Reindeer Hop
VHEW students dance to the "Reindeer Hop." Photo courtesy of Alice Elmore.
Festive music of the season filled the gym at Vestavia Hills Elementary West in December as the third grade classes treated family, friends, and fellow students to their holiday musical, entitled “Celebrating Traditions Old and New.” Under the direction of West’s music teacher, Trudye Confessore, the students entertained their audiences with traditional carols as well as songs about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
They sang lyrics in four different languages and also in a wide range of musical styles, including spirituals, rounds, and partner songs. Some classes used instruments to accompany their songs while others featured dance styles from the 50s and 70s. Students also brought technology into the picture as they sang “I’m Gonna Email Santa!”
At the program’s end, the third graders shared their wish for peace with the beautiful “Dona Nobis Pacem,” then sang their hopes that everyone would enjoy a “Holly Jolly Christmas!”
