Go Aristophanes

When I was working in education I was often invited to attend various school concerts, dance festivals, drama presentations and musical recitals. Some were excellent. Some were excruciatingly painful, making the scratching of nails down a blackboard akin to Bach.

There is nothing quite so horrendous, pathetic, embarrassing or cringe worthy as seeing a child who is tone deaf perform a solo on stage in full spotlight. Unless of course it is hearing the squeaks, beeps, clamours and clashes of beginner band as little lips try to blow all sorts of woodwind instruments, or hands miss ever beat with their tambourine cymbals or drum sticks.  

Oh well….OK…Yes….beginner recorder beats everything. It’s the royal flush of school performance.

For all that, I am amazed at how many kids have a go.

I have recently been to an Arts Extravaganza at the local high school. The students did some amazing hip hop dance; a young lad played drums with a passion and expertise that indicated it is probably the thing he spends most of his waking life practicing; another played flamenco guitar like a virtuoso. OK, I did have to screen out the words of one of the songs that was a joyful praise of Jesus and the way he worked in my life and how I should be repentant etc, but the voice was worth enduring the lyrics.

This weekend I have been at the local annual dance studio concert. Miss Michelle has every student in terrified awe. They know what she expects. They know they must work hard, they know she demands dedication, attendance, effort, pride, endurance and loyalty. She is not a woman to be trifled with.

The show is always spectacular: costumes that glitter, shimmy, sparkle and bedazzle to rival anything Brynne Edelsten would ever wear; cutsey beginner ballerinas and tap dancers; stunning exposes from the elite troupe; a crowd pleasing Dream Team - the class for students who have Down's syndrome; an act by the Mothers resplendent in silky orange with twirling pleats and feathered fascinators; Dad’s doing One Direction. The standard of performance by those who have been dancing with the studio for many years is exceptional – a tribute to the effort of the student’s, teachers and of course Miss Michelle.

The one thing that really grates at all of these is the claques in the audience who vociferously offer encouragement and appreciation by whistling at ear piercing pitch and  calling out ‘Go Shakira’; ‘Go Shenia/Cheneyah/Shanniar/Chinier’ I am yet to understand where they want these children to Go!

I guess I would have balked when Shakespeare’s audiences called out and threw garbage as well.

At my age I’m expected to bemoan the youth of today and look back with nostalgia at how we did things better. In fact everywhere I look I see kids doing great things, enjoying life, with great values. Sure they make mistakes, but so do we all.

 Kids are lucky: that they have a whole lot more time to learn from their stuff ups than we do.

When I was at school I studied the plays of Aristophanes. I recall at 17 reading The Clouds and finding the following:

The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.

That was written in 423 BC.

I’ve only just found some more of his wisdom

Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever.

I’m now going back for a re-read.

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This Week's Art Works

Still on the Tea pots preparing for the Tuggeranong Festival markets this coming Saturday.

Tea and Licorice All Sorts