Exploring La Fille mal Gardee

Exploring Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée
ACTIVITIES FOR KS2
STUDENTS
Frederick Ashton’s joyful
ballet The Wayward
Daughter features some
of his most brilliant
choreography.
It is the story of Lise, the
wayward daughter, who
falls in love with a young
farmer called Colas. Her
mother, the widow Simone
wants her to marry the
daughter of a wealthy
vineyard owner, whose
name is Alais.
We look forward to welcoming you and your
class to the Royal Ballet’s production of Frederick
Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée, one of the best loved
in the Royal Ballet’s repertory.
The exercises here are designed to introduce your
class to the music, movement, choreographic ideas,
and story of the ballet.
If you record any of the creative responses of
your students to the ballet, we would love to
receive a copy. If you have any feedback on these
resources, the production, or the Schools Matinees
programme, please email us on
schoolm@roh.org.uk.
Enjoy the ballet!
RESOURCES NEEDED FOR THESE ACTIVITIES
©ROH 2015. Photograph by Tristram Kenton
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ACTIVITY ONE: Introduction
The ballet is set in a farmyard in an idealised version
of the Suffolk Countryside. Choreographed by
Frederick Ashton, it has been a favourite of the
Royal Ballet since it was first performed in 1960.
Relevant Curriculum Requirements
Pupils should
• use spoken language to develop
understanding through speculating, hypothesising,
imagining and exploring ideas
• ask relevant questions to extend their
understanding and knowledge
• articulate and justify answers, arguments
and opinions
• give well-structured descriptions,
explanations and narratives for different purposes,
including for expressing feelings
• use running and jumping in isolation and in
combination
• develop flexibility, strength, technique,
control and balance
• perform dances using a range of movement
patterns
• listen with attention to detail and recall
sounds with increasing aural memory
• appreciate and understand a wide range of
high-quality live and recorded music drawn from
different traditions and from great composers and
Filmed Examples
Chicken Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAAodYX3xI8
Rooster - Martin Milner, Chickens - Sinéad Bunn,
Claudia Ortiz Arraiza, Jess Buckley, Joana Andrade,
Bavarian State Ballet
https://youtu.be/el4z9bJDO4o
Natalia Osipova and Steven McRae in La Fille mal
gardée
©ROH. Tristram Kenton, 2015. Frederick Ashton’s
Royal Ballet production of La Fille mal gardée
Describe how the ballet is set in a farmyard
where there are all kinds of animals (in fact a live
pony comes onto the stage at one point!). There
are chickens and a cockerel (or rooster) on the
farm. Examine how chickens move - https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=bOizKdscvck. Or even
better observe a real chicken if you can lay your
hands on one!
Make a list of words on the board about movements
the students observe in the chickens.
Divide the students into two groups – each person
has a pair in the other group. Encourage the first
group to travel around the room experimenting
with different ways they can walk and can
move their feet and arms in order to imitate the
movements of a chicken. Encourage the other
part of the pair to count the number of different
movements their pair was able to achieve and
assess their effectiveness.
Encourage variety and consider these criteria:
• How short/long are their strides?
• How fast/slow can they move?
• How easily can they change direction?
• How far can they lift their feet?
• What happens when they transfer weight from
one foot to another or bend forward and back?
• What happens when they add arm or head
movements?
• Swap groups and discuss the features each pair
observed about their pair’s movement.
• Discuss with the class what movements are
most ‘chicken like’ and what body parts need to
move.
• Watch the youtube clip of the Chicken Dance
from the ballet. Discuss how the movements
were achieved and how effective they were.
Particularly note the role of the rooster and how
their movements are different.
• Note the costumes and how they would have
affected the movement.
• Discuss with the students how comfortable the
costumes would have been (they would have
been very hot, and the mask/head gear would
have made visibility difficult, and the sheer bulk
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of the costume would limit ones movements).
• Watch and listen to the dancers discuss what it
is like to do the ‘Chicken Dance’ https://youtu.
be/el4z9bJDO4o from 0:50-2:09
• Discuss with the students how the music is
appropriate for the dance (it is fast and staccato
like, and the brass, winds and percussion
instruments are prominent).
• Devise your own ‘Chicken Dances’ in groups of
4 (2 pairs). Use the movements devised earlier
and refine them with additions from those
observed in the ballet itself. Start by making a
pattern of hops and turns and combining their
paired movements into a group of four.
• Perform for the rest of the class – encourage
feedback.
ACTIVITY TWO: Dancing a Ribbon
Duet
Along with the Clod Dance, the Ribbon Duet is one
of the most iconic and symbolically rich moments
in Ashton’s ballet.
In pairs start at one side of the room and travel
across the room. Students are to have contact or
link with one part of the body of their partner at all
times. Repeat several times finding different parts
of the body to link with each time.
Develop this idea by encouraging the students to
create four ways of travelling across the space with
their partner using the following words as stimulus:
• Energetic
• Athletic
• Playful
• Joyous
In the same pairs, devise a 16-count sequence using
the idea of linking parts of the body using the
movements developed above. The sequence should
include travelling movements and movements on
the spot.
Give each pair a piece of ribbon and encourage
them to incorporate it into their routine. They could
use it to indicate something – like riding a pony or
Relevant Curriculum Requirements
Pupils should
• use running and jumping in isolation and in
combination
• develop flexibility, strength, technique, control
and balance
• perform dances using a range of movement
patterns
• use spoken language to develop understanding
through speculating, hypothesising, imagining
and exploring ideas
Filmed Examples
Ribbon Duet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H50e7FgcsQE
Marianela Nuñez as Lise and Carlos Acosta as Colas
in the Act I Pas de ruban from Frederick Ashton’s
La fille mal gardée.
Natalia Osipova and Steven McRae
©ROH/Tristram Kenton, 2015
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wrapping something up, or as a devise to join them
to each other. Encourage them to use the ribbon
to connect or weave their movements together
and then undo the weaving or connection (as in a
maypole dance).
Have each pair demonstrate their ribbon duets
to the class and discuss what they were trying to
represent and how effective the weaving and and
unweaving was visually.
Watch the youtube clip of the Ribbon Duet
performed by Lise and Colas from the Ballet.
Discuss with the students how the duet explored/
demonstrated the characteristics the students were
using to devise their paired movements – Energetic,
Athletic, Playful, Joyous.
• Have students revise their own paired ribbon
dance using some of the aspects of Lise and
Colas’s dance.
• Demonstrate to the class in turn and discuss
how the dances changed or were influenced by
watching the dance from the ballet.
Extension
Students attempt to do a cat’s cradle with a yard of
string or wool tied in a loop. Refer to this youtube
clip for instructions – the cats cradle itself can be
found at 3:50:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAZhx5PKgl4
For those who are brave enough, encourage
them to attempt a cat’s cradle with their ribbons.
Remember that the ribbon needs to be tied in a
circle and placed around their waists at some point.
ACTIVITY THREE: Clog Dance
Lise’s friends distract the widow Simone from Lise
and Colas spending time together by getting her to
dance with them. She performs a clog dance with
them that is very comical but also quite technically
difficult.
Relevant Curriculum Requirements
Pupils should
• use running and jumping in isolation and in
combination
• develop flexibility, strength, technique, control
and balance
• perform dances using a range of movement
patterns
• use spoken language to develop understanding
through speculating, hypothesising, imagining
and exploring ideas
Filmed Example
Clog Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5H4UMbKkgs
LA FILLE MAL GARDÉE (Royal Ballet) Clog Dance,
Widow Simone
Ask the students if any can tap dance and if so
have them demonstrate a few steps and teach
them to the class if they are able. Discuss with the
students how you have to wear special shoes to get
the right sound and tap dancing is a complex and
very technical style of dance.
You might like to view this youtube clip of tap
dancing to extend your students understanding -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAU8eBek_NU
Discuss with the students how the dancing itself
provides a form of accompaniment and is often
combined with other kind of body percussion –
such as clapping hands, clicking fingers etc.
In the ballet the widow Simone does a type of tapdance
with some of Lise’s friends…but to add to the
difficulty they are wearing clogs!
Watch the youtube clip of the Clog Dance and
discuss how difficult the movements they make
would be in clogs and how they imitate dance
movements like tap-dancing and dance on ‘points’
in clogs. Note how the widow Simone’s movements
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Ludovic Ondiviella and Philip Mosley
©ROH/Tristram Kenton, 2010

Marianela Nuñez and Carlos Actosta
©ROH/Tristram Kenton, 2012
are different from the other dancers (the widow,
who is played by a man, does lots of ‘slapstick’ or
clowning type of movements).
Divide into groups of five and elect one person
to play the more prominent role (such as widow
Simone). Using any dance styles you are familiar
with, (tap, contemporary, hip hop, folk dance)
devise a 32-count movement sequence that
includes unison movements for the four characters
and something a little ‘extra’ for the main character.
Rehearse and ensure the movements are clear,
definite and together if unison occurs and how the
solo role is made prominent.
Perform for the class and score each group on
these criteria.
Note that this ballet has been performed many
times by the Royal Opera House and the clogs
worn by the company have been passed down
from generation to generation of dancers (or
‘cloggers’). They each have the dancers names
written on the sole - https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=m1mJIA59qm4 9:12-11:45.
Extension
The Clog Dance is a type of folk dance and there
are many folk dances used in this ballet. Another
dance that is performed by the whole company is a
Maypole Dance. This dance is danced to herald the
arrival of spring and is still danced today by many
people across the UK. More information can be
found at this website https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Maypole
Watch a video of a Maypole Dance being
performed by a class of primary school students:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtT21X4gKsM
CWS 4th Grade does the Maypole Dance
Discuss with the students how to perform a
Maypole dance. This website may be helpful:
http://www.maypoledance.com/maypoledance.html
• Begin by standing in a circle and making a
‘chain’ (weaving in between each other taking
alternate hold of oncoming persons’ hand).
• If you have enough ribbons for everyone you
can make a series of maypoles where you
attach the ribbons to a tall pole that is set in
the ground or held by four children. Keep your
dancers to groups of 12-16. Divide each group
into two circles – one circle steps forward
towards the pole and the outer circle dance
around each person in turn.
Watch and listen to the dancers discuss what it is
like to do the ‘Maypole Dance’ https://youtu.be/
el4z9bJDO4o from 2:09- 2.38.
ACTIVITY FOUR: The Storm
The Storm is a moment of descriptive, narrative
musical writing in the ballet score.
Relevant Curriculum Requirements
Pupils should
• use spoken language to develop understanding
through speculating, hypothesising, imagining
and exploring ideas
• play and perform in solo and ensemble
contexts, using their voices and playing musical
instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency,
control and expression
• listen with attention to detail and recall sounds
with increasing aural memory
• appreciate and understand a wide range of
high-quality live and recorded music drawn
from different traditions and from great
composers and musicians
Audio Example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTs374j1Sb4
Ballet Joelen
Discuss the way sounds can be made to tell a story.
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Imagine the sound of a rainstorm starting softly and
building in intensity.
Discuss the sounds heard when it first starts to rain.
Are the sounds regular or more random?
“How can you make these sounds with your body?”
(clicking, gentle tapping, clicking your tongue etc.).
Focus on random sound creation, without regularity
and beat.
“How can these sounds be made with instruments
and sound sources in the room?” (tapping sticks
gently, crackling paper, dropping pebbles on the
ground etc)
Discuss the way the sounds change as the rain gets
heavier (louder, heavier, stronger, more regular, one
sound rather than individual drops). Discuss and
explore sound possibilities.
Divide into groups and using vocal sounds, available
instruments and found sound sources encourage
each group to devise their own storm. Ask them to
consider how the storm is structured. Does it begin
quickly or build in intensity? Does it finish softly or
abruptly? Is there lightning? Thunder? Wind? Rain?
Perform the storms for each other and discuss their
structure.
At the end of Act II, a violent storm breaks out
accompanied musically in the ballet by a borrowing
of the storm music from Rossini’s opera Cinderella.
We hear the wind begin to moan (low strings) as
dark, black clouds scud threateningly across the
sky, followed quickly by a brief flicker of lightning
(flute), the first few drops of rain (harp), and a
distant but growing roll of thunder (timpani) until
the full fury of the storm is suddenly unleashed
in the entire orchestra and torrential rain (upper
strings) is lashed about at gale force. In the middle
section, there is a period of calm where the storm
appears to have eased off and the woodwind
instruments take it in turn to play, as though
imitating the birds beginning to sing again. The
storm renews its attack however, and the act ends
with Alain transported through the air on his red
umbrella (Swanee whistle).
Listen to the storm and compare it with the class
storms. Note Rossini’s storm has a ‘quieter’ section
in the middle where Lise and Colas meet. Would
this be ‘the eye of the storm’?
Compare the classes’ storms with Rossini’s. Choose
a class composition you think is most effective.
Choreograph a dance to accompany this
composition. Include fast movements travelling
forwards and backwards as though being buffeted
by the wind, turning on yourself and in groups,
and leaps and turns, which are repeated by larger
numbers of people. Try to give a sense of chaos.
ACTIVITY FIVE: The Overall Picture
Frederick Ashton’s final full-length ballet is one of
his most joyous creations, imbued with his love for
the Suffolk countryside.
Relevant Curriculum Requirements
Pupils should
• use spoken language to develop understanding
through speculating, hypothesising, imagining
and exploring ideas
• ask relevant questions to extend their
understanding and knowledge
• listen with attention to detail and recall sounds
with increasing aural memory
• appreciate and understand a wide range of
high-quality live and recorded music and ballet
drawn from different traditions and from great
dancers and musicians
• develop an understanding of the history of
music and ballet.
©ROH/Tristram Kenton, 2010
PAGE 6

Steven McRae
©ROH/Tristram Kenton, 2015
Filmed Examples
Background on the ballet with examples:
https://youtu.be/el4z9bJDO4o
Natalia Osipova and Steven McRae in La Fille mal
gardée ©ROH. Tristram Kenton, 2015. Frederick
Ashton’s Royal Ballet production of La Fille mal
gardée
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1mJIA59qm4
The Royal Opera House have made two short films
about the making and staging of the ballet. They
are both worth watching as a way of setting the
scene.
Note how they use a live Shetland pony on stage.
Discuss how easy this would be to manage at the
Opera House.
Discuss with the students how Frederick Ashton
has located the ballet in the English countryside
and how he achieves this (the painted set, the
costumes, the folk dances, the animals).
Discuss how realistic the happy ending is to the
ballet.
Ask the students to predict which will be the most
varied dance, the most difficult dance, and the
dance they are looking forward to seeing the most.
Have the students note their predictions and put
them in a sealed envelope.
When they return from the performance have them
compare their predictions with their real experience.
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