Sur le Pont d'Avignon

We drove past Avignon twice recently and seeing the signs for it on the motorway reminded me of my first school concert.    It was an 'around the world' theme and each school year performed a song or dance from around the world.

I was in year 4 or 5.    As usual I had not been listening properly and remember being confused about what we were doing and found myself in an 'american square dancing' group - which I hated and made it obvious!    

I was then relegated to another role 'more suited to my skills'.    

I became an arch of the bridge at Avignon and had to stand holding hands with three others with sacks over us painted like bricks with our heads popping out the top.     We were the bridge at Avignon!

I remember singing (heartily, once I got into the idea of it all, although it took a while and many rehearsals):

Sur le Pont d’Avignon
L'on y danse, l'on y danse
Sur le Pont d’Avignon
L'on y danse tous en rond

Les beaux messieurs font comme ça
Et puis encore comme ça.

and so on....

This was of course the start of my thespian career which has waned on and off for years!     Later in life I was a nun in the Sound of Music (when I worked at Darlington College), I was a chorus girl in 'Guys and Dolls' (Darlington Civic Theatre) and the Genie in Aladdin at same College.

I have not been called (or had a calling) to the stage since (although some might say differently).