Stagelight Students Speak Kindness

At the end of Musical Theatre Act & Dance on Tuesday, Ms. Lindsey sparked a kindness and affirmation train. “I had them all put their hands in the middle of the circle. I then asked for volunteers to tell a new friend that they had met that day,’You did a great job today!’ Then both the student that complimented and the person they complimented got a stamp that said ‘Great!’ It was a super cute way to get the kids to remember their new friends’ names and to speak aloud in front of an audience, and it ended with demonstrating kindness to their new friends.” ~Lindsey

Modeling and encouraging kindness in our children is a way we combat bullying, set a standard of respect for others, and encourage empathy. Well done, Stagelighters! Now, who can you affirm today?

“I Have a Dream” Tap Piece Wows Audiences

Level III tappers age 10-12 wowed audiences at Stagelight Performing Art’s summer showcase with their “I Have a Dream” dance piece. The routine, choreographed by Stagelight’s Alyssa Gramer, began as a simple fit to the show’s dream theme. But after rehearsals began, Alyssa and the dancers quickly saw that the piece was so strong it needed more exposure than one performance. Alyssa endeavored to raise funds to get the routine professionally filmed by selling hats that read, “Show Your heART.” The tap dancers filmed the routine, then performed the routine during a screening of the film at the summer showcase. The audience was moved and demanded a second performance the following night. Watch the film here.

Do You Speak Dance?

How well do you know the language of dance? Movement is a powerful communication medium. Through movement, a dancer can convey strong emotions, tell stories, and even change the way people think about certain topics. But in order to communicate well with only movement, a dancer must know the elements of dance and how they work.

“Being able to identify and understand these aspects of dance can make you more fluent in the language of dance and help you get your own messages across through movement.”

Check out this video for great demonstrations of the basic elements of dance: Body, Action (Movement), Space, Time, and Energy. In our dance classes at Stagelight Performing Arts, we delve into these elements through experimentation, technical training, and by providing rich historical or social context.