Much Ado About Nothing

My husband and I had the pleasure of attending an outdoor performance of "Much Ado About Nothing" presented by the Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. This company is an outreach program of MSU’s College of Arts and Architecture and have been putting on Shakespeare plays for 39 seasons. They travel to towns in Montana and Wyoming and the performances are free (but donations are accepted).

We have not been able to attend the past two years because my husband has been out of town with training for work.



It was nice to pick up some dinner and carry some pillows and blankets to sit an watch this comedy on the lawn at the University of Great Falls. It was also the first time I had actually taken time to see the layout of the buildings of the college here in town.

There was a good attendance and plenty of laughter to go around.



The director chose to set this play right after the Civil War. I loved the costumes of the ladies -- nothing like a hoop skirt!!!

We had hoped to return and see the company's second play of the season they are putting on, "The Merchant of Venice", but I just wasn't feeling rested and rain did sweep through to delay things a bit. Hoping to catch them again next year with their next two selections.

The Bayleat Family Band

This is the Balyeat Family Band -- a terrific family of performers -- talented in so many instruments, original song writers, and ambassadors to uplift to the soul.



My family had a treat of going to Gibson Park this past Tuesday evening to feed the ducks, geese, and sea gulls. We also sat and listened to several Christian bluegrass bands play in the bandshell area.



I thought one of the performers in this group looks a lot like David Letterman. What do you think?




The following was written by Nancy Balyeat (mom in the Bayleat Family Band):


Bob & Nancy Balyeat and five of their children travel all over the country singing and sharing their faith at fairs, festivals, churches or clubs. Their warm versatile style has been a blessing to many events, bringing the sunshine of hope and the freshness of laughter.
Bob Balyeat is the head of the family. He manages the band and weaves a message of God's love and power throughout their songs.He sings and accompanies the family on guitar and bass fiddle.
Nancy Balyeat is the mother of the Balyeat family, nurturing them in their gifts, as well as enjoying singing and playing the guitar and the keyboard with them.
James , age 19 , will amaze you with his accomplished bass skills and versatility, flat picking guitar & singing and has good stage presence. He is blessed to bring with him, Amanda, his wife! She is a blessing to all of us with her fiddle, banjo and mandolin and her bright spirit. She is greatly loved by all of us!
Rose , age 16, plays fiddle & mandolin and sings. She is Mom's right hand, doing laundry and remembering all their important dates.
MaryAnna age 15, plays fiddle and banjo. She carries the melodies with gusto, Charis , age 12, adds spice to the music with fiddle licks and solos and sings harmonies. Charity , age 8, adds the element of surprise, singing, playing fiddle, and dancing into the hearts of everyone we meet!

Blackfeet Indian Prairie Chicken Dance

The chicken dance came from the Blackfeet confederacy...... The chicken dance (and it's songs) is a sacred dance and not merely a dance style. It is a dance that must be learned and taught in the appropriate way, with the dancer being initiated into the chicken dance society. The dance is imitating the prairie chicken in mating, no bustle is worn.


Most things the dancer carries when he dances have a meaning like the otter skin that is a part of a society, there are a lot of things that some people don't understand about this dance.

From George Ceepeekous: Dancer "Back in 1961, a prairie chicken landed right in front of my car one night. My wife and I were coming to the reserve from Raymore. He landed right in front of my car, so I had to stop. Then all of a sudden, he started to showing off, and dancing right there on the road. His little feet were going back and forth. he moved pretty fast on his feet. He would shake, and hop around in a circle. I started to think, Geez, that was something. 'It was like he was showing me how to dance the chicken style. So I sat there, and watched him dance until he was done. He danced for us for about ten to fifteen minutes. The whole time he danced too, then he flew away. This is a true story!



The chicken dance. I call it the Prairie Chicken Dance. This is how my dad made me understand it. You can say it was the Straight Chicken Dance. I heard a lot of places calling it different, but I learned it as the Prairie Chicken Dance. One thing I don't like, is just calling it the chicken dance. Some people who don't understand this dance, might think of it as a farm chicken, or some other chicken. At one powwow, they were making fun of it. They called it the Kentucky Fried Chicken Dance, and I was in the bunch, dancing. They called us the Kentucky Fried Chicken Dancers. That is not right, you know. It offends us.

I know that the Prairie Chicken Dance started the same time as the Grass Dance style. There was one old man, a long time ago, watching these prairie chickens in the spring. They were mating and doing their courting dance. That's where he picked up these dance styles. Grass and Prairie Chicken Dance is almost danced the same way."

Blackfeet Indian Fancy Feathers Dance

One of the most visually spectacular dances to watch of the Blackfeet Indian is the Fancy Feathers Dance. There is more aerial artistry in jumps and turns with the dancer's feet being in mid-air more than on the ground while performing.



The costume is very elaborate and weighs around 65 pounds.



Some history of the Blackfeet Indian can be found by clicking on this highlighted sentence.


Another interesting fact we heard during the presentation was how to acquire an eagle feather. One must write to the US Fish and Wildlife Department making a request. We were told there is usually a 3 year waiting period because you are put on a list and the feathers are rare. If a person finds an eagle that has died, he should turn it into the Fish and Wildlife Department.

Blackfeet Indian Bell Dancer

Another dancer at the Blackfeet Indian Dance Presentation this past weekend at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center was "The Bell Dancer". Her sweet young daughter also performed some of the dance with her and then decided she was tired and moved over to sit on her father's knee and help with the drumming on the hand drum while the men sang the song for the dancer.




Her regalia was exquisite with so much detail I had to go up after the performance and ask for some close up shots of her moccasins, beadwork and bells.



The bells are made out of snuff cans. There are 365 bells which represent a dream the dancer has had. The dancer makes her regalia along with the help of family members. They can take years to finish. She also had a beautiful beaded purse she carried while she danced, but I did not think to ask for a close up picture of it.



More postings to follow with the men who performed dances at the festival as well.

At the Duck Pond

The kids and I visited the duck pond at Gibson Park for the first time today with a bag of old buns. The boys had a splendid time and left saying they wanted to return really soon. I made that happen rather quickly as I loaded them and their dad up after dinner for the excursion repeated. I had found another loaf of bread in the bottom of the refrigerator under the meat crisper.







Also, I had been told that people come out on Wednesday evenings for music performances at the same park. The turn out was great and everyone enjoyed the music played.



We took Fred to see the flower garden and arch. He thought it was lovely but allergies and an asthma attack took over and coughing from Fred played along with the music. So much so that at times people were looking and staring like "what is this sick man doing out and about."







All in all it was a nice evening to be out and about. Next time, however; one will remember to check and see if the inhaler is packed along for the trip.