Divas Go Bananas at second practice

What a fun group of divas this is proving to be! For those of you who were able to make this practice thank you for giving up an hour of your Saturday to work on the routine for the upcoming parade season.

The stage performance came together this morning and thanks to S (from HCL) we have a fun and energetic opening - the Banana Peel song!

Recap of the stage routine:

• Enter two by two with a criss-cross movement
• Line up in one long line across the middle of the stage
• Move to the front of the bookcarts
• Do the Banana Peel song
• Move to back of the bookcarts
• Move into two lines

MUSIC BEGINS

• Spin bookcarts
• Form an outer circle (counter clock-wise) and inner circle (clockwise)
• Move into one line
• Wheel spoke move - one full rotation
• Alternate divas step forward and backward 1 and 1-1/2 times
• Front row divas - Romantic twirl
• Back row divas - Romantic twirl
• All divas - kick twirl
• Form three pinwheels
• Move into one long line - primp and ham it up until end of music

MUSIC ENDS

A (from DCL) INTRODUCES LIBRARY CHANT

• Divas keep beat on bookcarts
• Quiet the crowds
• The Name Game - each Diva moves to front of stage while her name is chanted

ENDING

• A (from DCL) invites everyone to Go Bananas at their library and tells where the MELSA booth is located
• Divas move off stage in single file

I'll send the routine to everyone who has signed up to participate this summer the parade routine, the words to the banana peel song, and the words to the library chant.

Como Zoo Event - June 14

I have more details on the Library Reading Diva appearance at the Summer Reading Program kick-off event at the Como Zoo on Thursday, June 14.

There will not be a book cart drill team performance at the zoo. The logistics of getting the book carts to the zoo and finding an area for the performance proved to be more difficult that we originally thought it would be.

However, that doesn't mean that the MELSA Library Reading Divas are not wanted or needed at this event.

There are many people who visit the zoo and are unaware of the library's presence that day. That is where you come in! If you are participating at this event you will act as a roaming ambassador for the library. You may be at the entrance as a greeter, you may be helping out at a booth with tattoos or the trivia wheel, or you may help direct people to the various activities.

The Como Zoo event will be a great opportunity to interact with the children and their families.

Oh, and be prepared to have your photo taken with the visitors. People love their library.

First practice a success

There may have only been four of us at practice but we accomplished a lot. Practice began a bit unorganized but last year's routine was quickly remembered and the majority of the time was spent on the creation of the brand-new stage routine.

The stage routine is going to be a fun one. We are able to incorporate book cart moves on stage that just don't work while walking a parade route. And oh! The romantic twirl move (courtesy of The Library Book Cart Precision Drill Team Manual is so much fun to do they may never get us off of the stage.

The stage routine consists of criss-cross, home position, rotating circles, the spoke, forward/backward transition move, romantic twirl, kick twirl, pinwheel, ending at home position. The routine finishes with the library chant and an invite for audience participation. Don't know what I'm talking about? Better come to practice! Okay, I'm just kidding. I know the practice dates don't fit into all of your schedules. No worries, it'll come together just fine.

What we need now is music for the stage routine - any ideas?

The next practice is set for Sat., May 12 at 10 a.m. We'll spend most of our time working on the stage routine as there are a couple of moves that will require precision on our part.

Hope to see you there!

Scheduled Parade Dates are located on the Sidebar

MELSA parades - the scheduled dates for the MELSA parades are located at the top of the sidebar.

Dakota County Library parades - the scheduled dates for DCL parades are located on the sidebar also, below the MELSA Reading Diva photo from the Macy's media event.

Any questions, email Sharon.

And yet another request for an appearance by the Library Reading Divas

St Paul is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a parade downtown on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007.

A request has come for the Library Reading Divas to participate in the parade. So mark your calendars and recruit, recruit, recruit.

After all, we want to share the fun don't we?

Save the date Divas!

I've been in contact with the coordinator of the Flint Hills ARTmoves parade regarding this year's parade.

The parade this year is at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 2.

Time to get your Divalicious duds out of the closet as we prepare for another fun appearance at this summer parade.

Oh, and see what you can do about recruiting more Divas. We don't need to keep this much fun all to ourselves do we?

Another appearance for the Library Reading Divas

Any Library Reading Divas interested in being part of the grand opening festivities for the RCL Maplewood Library?

This DIVA appearance would be a volunteer appearance.

Kristi, one of the “frozen few” at the Winter Carnival parade, is looking for Reading Divas to be a part of the grand opening event.

Who would like to join me? No routine to learn this time. Just don your diva gown, sash and tiara. The more the merrier, otherwise I’ll just look like an middle-aged lady who dressed too formally for the grand opening of a library.

The date: Saturday, March 24

The time: Anytime from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteer for as little or as much as you’d like

The duties: In addition to standing around looking gorgeous and diva-ish these are the possibilities:

• stand at the refreshment table,
• hand out book bags to kids who checkout books (to first 100 kids who check out a book),
• hand out coupons to the first 100 adults in the door,
• welcome people as they enter,
• stand by the auto handling machines (we are opening up our back room so people can see our new automated book handling system)
  
  Here is RCL’s schedule of events for the day:
  
  10 a.m.: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Bruce Allard Jazz Trio

11 a.m.: Storytime featuring Charlie

Noon: Peacock Girls Hmong Dance Group

1 p.m.: MPR Host Cathy Wurzer

1 - 4 p.m.: The Reptile Experience

2 p.m.: Daddy Doo Band

2 p.m.: Stanley Gordon West

3 p.m.: David LaRochelle

4 p.m.: Rick Shefchik

DIVAS - we will not march in the Torchlight Parade

I know you’re disappointed about not marching in the Torchlight parade looking like a frozen fur ball topped with a tiara. However, it was determined that it is too cold for the Divas to participate in this parade.

Please, please, please mark your calendar for the summer events! Let’s see if we can get two dozen librarians and library workers to be Divas at the Flint Hills (June 2) and Aquatennial parades next summer.

Thanks to all of you who did volunteer! If the weather would have cooperated we would have ROCKED!!!

Thank you to the Reading Divas in the Grande Day parade

A big THANK YOU to the Chosen Frozen Few who showed up to participate in the 2007 Winter Carnival Grande Day parade!



One member from each unit marched behind the color guard carrying the American flag. It was an impressive sight to see the flags flying boldly while little children waved their small flags and adults stood with their hands over their hearts.

The banner carriers fought against strong winds through out the parade route to keep it in position so that the parade goers could see we were the MELSA public library Reading Divas.

Grande Day Parade - parade route map

I'm reposting this information as the parade is only a few days away.

Grande Day Parade starts on 5th and Cedar, goes 3 1/2 blocks west to Washington, 1 block south to 4th St, and then 3 blocks east to Wabasha.--7 1/2 blocks total.


http://www.winter-carnival.com/events/event_details/grande_day_parade/

The parade route was also published in the Sunday, January 21, edition of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Harriet Island Map and Parking

Thanks to Kristi and Julie (and maybe Anne) who volunteered to be at the kid's activity tent on Harriet Island before the parade as READING DIVAS. They will be handing out cool free library stuff.

If you are planning on going to Harriet Island before or after the parade you many want to consider usig nthe free shuttle service.

Skyway map of the downtown area

Here is a map of the skyway system in the downtown area. I plan on parking somewhere on the east end of the city (maybe Union Depot parking ramp off of Kellogg) and walking to our line up area via the skyway. A more experience parade attender (from the St. Paul Clown Club) mentioned that he typically parks in the Farmer's Market lot (free, I think) and walks to the parade route because it is easier to leave the downtown area after the parade.

Library Reading Divas CHANT for the Winter Carnival parade

Thanks again to Anne for the parade chant that she came up with (and she says with "apologies to Queen and Rob Reid.)

Rhythm: slap legs twice, clap hands once (think high school pep rally)

Chorus:
We Will, We Will Read Books!
We Will, We Will Read Books!

Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go when you've got to know?!
Come on over, the card is free,
To the place, the LIB-RA-RY!

Chorus:
We Will, We Will Read Books!
We Will, We Will Read Books!

Want some books? Need to know?
We are the place you've got to go!
The very place you should be,
The only one, the LIB-RA-RY!

Save the dates! The Reading Diva's presense requested at these events

The Library Reading Divas are invited to participate in this year's Art Moves parade, which will be held on Saturday, June 2. This is part of the Flint Hills International Children's Festival 2007. Their theme this year is "My Art Speaks from the Heart" and our Summer Reading Program theme is "Go Bananas at your library" so let's get creative and think about how we can tie the two together for this parade!

The Library Reading Divas are invited to participate at a MELSA event at the Como Zoo on Thursday, June 14.

As usual, when I receive more details I will pass them along.

Winter Carnival Parade Route

Anne found the parade routes.

Grande Day Parade starts on 5th and Cedar, goes 3 1/2 blocks west to Washington, 1 block south to 4th St, and then 3 blocks east to Wabasha.--7 1/2 blocks total.

http://www.winter-carnival.com/events/event_details/grande_day_parade/

Torchlight Parade starts on 6th and Minnesota--goes 3 blocks east on 6th to Sibley, one block south to 5th then 3 blocks west to Minnesota. 7 blocks total.

http://www.winter-carnival.com/events/event_details/2007_torchlight_parade/

It should be fun! Hopefully not freezing cold!

The SIMPLE Routine for the Parade is done!

This routine is so simple that five to ten minutes before the parade begins is all that will be needed for practice!

The library "chant" words are being worked on also (thanks Anne). This too will be very simple and a great opportunity for us to interact with the parade goers. Anne suggested we turn to them and say something like "c'mon! help us out!"

I'll write the book routine here, but until you see it, it probably won't make much sense.

We'll walk in three lines with three or four divas in each line. For most of the parade we'll walk, wave and shout out the library chant.

WHISTLE (signals to get into formation for the routine)

• Form a circle (facing one in - so we are looking at one another)
• Remove the book from your book bag
• On the count of four turn out (facing the parade goers)
• Shout "CHECK OUT!" and open your book
• Step KICK, step KICK, step KICK, step KICK (in place with your book open)
• Shut the book
• Pass the book to the Diva on your right
• Shout "CHECK IN"
• Turn to the left (your left shoulder is in the circle)
• With your right hand (where you're holding the book), make a large sweeping motion over your head bringing the book to the inside of the circle.
• Ripple out with the book - one at a time with a large sweeping motion bring the book back over your head to the outside
• Ripple in with your book - one at a time
• Turn to face the parade goers
• Shhhhhhh!

Continue walking. On paper, it looks more complicate than it is. It goes fast and of course we're Divas so if it isn't perfect we don't care!

And thanks to Anne and Linda who came up with the routine (and thanks to Cindy at SCL who suggested an "Ester Williams" type move.)

Line up information for the Grande Day and Torchlight Parades

Hey Divas!

I just received an email with some information for both the Grande Day and Torchlight Parades. Only two more weeks!

The information here is a bit incomplete and once I speak directly with our parade liaison I will add more details.

I will be sending all of you the attachments I received that show where we line up as well as where we enter our staging area.

• You need to enter the barricaded area on our assigned street (E. 6th Street)
• When entering the staging area, only take direction form the St. Paul Police Department or parade staff with "official" IDs around their neck.
• The line up time is the time that you enter the staging area. It is important that you be on time.
• Let's try and arrange carpooling among us so we don't all need to drive and park downtown.

Grande Day Parade
Saturday, January 27

• We are unit number 88 and listed as MELSA Metro Public Libraries
• Line up time is 12:50 p.m.
• Our staging area is on E. 6th Street - corner of E. 6th Street and Minnesota (by TCF and the Radisson)

Torchlight Parade
Saturday, February 3

• We are unit number 77 and listed as MELSA Metro Public Libraries
• Line up time is 5:20 p.m.
• Our staging area is on E. 6th Street - corner of E. 6th Street and Wabasha (by EcoLab)

Looking for faux fur coats and capes for the Winter Carnival parade

Hey Divas!

Time to beg, borrow, or steal a faux fur coat or cape for the Winter Carnival parade! (Well, don't steal one okay?)

We decided in keeping with the Diva theme of long gowns and tiaras that a faux fur coat would be a better outer covering for this parade than our regular winter coats and jackets.

Faux fur works great, but an old vintage fur coat would be mighty fine also.

I am sewing the finishing touches on a faux fur (silver fox) swing coat that I will probably wear. I may have a vintage mink coat in my closet also. If so, I'll let you know in case someone needs one.

In the meantime, who do you know that might have a coat or cape you could borrow for two parades. A co-worker? A friend? An aunt or cousin? Your sister or mother?

Let's see what we can come up with to keep us warm and looking like true LIBRARY READING DIVAS at the same time.

Reading Divas participating in the Winter Carnival Parade

To date, here is the list of Divas signed up to participate in the parade. If you've volunteered, but you're not listed, please let me know right away. And be sure to pass along the parade information to anyone else who may be interested.

• Linda -DCL
• Anne - DCL
• Laura - DCL
• Kris - DCL
• Jen - DCL
• Beth - DCL
• Sharon - DCL
• Mary - HCL
• Karen - SPPL
• Kristi - RCL

The Reading Divas and the St. Paul Winter Carnival Parades

Wow! It's almost parade time. Seems as if we registered for this parade only yesterday!

We gotta get going Divas...get our routine fine tuned and figure out our Winter Diva Wear. It looks as if we will march in this parade sans book carts, which changes the dynamics of course. Diva Anne, Diva Linda, and Diva Sharon will meet Thursday, Jan. 11 at 4:30 p.m. to work out a book routine and chant. Any diva that is scheduled to be in one of these parades is welcome to attend.

Two practice time will be scheduled - one next week and one the following week. Then its parade time!

King Boreas Day Parade
Saturday, January 26 27, 2007
Begins at 2 p.m.

Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Begins at 6 p.m.

I'll advise line up times and locations for both parades as soon as they are given to me.