the history, now onto the actual final performance.

When I came home from school on Friday, I took a little break and actually downloaded some of the songs from the concert onto my iPod thinking the kids would love having them and also because I really enjoyed them too. Please open a new browser window with my blog so you can continue reading and then click here so you can get into the mood. This song was sung and danced by one of the 4th grade classes. You need to skip the intro and click on music at the top of the screen. Then please choose the song titled "Bom Bom Bole" and get ready to smile and dance along.

The night of the concert came and as I was getting ready and velcroing my boot, I looked out the window and had to smile because this is what I saw.And then as I waited for the elevator, I heard some kids playing soccer on the court next to my apartment building so I snapped a photo. Such different than the views I'm used to seeing for holiday concerts back in Kane County, Illinois. I hopped, well limped, to Andrea's car and drove to school where I was met by my class who were so full of enthusiasm, they were running and screaming and jumping with pure joy and excitement.

Some of the lovely ladies in their beautiful dresses. Dresses that are perfect for twirling. And as every girl knows, it doesn't get much better than having a beautiful new dress that twirls and you get to wear makeup and you get to dance and sing with your friends. Life is pretty good.

But don't worry boys. They weren't left out either. One of the boys in my class told another when they were having their costume fittings (yes, fittings people) that he looked like James Bond. So needless to say, they felt pretty cool.

While we waited for our turns to perform, we watched a couple of movies but I have learned that unlike back in the U.S. where this is an easy and fun thing to do before a show, it's completely wrong for here. Not to self, kids should bring games next year. Lesson learned. Their energy was so electric that movies weren't the perfect match.

Backstage, their energy, I'm still unsure how it was possible, jumped up to a whole new level. I snapped a quick photo before they went on stage. And of course in addition to the excitement, you have fun things like twirling dresses and Panama hats and other third grade friends dressed like Elvis Pressley and 50's girls and it's hard not to feel that energy go through the roof.

But the stage door opened and we went behind the curtain. I, along with one of the boys who got a terrible case of stage fright so did not perform, slipped down the stairs, into the dressing room, up into the orchestra's pit and then into the audience to watch the class sing (slipped may be an eggeration, more like limped again). Since I had friend in tow, I was only able to snap a couple of photos as much consoling was taking place during our class' performance but here are the lovely ladies twirling away in the streets of Havanna (we were a combo of Spanish speaking countries) and

it wouldn't be complete without a shot of the handsome gentlemen.

The show wasn't over though. After our class took the stage, we crept into the auditorium aisles and watched the two fourth grade classes represent Africa...

and India (including the gentleman in the center who's a former EAB student and now a TV star on a popular Brazilian soap/novela).

Here is the beginning of the 4th graders' Bollywood dance. Love it! I've been cranking this song throughout writing this post and while writing report cards this afternoon.

After the two fourth grade classes performed, Brazil was saved for last and a group of Brazilian underprivledged children from an institute that provides after school care through music performed using original music they created and danced using their bodies to help keep the rhythm.

For the finale, all of the classes gathered on stage and sang the tear-jerker, "I Am A Child of This World" after they sang about how important it is to reach out and help others but that their voices as children really matter.

After the show ended, we wished everyone a Merry Christmas and I again limped across stage (at least wearing one cute shoe) we went back to our room for one final shot and also so families could pick up their children. It was such a wonderful show because the kids had such joy throughout it all...rehearsals, classes and their final performance.

I've definitely grown an appreciation, not only here but from working closely with my good friends at McDole the past few years that sometimes, that's what is important. The joy and love of being a child. So the performance of children from all of the world; in my class representing four continents, truly was outta this world.