Anniversary Programme With One Working Microphone
The school is preparing a 20-minute programme for its 50th anniversary. The traditional dance group has 14 students and a borrowed costume set; the community elder who owns the dance has agreed to the performance but says no photography may occur during it. The hip-hop group has 10 students and a routine that includes a lift. There are only three 40-minute rehearsals left. The hall floor becomes slippery when humid, the sound system has one working microphone and a CD player that skips, and the lead dancer has a sprained ankle and cannot bear weight on it. The principal wants both groups plus a combined finale. The programme must finish before the guest speaker arrives. Parents will attend, and students want to post clips online.
1. Plan a 20-minute programme with both groups and a combined finale. Explain how the plan manages timing, injury, sound and cultural protocol.
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Use a tight running order: 0–2 minutes welcome and announcement that there is no photography during the traditional dance; 2–7 minutes traditional dance; 7–10 minutes changeover; 10–15 minutes hip-hop; 15–18 minutes combined finale; 18–20 minutes thank-you and exit. Modify the hip-hop routine by removing the lift and giving the injured lead dancer a seated or standing role that does not bear weight. Check the floor before each rehearsal, mop condensation and require non-slip shoes. Because the CD player skips, prepare a second device with the same track and keep a live body-percussion or clapping backup for the finale. Use the one microphone for the MC and announcements rather than for every act. Rehearse the two changeovers, since they are the most likely cause of overrun. Announce the photography rule clearly before the traditional item, not after it.
2. The elder objects to the hip-hop group using a traditional drum rhythm. Explain whether and how the group should change the routine.
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Treat the objection as a cultural permission issue, not as a matter of taste. Ask the elder which rhythm is involved and whether it is sacred, clan-owned or restricted. If permission is refused, remove the rhythm and replace it with an original beat or body percussion; do not argue that the group is “just borrowing” it. If permission might be given, ask what credit or context the elder requires and record the agreement. Tell the hip-hop group early so they can rehearse the replacement within the three remaining sessions. Explain to students that respecting cultural rights is part of performance quality, not an attack on their creativity. The programme can still include both groups; what changes is the source of the rhythm, not the group's right to perform.
3. A student wants to film the whole event for social media. Give a decision and the practical steps that follow from it.
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Follow the elder's condition: no filming during the traditional dance. Announce this before the item and ask teachers to monitor the front rows. For the other items, obtain consent from performers and parents of younger students before filming. Do not film the injured dancer in a way that highlights the injury, and do not livestream without permission. If the student wants clips for the school page, offer a compromise: film the hip-hop and finale only, show the footage to the teacher before posting, and credit performers. Explain that consent is not automatic because a student is on stage. This protects the elder's rights, the dancers' privacy and the school's relationship with the community.