The Program
 Cole PorterAnything Goes People sing and dance when they are happy and having fun. On stage, many tap dancers make this an exciting (and noisy!) number. |
HandelLa Rejouisance This was written to celebrate winning a war. Its French title translates into English as "The Rejoicing." It is now played often at weddings. |
MozartEine Kleine Nachtmusik Eine Kleine Nacht Musik is German for "A Little Night Music." It is a minuet, a party dance with small steps done around the room in the shape of an S or Z. It is also known as the "Walking Dance" because its steps are slow. The Minuet was the favorite dance of George Washington, first President of the United States. |
Johann StraussBlue Danube Waltz This waltz began as a song to celebrate electric street lighting. People quickly forgot about it. Without words, though, people loved to dance to the tune. It became a hit, selling more sheet music than any other piece in the world. In the 20th century, this waltz was used in many movie soundtracks. |
Sicilian Folk DanceThe Tarantella This wild dance is popular at weddings and at traditional summer festivals in Italy where it came from. The dance is performed in a circle rotating first clockwise, then counterclockwise, over and over, going faster and faster. It is fun to try to keep up! |
TchaikovskyNutcracker Ballet This ballet tells the story of "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King." At first people didn't like the ballet. New dance steps were added. Now, over 100 years later, people love it. Communities everywhere perform it during winter holidays every year. |
Jewish Song & DanceHava-Naguila This joyful song and dance were written to celebrate the end of World War I. It is now the most widely know Jewish song. It is played at everything from weddings to baseball games. |
Brazilian SambaChico-Chico Samba is a dance blending festive rhythms from Africa, Brazil and Europe. People from all these places live in Brazil, sharing their stories and their music. |