Got talented little ones who love performing? From dance to theatre, enrol them in a class for some extra fun and the chance to hone their skills, and we reckon they’ll love it as much as these kids.
Centre Stage
Name: Max Makatsaria (11)
Nationality: American/Russian
Time with the centre: Two years
“I’ve been attending Centre Stage since autumn of 2016. I auditioned for Shrek The Musical at that time, and Centre Stage was managing the audition process. I was looking for an acting programme so it was perfect.
I’m currently attending the school’s On Stage Musical Theatre course where we learn things such as improvisation, acting, singing and dance. I recently visited Tring Park School for the Performing Arts where we took classes in acting, dance, film, singing and got an insight into arts education in the UK.
Professionally, I played Kurt in The Sound of Music in November 2017 and was a member of the children’s chorus in Evita in February 2018. I also played Peter in Centre Stage’s production of Peter Pan and Ugly in Honk Jr. I’m also a member of the Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Choir and have performed at the Esplanade in operas including Pagliacci (September 2015), Turandot (August 2016), L’elisir D’amore (May 2017) and Aida (June 2018).
My favourite thing about performing is the positive energy that I get from the audience and the great feeling that comes from bringing joy to them. I also love performing because it inspires me to be professional and perform to the best of my ability, and it distracts me from the stresses of daily life. I also love how it creates strong connections between me and my peers, and improves my learning focus.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with directors from all over the world so I’ve learned to work with different people with various management styles. I’ve also improved my memorisation skills”
• Block 15 Woking Road | 6732 7211
• #01-32 Laguna Park, 5000G Marine Parade Road | 6449 6211
centre-stage.com
Singapore Repertory Theatre
Name: Iris Li (20)
Nationality: British (Singaporean PR)
Time with the centre: 1.5 years
“I heard about The Young Company (TYC) at the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) from a friend who saw an open call online. In my first year, we learnt acting methods and techniques pioneered by theatre practitioners such as Stanislavski and Chekhov. We later applied the techniques in performing in shows and competitions in Singapore. We also watch plays together, and attend external workshops and post dialogues with theatre professionals to broaden and develop our perspectives as actors and curate our preferences in appreciating and performing art.
Other than performing in shows with my classmates in TYC, SRT has given me the opportunity to perform and work with professionals in large-scale theatre productions such as Forbidden City and Shakespeare in the Park’s Julius Caesar. It’s really exciting and eye-opening for me as a young actor to be thrust into the psychedelic, chaotic universe of professional theatre.
Performing is therapeutic for me, in the sense that I feel that I need it to live as a functional human being. It’s almost a sacred and spiritual act that allows you to express truthfully and connect deeply with the inner self, God and other humans, which is otherwise something that is often denied by the demands of society. I’m so lucky to be afforded a safe space to feel human in a raw way, accepted and alive against the backdrop of a world that forces you to behave in a certain way. TYC’s training has enabled me to value team spirit and collaboration, work efficiently on tight schedules, and develop discipline and personal responsibility to deliver a good performance.”
KC Arts Centre – Home of SRT, 20 Merbau Road
6221 5585 | srt.com.sg
Tanglin Arts Studio
Name: Dania Paus (14)
Nationality: German
Time with the studio: 10 years
When we moved from Hong Kong to Singapore, my mum searched for a dance studio similar to the one my sister and I were going to in Hong Kong. We chose Tanglin Arts Studio as it’s inclusive and international, and it’s also run by an expat mum and overseas teachers.
I’ve been learning ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary and lyrical dance, and musical theatre at Tanglin. Over the past few years, I’ve participated in competitions in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Australia, including the Get the Beat competitions in Singapore and Australia, and ATOD International Dance competitions in Thailand and Australia.
I enjoy going in competitions because I like to get feedback from other people who don’t know me as a person and are witnessing my dance skills for the first time. I also love meeting new people and making new friends who have the same interests as me.
I love expressing myself and making other people smile while I’m performing. I especially enjoy performing with my friends as it makes the whole experience a lot more fun. Through dance, I’ve learnt how to incorporate different people and their ideas into different styles of dance and how to work successfully in a group. I’ve also learnt how to not give up when I’m unable to master a certain skill or learn a particular step.
Hollandse Club, 22 Camden Park
8123 6770 | tanglinartsdancestudio.com
Want more? See our kids section!
6 unusual things to do with kids
This article first appeared in the September 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
