2nd Annual YGA Talent Show

Well, it is April Vacation Week 2011!  The daycare at our house is busier then ever with the school-aged kids all being home full days and the 3 toddlers there too.  SO, in order to keep us all busy and productive, we created the "Talent Show" during last year's school break.  It was so much fun that we decided to produce it again this year too!  Last year, there was no theme but we had a lot of variety in the show.  There was a hulahoop act, a skateboard act, a bike act, several songs and dances and a comedy sketch.  I observed that last year Annika seemed a little out of her element.  I was trying to guide her into singing or dancing and she really did not like any of the suggestions.  However, the one she came up with on her own was surprisingly good...if not a tiny bit repetitious.  She performed with her friend Fabiola, the sketch from the Disney Channel Show, Sonny with a Chance, called "The Check it out Girls".  Here is a link to the show from utube:

I don't have a video of our performance....I know, BAD PLANNING!  And guess what's worse?  I don't have a video camera for the Year's Show either.  I am working on the problem, I promise!  anyway, this video was our basic guide for the sketch which went over very well.  During the summer, the kids and I spent a lot of time at the ocean but when we would come home for some "quiet time", we would do creative writing in journals.  This was an idea given to me by Mrs. Green, the 3rd grade teacher at Robertson elementary who would end up being Annika's teacher this year.  We Love her!  Anyway, some really great creativity evolved as summer was ending.  Our friend, David Yabut developed this interesting story concept with characters based on each of the children in the daycare...more specifically he gave them each "spirit names" and then all the kids created there own individual fictional story based on the characters.  The idea was inspiring and carried us through the fall and into the winter writing about it.

When Annika informed us of her desire to be an actor in February 2011, I was a little surprised.  She said she had been wanting to do it for a long time.  Now in reflection I can see the signs...as I described above, we were all acting, performing, writing and being creative.  It makes sense that the kids would find a love of acting.  Then I discovered 20 or so video clips on an old flip camera that Annika had taken of herself putting on a one-person show.  There was easily an hour of short clips taken at different times.  Anyway, moving forward I realized how I often look at the children as kids who need to be governed instead of young people with their own likes, abilities and passions.  Now that I have a deeper awareness of their needs and have changed my short-sighted ways, I see a world of possibilities around them.  I am so proud to be a part of that!  I love helping them to prepare for this talent show.  Our line-up this year will be great. 

Annika has also started a 6 week course at Artist Exchange with her good friend, Gregory Sundstrom.  The class is Improv for ages 7 to 9.  Annika thoroughly enjoyed her first class this past Tuesday with Teacher, Rich Morra.  We have definitely found a passion for her.  We may even have discovered Gregory's.  If I am not mistaken, we have found a unique gift for each of the kids.  David Yabut is an excellent writer and Nicolas has great instincts for set design and Directing Actors.  Annika is brilliant at delivering a performance...She learns her lines quickly and gets into character instantly.  She is also easy to direct.  David delivers a great comic sense and the three of them blend beautifully.  Our friends are in for a real treat in this show!

So to conclude, All are welcome to attend the Talent Show.  Admission is free.  Inbox me on Facebook and we would be glad to invite you!  It's just one way to keep our Acting "chops" fresh.