Programs
UNCLE MIKE'S POLKAS
YOU CAN DIG PROGRAM
Participation opportunities abound in this "Polkas You Can Dig"
show, perfect for 2013's "Dig Into Reading" CSLP summer reading theme!
Your young patrons will be invited to wear hats while the audience
guesses the jobs that go with them. Each occupation has something
to do with digging, whether it's a pilot responsible for dusting
the crops a farmer has planted underground; a firefighter who digs
trenches to prevent the spread of forest fires; or a lumberjack
who plants seedlings to help replenish their tree crop. The
audience will have fun answering age and theme-appropriate trivia
questions on aviation, firefighting, logging, and the Underground
Railroad, and will be encouraged to check out books on these
subjects! Catchy sing-along polka tunes complement the program
theme, and of course, no one goes home without doing the "Chicken
Dance" and a special polka version of "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and
Toes." Plenty of singing, dancing, and education make this
show fun for the whole family!
Program
Length
Typically 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries; families, children in grades K through 5.
Indoor / Outdoor
Either.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded electrical
outlet is required.
-
Mike requires a
flat, dry performance area for outdoor programs.
Additional
Links
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UNCLE MIKE'S POLKA
MEETS WORLD PROGRAM
The Slovenian style of polka music, Bavarian Lederhosen attire,
and brief lessons in German language and Swiss yodeling come
together in this fun, interactive and educational Polka Meets
World program, perfect for 2013's "Have Book - Will Travel!" iREAD
summer reading theme! Volunteer opportunities include Uncle Mike's
popular occupation segments, where your young patrons guess the
travelling job - aviation, for example - that goes with the hat
worn by one lucky volunteer from the audience. Several
age-appropriate trivia questions will test the knowledge of your
attendees on some of the world's busiest, oldest, and most
mythical subjects. Or, try your luck with the Tourist Destination
Edition of the Pint Size Polkas Geography Challenge, an optional
video segment. Plus, your patrons will be encouraged to check out
some fascinating books! See if you can guess the country
associated with a brief song snippet during "Name That Tune," and
get your work out on to such favorites as the "Chicken Dance" and
a rollicking polka rendition of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes!"
Plenty of singing, dancing, and education make this show fun for
the whole family!
Program
Length
Typically 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries; families, children in grades K through 5.
Indoor / Outdoor
Either.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
Mike requires a flat, dry
performance area for outdoor programs.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with a standard composite video input for optional video
segments.
Additional
Links
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UNCLE MIKE'S POLKA VARIETY SHOW
Enjoy learning about the alphabet, occupations, personal
hygiene, and even a little bit of foreign language
through Uncle Mike's catchy polka tunes! The fun of polka music is
reinforced by educational and humorous video segments that cover
age-appropriate geography, history, and math, plus how to dance the polka. The audience
is encouraged to take part in a geography quiz
about major cities, states or countries with polka roots;
volunteer to wear various hats and guess the corresponding
occupations; learn the steps to songs like the Chicken Dance; and
sing along to all of Uncle Mike's polka songs.
Program
Length
Typically 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries and schools; families, children in grades K through 5.
Indoor / Outdoor
Indoor preferred.
Included Video
Segments
-
Math Challenge
(watch)
-
Accordion History
-
Geography
Challenge (watch)
-
How to Dance the Polka
(watch)
-
Paul Bunyan and the History of
Logging
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with a standard composite video input.
Additional
Links
To Top
UNCLE MIKE'S
OPERATION READ PROGRAM
Rediscover the fun of reading to the sounds of Uncle Mike's happy
polka music! The occupations of airplane pilot, lumberjack, and
railroad engineer are the focus of this program. Each occupation
segment begins with the opportunity for a volunteer to wear a hat
while the audience guesses the job that goes with it. Three short
interactive video segments give your students or patrons a closer
look at each career while providing a review on such reading terms
as alliteration, compound word, short and long vowel sounds,
onomatopoeia, and story sequencing. During the course of the
program, the audience will be introduced to Amelia Earhart, Casey
Jones, and Paul Bunyan, and will be encouraged to learn more by
reading each of their books. Your students and patrons will be
singing along to songs about each occupation, the alphabet, the
five main vowels, and much more! Plus, get up and go to rollicking
renditions of the "Chicken Dance" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and
Toes!" Learn lots, get some exercise, and have tons of fun with
Uncle Mike's Operation Read Program!
Program
Length
Typically 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Schools and libraries; children in grades K through 5.
Indoor / Outdoor
Indoor preferred.
Included Video
Segments
-
Reading with Pilot Gina
-
Reading with Railroad Ron
(watch)
-
Reading with Lumberjack Doug
Suggested Reading
- “Who Was
Amelia Earhart?” by Kate Jerome
-
“Casey Jones” by
Allan Drummond
-
“Paul Bunyan” by
Steven Kellogg
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with a standard composite video input.
Additional
Links
To Top
UNCLE MIKE'S BIG DREAMS SHOW
Participation opportunities abound in this "Big Dreams" show!
Every child dreams of being a pilot, doctor, or firefighter when
they grow up. Now your young patrons can volunteer to wear the
hats that go with these jobs and many others while the audience
guesses the corresponding occupations. In the process, everyone
will enjoy learning about the alphabet and even a little bit of
history, all while getting a great workout to Uncle Mike's happy
polka music. The audience is invited to do the "Chicken Dance" and
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"; play name that tune for polka
versions of three children's classics; and sing along to all of
Uncle Mike's catchy polka songs. Two optional video segments
briefly quiz attendees on three "dream" vacation destinations, and
teach the steps to the polka - Wisconsin's official state dance!
Program
Length
Typically 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Families, children of all ages.
Indoor / Outdoor
Either.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
Mike requires a flat, dry
performance area for outdoor programs.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with a standard composite video input.
Additional
Links
To Top
UNCLE MIKE'S MUSIC &
DANCE PROGRAM
Enjoy learning about the alphabet, occupations, and personal
hygiene while getting a great get-up-and-move workout to Uncle
Mike's polka snappy beat. Participation opportunities abound! The
audience is invited to learn the steps to songs like the "Chicken
Dance" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"; volunteer to wear
various hats and guess the corresponding occupations; play name
that tune for polka versions of three children's classics; and
sing along to all of Uncle Mike's catchy polka songs.
Program
Length
Typically 30-45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Fairs, festivals, libraries; Families, children of all ages.
Indoor / Outdoor
Either.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
Mike requires a
flat, dry performance area for outdoor programs.
Additional
Links
To Top
UNCLE MIKE
CELEBRATES OKTOBERFEST
Looking for a family-friendly way to celebrate Oktoberfest or
National Polka Month (January) at your library, school, or special
event? Then look no further than Uncle Mike as he helps you
celebrate these fantastic European traditions and
encourages your patrons to check out corresponding books in the
process! Learn a little bit of the German language, how to do the
"Chicken Dance" - the official dance of Oktoberfest, and even how
to yodel! Plus, get a quick tutorial on the accordion and the
history of polka music. Age-appropriate trivia questions, numerous
volunteer opportunities and sing-alongs, and a special Pint Size
Polkas edition of "Name That Tune" round out this exciting musical
program that's fun for all ages!
Program
Length
Typically 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries and schools; families, children in grades K through 8.
Indoor / Outdoor
Either.
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
Mike requires a
flat, dry performance area for outdoor programs.
Additional Links
To Top
UNCLE MIKE PRESENTS THE HISTORY OF POLKA MUSIC
Direct from the state that made the polka its official state
dance, Uncle Mike covers the history of the accordion and polka music, plus
takes an in-depth
look at the three main polka styles during this
anything-but-boring presentation. Enjoy the sounds of some of the
most famous polka songs ever played! The audience will learn the
steps to songs like the "Chicken Dance," and is invited to take
part in an interactive video quiz on the German, Polish,
and Slovenian styles of polka music. To cap the program off,
everyone will learn how to do the polka, courtesy of a video
appearance by Wisconsin dairy farmers Ralph and Diane Boehlen.
Program
Length
Typically 45 minutes. Flexible according to event need.
Best Suited For
Libraries and schools; families, children in grades K through 8.
Indoor / Outdoor
Indoor preferred.
Included Video
Segments
-
Accordion History
-
Polka Music History
-
Polka Style
Challenge (watch)
-
How to Dance
the Polka (watch)
Technical
Requirements
- A performing area
of 8' wide x 6' deep minimum.
-
Uninterrupted use of
the performing area at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the
program.
-
Mike
typically provides his own sound system. One grounded
electrical outlet is required.
-
A TV or LCD
projector with a standard composite video input.
Additional Links
To Top |
