As the 2012-2013 theatre season is set to kick off, the School of Performing Arts has announced a new winter programme with new subjects and specialist packages geared towards children and young adults who are keen on the world of performance arts.
The new programme comes right after an eight-week summer course that was attended by over 180 students and culminated in a showcase at St James Cavalier, Valletta.
The 2012-2013 curriculum focuses on promoting drama, music, dance and musical theatre among the younger generations. Carrying the tagline I Was Born to Perform, it reflects the founding principles of the school, which drive every director, teacher and student to excel in their respective art.
The school celebrates each student’s passion for the performing arts while reaching out to newcomers prepared to explore their talents. This ethos is aimed towards encouraging even those who have always had the ambition to tread the boards and showcase their talent and who would like to do something about this passion.
In light of this, the school is expanding the various courses and programmes to give more students the guidance to allow them to flourish.
This year, the school’s music studio, which is headed by Gillian Zammit, will continue developing music appreciation classes for students aged between five and seven. These classes will focus on giving children an overall taste of music, while introducing them to various instruments in a fun and stimulating environment. Students will also experience the Manoel Theatre’s music education programme, Toi Toi.
The programme also sees International Spanish Dance Society examiner and director of dance Deborah McNamara joined by dance virtuosos Sandra Mifsud, Janet Vella, Lilo Attard and Warren Bonello. These will be leading intensive classes in contemporary, jazz and hip hop.
There will also be recreational ballet classes for children aged between three and five using the Melody Movement Programme, while also offering professional training and vocational grades up to Advanced 2 Level Cecchetti Method.
The school’s longest established sector, the Drama Troupe, is also introducing additional classes such as Spoken Voice, Musical Theatre Styles, Individual Acting and Tap Dance. After various requests from numerous students, the school is launching musical theatre packages and acting packages so as to allow senior students to specialise in their preferred fields.
Registrations for the School of Performing Arts are now open and can be found online, by calling on 7920 3344 or by sending an e-mail to info@performingartsmalta.com.
www.performingartsmalta.com