Review: STOMP! At Jupiters Casnio, Gold Coast

Stomp review

STOMP takes the meaning of recycling to a whole new world of music and artistry. You will never look at your humble broom again in the same way. You will want to tap out beats while taking the rubbish bin out. You will want to make paper planes with the newspaper and amuse the kids. You will want to dig through the garbage and find something to make noise with. Umm.. maybe scratch that last one out. A day old garbage is not something that you want to hold .. or smell.

The toe tapping rhythm that the STOMP artists find carries through the crowds and in no time everyone is clapping and trying to keep up. There is a large level of audience participation. There is also a fairly clever gag running through the show that makes the whole show not only musical wizardry, but provides comic relief as well.

Some of the instruments used to create beautiful music defy logic. Whatever you do, don’t miss the trick with the lighters or the newspaper. Kids will love it (if they can keep quiet).

Speaking of kids, if you are going with little ones (less than 2 years old) make sure that you get aisle seats in case you need to make a quick exit if they start playing up. However, in a tribute to the show’s ability to keep kids amused, entertained and sitting still for around an hour, our 1.6 years old sat and watched the whole show in amazement. Occassinaly you could hear him say “man” loudly enough for everyone to hear during the quiet times of the show, but those quiet times were few and far between. Our 3 year old was thoroughly enthralled. We forgot she was there. Both kids want to see it again!

One sour note: When asked for some tap water from the bar staff at Jupiters Casino inside the theatre, I was refused. This is illegal in Queensland with fines ranging up to $4000. Bars must provide free tap water: http://www.olgr.qld.gov.au/stories/alcoholrelatedviolence2.shtml#7. You may want to take your own drinks to keep the kids hydrated.

What? STOMP at the Jupiter Casino, Gold Coast.

When? On now.

Tickets: At the Jupiters Box Office. From $59. You are better off combining a dinner and show package, which start at $69.

Lots of Americans seem to think that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, but that holiday actually falls on Sept. 16.

May 5 is the celebration of the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexicans defeated the French in 1862. Independence Day marks the beginning of their fight for independence from Spain in 1810. That was the day of what’s known as El Grito de Dolores, or the cry of Dolores, for when the Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the church bells at his church in Dolores and declared that Mexico should be free from Spanish rule.

They would fight for their freedom until 1821 when they finally gained independence.

Fabulous Classroom has a little of the history and ideas for celebrating the holiday for all age groups. There’s also a link to a good video in that post about the real story of Mexican Independence Day.

Twinkl also has a good tops about the history and different activities, discussion ideas, crafts and foods that can be incorporated into lessons at school or used at home.

I also found a few pins that no longer link to a website but include good information on Mexican Independence Day, including some questions for students to answer based on the reading. You can find more printables and questions for kids from TX Homeschool Mama on Etsy (also available in Spanish).

You can find a lot more paid resources about Mexican Independence Day at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Mexican flag crafts are a fun option for celebrating Mexican Independence Day (though the current iteration of their flag has only been in use since 1968). Kids Activities Blog has a free Mexican flag printable and a few different ideas for decorating it including dot markers and torn tissue paper.

You can also find some great Mexican crafts at Red Ted Art. The post includes all sorts of Mexican inspired projects including Day of the Dead crafts, Frida Kahlo pinatas and upcycled musical instruments. I love the giant paper flowers they shared from Honestly WTF.

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