When you hear the saying “triple threat,” you may first think of athletes who play basketball, baseball, and run track. But performing arts gurus have also taken stock of this title; a “triple threat” means that a performer is well trained in singing, dancing, and acting. These three traits are vital to a performer’s castability and career length! And each of these “threats” holds an equal and valuable purpose in today’s performing arts.
First: Voice lessons for kids
Starting kids off with voice lessons is a perfect way to introduce them to the world of musical theatre — and musical theatre would be nothing if it weren’t for singing. A human’s voice, whether speaking or singing, is extremely crucial in performing musical theatre. Voice lessons for kids provide a perfect opportunity for children to begin singing at an early age and to hone their natural skill.
Voice teachers have the ability to teach a wide range of music, as well as educate on how each music genre is sung or performed differently. Working on theatrical styles of music teaches your child valuable skills, such as when to use their head or chest voice, vibrato, proper tone, and more, to help with any musical production or audition.
Second: Dance classes for kids
Not every musical is the same. Some are based on fantasy (think Wicked or Into the Woods) while others are based around more traditional jazz notes (like A Chorus Line or Chicago). This also means not all musical theatre choreography is created equal, which is why dance is considered threat number two in our “triple threat” countdown.
Dance classes for kids is a great way to introduce your child to the various styles of dance that are used throughout musical theatre productions, and a good sense of dance goes a long way in performing musical theatre!
You may be familiar with lively tap routines from A Chorus Line, classic 1920s jazz from Chicago, or dancin’ on the sidewalk to some fun hip-hop tunes from Fame! The Musical! Any style of dance class is beneficial for your kiddos if they’re interested in pursuing performance art, because even a little bit of experience can provide them with the necessary building blocks to pick up choreography fast.
Third: Acting classes for kids
Finally, acting lessons are a great way to help your child gain confidence in performing musical theatre! Working with a professional acting coach teaches your kiddo the foundations of how to perform well on stage.
Acting lessons don’t really have a minimum age requirement, so starting your child with acting classes for kids at a young age will provide them with the proper skills to apply to their performance. Not only that, but acting gives the gift of real-world applications, like training actors to access emotions they may have not been able to before and how to project their voice while speaking.
Enroll in musical theatre classes at OSMD
At Omaha School of Music & Dance, we pride ourselves in providing fun and dynamic musical theatre classes for ages 6-13! We hold our classes in three separate age groups and work in sessions of 16-18 weeks, where your kiddos get to perform a full show at the end of each workshop. In this course, we truly do teach the “triple threat.”
If you’d like to hear more about our program, feel free to browse our website, send us a message, give us a call at (402) 576-5792, or even stop in our studio. We’d love to hear from you!
