演劇と歌入門

Introduction to Theatre and Singing

(around 4 to 7 years old)

Dates: Workshops start: September 18, 2024, then every Wednesday from 12:30-13:30

Form: Group workshops

Target audience:

Aimed at younger and more shy students or those with reading difficulties, this activity will aim to create a space for free expression, without the pressure of a result or public performance. The emphasis will be on play and fun, with no particular expectations.

1. Playful discovery of emotions
Objective: Help children identify and express their emotions through theatrical play. Make these exercises a game, where each child develops his or her emotional awareness, an essential asset for communication and self-expression.

2. Vocal exploration and spontaneous singing
Objective: Develop vocal expression and stimulate creativity through simple singing games. Offer singing games in which students can explore their voices in a non-judgmental environment, without worrying about singing well. The emphasis is on the pleasure of making noise and discovering sounds.

3. Staging short stories
Objective: Introduce theatrical play through simple staging of short stories or well-known tales.
General approach: Encourage children's playful involvement in roles without demanding a structured performance. Children are free to change roles or add their own touch to the story. This approach enables children to improve their imagination and social skills while learning to collaborate with other children in a playful setting.

小学校・中学校演劇 Elementary & Middle School Theater

(around 8 to 13 years old)

Dates: Workshops start: September 18, 2024, then every Wednesday from 1:30 - 2:30 pm

Format: Group workshops

Target audience:

Designed for students who can read and express themselves easily in English or French. Subject to sufficient enrolment, it will be possible to stage a play for the end of the year, in English or French, depending on the majority.

1. Exploring basic theatrical techniques

Objective: Introduce the basics of theater, focusing on reading and oral expression, while developing communication skills and stage movement. Activity: Exercises in diction, voice projection and body movement. The children learn to articulate better, speak loudly and clearly, and use their bodies to embody emotions and characters. 

Approach: role-playing, simple improvisations and playful exercises to make learning fun while structuring the basics needed to put on a play later in the year.

Benefits for parents: Children will improve their reading aloud and public speaking skills, valuable skills in school and social life.

2. Introduction to interpreting and reading texts

Objective: Introduce children to the reading and interpretation of theatrical texts, while reinforcing their comprehension and memorization.

Activity: Group reading of short scenes or plays. Each child will take on the role of a character and practice reading and interpreting lines. This includes exercises to work on intonation, emotional expression and timing.

Approach: Encourage children to read aloud as a group, then act out their roles. We start with simple texts so that children can gain confidence and make the characters their own. We also work on memorizing lines gradually.

3. Staging and rehearsals

Objective: Introduce the concepts of staging, learning to occupy stage space and interact with other actors.

Activity: Rehearse selected scenes for presentation. Children begin to move around the stage according to their character, interact with their peers and coordinate their actions with the text.

Approach: Work on movement, body language and group interaction. Each child begins to integrate his or her lines into the overall staging, ensuring that everyone is comfortable on stage.

4. Finalization of the play and performance (subject to enrolment)

Objective: To consolidate learning in preparation for the final performance.

Activity: Finalize rehearsals, fine-tune the staging, and prepare a small performance for families at the end of the year.

General approach: Encourage children to focus on coordinating text, movement and expression, while emphasizing the pleasure of performing and sharing their work with an audience. The emphasis remains on confidence and expression, without putting too much pressure on the final performance.

ヴォーカル・コーチング Vocal Coaching

(for everyone)

Dates: Workshops start: September 18, 2024, then every Wednesday from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Format: Individual (depending on number of registrations, 20-30 minute sessions per participant).

Target audience:

Any student wishing to improve vocally whether with the aim of performing a song or expressing themselves publicly.

1. Assessment and goal setting
Objective: To identify the specific needs of each student and establish realistic, measurable goals in terms of diction or singing. Each child receives a personalized program tailored to his or her needs, ensuring that personal goals are met.
Activity: During the first session, a voice assessment is carried out. Their clarity of speech, ability to articulate, limitations, intonation and vocal control are examined.
Approach: based on this initial assessment, discussions are held with the student to set specific objectives (e.g. improving voice projection, refining note accuracy, etc.). These objectives guide the rest of the sessions.

2. Diction and singing exercises
Objective: Introduce targeted exercises to work on the specific points identified during the initial assessment. The child gradually develops better control of his/her voice. Students work on exercises adapted to their level, with regular progression, while receiving constructive feedback after each session. The emphasis is on regularity and effort rather than immediate performance.

Activity: Articulation, breathing and projection exercises, vocal warm-ups, scales, and exercises to improve breathing, intonation and vocal placement.

3. Perfecting
Objective: Reinforce acquired skills by repeating and perfecting the techniques covered in previous sessions.
Activity: Students continue to practice with more complex texts, working on extracts from speeches or poems. Songs and musical phrases are repeated, with the emphasis on technical precision (accuracy, rhythm, breathing).
Approach: Exercises become more complex as the student progresses, and each session is adjusted to meet current needs. Vocal games can also be incorporated to make sessions more dynamic and motivating.

4. Achieving objectives
Objective: Consolidate acquired skills and, for interested students, prepare a mini-presentation or performance to assess progress. The aim is to synthesize what has been learned in previous sessions and to work on fluency and confidence.
Approach: The emphasis is on repetition and mastery of the chosen presentation. For some students, this may take the form of a simple expressive reading or a short singing performance, depending on their preferences.