Archive for February, 2020

Drama Scholarship: Lauren’s Journey

Tuesday, February 25th, 2020

In the vibrant world of performing arts, success stories often begin with a spark of passion and a supportive community. For Spotlights student Lauren, her journey from a nervous 4-year-old in her first Little Stars class to a recipient of a drama scholarship at St Dunstan’s College is a testament to dedication, talent, and the invaluable guidance of her Spotlights family.

Early Inspiration:

Lauren’s love for the performing arts ignited at a young age, thanks to her parents exposing her to the magic of theatre and playing Les Misérables CDs during car rides. Enchanted by the world of performance, she eagerly sought ways to bring the stories and melodies she loved to life.

Spotlights Debut:

At the tender age of 4, Lauren took her first steps onto the Spotlights stage. Initially nervous, her fears quickly dissipated as she discovered a warm and welcoming environment. The friendly faces and supportive atmosphere helped her forget her anxiety, setting the stage for what would become a transformative journey.

Versatility in Disciplines:

One of the unique aspects of Spotlights is its comprehensive approach to performing arts, encompassing drama, dance, and singing. When asked about her favourite discipline, Lauren’s response reflects the dynamic nature of her interests. “I don’t really have a favourite discipline, it changes every time!” she exclaims, showcasing her versatile and open-minded approach to the various facets of performance.

Memorable Highlights:

Looking back on her time at Spotlights, Lauren fondly recalls the exhilaration of participating in productions like Grease and Matilda. These experiences, shared with friends who share her passion, created lasting memories and fuelled her desire to pursue a future in the performing arts.

Navigating the Drama Scholarship Process:

As Lauren transitioned to secondary school, the pursuit of a drama scholarship became a significant milestone. She shares insights into the application process, involving writing summaries of her performance experiences, obtaining references, and delivering monologues including a challenging monologue from ‘Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Spotlights played a crucial role, providing exceptional training and invaluable support from Faye, who offered advice, feedback, and even wrote a reference for Lauren.

Considering Secondary Schools:

Lauren carefully considered multiple schools for their drama programmes, ultimately narrowing down her choices to JAGs, Bromley High, Newstead Wood, Colfes, and St Dunstan’s College. Bromley High and St Dunstan’s stood out due to their diverse offerings in drama, dance, and musical productions.

Securing a Drama Scholarship:

Lauren’s dedication and talent were recognized as she received drama scholarship offers from Bromley High, Colfes, and her chosen destination, St Dunstan’s. The decision to attend St Dunstan’s was solidified after witnessing captivating production photos and participating in an audition workshop that resonated with her passion for the arts.

Life as a Drama Scholar:

Being a drama scholar at St Dunstan’s involves active participation in numerous productions, assisting in auditioning new potential scholars, and engaging in theatre trips and meetings. Lauren’s involvement in productions like School of Rock, Billy Elliot, and High School Musical showcases her commitment to the craft.

Advice for Aspiring Drama Scholars:

Lauren encourages other families considering a drama scholarship to seize the opportunity. Her advice is straightforward: “Definitely go for it! Everyone, including the schools, wants you to succeed and is interested in everything you have to offer. The workshops are great audition and performance practice, no matter the outcome!”

Future Aspirations:

Looking ahead, Lauren dreams of attending drama college and pursuing a career in theatre and film performance professionally. Her journey from a Spotlights beginner to a drama scholar is a source of inspiration for aspiring young performers, emphasizing the importance of passion, perseverance, and a supportive community.

Lauren’s success story is a shining example of the transformative power of performing arts education. Spotlights Theatre School, with its nurturing environment and dedicated instructors, played a pivotal role in shaping Lauren’s journey. As she continues to shine on the stage at St Dunstan’s College, the spotlight remains firmly on her, illuminating the path for others with similar dreams and aspirations in the captivating world of performing arts.

If you would like to find out more about our classes and how we help students realise their potential please get in touch.

We offer a no obligation free trial class for new faces. Please check our list of classes for availability at a session near you. We hope you see you and your child soon.

Top Tips to help your child perform with confidence- Parenting Coach Caroline Rowett

Thursday, February 20th, 2020

We recently met with Caroline Rowett, a expert parenting coach. Below Caroline has identified 8 ways you can help your child perform with confidence.

Tips for Parents of Performers

  1. What are your expectations of your child’s performance? Parents face a lot of judgement and so may feel validated when their child behaves well and performs well. Be honest with yourself, are you needing your child’s perfect performance? If you are, understanding and dealing with your own need is the first step to ensuring that the messages you are giving, consciously or unconsciously, support rather than pressurise your child.
  2. What assumptions are you making? They could be anything from: if my child forgets the lines everyone will think I’m a rubbish parent; to if my child isn’t talented everyone will know I’m not either. You don’t need perfect children to prove your worth. Understanding what thoughts drive our actions and knowing how we can change those thoughts can free us to have the confidence to be ourselves and let our children be themselves.
  3. Spend a moment finding your inner calm and if you can’t – fake it! Children can be amazingly sensitive to how we are feeling and if you are nervous, they may well follow suit.
  4. Spend time observing and noting your physical reactions to your feelings in different situations. Sharing experiences of how you calm your butterflies or slow your breathing can help your child see their options. If you share experience rather than advice, your child can take what might work for them, without feeling pressured to do as you say.
  5. If you suspect or know your child will be anxious about performing, do your homework. Research online or speak to your child’s drama teacher about tips that help. Explore the options with your child to discover what works for them.
  6. Put things in perspective. A show can be all consuming for you both but by talking about things to look forward to after the show – an upcoming holiday or birthday party for example, you can help take the pressure off.
  7. Get organised. Make sure uniforms are ready, jazz shoes are where they should be and you have plenty of time to get to the performance to avoid stress. Allow time to check in with strategies for calm if you know they are needed.
  8. Tell them you love them! That you have no doubt they are going to be just fab and to have fun and enjoy themselves.

Find your own parenting advice and the confidence to put it in practice with 1-2-1 coaching sessions or a group course.

For information and to book a 45 minute no obligation Kick Start to Confident Parenting session for £10 visit www.carolinerowettcoaching.com.

For 20% off your first coaching package booked quote SPOTLIGHTSBLOG

Spotlight on… Tierney Our Little Stars Assistant Teacher

Wednesday, February 12th, 2020

This week we caught up with Tierney, one of our Little Stars Assistant Teachers to hear more about what first attracted her to Spotlights, her favourite memory from being a student and her favourite aspect about teaching our Little Stars!

What first attracted you to spotlights when you joined as a student?
I was looking for a performing arts school and a friend introduced me to Spotlights – it was love at first sight! Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and the lessons were so engaging so I signed up straight away!‘.

Favorite memory of being a student at Spotlights?

My favourite memory as a student was performing ‘Bugsy Malone’ at Langley Park centre for performing arts – what a great theatre. It was my first time being cast as the lead; ‘Blousey Brown’ I was so excited to perform my solo song ‘I’m feeling fine’. The atmosphere was amazing, and it was lovely how all the different age groups throughout Spotlights came together and worked so well as a team within the production.’

What do you think the benefits of the performing arts are for children?

I think the performing arts at Spotlights helps children to venture out of their comfort zones and make lots of new friends in a fun and safe environment. The friendly and talented teachers help the children to develop their skills and all of this helps to grow the students’ confidence.’

Favorite aspect about teaching Little Stars?

The most rewarding aspect of being an assistant teacher at Spotlights is seeing the students’ progress over the course of the term. I personally love watching individual students grow in confidence and try new things and it’s amazing to be able to help them do that. I always get a great buzz from the Little Stars end of term performances!‘.

If you would like to find out more about our classes and how we help students realise their potential please get in touch.

Spotlight on…Co- Director Faye Willingale

Wednesday, February 5th, 2020

This week we caught up with Faye one of our amazing Co- Directors to find out what originally sparked her interest in the performing arts, what she believes makes Spotlights unique and how excited she is for our upcoming shows!

What sparked your interest in the performing arts?
‘I’m lucky to have been brought up by my Dad who loved a wide variety of music and who could sing and play several instruments. My mum also loves the theatre and musicals, she started taking me to see shows from a young age and we still go the theatre together’.

What do you think makes Spotlights unique?
‘The environment that we create at Spotlights, which is a family run business, gives both our students and our teachers the feeling of being part of an extended family. We are successful in retaining many students for long periods of time; they start at the age of  4 or 5 and stay for ten years, sometimes even longer!. Spotlights started in April 2006. Since then, we’ve really grown. We run classes 6 days a week in 17 different venues. With our growth, we’ve managed to maintain close relationships with all our families. We’re still very ‘hands on’ and we know our students personally.’

What is your favourite aspect about teaching Little Stars?
‘I love the variety of teaching them drama, dance and singing every week. Our Little Stars are creative and imaginative and so much fun to teach!’

What is your favourite aspect about teaching Main School?
‘I focus on teaching drama to students aged 7-18. I love teaching such a broad age range of children as they’re all so different. The spring term productions are a highlight for me! There’s lots to think about, it’s a busy time of the year but incredibly rewarding. Show weekend is the best! Being in the incredible theatre space that we use and seeing everyone’s efforts come together is thrilling!’

What do you hope to inspire in the young people who attend your theatre schools?
‘Self-confidence. I want our Spotlights students to believe in themselves, to recognise their strengths and feel proud of their achievements. I want them to look back at their time at Spotlights and remember the fun they’ve had and the friends they’ve made’.  

What would your advice be to a young person who is keen to join a drama, dance or singing class but doesn’t know where to start?
‘Come for a trial at Spotlights and give it a go! We’re very welcoming and you’ll be well looked after’.

Finally, how excited are you for ‘We will Rock You’ and ‘Frozen 2’?
‘Beyond excited! I’m loving both projects! The students are doing brilliantly, they’re going to be awesome!!’

If you would like to find out more about our classes and how we help students realise their potential please get in touch.