10 a.m.

Worship Service
Gymnasium, Gardner-Hawks Center

Begin your day and the Advent season with an ecumenical worship service featuring Dana College student performers.

11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m.

Scandinavian Smorgasbord
Dining Room, E.C. Hunt Campus Center

A very popular feature of every Sights and Sounds of Christmas event is the incredible Danish “tastes” of Christmas found on the Scandinavian smorgasbord tables at Dana College. This is an event you won’t want to miss! Even if you have sampled this famous smorgasbord in the past, we urge you to make plans to attend this year.

The menu includes frikadeller (meatballs), medisterpølse (sausage), aebleflaesk (smoked bacon with apples and onions), stuffed pork loin, carved turkey, smoked salmon, creamed peas and carrots, red cabbage, brunede kartofler (sugar browned potatoes), buttered red potatoes, assorted cheeses, fruits and breads, cucumbers in sour cream, salads, liver pate, herring in wine sauce and cream sauce, and delicious desserts including spritz cookies, rice pudding, red fruit pudding with cream, klejner (little ones), brune kager (brown cookies), pebernødder (peppernuts), jodekager (Jewish cakes), medaljer (medals), and konditorkager (tarts).

Reservations are recommended as seating is limited. Tickets purchased in advance are $15.50 for adults and $7 for children (4-11). Tickets purchased the day of the festival are $17.50.

Make an online reservation!

2 p.m.

The Showcase Sounds of Christmas Concert
Gardner-Hawks Center

The Gardner-Hawks Center is transformed into a winter wonderland of trees and poinsettias, the perfect setting for the Showcase Concert, the “can’t miss” event of the Sights and Sounds of Christmas celebration. Featuring the sounds of Dana’s alumni vocalists and Chorale, as well as the high school showcase choir from Millard West High School, this concert will get you into the holiday spirit.
Also part of the concert will be a moving reenactment of the Swedish Festival of Lights by Dana's Santa Lucia Singers, a tradition at Sights and Sounds for more than 30 years.

The Millard West Concert Choir is comprised of 158 sophomore, junior and senior students of Millard West High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Millard West High School as well as the Millard Public School District has a long standing tradition of musical excellence. They have been ranked in the top 100 “Best Music Education Programs” in the nation for the last 5 consecutive years. Since the doors opened on Millard West High School 13 years ago, the music department has flourished. With it’s seven vocal ensembles performing for large audiences throughout Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri and Minnesota. The Millard West Music Department has been directed by such esteemed directors as Mr. Michael Janis, Mr. Joel Johnston and now Mrs. Katherine M. Simpson and Mr. Scott M. Dugdale (class of ’94). We would like to thank Dr. Richard Palmer and Dana College for sharing this wonderful experience of Dana College’s “Sights and Sounds”.

Dana College alumni are returning to usher in the season with a taste of musical theater. They will present Broadway’s take on the Christmas holiday in song and dance under the direction of Dr. Paul Schneider.

The concert concludes with the Dana College Chorale under the direction of Dr. Richard Palmer. This internationally renowned ensemble will delight you with music of the season, both old and new!

The event will be emceed by former Omaha TV news personality Kara Rovere.

10:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Dana College Bookstore
Location: Lower Level, E.C. Hunt Campus Center

The Dana Bookstore offers a host of items imported from Scandinavia as well as Dana insignia items.

Concessions

11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Location: Cooperman Atrium, Gardner-Hawks Center

11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Location: Dragon's Head, E.C. Hunt Campus Center

Concessions will be available in the Cooperman Atrium of the Gardner-Hawks Center and in the Dragon’s Head on the first floor of the E.C. Hunt Campus Center.

11 a.m. -2 p.m. & 4-6 p.m.

Jule Markedsplads
Location: Borup Gymnasium, Gardner-Hawks Center

The Christmas Marketplace features area artists and craftmakers with their displays of Christmas decorations, ornaments and gifts.

Kringle and other Danish treats will also be available for sale.

11 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

Blair Dance Center
Location: Borup Gymnasium, Gardner-Hawks Center

The Blair Dance Center will present their third annual “Holiday Dance Extravaganza!”
The dancers will dazzle you with this beautiful Christmas production that is sure to delight an audience of all ages with its wide variety of holiday music and dance styles. The show offers everything from Beautiful Ballerinas twirling on their toes, to High Energy Hip Hop and Pom numbers, Contemporary Christian Liturgical dance, and of course, Broadway Style Tap and Jazz routines! You won’t want to miss this event complete with glittering costumes and a special treat for the kids.

11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Swedish Weavers & Scandinavian Lacemakers
Location: Upper Level, Cooperman Atrium, Gardner-Hawks Center

Marvel at the Scandinavian techniques of the Omaha Weavers and Spinners Guild as they demonstrate their craft. Adults and children can try their hand at weaving on a loom.Watch the arts of Bobbin Lace, Hardanger, Tatting and others. Finished work on display.

11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Let's Make It Danish
Location: Linden Room, Campus Center

Back by popular demand, learn hands-on the art of Danish paperweaving. Take home patterns you can use to decorate your own Christmas tree.

11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m.

Scandinavian Folk Dancers
Location: Borup Gymnasium, Gardner-Hawks Center

A Sights and Sounds favorite returns to share the traditional dance and costumes of Scandinavia!

4 p.m.

Ragazzi Children's and Youth Choirs
Location: Gymnasium, Gardner-Hawks Center

Ragazzi Children and Ragazzi Youth Children’s Choirs, are two of choirs of the Nebraska Children’s Choruses. With a mission to share the great gift of choral music, inspire new generations with a love of singing, and broaden its reach to all ages and cultures, the eight choirs of the Nebraska Choral Arts Society, the parent organization of the Nebraska Children’s Choruses, comprises nearly 400 singers throughout the greater Omaha area from ages 8 to 80.

Ragazzi Children’s Chorus is an introductory choir, with students in grades 2-4. Emphasis in this choir is placed on correct singing technique, introduction to harmony or singing in parts, and reading scores (the printed piece of music). Ragazzi Children’s Choir rehearses weekly and performs throughout the city. Each year, Ragazzi Children tour one day regionally. Most recently, Ragazzi Children has participated in the Festival of Choral Music at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, MO and Adventure Land Park in Altoona, IA.

Ragazzi Youth Children’s Chorus involves singers in grades 5-7. An intermediate level choir designed to continue students’ education in proper singing technique, score reading, and more advanced harmony, Ragazzi Youth also challenges students to sing new choral music from a variety of genres, cultures, and backgrounds. Students in the chorus come from a variety of backgrounds and have various levels of musical training. Also rehearsing in Belleuve, Ragazzi Youth performs regularly throughout the greater Omaha metrolopolitan area and tours annually. In recent years, Ragazzi Youth has participated in the KIDZSING Festival in Sioux City, IA, Heritage Music Festival in Chicago, and has toured throughout Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Minnesota. More…

Cody Talarico, Ragazzi conductor, is currently in his second season as conductor with the Nebraska Choral Arts Society. Cody conducts both Ragazzi Children and Ragazzi Youth. An elementary (K-6) music teacher at LeMay Elementary and Twin Ridge Elementary Schools, Bellevue Public Schools, Cody has also directed the LeMay Handbell Choir and the LeMay Swing Corps. In the fall he accompanies the Bellevue Public Schools Saturday Chorus and during the summer co-directs “Break a Leg,” a summer musical theater class.

Cody earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in K-12 Vocal and Instrumental Music Education from Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska, and a Masters of Music degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He has completed four levels of the Orff Schulwerk teacher training at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Cody has also been invited to be a guest presenter at the University of Nebraska-Omaha Introduction to Orff Schulwerk course, Great Plains Orff Chapter’s Sharing Session, and Nebraska Music Educators Association Conference/Clinic. In addition to his teaching and conducting responsibilities, Cody serves as the organist and choir accompanist for Grace Lutheran Church in Omaha, Nebraska. He also volunteers at the Omaha Community Playhouse and for the Nebraska Arts Council. Cody has been named a “Friend of the Arts” by the Omaha Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota.

The trees ($15) and poinsettias ($5) used to create the setting for our Sounds of Christmas concert will be available for sale immediately following the concert.

4 p.m.

Chordside Quartet
Location: Borup Gymnasium, Gardner-Hawks Center

Chordside Quartet formed in the Spring of this year, and since have been practicing in preparation for the
Holiday Season. All four members sing with the Omaha Chorus of Sweet Adelines International. Omaha Chorus is part of a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical
art of Barbershop harmony through education and performance.

4:30 p.m.

Omaha Tuba Quartet
Location: Borup Gymnasium, Gardner-Hawks Center

The Omaha Tuba Quartet is an informal group that performs mainly during the Christmas season. It consists of 2 tubas and 2 euphoniums (tenor tubas) and we play a variety of traditional Christmas carols arranged for these instruments. Part of our mission is to promote the rich, melodious sound of the instrument and show that the tuba can be much more than a background instrument.

5 p.m.

Ransomed
Location: Trinity Chapel, Durham Center

An impactful, theatrical portrayal of the life and work of Jesus Christ, employing music and mime. Led by Dana’s Christ In Action organization.