Infants and Juniors Acting Classes

Description

We pride ourselves on the structure of our terms. Take a look at what we pack into a year.

Autumn Term

Performance & LAMDA Examinations (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts)

With the focus on voice, clarity and stage acting skills, this term culminates in many children taking their LAMDA Exams. This gives the children a new focus for achievement and teaches them many skills including:

• Discipline
• Voice control
• Sight reading
• Interpretation of text
• Self–confidence

We give children the option of taking exams from the age of 6.

To date, we have 100% exam success and last year over 98% students received a Distinction or Merit in their grades.

LAMDA grades 6, 7, 8 also count towards University applications (UCAS).

Spring Term

Film Making, Presenting, Casting

From the jargon used in the film industry to the different acting skills needed to act to camera rather than on stage. This term also aids the children that choose to sign with our casting agents at Pinewood Studios. We also explore the acting skills involved in an audio-only medium (ie: radio). This does mean the children are recorded (for teaching purposes only).

The children also get a break from learning lines as we use this opportunity to concentrate on improvisation work.

Using state-of-the-art film equipment the children are given opportunities to:

• Devise and film their own soap opera (older groups only)
• Write, act and direct trailers for films and/or books
• Write, act and direct in adverts for new products (middle and younger groups)
• Be introduced to the adaptation process of book-to-script

Summer Term

Theatre Skills

The summer term is a valuable learning process for the children. From working together as a team to being accountable for themselves and the impact their focus has not just on them, but those around them. We do not aim to give a polished performance – this is a learning process for the children giving them the confidence to experiment with ideas. Each year scripts are written or adapted by our teachers allowing lots of opportunity for the children to have fun showing off their particular skills in singing, dance, Shakespeare, melodrama, and contemporary comedy.

During this term our children are exposed to a variety of different elements of drama including:

• Musical Theatre
• Script work – including stage directions, blocking and sight reading
• Stage management and lighting skills
• Mask & mime work
• Character creation
• Improvisation

Every single child on that stage is as important as the other.

And if there was a mission statement for TrapDoor Drama School, that would be it!