Dance Arts Collaborative - Acting Classes

The Make Believe Players
These children take an exciting adventure each week as they use their bodies, voices, and imaginations to create different characters from storybooks. They will act out scenes with a combination of improvised action and dialogue along with starting on the road to developing memorization skills. Music, costume pieces, and props will add fun and useful tools to aid in character development. In addition, the class helps to enhance physical, vocal, and emotional expressiveness, body coordination, and self-confidence.

Ages: 3,4

Once Upon A Time Players
Through vivid and imaginative stories and poetry, this course is designed to expand the child's creative imagination as well as their physical, vocal, and emotional interpretations of a character. The student will witness a little play or scene come together over the course of the session and be taught that they are a valuable part of the whole process. They will learn the importance of working together, sharing their own ideas as well as accepting those of others. Basic acting elements will start being implemented in scenes such as "listening" to your scene partner, maintaining a character's physical, vocal, and emotional life from beginning to end, and the memorization of lines. Please note: Your child does not have to be an advanced reader or even read at all. The lines are not substantial and will be learned in the classroom through week-to-week rehearsals.

Most concepts will be taught and developed through theatre games and exercises, which are rooted in fun, low stress improvisations.

Ages: 5,6,7

Act One Players
This class is designed for those students who are ready to take on the exciting demands of working with an actual script. A combination of monologues and scenes will be performed. Memorization work will be essential. The student is challenged to go even further in the exploration of character and self. Emphasis is placed on breaking through physical, vocal, and emotional barriers in fun and creative ways. As in all the other acting courses, this is done through improvisational games and exercises. Your child will start to enjoy the process of surprising themselves with what they can do with their voices, bodies, and emotions when they are encouraged to use a strong imagination. Consequently, the concept of "Acting is Believing" is greatly stressed.

Ages: 8,9,10

Act Two Players
Welcome Pre-Teeners! This is the class that you've been witing for. No more being caught in the middle in a class that is too old or too young. Have a blast creating different characters through improv games, scene work, and monologue exploration. You will be challenged to use your bodies, voices, and emotions in new and exciting ways. Memorization will be mandatory. Come join the adventure!

Ages: 11,12

Teen/Adult Acting
This class is open to students thirteen years of age and above who are interested in a more in depth study of acting. Monologue work, scene study, and audition techniques will be covered. A better understanding and process will be learned, as well as greater freedom both physically and vocally.

Pre-requisite for all acting classes: A willingness to TRY your best, an open mind, a big imagination, and a respect for others.

Note: The student is not placed in an acting class based on skill level. Rather, they are placed according to age. Consequently, each class will be a mix of experienced, semi-experienced, and no experience at all. The student will be nurtured and challenged based on where they are in their own, individual acting process.