The time in which my parents started to push me towards pursuing the performing arts was certainly a turning point in my life. Back in the day, and also while I was growing up, it never hit me what a huge impact the arts would have on shaping the person I have become today.
It’s a rather obvious fact that not everyone wants to act, sing, or dance — each and every one of us has his or her own area of expertise which makes us special and different from anyone else. However, very few people realise the importance of experimenting with Drama, especially within the formative years of our lives. Drama goes beyond playing the part of a tree or having the lead role as the Lion King in the school play. At the very basis of Drama is the element of play, which features throughout our childhood (and hopefully much longer after that!) and moulds us into becoming rounded human beings. When engaging in Drama activities, we are tapping into the social, the psychological and the physical aspects, both separately and in collaboration with each other. For example, by simply interacting in a group and portraying a pack of wolves, you would be enriching team-building skills, communication, creativity, confidence, physical capabilities and 836,428 other factors!
Unfortunately, the sad truth is that once the "playing phase’ is over, there aren’t many opportunities in which we can explore with Drama, especially for those who are not interested in pursuing the performing arts as just an extracurricular activity. Most church and private schools often offer Drama as one of the subjects in the curriculum, where students have at least one Drama lesson per week. However, most government schools only offer Drama in one-off sessions, perhaps once or twice per term. Although in the past years there have been various attempts to improve this situation, I feel that we are still a thousand miles away from finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
The choices we make often make us who we are and define what we are to become. When I was younger, they told me I could be anything. At one point I longed to become a princess and at another I wanted to become an accountant. Instead, I developed a love for Drama and became…
…creative
Drama, like the rest of the arts, gives you freedom to explore your creativity. One minute you’re a businessman walking down a busy street, then *CLAP*, you’re a monkey climbing a tree!
…a problem-solver
They say that Drama and Theatre are a rehearsal of life and I couldn’t agree more! Just like in real life, in Drama, you are given a situation which you are to find a way around, therefore preparing you for the man-eating world outside.
…confident
I must admit I have quite a conflicting personality. I can be quite chatty and bubbly with the person sitting next to me on the bus, and sometimes I can get shy around people who I might have already met before. Nevertheless, being exposed to Drama has helped me find my own voice and to be confident about what I do, say and believe in.
…a better human being
At the very heart of Drama, one finds the element of empathy. We could never be able to become someone else if we don’t, first and foremost, put ourselves into that person’s shoes. This makes us understand others better and recognize and value other people’s feelings and opinions.
…myself
Perhaps the most powerful use of Drama is that of finding oneself. First and foremost, by exploring the different possibilities of the body and the voice and discovering their limitations, you become aware of what you’re capable of. Secondly, by becoming someone or something else, you become able to notice what distinguishes you as a person from the rest of the world.
And here I am today! With a Theatre Studies degree in one hand and soon a teaching warrant in the other (hopefully, in about six months!). They told me I could be anything, so I’m becoming a Drama teacher. What about you?