Yesterday morning was the 5th grade "talent" show at Aidan's school. Students were encouraged to sing, dance, put on skits, play musical instruments and display other special talents such as flag twirling or demonstrating martial arts, or serve on the stage crew. Out of three grade 5 classes of 20+ students each, all but about five children played some kind of role in the show.
Aidan was chosen as one of the announcers because of his clear and loud speaking voice, and because he doesn't, as one child in his class told him, "have any talent." Rude child.
Aidan and the other two announcers did a fine job of announcing each act. And if Aidan has no talent, then he has plenty of company in the no talent pool. While there were a few stand-out performances, there were mainly squeaks and squawks, missed notes, mumbled lines, incomprehensible skits (I apparently don't understand or appreciate grade 5 humor) and pitchiness. Lots of pitchiness.
But all snark aside, I have to admire the students for their willingness to perform in front of their friends, the entire school and their parents. The self-conscious need to be perfect hasn't yet set in, and to be quite honest, perfection is overrated and dull. They only wanted to participate and entertain, and their performances were exuberant, joyful and engaging. The real talent displayed yesterday morning was the ability to bring pleasure to so many people on a wet, chilly morning.
