As the cold weather sets in, anticipation is building at George School for Holiday Weekend, a beloved annual tradition scheduled for December 16 through 18, 2011. The holiday spirit will officially kickoff on Friday with the annual Holiday Dance Performance from 10:25 to 11:10 a.m. in Walton Auditorium.

“The holiday dance is our opportunity, as dancers, to really get everyone in the spirit of Christmas for holiday weekend,” said Shelly Chipimo ’13, a boarding student from Pretoria, South Africa. “We kick off with a fun performance on Friday that always has exciting costumes. We create a story centered on a Christmas tradition.”

This year’s dance theme is based on an original story written by Barbara Kibler, who has been a George School dance teacher for twenty-eight years. The action takes place in the North Pole with Santa Claus and his elves losing their workshop as a result of eminent domain. Soon, the elves’ work is outsourced and the workshop is taken over by a new corporate conglomerate, whose acronym is GREED. The sad and unfulfilled executive in charge begins using background checks to determine if children have been naughty or nice.

From this plight, Occupy North Pole is born.

“We all need to be politically and socially aware,” said Barbara. “We have to step up and help each other.”

As Khadydra Hazzard ’12 performs in her last holiday dance at George School, she will cherish the memories of these shows, which offer a heartfelt message to put the audience in the holiday spirit.

“This performance is filled with meaning,” said Khadydra. “Barbara takes her time and thinks of elaborate story plots that allow all of us to grow as dancers and performers.”

In addition to the thirty-three dancers, Scott Hoskins and students in Stagecraft have been working together to bring this fun and interactive assembly to the stage. The conclusion of assembly will bring another George School tradition—a group of surprise visitors offering holiday candy.

The holiday fun doesn’t end there.

The Winter Formal will be held on Saturday, December 17, 2011 in the beautifully decorated Marshall Center from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Ladies are expected to wear formal or semi-formal attire and gentlemen are to wear a suit jacket or shirt and tie. Many weekend events at George School are sponsored by student groups, and the Holiday Dance is sponsored by the day student prefects. Like the school’s boarding student prefects, day student prefects provide leadership and support for their peers. As sponsors of the dance, they will organize the decorations and clean up after the event. The Holiday Dance will also include snacks and treats provided by Parents Association volunteers.

Parents are invited to join students, faculty, and staff for Holiday Meeting for Worship on Sunday, December 18, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. in the George School Meetinghouse. A variation on the traditional silent worship practiced by Quakers, Holiday Meeting for Worship is held by candlelight, with music before, during, and after silent periods of worship. Live musical performances by George School students will begin at 7:15 p.m. for early arrivers.

Additional information for parents about Holiday Weekend is available in the December issue of the Parent Plan-It. Holiday Weekend is one of thirty-one themed weekends with social and educational activities for students during the school year. Other themes include the Outdoor Challenge, Philly Arts, Harvest, Halloween, Live Music, Food and Fun, Mardi Gras, Environmental Awareness, Sibling Weekend, Alumni Weekend, I Love New York, and Commencement.