Here the students start to acquire the basic skills of drama: the need for clear speech and an expressive voice and body. Using games and group improvisations the students work towards developing good listening skills, turn taking and the need to work together as a team.
We also encourage an appreciation and love of literature. The children learn through improvised drama, music, mime and movement drawn from favourite books, poems and stories. They start within the safety net of the group and as self-confidence develops, begin to take on individual roles. Aims are to develop, self-confidence, sociability, expression, creativity and imaginative skills.
The classes are meant as an introduction to drama and often contain children who have moved up from Play Stage 2. The introductory stage was devised and written to make the transition from our morning play stage classes to Stage One as smooth as possible and to help students settle into the idea of drama.
The main focus is exploring drama by taking a book or story as the stimulus. We read or tell the story in class, discuss it and either dramatise it, or take a theme from the book and explore it using the student’s thoughts and ideas. We look at movement, encouraging the children to be aware of their physicality, the way in which they move their bodies, and begin to help them develop physical control and awareness. Music is often included, using familiar songs and routines. As well as building confidence we are trying to create an atmosphere free from pressure where the child has a chance to develop their imagination and a forum in which they can begin to express their ideas.
The introductory stage is an opportunity for the children to learn to lead, take turns, work as a team, explore different emotions and develop social skills as they begin to understand and put in to practice the very important skills necessary for drama.
The classes are 1 hour long and are unaccompanied.
