West Coast Lovin'

Dis lekker by die see!

Well, that’s the perfect Afrikaans expression to describe the sea side suburb of Melkbosstrand. And in true South African fashion, it is indeed LEKKER!

The “Lekker” went up by a large margin in 2013 when Helen O’ Grady Drama Academy made its way to the shores of Melkbosstrand.

Every Thursday afternoon students take a break from beach walks, body boarding and kite surfing, put down the bucket, spade and Frisbee and enter into a world of imagination and creativity.

The Koeberg Library hall comes alive with adlibbing, speech, improv and movement with Helen O’ Grady Drama Academy West Coast.

Our Lower Primary students showing s how much fun they are!

Now that winter’s here why not warm up with our world-class drama curriculum.

Contact our principal, Nastassja Potgieter by sending an e-mail to nastassja@helenogrady.co.za.

That’s Melkbosstrand studio every Thursday afternoon at the Koeberg Library Hall:

Lower Primary at 15:00

Upper Primary at 16:00

Youth Theatre at 17:00

Just Add Ad-lib!

Adlibbing is a skill central to the Helen O’ Grady curriculum.

We teach our students the art of adlibbing - which is making up sentences or lines on the spot as they go. Mastering this skill brings about new levels of creativity as students have the opportunity to think fast.

Here is a video of our Lower Primary students at our Melkbosstrand studio, showing off their wonderful adlibbing skills in their introductory activities.

Practising this skill also builds confidence and self-belief as they deliver their presentations naturally.

Each lesson begins with introductory activities that see students take on various characters in an array of situations testing and practising this vital skill.

Adlib skills are also incorporated into our Whole Class Improvs where students once again put to practise this art that has made the difference for so many international performers. During this activity students combine learning lines and scripts with the impromptu inserts of ad lib.

Adlibbing is taught from the Kindy level and sustained throughout the age groups including Lower and Upper Primary as well and Youth Theatre.

Students at Atlantic Beach College really getting into their Introductory Activities, using those all important adlibbing skills!

20 Years on...

They say time flies when you’re having fun. That must be the case for the more than 3 000 students attending classes at Helen O’ Grady Drama Academy in Cape Town.

20 years on and still going strong!

20 years ago the world renowned curriculum was shared for the first time on our soil and children and adults alike fell in love with the programme that taught them Creativity, Communication and Confidence.

Helen O’ Grady believes in bringing children the tools they need to be the best they can be and that’s what the programme has done across the world for more than 35 years.

How wonderful that we can share the same programme, those vital tools with children right here in Cape Town.

If you would like to celebrate with us and be part of the action get in touch.

We are at the following schools;

Elkanah House Blouberg Preparatory

Elkanah House Sunningdale Preparatory

Atlantic Beach College

Riebeek Kasteel Primary School

And have private studios in the following areas;

Atlantis

Edgemead

Malmesbury

Milnerton

Melkbosstrand

Sunningdale

We can’t wait to meet you!

 

For more information contact the office on 021 5534458, email nastassja@helenogrady.co.za or visit our website www.dramaafrica.com

SPEAK UP AND SPEAK WELL

Last week we shared some of the features and benefits of the Helen O’ Grady school programme. The benefits are truly endless and reach throughout the students’ career and life.

One of those benefits stems from one of our core pillars: Communication.

Being part of a drama class at school gives students a head start and firm foundation in communication skills.

Students demonstrating one such exercise where effective communication is taught and encouraged.

In class the focus is on learning to read and write. These are fundamental skills indeed. But little interest is shown or lesser focus is given to how clearly and how confidently the student speaks.

As adults we know how vital oral communication and verbal signals are in our every day lives. Whether it be in our professional capacities, community activities and even in the home.

Could you think of ONE profession where no one cared about your communication skills or how you spoke to others? We couldn’t either!

A generous portion of our curriculum focuses specifically on speech: articulation, resonance, projection, diction, volume control etc. However, the curriculum overall encourages clear and confident communication in small group settings, with the teacher as well as to an audience. 

Speech is an intergral and important part of our programme which is taught in a fun, stimulating way!