Posts Tagged ‘Training’

First Aid Training Refresher

Thursday, August 17th, 2017

The Spotlights team recently attended refresher First Aid training with the crew at FirstAid4Staff

The course was designed specifically for Spotlights to include the best way to deal with First Aid issues for children and teens.  The topics covered included dealing with accidents, monitoring the situation and the correct order of steps to follow when administering first aid.  There was also a section on dealing with choking, allergies, and epi pen usage.

The Spotlights team would like to thank Sam at FirstAid4Staff for delivering a serious topic in a fun way and dealing with all our queries.

Of course, we all hope that we won’t have to deal with these scenarios but all the Spotlights team now feel more confident about what to do if first aid is required.

At Spotlights, we aim to provide a safe and caring environment for all children to learn new skills in drama, dance and singing.

If you would like your child to try one of our classes we offer a free no obligation trial.  Please get in touch to book.

 

 

Mary Poppins Term for 4-6 year olds

Thursday, April 6th, 2017

This April the theme of our Little Stars classes for 4-6 year old’s is based on P.L. Travers’ classic story – Mary Poppins.

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Each week we will be looking at the characters from the story and through drama games and exercises your child will have the opportunity to role-play a day in the life of their favourite character.

Whether your child loves Bert, Jane, Michael or Mary Poppins herself we will inspire them to explore this magical world using their imagination.

Our drama games are specially designed to fully engage your child and we only measure how much fun they are having and not who the “winner” is!

The first building block of our STAR system is “S” for Self-confidence and whether your child is a natural performer or a little shy we make sure they have the opportunity to shine in class.

We develop your child’s self-confidence each week.

Each class includes singing and after we have carefully warmed up your child’s voice they will start to learn some of the songs from this story.

We know that some kids love singing and others are less confident.  The “T” in our STAR system is Teamwork.  Teamwork is really effective in group singing.  We allow all the children in a class to work together as a group and help each other learn lyrics.

Your child will learn how to tell this story in a creative way by singing in character.  The confident singers in the class have the opportunity to sing solo or in a duet.

The “A” in our STAR System is Active learning – this is learning by doing.  This is really key in dance.

Each Little Stars class includes dance training.  Your child will learn how to warm-up their body correctly.  They will learn a dance in a musical theatre style and another dance to some of the latest pop tunes.

Your child will learn dance steps taught by a professional teacher with a background in performing arts.

It’s then our job over the course of the term to bring all this learning together.  The “R” in our STAR System is Realising potential.  Your child will realise their own potential by attending these fun and creative classes each week.

So why not give your child the golden ticket to our fantastic training in drama, dance and singing this September.

Classes in Beckenham, Bromley, Croydon, Orpington and West Wickham.

We offer a no obligation FREE trial class to all new students.  Get in touch to book or sign up for our monthly newsletter to be first in line for our performing arts news and our latest offers.



Congratulations to Patrick – Emmy Kids Awards 2017

Thursday, April 6th, 2017

Well done Patrick in Emmy Kids Award winning TV movie “Peter and Wendy”

We are so proud of our student Patrick who played the role of Michael in ITV movie “Peter and Wendy”.

This movie has just won “Best TV Movie or Mini-Series” at the 2017 International Emmy© Kids Awards.

‘Peter and Wendy’ is the magical family adventure based on J.M. Barrie’s much-loved classic, starring Stanley Tucci, Laura Fraser and Paloma Faith.

This movie required great commitment from Patrick and his family and involved filming over a whole summer in UK and Luxemburg.  This award recognises the hard work and professionalism of all those involved in the project.

Our agency continues to flourish as we place children into roles in film, TV, theatre and commercials.  The agency is open to current students following an audition process.  Please get in touch for further details.



5 First Aid tips that could save a child’s life

Thursday, September 1st, 2016

This week we caught up with Spotlights parent Sam Jones who offers first aid training for families.  Through her company First Aid 4 Staff Sam has helped lots of families be more confident about what to do in an emergency.

 

Did you know 80 children attend A&E EVERY day due to a choking incident?

That’s over 29,000 per year !

The majority of children are attending because parents/ carers are unsure what to do.  Would you know what to do?

Here Sam shares her top 5 tips for what to do if a child is choking:

Choking treatment (over 1 years old) if they can cough, speak and breathe

  1. Encourage the child to cough and keep coughing until the obstruction has cleared If they are unable to cough, breathe or speak then…
  2. Lean them forward (gravity helps)
  3. Give up to 5 firm back blows in between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand
  4. If back blows don’t work then give up to 5 abdominal thrusts (lean well forward, put your arms around the upper abdomen of the child, make a fist with your hand and place this in between the bottom of the breastbone and belly button, pull sharply inwards and upwards up to 5 times. If the obstruction clears then stop giving abdominal thrusts. If the obstruction has not cleared call for an ambulance 999 and continue to give 5 x back blows, 5 x abdominal thrusts.  Continue this sequence until the obstruction clears.
  5. Always be prepared with a choking child that they might go unconscious or stop breathing and CPR would then be needed.

It’s also good to be aware that many of these incidents can be avoided by thinking about what type of food children are given.

For example we often give young children (and we’re talking up to the age of 8 years old) grapes to eat, thinking they are a safe food.  A whole grape, can become lodged in a child’s airway, preventing them from breathing.  Always cut a grape lengthways before giving to children to eat.

Did you know Hot Dogs, Carrots, Apples, Grapes, Nuts, Peanut butter, Marshmallows. Chewing gum/ boiled sweets and Popcorn are the top 9 foods that children choke on, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

We take first aid training very seriously at Spotlights.  At least one member of our team at our performing arts classes has completed recent first aid training.

If you would like to learn First Aid to keep your family safe, or perhaps you work for an organisation that requires First Aid training, please register your interest by emailing info@firstaid4staff.co.uk or calling Sam on 07807 691191

First Aid 4 Staff is offering a 10% discount to all Spotlights Theatre School parents and children over the age of 14 years who wish to learn First Aid.

 

 

 

Why Star 4 classes are great for 16-18 year old’s with a passion for drama

Thursday, August 18th, 2016

The summer is really flying by and I can’t wait to get back into the drama studio at Venue 28 in Beckenham and work with our Star 4 students, aged 16-18.

 

It seems appropriate on the day that A-Level results are published to be thinking about our training specially designed for 16-18 year olds who have a passion for drama.  If this sounds like you then I would love to see you at the Star 4 class.

Our Star 4 class really gets to the heart of studying drama.  If you simply love drama our classes are a fantastic creative outlet. We can also help you to get a place at Drama School, an apprenticeship or work in the industry.  We will develop your acting skills for professional castings and performing roles in the theatre and on screen.

Our next term of classes is all about preparing for the role. We start with Stanislavsky techniques that will teach you how to deliver truthful performances. Method acting is based on Stanislavsky’s techniques. It’s been widely used on screen by iconic actors such as Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson and Edward Norton. Brando has said of Method acting; ‘To grasp the full significance of life is the actor’s duty, to interpret it is his problem and to express it is his dedication.’  We will look at what that means and how you can use Stanislavsky technique to improve your own performances.

You will also work on audition and interview technique. This covers everything from choosing the right speech, to have the confidence to shine in the crucial moment.  This is a critical exercise to getting the place at Drama School or University to study drama.  These skills and the confidence you will gain are also transferable to interviews for any type of work.

The term also covers Shakespeare and gives you the opportunity to master a speech from a Shakespeare play and then apply what you’ve learnt to a larger role.

Industry professionals often visit the group to share their experience of working in the TV and film industry. This coming term we are lucky enough to be joined by one of our patrons, Patti Clare, who plays Mary in ‘Coronation Street’.  Patti has recently been awarded “Best Comedy Performance” at the British Soap Awards for her role in the show.  She will conduct a Q and A session which will provide you with a real insight into the professional world.

The January to March term is all about performance. The term is focused on auditioning for, being cast in and rehearsing a play that you will have seen first in London and then present to an audience in the studio space at Venue 28 in Beckenham. The play will be prepared to a professional standard and you will work as a member of your own theatre company. This will prepare you for your next steps in the industry and life in general.

The Star 4 classes take place on Monday evenings from 6.30pm – 8.30pm at Venue 28 in Beckenham. We offer a free trial class to all new students.  Get in touch to book your place.  Sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep up to date.



Calling all 4-6 year old Charlie & The Chocolate Factory Fans

Friday, August 12th, 2016

This September the theme of our Little Stars classes for 4-6 year old’s is based on Roald Dahl’s classic story – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

 

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Each week we will be looking at the characters from the story and through drama games and exercises your child will have the opportunity to role-play a day in the life of their favourite character.

Whether your child loves Veruca Salt, Augustus Gloop or Willy Wonka himself we will inspire them to explore this magical world using their imagination.

Our drama games are specially designed to fully engage your child and we only measure how much fun they are having and not who the “winner” is!

The first building block of our STAR system is “S” for Self-confidence and whether your child is a natural performer or a little shy we make sure they have the opportunity to shine in class.

We develop your child’s self-confidence each week.

Each class includes singing and after we have carefully warmed up your child’s voice they will start to learn some of the songs from this story.

We know that some kids love singing and others are less confident.  The “T” in our STAR system is Teamwork.  Teamwork is really effective in group singing.  We allow all the children in a class to work together as a group and help each other learn lyrics.

Your child will learn how to tell this story in a creative way by singing in character.  The confident singers in the class have the opportunity to sing solo or in a duet.

The “A” in our STAR System is Active learning – this is learning by doing.  This is really key in dance.

Each Little Stars class includes dance training.  Your child will learn how to warm-up their body correctly.  They will learn a dance in a musical theatre style and another dance to some of the latest pop tunes.

Your child will learn dance steps taught by a professional teacher with a background in performing arts.

It’s then our job over the course of the term to bring all this learning together.  The “R” in our STAR System is Realising potential.  Your child will realise their own potential by attending these fun and creative classes each week.

So why not give your child the golden ticket to our fantastic training in drama, dance and singing this September.

Classes in Beckenham, Bromley, Croydon, Orpington and West Wickham.

We offer a no obligation FREE trial class to all new students.  Get in touch to book or sign up for our monthly newsletter to be first in line for our performing arts news and our latest offers.



How LAMDA exams have helped our students

Tuesday, August 9th, 2016

We’ve just received our most recent LAMDA group acting exam results and I’m delighted that yet again the students have achieved a fantastic set of results. They’ve been awarded 4 Distinctions and a High Merit grade at Entry Level, Grade 2, Grade 5 and Grade 6.

These results are outstanding!

 

I know that some of you will not have heard about the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and drama exams so I have been reflecting on why our students are consistently getting such high grades and what I think the benefits are in taking part in this process.

LAMDA is one of the UK’s oldest and most respected performing arts organisations. They have been offering practical examinations in communication and performance subjects for over 130 years.

LAMDA offers full time programmes and graduates include A-List celebrities such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Kim Cattrall and Jude Law.

Our performing arts students that really stand out in their weekly drama classes are invited to attend group acting classes which are then assessed by an examiner from LAMDA.

The LAMDA examiner writes a detailed report that the group can then learn from and further develop their drama and performing arts skills.

The students perform scenes from a wide variety of plays.  This material and the LAMDA drama training provides students with the opportunity to play characters that are a different age to themselves, from different backgrounds, cultures and periods of history.  The texts require the students to develop their emotional intelligence and understanding of the world.

There are some very obvious benefits to drama training such as improved self-confidence and the ability to speak confidently in front of a group. These are skills that the students can use in all areas of their lives as they mature and go out into the world.

The process of working towards the LAMDA group acting exam also requires each student to be focused and concentrate in each weekly session. They learn to be self-disciplined, as they have a limited time to learn and prepare their material, so that it is performance ready for the exam.

They learn to accept feedback in each weekly session as the play develops. The students have to work as a team and they are examined as a group, so each individual student’s contribution is vital and impacts on the exam results. They learn to co-operate with each other and use their creativity to shape and develop their characters.

I can’t wait to get started on the next level of exam courses in September and I look forward to more exciting results.

If you would like any further information about our group acting training and LAMDA exams please get in touch or subscribe to our monthly email mailing list for all our latest news.


West End Training At Young Michael Jackson School

Thursday, July 21st, 2016

West End Training At Young Michael Jackson School for Marcellus

 

We are so proud of our student, Marcellus, who recently aced his audition in front of a top West End children’s casting director and is now through to Young Michael Jackson (YMJ) School this summer.

This training is in preparation for the opportunity to play the role of young Michael in the West End show – Thriller Live!

Marcellus will be very busy this summer learning drama, dance and singing twice a week at an intensive training course.  He will be working with the production’s London Creative Team, including the West End Musical Director and one of the choreographers from the show.

Marcellus said, “I am really looking forward to this and I am so excited about going to London every week, meeting the other children at YMJ School and working with dancers and singers from the show – this will be my best summer ever!”

Marcellus has been a student at Spotlights for 6 years and started his training with us when he was just 5 in our Little Stars class.  Marcellus has previously been in another professional production of Peter Pan at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre but if he gets through YMJ School this will be his West End debut.

Whatever happens this is a fantastic opportunity for intensive training with a cast of West End professionals. We can’t wait to see Marcellus moonwalk!

We hope he has a brilliant time and if he makes it through to the role of Michael we’re booking front row seats!

If your child would like the opportunity to audition for professional roles in theatre, TV and film the first step is to get in touch with us to try one of our performing arts classes.  We offer all new students a free trial.

After becoming a member of Spotlights all current students then have the chance to try out for our Agency.  We represent young people age 4-18 who have demonstrated a flair in drama, dance and singing.  We provide training in audition technique and give parents support through the casting process.  If you think your child may be the next big thing we would love to hear from you.