Happy Halloween

I LOVE Halloween. It is such a strange holiday based on darker things but I LOVE all the little kids in costumes. And I love how they make dark things like zombies and skeletons cute. I love dressing up but I think I peaked when I was 8 years old and went as Bubble Gum. I was so cute a few people took pictures of me when I came to their door. Closest thing to paparazzi I've ever experienced.

I vary what I do as a German teacher for Halloween. Sometimes we watch Nosferatu the original Dracula still considered to be the closest version to Bram Stoker's classic Novel. On the other years I give them Goethe's famous poem Totentanz (Dead Dance) and we discuss it. Most of the German is over their heads so we briefly read the German and then compare that with tow English versions I have. I talk about how somethings get lost in translation and that is why reading things in the original can be beneficial. I usually try to speak 90% German in class so this day is a little unusual.

Then I tell them that I have actual footage of this dead dance with the skeletons rising from the grave and dancing. I tell them not to be afraid and if they are we can turn on the lights. They all roll their eyes. Then I show them this (I've included the English version for those readers who don't speak German)

Here it is actual footage of the dead dance as described by Goethe:


If the intro is too long or you make sure you click to the middle to at least see the dancing skeletons.