5 Ways to Encourage Love for Performing Arts in Your Child
Like anything, we want our children to love the arts for themselves, not just because we said so. The keys to instilling that passion are exposure and participation.
Exposure allows for a child to decide for themselves if they like something or not. Participation allows them to see whether or not they can do something.
We know each child can excel in some aspect of the performing arts. Participating helps them believe it.
Sometimes we even have to make the decision to place our children in something that they may not like at first for them to learn if they truly dislike it or not. I’m sure we all can look back on something that we wish our parents would have signed us up for. Regardless of our thoughts on the matter then, we grew an interest in it later on in life, but it was too late to participate.
Below we’ve listed some ways to help expose and set your child up for participation so that they won’t have regrets later about not taking a chance at something they may have loved.
1. Take Them to Broadway or Theme Park Shows
There’s something about a Broadway show. The singing, dancing, and acting all meshing together have a dramatic effect that is capable of sparking the imagination of any child.
Maybe it’s the way that Elphaba hits the last notes at the end of “Defying Gravity” (from Wicked) that sends chills up your spine. Maybe it’s the “Step-in-Time” dancing and acrobatics of Bert and the other chimney sweeps (from Mary Poppins) that floods you with energy and excitement.
It could be going to Busch Gardens and watching Celtic Fyre, the Riverdance performance that inspires you to want to dance. It could be the performance of Elsa and the rest of the Frozen crew at Disney that makes a child want to sing. As they are acting and snow falls from the ceiling and lights shift around the room, suddenly they’re transported to another world.
Either way, there’s something amidst the acting, dancing, and singing of these performances that inspires you to want to be a part of it. This could be the very thing that makes your child fall in love with the performing arts.
2. Watch Dance and Singing TV Shows and Movies Together
This has the similar glam and influence as seeing a live performance, but more on a budget. Granted you don’t feel as much a part of these performances when you’re separated by a screen. However, there is hardly a child who has not watched dance movies and didn’t start twirling and frolicing through the house, or watched a musical and didn’t turn their room, the living room, and hallways into a stage.
The big screen may not make you feel as if you’re a part of the show, but it does have the tendency to influence a child to replicate the movements and music: Turning them from spectators to participants.
3. Sign Them Up for Theater
There are so many avenues to go down when it comes to signing your child up for theater.
In the simplest of forms, and really doesn’t require a sign-up, is when the family gathers together for holidays. You and your child could perform a play.
Another option is your church or religious group. If you attend a church, there is almost always a Christmas play to perform in, and a lot of times an Easter play.
If you do your research, there is probably a local community theater or performing arts studio in your area, such as the Asheville Performing Arts Academy in western North Carolina. This is where many professionals have found their beginnings in their careers.
4. Give Them Opportunities to Be in Front of a Crowd
One of the primary fears that often holds many individuals back from the performing arts is stage fright. The earlier you can fight against stage fright with your child, the better off they will be, and the greater chance that there will be that they will be open to participating in the performing arts.
Even if it’s just reading speeches in front of crowds, this can help them a lot. Start with the smaller things. Maybe it means just starting out reading, reciting, singing, dancing in front of family, then moving on to a slightly larger crowd. We want children to gain the confidence to be able to stand in front of people without being afraid.
5. Encourage and Compliment Their Performances
When we have the confidence and know that we’re good at something, it makes us care about it all the more. So Encouraging and Complimenting your child anytime that they sing, dance or act is sure to persuade them to pursue it more. Even the littlest performances and compliments matter.
If they’re singing along to a song in the car, let them know how great their voice is. If they’re copying lines as a movie is on, or quoting it after, encourage them in their acting capabilities by saying things like, “Wow, you could be an actor!” Even if it’s just flitting around the house with little skips and spins, things like “I love to watch you dance, honey!” can go a long way.
Asheville Performing Arts Academy
If you are in the Asheville area, the Asheville Performing Arts Academy is a great place to sign your child up for theatre and dance opportunities. We want everyone who steps into our building to feel comfortable, welcomed, and encouraged.
This is a great place to explore which part of the performing arts your child really enjoys. If you’re interested, you can visit our website for more information or call us at 828-253-4000.