Prepping for the big event already
Read more here: http://scip5.net/2015/07/28/sing-with-sassparella-october-2015-the-music-of-paul-simon-and-art-garfunkel/
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On Saturday 18th April, Marius and Cindy ran the first ever “Sing with Sassparella” community singing event.
The idea began to form when a number of the audiences at concert said they would love to sing with the choir… as some of these were men (!), we thought, “what better way than to arrange a community singing event open to all?”.
And that is exactly what we did.
We chose the ‘Motown songbook for starters. We were a bit unsure how it would recruit… but we needn’t have worried! On the day, we had a great mix of singers from a number of local choirs, friends of Sassparella, and some people who just loved the idea of singing some of the ‘Motown hits.
The day was rounded off beautifully by the appearance of a live soul band: the performance of pieces like “Dancing in the Street”, “Tracks of my tears”, “Reach Out- I’ll be There” and “I WIsh” were epic!
We just have to do it again!
Here are the dates we have earmarked for rehearsals so far.
There are some consecutive Mondays as we have a lot of preparation and quite a busy schedule for the Autumn!
Mon Sept 9th, 16th, 23th
Mon Oct 7th, 14th, 28th
Mon Nov 11th, 18th, 25th
The three performances we will be rehearsing for are
Stourhead, Sun 22nd Sept
That will comprise of three 20 minute sets….( I am sure we will be able to repeat some songs as we have two different venues). Marius will be bringing the guitar…..! It will be a good experience hopefully!
We will need to arrive by 10.30 am and will be finished by 3 pm. I suggest we take a picnic….hope the weather is nice!
Friday Oct 18th at the Roper Wing at Hayesfield Upper School
This is the one we will receive tickets from Grenville for and hopefully we can fill the Sassparella coffers with a good sales push!
Sat Nov 30th at St. Bart’s Church
This year we will make it a triple header with the Cindy Stratton Band and ZBella, with a bit of crossover here and there, with a special appearance from Carlos Alonso, the local tenor who sang so well at Poppy’s wedding! It will be very festive like last year, and we can provide mince pies, mulled wine etc and make it sufficiently different from the Roper Wing so that it will be an equally attractive concert to invite friends and family too. There is a six week gap between the two concerts.
Monday 22nd April
Monday 29th April
Monday 13th May
Monday 20th May
Party in the City: Friday 24th May
Monday 3rd June
Monday 10th June
Friday 14th June… Poppy’s Big Day!
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
Extended intro-Alternate shoulder shrugs-(shortie George)
V.1. March –use arms-Left arm up, right knee bent on “Love”
“You you you”-extend right arm ,point index finger left to right
“Sometimes …” Box step-right leg lead
“Ba da da” Face left right knee flexes with right finger clicks
Spohie- Shortie George and click fingers
Verse: Shortie George. March –use arms-Left arm up, right knee bent on “Love”
Final “You” hold finger point
Transitions need to be sharp
Man! I Feel Like a Woman!
Verse 1. After “Let’s go …” Pop right hip and click right fingers, taking right forearm right to the beat throughout verse
“being” right foot out
“have”-right arm high big circle overhead, with hip circle
“fun” – arm and hip circle
“Oh, oh, oh” right/left/right shoulder accents leaning forwards
“crazy” straighten up
“shirts” right leg across left leg,
“skirts” left leg across right
“Oh …” place right foot next to left at shoulder accents as above
“wild” straighten up
“style” Pop right hip, 2nd sops facing forwards, 1st sops facing left, altos facing right
“Oh, …” as above
“action” straighten up
“attraction” Sop 1 and Altos step out to face front
“hair” right leg across left leg
“dare” left leg across right
“Oh oh…” as above
“yeah” straighten up
“Feel the way…” Figure of 8 hips
“Man!” Right hip pop, hands on hips
“feel like a woman!” Shoulder rolls back right-right foot back/left-left foot back/right-feet together
Verse 2. As verse 1. Choruses as above.
Bond Medley
Skyfall
Start with backs to audience. Last bar of intro, cross left foot over right and turn.
Stand still during verse.
“skyfall” float arms up to ceiling
“crumbles” float arms down.
“we will”-2nd sop/alto line (1st sops on “Tall) take right foot out, arm by sides.
“together” palms out
Right foot steps back in on 2nd “skyfall
Gold Finger
First note of intro-bend right knee
“Gold finger” turn left, right shoulder to audience
“midas touch” float up right hand to shoulder height pointing index finger looking down arm
“spider’s touch” ripple fingers, float arm down
“cold finger” float up right hand to shoulder height pointing index finger
“beckons you” beckoning gesture with index finger
“but” internally rotate hand with index finger pointing upwards
“don’t go in” wag finger right, left, right.
Float arm down
Nobody Does It Better
Standing still
Doo doo – synchronized sway r/l/r/l
Diamonds are forever
“Diamonds” float up right hand to shoulder height fingers pointing down.
“all” place right hand on heart
“stimulate” run right hand down right side of body and wiggle hips
“leave” Sop 1-turn left, right shoulder to audience
Sop 2- Step out right leg
Altos- turn right, left shoulder to audience
First beat piano riff- Step back into first position.
“Diamonds” float up right hand to shoulder height fingers pointing down.
“up” place right hand on heart
“stroke” run right hand down right side of body and wiggle hips
“see” Sop 1-turn left, right shoulder to audience
Sop 2- Step out right leg
Altos- turn right, left shoulder to audience
Last beat of instrumental –feet together
Endng: “Diamonds” Sop 2 float up right hand to shoulder height fingers pointing down.
Altos and Sop 1, echo movement on their echo, “forever”
“Diamonds” 2nd sops float hand down and place in above bent right knee. Altos/1st sops follow on echo
Final line “and ever…” Float right arm up to ceiling.
Piano coda-bring arm down. Heads down.
Live and let Die
Stand still. Sops 1 & 2 keeps heads down.
“live” heads up
“you know you did..” Sop 1 and 2 turn left, face altos.
“da da” face front
“ba ba ba ba” sharply focused forward
Reggae section-freestyle
“give ….” Step out with right leg. Stand still.
Extended coda-last time through each group-left foot over right, turn to face the back.
Coda
Last time through(1st Sops 7th time, 2nd Sops 4th time, Altos 5th) each group turns-gun hands- to face back.
Choreography Dec 1st
1. People get Ready-
Coming on singing doo doo doos. Swaying starts at the beginning of the first chorus.
2. Lean on me-
3 hands claps from “You just call on..”
Standing still on the last “call me”
We naturally stopped moving for the staccato verse-
3. Rockin’ around-
Standing still on-Deck the halls …
Standing still during next intro
4. Winter wonderland
-Standing still on- But you can do the job …
Standing still for next intro
5. Santa Claus is Coming to Town…
-Hands out on “Santa Claus” Actions on-sleeping-awake-bad
(thumbs down) good (thumbs up)- so be good …-wag finger
Jazz hands, forward, up and out in a V –at end-“town.”
6. Oh What a night
Intro- section 1-section 2- synchronized sway starting to right
Section 3 “Oh I I got …” Standing still
Section 4 “… night” synchronized sway starting to right
Section5 “dah dah …” 1st Sops and Altos- right shoulder down into alternate shoulder shrugs. 2nd Sops still
Section 6-2nd sops-step right leg to right,arms straight, fngers outstretched and pointing to the floor on “rush”. Step right leg back in, arms by sides on “thunder.” Circling right index finger at head height -pointing
index finger to floor and flexing knees/wiggling hips on-“Spinning my head around …”
“rush” 1st Sops turn left, Altos turn right to face 2nd Sops
“head” 1st sops and Altos rotate head to face audience
“Oh what …” 1st sops and Altos face audience
Section 7-Hand claps on “doo doo” with synchronized sway.
Repeated sections as above
Final “doo doos …” synchronized sway
Stand still on last “night.”
SASSPARELLA! 