BY KELLI GILE
Evergreen Scary students gathered together to perform songs and a poem after the dance. (Photo Courtesy: Kelli Gile)
Diamond Bar – It looked like Evergreen Elementary 2nd Graders were ready for Halloween moments before the Danse Macabre, held on Oct. 22.
The youngsters were dressed up as vampires, black cats, ghosts, witches, skeletons, and zombies – boo! But when the music began, they had a hauntingly fun surprise for their families!
The students performed an interpretive dance to classical music by the French composer Camille Saint Saens. The Danse Macabre begins at the stroke of midnight when a stranger enters a graveyard.
“That’s the moment when the characters all get to come out for one time during the year,” explained teacher Loree Hoff.
At their cue, each group came out and danced. The little witches flew around with their brooms and the vampires twirled with their black and red capes. The skeletons drummed and the zombies danced in the graveyard. The little black cats scampered and pawed and the ghosts happily circled the stranger and violinist waving their arms.
When the sun is just about to come up, they hear the rooster crow, and must go back and wait another year to be together and celebrate.
“I’ve never enjoyed classical music so much as when I see your kids performing to it,” said Principal Carolyn Wills.
After the dance, students sung Five Little Pumpkins, The Pumpkin on the Vine, and My Friend The Ghost, and recited the poem Enter This Deserted House, by Shel Silverstein.
“My favorite song was Five Little Pumpkins,” said Emily Fang, age 8, after the show.
Student Yousef Saiv, who played a vampire during the dance, and his parents loved the scary performance.
“My favorite part was when I turned into a bat!” he exclaimed.
Did he plan to dress up as a vampire for Halloween next week?
“No, I think I’ll be a ninja!”
