Friday night, the Soong Ching Ling kindergarten had invited all parents to attend the Shanghai Grand Theatre to participate in the "Art Festival".

For weeks, Raili had been telling us how her class had been practising songs and dances (we even got some previews of the song "You and Me") but really, we had absolutely no idea what we were about to experience. I thought we were going to a homely event with the kids singing a couple of cute songs and parents eating cake afterwards.

Not quite. When we got to the Shanghai Grand Theatre, we realized that this was a BIG event. A huge event. Parents were dressed up in a serious way and mingling in the theater lobby before taking their assigned seats in the theater hall. As we made our way to the seats our tickets pointed to, we were delighted that instead of the seats behind the pole, which we always seem to be able to score, we were actually right in the middle with a great view of the center stage. A couple of minutes later the lights went out and the red curtains were pulled aside.

In front of us were approximately 500 students, all in matching uniforms (ah, that's what I had sent the "uniform money" for...) in ruler straight rows. A tiny little conductor girl in a black suit raised her arms in the air and the song begun.

 

I can't describe feeling or the emotion in any other way except that it felt like we live in the Olympic Closing Ceremonies. Hundreds of kids, all in matching outfits performing in unison, singing in (pre-recorded) perfect harmony. Of course you were not supposed to take pictures (the event was being recorded - see the television crew guy on the bottom right of the top picture) but I had to break the rules. I knew I'd be simply too overwhelmed to remember any of it unless I got a concrete memory. And when I saw that Raili was on the front row (three little red dressed down from the conductor girl), I started bawling. I couldn't believe our kids were a part of such an amazing performance.

As soon as the song was completed, the entire crowd was on its feet clapping furiously. The curtains were promptly closed and five seconds later - seriously - when the curtains were re-opened, all the kids were gone. How is it possible to move 500 kids in five seconds? I have no idea. There are mornings when we can't get two out the door...

For the rest of the program, each class did an individual performance. Kai's class acted "Under the Sea" where Kai was one of the crab boys. Raili's class sang about the colors of the rainbow and Raili was a part of the "different shades of green".

The evening was finished with an anthem to the great motherland as all the kids were back on the stage. Afterwards, as I waited in the foyer for the kids to be released, I recognized a mother of Raili's classmate right next to me.
"Some performance, eh?" I said.
"Yes", she replied.
"I can't believe how even the three year olds were performing in perfect unison!"
"Well, this IS the best kindergarten in China, you know...."

Yes, I do.  An amazing one.