Ask any student who has been in the ballet program at West End Academy of Dance about “Fairies and Goblins” and you will get an immediate response.
The little ones squeal with delight! Others cheer with enthusiasm. All the students, even the most advanced level ballet, want to “play” it around this time of year. It has a timeless appeal for all age groups. For some, it has nostalgic power.
What is “Fairies and Goblins”? We start with a single scratchy recording (remember vynl?) of a solo piano being played. The fairies come out first to dance at dusk, to the “tinkling” of arpegios played by the left hand with the dainty melody played by the right hand. Then the goblins come out of their “cave”, to a large marcato march with long suspended rhythms. One flick of a light switch and… “magic”! The goblins dance in the darkened room while the fairies hide.
They all scream as they switch parts.
One year I did a little experiment with one of my ballet I classes (age five). I let them play “Fairies and Goblins” at the end of every class for the entire school year. Whereas it may have gotten a little old it never lost itʼs excitement. We now bring it out as a special treat, but only once a year even though they ask for it all the time.
Thinking about why this game is so loved by all age groups I think it is because all kids have great imaginations and like to explore and express their all their feelings in a safe environment. When they dance fairies they are soft and vulnerable, fragile and scared; when goblins, loud and large, strong and scary….all in the space of one two-minutes.
They control the narrative. They own the dances. They become things that move around in their imaginations and come out in the dark. They get to scream! What fun!
