Rata and the Totara Tree

Today we went to a performance by our buddy class Room 26. We enjoyed it a lot. When we got back to class we discussed what we had noticed. Here is the list of ideas:

• music matched the story like: the storm, cutting of the totara
• "play reminded me of the tattoo on my stomach because of the moko on the performers"
• sound effects very effective - play about nature and we heard birds and a storm hitting
• pictures at the beginning were a good clue of what was to come
• legend reminds of a Cook Island story
• art work was effective
• most of the action was mine and dance
• the dance made it look like a real forest and sea
• masks very beautiful and they matched the story
• clothes were plain so you noticed the masks more
• twisting hands looked like koru
• the music and dance intensity matched
• presenters used good expression and projection 
• blue face and body paint was very effective
• some of the music was a bit loud
• the dancing for the waves in the storm was effective
• we noticed different layers in the performers when they were standing still at the beginning - tall, short and medium height
• dance moves were effective when Rata was chopping down the Rata tree - it looked like he was really whacking the tree
• performers stood so that they didn't have their backs to the audience
• walking stick was an effective axe

Thanks to Room 26, Mrs Hunter and Ms Wilson for putting on such a great show.
The art works above were created by the Room 26 children.