THE NUTCRACKER SCHOOL SHOWS VIRTUAL DOCENT PROGRAM

Each year Ballet Austin offers The Nutcracker Docent program free to campuses that register for The Nutcracker School Shows. Prior to The Nutcracker School Shows performances, engage your students in educational content to help contextualize their experience. This optional pre-performance educational program is geared towards 3rd graders and includes engaging activities for students.

Ballet Austin, the Ballet Austin Guild, and volunteers have been providing this free in-school, and now virtual, educational program for students throughout Central Texas for almost 40 years. The Docent program helps make an escape to the ballet a meaningful and enjoyable educational experience for Central Texas students and educators.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Docent program is offered only to those schools attending The Nutcracker School Shows Virtual performances as the pre-performance educational component to those shows.
This year’s Virtual Docent program includes two components:
1. An on-demand virtual presentation (consisting of three 10-minute videos) that can be viewed any time on campus or at home before the performance (all schools registered for The Nutcracker School Shows will be automatically sent a link to this video playlist on November 14)
2. Short recorded dance lessons featuring the Rat Dance from Act I and the Nutcracker Prince’s mime from Act II.

Virtual Presentation

The virtual presentation will be delivered to all campuses that register for The Nutcracker School Shows as a series of three 10-minute videos that includes everything you need to know about:

Episode 1 – The Art and Athleticism of Dance
Episode 2 – Bringing a Ballet to the Stage
Episode 3 – The Nutcracker Story, History and Music

Details:

In the videos, company dancers, Ballet Austin Education Staff, and volunteer docents will guide your students through this virtual experience.
Each video is 10-minutes long and includes fun elements such as video excerpts from the ballet and simple dance activities.
The presentation will be delivered to all registered campuses the week of November 14.
Schools should plan for a viewing time of 30 minutes total in the weeks prior to attending The Nutcracker School Shows performances.