Von Derwis Elementary School is one of the seven institutions chosen to participate in the festivities of the Nice carnival. The theme of the king of animals was highlighted by the school children, who presented several of their artistic creations to several city officials.
“We wanted the children to discover and take ownership of the carnival,” explains Jean-Luc Gagliolo to the students attending Von Derwis. This year, the school children are invited to take part in the traditional celebration. The king of animals has thus made its way into the classrooms and playgrounds. On this occasion, the fifteenth deputy mayor, his colleague Anthony Borrรฉ, and other officials came to attend several performances by the primary students.
Surrounded by one of the “big heads” and hybrid creatures straight out of the bestiaries of fantastic tales, it was the CM2 (fifth-grade) students who began. Under the watchful eye of their teacher, they sang “The March of the King“, the official anthem of the Nice carnival.
Then the CP (first-grade) students performed a folk dance. Knights, unicorns, brides, Formula 1 drivers, firefighters, Disney heroes and heroines, princesses among many others started dancing in a circle. Accompanied by the choir’s voices, they continued their choreography.
A performance praised by official Anthony Borrรฉ: “It’s a wonderful job you have done“.
Flower and confetti battles
This year, the theme of the Nice carnival is “The king of animals“. The CP students share their favorite creatures: “dinosaurs“, “tigers“, “black panthers“, and “lions” rise among the beasts mentioned at random by the children.
“The flower battle!” is the immediate response from one of the schoolchildren regarding their favorite part of the carnival. A response echoed by several of his classmates as a sign of approval. Another little one chimes in: “It’s the confetti battle!” A girl confides: “The best moment of the carnival is when we throw confetti because I’m with my girlfriends, and we like throwing confetti at each other.” “It’s the most fun,” confirms another student.
“The least fun is not doing the carnival,” explains one child. He barely finishes his sentence when one of his classmates impulsively adds: “It’s when we stay home while it’s the carnival, when we watch TV and do nothing.”
Canceling the parade last year was missed by all these little blond heads who seem ready to make the most of this new edition.
