ABSTRACT
There they are – all the children on the stage, standing, shuffling, wriggling, whispering, fidgeting, vividly clustered in eclectic summer garb, a generous smattering of grubby knees visible, animated faces turned this way and that, little scuffles here and there, smiles and waves to the audience and the murmur of the audience like the quiet fall of small waves on a distant shore. You discern the sense of intense excitement, of a thrill that sends collective quivers like a wind rippling through the lines of the children. Amidst all this movement – astonishingly – here is Tess sitting motionless on the floor in front, eyes closed, hands on knees, meditating serenely in classic yoga posture; nearby children watch in wonder. Over there you can see Amy – quiet and watchful; look the other way and there is Jon, chatting and laughing as if he has no care in the world. You think – another end-of-term concert, the children poised on the cusp of summer freedom (and for most of these children, the murky vista of secondary school looming after that) and of course they would be excited and restless1.
