This corona pandemic is taking its toll on live performances around the world. Broadway has been shut down since March, the Nutcracker is not being performed anywhere this Christmas season, and even our little, local juggling troupe isn't getting out and about this school year. However, one of the blessings of being  small school that has remained open is that we still get to do gigs within our own building. 

We were scheduled to do a chapel for the 5th and 6th grade class on last Thursday, but school was shut down as we got nine inches of snow that day. Again, the small setting worked to our advantage, and we were able to reschedule for the next day. (It also helps that the 5/6 teacher is my wife!)

After the show, one of my 8th graders said she thought it was the best show of the year so far. She has been with LOL since last year, so her frame of reference is bigger than most of her classmates, and this feedback carried a lot of weight.

And she was right. Their juggling routine to "It's a ka, Ska, Ska , Ska World" was their best yet. Not only did they juggle well, most of the kids had stepped up the difficulty of what they performed. Tanner was the first in the class to perform machetes, Abbie peformed rings on a balance board for the first time, and Emily and Josh both performed diabolos for their first time ever. Nathan also found his niche being the first to perform with devil sticks.

Emily performed 'The Armor of God' for the first time. In this routine, based on Ephesians 6, she dresses up an audience member in balloon armor, explaining the biblical symbolism of each piece as she goes. She did great, and ended her routine by piercing a balloon all the way through with a needle, representing God's protection when we're faced with temptation.

Although this year is challenging in many ways, I'm glad the kids still get to do shows, and it's exciting to see them grow in their skills and showmanship with each show.