Most of us have had the experience of feeling out of our depth and wanting to stand back or not even engage. We often meet shy newcomers in our sessions. And why wouldn’t you be? A whole crowd of excited young people who all seem to know each other would be intimidating to a gentler spirit.
Firstly, let me say that “shy” is a label, and usually, people become their labels, so you need to be very careful when speaking to young people. But shyness is a response that we can recognise in others. I’ve found that reticent people are often very observant about what is happening around them; it’s just that they don’t choose to share it or have not yet been able to find their voice. We sometimes meet parents who push their children into performing arts classes because they think it might solve a few problems for them, and often it does. But you can imagine the trepidation that the child feels on their first day.
It’s a challenge. As a creative, you need to gain their trust over time and build a stronger engagement. Singing is great because everyone is doing the same thing, and although it may take a while to catch up with what is happening, you can be anonymous and part of the gang – no one expects you to be the centre of attention. In dance, you are more exposed, but again, everyone is usually doing the same thing, and you will always find people in the room who also struggle a bit with getting it right.
Acting is even more exposing because, although you may be working in a group, you are generally expected to speak up and be part of a scene. That’s why there are so many trust exercises and activities like mirroring, where one person copies exactly the movement of their partner. They are low-level pressures, and once they switch over, the participants have shared being the leader and being the follower without talking.
Having a welcoming atmosphere is vital at this point because if that gradual growth of confidence isn’t rewarded, then it will take longer. I always say that those who don’t always take to it straight away can often be the best later. When they feel free to speak their observations and feelings, they come from a deeper, more authentic place, less shallow than those who sometimes show off and seek attention.
One of the special things about teaching is the moment when a student finds their feet and begins to speak and feel, and perform with gusto. Sometimes you can’t believe that they were capable of such things. This is when the work is truly transformational. Think what that does for a young person because it feeds into every other part of their life. Over the years I have lost count of the number of times it has happened. Sure, there are those who turn up, try out and instantly know it’s not for them but there have been so many who give it go, keep going, get praised and before you know it, they are leading from the front. For me that’s an amazing part of what we can do with the work and if they can do it in the company of hundreds of others it can be very exciting to watch.
