Overview & Approach
For each experience, the Explore It! team works hand-in-hand with the school staff to plan and deliver the best program and performance possible. It is our goal to develop confidence in all our students, as well as to foster a love of the performing arts. Staging any production can be a lot of very hard work – for everyone involved; but we find that when the students stand on stage, with the lights in their eyes and the crowd in front of them on performance day, it all becomes so worth it.
Below, we’ve outlined some of the ways we approach our performing arts programming. We encourage you to read and review it – and to communicate with us over the term about your child’s experience – as we want it to be a positive one for all involved.
How are the students developing their dramatic skills?
Our program philosophy is one of learning through action or experience. This methodology starts immediately in the first session, where we outline the expectations for the group and walk them all through the audition process. We believe the act of auditioning is a critical skill when learning to be a performer as it requires us to show our best selves, to engage in the material and to be supportive of others. From there, we use a multitude of techniques to develop the skills of our young performers throughout the rehearsal process. Included in the ways we support development are:
- A structure that allows young students to start in a supportive environment, looking up to their older classmates and learning from them.
- The importance of chorale or ensemble work is defined and rehearsed for strong group numbers that allow all to learn and to shine.
- A structure that allows older or more experienced students the opportunity to take on larger solo parts and/or lead roles.
- The understanding that older students will mentor younger ones.
- The respect that we will cast in a manner that will encourage growth but also give the best opportunities to shine in performance.
- The nuances of being a supportive cast member.
Some of the tools we use to encourage development are:
- Professionally formatted scripts that each student is expected to read, memorize and understand.
- Professionally edited backing tracks and re-recorded vocal training tracks for students to study and learn from.
- The use of only classical or classically styled Broadway shows that lend themselves to arts education on a multitude of levels such as music and vocal training, movement and dance training and dramatic training as well as deeper explorations of topics such as context (historical, social, emotional, physical etc.), art, literature, science, history and the human spirit.
Additionally, through mini workshops, we take the time to dig deeper into the pedagogy and skill of acting, performance and dramatic arts. In these sessions we dig into a multitude of themes including : Auditions, Acting from a script and delivering lines, Developing, connecting with and staying in character, Performance principals for Musical Theatre, Why music is critical to the craft of Musical Theatre, How to play to an audience, Keeping the scene focused, How to play in a state of action, How to enjoy performing, How to dissect a scene, What is a monologue, Basics of direction, Mime, Acting with a prop, Theatre orientation, Dissecting a song, Past, present and future of musicals and theatre, Vocal training, Performance development and experience.
How can we ensure girls are supported and able to take risks where appropriate?
We believe that a critical part of learning to act and perform is a willingness to put oneself “out there” and to actively engage with the process and the material in the rehearsals. We take the time at the start of every term to explain what this means and what we’re looking for from the girls. It’s a theme that is revisited often.
Regardless of the role a student is cast in, there is always the opportunity to push, to take risks and to develop. By the second session the scripts are largely set, but we always leave room for small groups to become larger or for large groups to become solos/small groups, even just for a line or two, when it is needed/warranted.
Casting is always done with respect to and an understanding of the following:
- A responsibility to cast in a way that best allows each student to succeed on performance day in front of their peers, teachers and families.
- The understanding that an appropriate role is one where a student can succeed, balanced with a role where they will need to develop and push themselves.
We encourage students to advocate for themselves in rehearsals. From the opportunity to tell us if they do not want a solo on audition day, to coming to any member of our team at any point in the process to indicate they’d like to take on more — we always show the most respect for students speaking out for themselves.
Finally, we spend time in every rehearsal, working through the fact that theatre and/or performance by its very nature is a risk. As we lead up to the performance date, the responsibility for one’s role shifts more and more onto the actors, requiring them to commit to the character they are portraying. Once this shift starts to happen, we are able to then spend more time on the techniques of overcoming anxiety and recognizing the camaraderie and strength found in fellow cast-mates.
The Explore It! Approach to teaching Musical Theatre:
Children must have some control over the direction of their learning.
- Students in our program:
- Have an active role in the audition process.
- Are asked to explore and to dig into characters to develop them on their own.
- Are asked open ended questions about their characters and the show.
- Are asked to reflect, bringing themselves and their experiences into their work.
- Are expected to take responsibility for their role in the show.
- Are encouraged to make suggestions regarding staging and character work.
- Are asked to advocate for themselves.
Children must be able to learn through experiences (touching, moving, listening and observing).
- Learning by experience is the base nature of any quality performing arts program and directly echoes the approach taken in all Explore It! programming. To help to emphasize this philosophy, we:
- Introduce character pieces/props/costumes to help develop roles with a tactile approach.
- Ask students to express himself through their actions and emotions.
- Ask students to show respect for themselves, their peers and our team by how they live/work/act/behave in the space.
- Encourage students to watch the process even when not “on stage” and take every note given to anyone as though it is a note for them.
Children must have a relationship with other children and with material items in the world, which children must be allowed to explore.
- The core of our program is that everyone – from the youngest student to the team of coaches and our director work as a team.
- We ask students to make a commitment to each other over the course of the rehearsals, leaving behind any separations they may hold throughout the day based on differences in age/grade/experience etc.
- We ask that the team lean on, learn from and support each other.
- We end each session with a reflection, a plan and a “Huddle Up”.
- When we move into the theatre space, we take the time to explain and explore the space as a group, redefining parameters and expectations.
Children should have the active role of apprentice.
- Within our program, we support children as active learners and as apprentices of their craft by:
- Defining their role as a young team member (learning the craft and looking up to their older cast mares for guidance) vs. their role as an older or more experienced team member (learning from our team, finding role of mentor to younger students).
- The practice of active learning and the role of apprentice is honed in our Performing Arts Workshop where we teach and explore skills such as direction, sets design, stage management etc.
The social nature of children needs to be allowed for.
- The nature of any performing arts program – and in particular Musical Theatre and Dramatic Arts – is social. Strong and close friendships are often forged during rehearsals and performances and the cast will always have their show in common.
- We define the group as a “family” at the start of each term, outlining that we need to be supportive of each other and that rehearsals are a “safe space” for all.
- Students are encouraged to relax and to socialize in the 15 – 30 minutes immediately prior to each rehearsal.
Parents should be viewed as partners:
- Within our program, we encourage families to be involved at every stage. All are encouraged to connect with any/all of our team to enquire about their daughter’s progress. To try to stay actively engaged with parents, we:
- Provide information outlining the audition process.
- Provide information when roles are distributed in the second or third session, detailing ways parents can support their child and explaining that they are encouraged to speak with our team and to check in throughout the term.
- Send home a rehearsal schedule with expectations for the process.
- Send home tips on how to help their child to rehearse, detailing that family involvement is the best way to make the experience a positive one.
- Parents, family and close friends are all actively invited to the final performance.
Teachers should be co-learners and collaborators:
- We believe that to produce/direct/coach a performing arts program is an active role – from the work we do long before the term starts to the time we spend packing up the set after everyone has left after the last performance – we are engaged, reflecting and learning.
- We prepare and dig into the script before as well as during the process, reflecting as a team and then again with the group of performers.
- We ask for constant feedback from the group regarding the current production as well as future productions.
- We grow and change our program to suit the needs of the group as dictated by the group.
- We do not use a template or pre-defined curriculum — every rehearsal is based on the needs of the group.
- We allow for girls to choreograph and block themselves where possible.
Mistakes should be allowed to happen.
- We believe that mistakes are a critical part of any performing arts program. The very nature of rehearsal is one of making mistakes and engaging in active exploration of the material so that a polished finished program can be presented.
- Hand in hand with the allowance for mistakes comes the valuable lessons mistakes teach us — our participants learn to work through mistakes, relying on their training and their cast-mates in performance (and life!).
Children should have the ability to negotiate within their peer group.
- We ask everyone to not judge themselves against each other – performing is a “sport” in which we are always trying to better ourselves while being a supportive member of the team.
- We encourage teamwork and collaborative work throughout the process and in performance where students are encouraged to work together to create a strong and polished program. We believe in the philosophy that we are only as strong as our weakest link.