Kindergarten/Pre-School Dance Festival

We gathered with many adoring parents, grandparents, families, and friends of little ones at the annual "Dance" festival of the Pre-school/Kindergarten where we volunteer sometimes.  It was held in this beautiful auditorium.  We expected a cute, little program, but instead were favored with a very professional and impressive concert of not only dance, but singing, choral reading, acting, and even drumming!  The lighting, costuming, props, and preparations were of the highest quality!

The curtain opened to reveal the youngest class with their teachers.  So cute!  One little guy on the end was just wailing his head off.

This may have been the most impressive number to me.  These children, just as you've seen a drum corp do, played quite intricate drum patterns.  It was great!

Applause!!!  You can see their leader in the back, and they were right with him.  These are just Kindergarteners!

Hat Dance

Each little one was introduced.

These little boys were so cute.

They shed their traditional Japanese robes and did an Elvis-like rock dance.

This was a cute springtime number.

They acted out the story of Little Red Riding Hood.  You can see the spring flowers, the grandmothers, and the Red Riding Hoods.  They had their parts learned so well and said them in unison choral reading. 

Here are the heroes- the woodsman.  Didn't I get a picture of the wolves?

These little girls did a traditional Japanese dance in traditional kimonos.

It was beautiful.

They also acted out the story of Sleeping Beauty.

This is after Sleeping Beauty wakes up and is presented with a big pie and cake that the bakers made.

This program marked the 50th Anniversary of the school.  Large balloons were released at the end and the audience sent them forward.  I thought it was a really fun idea.

At the end, the owner/leader of the school (a less active member of the church and why we go there) gave a speech, and then the children sang a really cute song all together.  She has owned and operated this impressive school for fifty years.

It made us realize that though we're in a foreign land and everything seems different, some things are the same worldwide.  Children are adorable everywhere.  They have loving parents and grandparents who are proud of them.  Just as in the annual sacrament meeting presentations, children were waving and parent and grandparents were waving back.  Most of the children were participating with all earnestness, but, just like at home, there's always one or two on the side "marching to their own beat," so to speak (as you'll see in the video.)   It was a delightful cultural experience that I wanted to share with you!