Spring has returned.
The Earth is like a child that knows poems.
Rainer Maria Rilke
Waldorf Academy invites you to celebrate Spring on Saturday May 5th at our annual day of festivities that include a traditional maypole dance and picnic from 10-1pm at Hillcrest Park and a Family Square Dance at the school from 6pm- 8:30pm.
Maypole procession and dance is held rain or shine! (In the event of inclement weather, it may be shortened.)
The Maypole Festivities begin at 10 am. Please contact your teacher for further information regarding picnic and volunteer help for garland making and set up.
Later that day the Grade 3 class is hosting a square dance in the school gymnasium with a live band and caller; a stompin’ good time and family favourite. Entry to the square dance is $20 per family.
What is a Maypole Dance
The May Pole is a tall wooden pole with a circular top decorated with flowers and ribbons hanging down to the ground. As the time draws near for dancing, each child takes up a ribbon and stands at its farthest reach. To begin, it is tradition that each person greets their neighbor with a bow and then greets the May Pole. Then the dancing begins. Leah Salomaa,a celebrated performer here in Toronto will lead the dancing and music as well as the Faculty.
The children sing their May Day songs and walk, skip, skip/step, or weave around the May Pole creating a wonderful swirl of ribbon around the pole. They keep going around singing and dancing, watchful of their ribbon creation until the ribbons are wound as much as can be. Then they turn and begin again as the ribbons are unwound and hang long once more.
Once everyone has had a turn at dancing it is time for playing in the park and eating. A pot-luck lunch with a spring blessing usually follows the festival.
