From The Rock to The Big Apple

Thanks to a generous grant from the Shelter Island Educational Foundation (SIEF), Shelter Island School’s 8th grade (and a few upper classmen) attended the Nutcracker Ballet in New York City on Wednesday, December 19. 

Below are some of the letters students wrote to the SIEF in thanks on December 20 in English class.

Dear Shelter Island Educational Foundation, 20 December, 2018

Thank you so much for providing our class the opportunity to attend The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center. Here are some of our favorite memories: The Nutcracker was a wonderful experience and for many of the students, it was their first time to the theatre. The performance was beautiful and it was a great way to make students think freely about what they wanted the performance to mean. I loved the way the instruments told the story and replaced the words that could’ve been used. The dancers were so talented and I can’t even imagine how much work was put into the dances. My favorite dance was the duet with the man and woman. There were so many body mechanics and and mechanics on the stage that were mind boggling. The music had so much emotion in it. Although I’ve seen this before, because I’m older now, I will always remember the experience and opportunity I was given this year. Thank you for funding us to go on this lovely trip!

Angelina Rice

The Nutcracker was a stupefying experience, starting with going on an elegant bus, which was a magnificent bonding time, where our class got to really get to know more about each other. Traveling to the Lincoln Center, such a lively and elegant place, the play itself really lived up to its name, and blew my expectations out of the water. It was amazing. But what really stood out to me was the live orchestra. All the instruments were played magnificently, creating sounds that were so soothing that they could be a lullaby. But the cherry on top was the fact that we got to see Emily Blunt during intermission. The trip was breathtaking, and I would love to experience that again in my own time.

                                           Luca Martinez

The Nutcracker trip was an amazing experience, a memory that will last a lifetime. The performance was fantastic and we all loved it, and are grateful that we got to go on the trip. The part that stood out to me the most was the duet towards the end. The dance was extravagant and went on for a really long time, making it very hard to perform, which made it even more exciting to watch. The special effects and the moving scenery made the play special and interesting. The whole trip was truly special and is a memory that I’ll never forget.

Ben Waife

The Nutcracker trip was an amazing experience for everyone who went including the bus ride and the play. My favorite part of the play was watching the live orchestra and how the music told the story. We had so much fun that most of us fell asleep on the way home. We are very grateful for the whole trip and we all want to pay our thanks to you guys for an amazing experience!

Bazzy Quigley-Dunning

The Nutcracker was a spectacular show that all of us enjoyed. My personal favorite part was when the Christmas tree grew about 400 feet. It felt like it would never stop, and it made me wonder how tall it actually was. Everyone was most definitely confused and we were all excited to see it stop. I am extremely grateful that we were able to go on this trip and every part of it was fun — the bus ride, the play itself and eating the amazing food at Dallas BBQ.

Elijah Davidson

Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity. It was a great experience. Everyone enjoyed it so much. My favorite part of the ballet was when the snow came down on the stage and the dancers were dancing in the snow. Also another scene was when the transparent screen showed us Clara and her brother peeking through the door while the adults in the other room were setting up the Christmas tree! We are very grateful for this amazing experience!

Mary Gennari

The Nutcracker trip was a great opportunity for everyone. I think it is a experience that everyone will remember. My favorite was the second act when all the main characters danced, and all the little special effects that happen in the play that have people wondering how did the cast do that ? And when the Little Nutcracker toy turned into a boy in just a second. Thank you so much for this experience that I will never forget. 

                                           Andre Napoles

The Nutcracker was a beautifully articulated play. The play was a mesmerizing experience. From the ballerinas’ magnificent dances to the amazing orchestra, it was one of the finest plays and best experiences. One scene that touched my heart was when the song Waltz of the Flowers was performed. I also greatly enjoyed the Sugar Plum scene. This play brought me into a dreamy illusion and really touched my heart. I simply cannot thank you enough for this amazing experience.

Madigan Teodoru

I had a great time at the Nutcracker. It was beautiful how the dancers were able to dance wonderfully. My favorite part was when they had the Christmas tree keep going up. It was very captivating. I will remember this amazing experience. There was this awesome scene with a transparent screen and we could see what was going on in the room. Thank you for this wonderful experience.

Hayden Rylott