Building Confidence Through Performing Arts

Building confidence at STAMP

Confidence has always been an important part of what we do at STAMP.

Since 2006, more than 1,000 young people have come through our doors, and members join us with very different levels of confidence and performing experience.

Some children arrive ready to put themselves forward immediately. Others may be nervous about joining a new group, singing where other people can hear them, learning a dance or eventually stepping onto a stage.

We don't expect every member to progress in the same way or at the same speed.

Our approach is to encourage members to challenge themselves and take opportunities where possible, while respecting what they are comfortable with.

Confidence doesn't always mean being the loudest

Being confident doesn't necessarily mean wanting the biggest part, singing the loudest or always standing at the front.

For one member, confidence might mean joining in with a group number for the first time.

For another, it might be putting their hand up, volunteering for a line, learning choreography they initially found difficult or becoming comfortable performing as part of an ensemble.

As confidence develops, some members may feel ready to sing independently, audition for a role or take on a larger part in a production.

These are all different stages of development, and there isn't one definition of what a confident performer should look like.

Taking as much or as little opportunity as you're ready for

STAMP provides lots of opportunities for members to get involved, but we understand that not everyone will feel ready to take every opportunity straight away.

We encourage members to challenge themselves where we can, while also respecting their wishes.

There can be as much or as little opportunity as someone feels ready to take.

A child might initially be happiest performing as part of a large ensemble. As they become more comfortable with the group, they may decide to try something they wouldn't have considered when they first joined.

Our role is to encourage that development rather than expecting it to happen immediately.

Singing and confidence

Singing can be a big step for a child who isn't used to performing in front of other people.

At STAMP, members don't have to begin by singing on their own.

Singing as part of a group gives children and young people an opportunity to develop their voice while being part of a wider ensemble.

As their confidence grows, there can be opportunities to take individual lines, sing in smaller groups, audition for roles or perform solo material where appropriate.

Nobody needs to arrive at STAMP already feeling like a confident singer.

Read more about Singing Classes for Children.

Dancing and confidence

Learning choreography can also help members become more confident in their own abilities.

A routine that looks difficult when it is first introduced can gradually become familiar through learning, practising and repeating it with the rest of the group.

Members learn how to remember choreography, move as part of an ensemble and perform confidently alongside other people.

When that choreography eventually becomes part of a staged production, members can see how the work they put into rehearsals has developed into something they can perform for an audience.

Read more about Dance Classes for Children.

Acting and confidence

Acting gives members another way to develop their confidence.

For younger children, that can begin through creative play, characters and storytelling.

As members progress, they can work with scripts, scenes and characters and become increasingly comfortable speaking and performing in front of other people.

Performing as a character can sometimes make trying something new feel different from simply being asked to stand up and speak as yourself.

Members can gradually progress from ensemble work and smaller speaking parts to auditioning for larger roles when they feel ready.

Read more about Drama Classes for Children.

Learning through rehearsals

Confidence at STAMP isn't only built during performances.

A lot of development happens in the rehearsal room.

Members regularly encounter things they haven't done before. That might be a new song, an unfamiliar dance routine, a scene, a character or a full musical number combining singing, dancing and acting.

They learn the material, practise it, receive direction and work on it again.

Something that felt difficult at the beginning of a rehearsal process can become something they eventually perform on stage.

That experience can help members recognise that they are capable of learning and developing skills they didn't have when they started.

Read What Happens During a STAMP Class? to see how our weekly sessions work.

Performing on stage

Performance is a major part of the STAMP experience.

Our members have opportunities to take the work developed during classes and rehearsals and perform it as part of fully staged productions for public audiences.

For someone who was nervous about joining a group, eventually walking onto a stage can be a significant achievement.

That doesn't mean everyone needs to become a principal performer.

Being part of the ensemble, remembering choreography, singing as part of the company, delivering a line or simply completing a performance can all represent progress.

The size of someone's role isn't how we measure their value to a production.

Auditions and confidence

For most Blue and Green productions, we hold auditions for individual roles.

Auditions are another opportunity for members to challenge themselves.

We encourage members to research the production, think about the role they would like, prepare material and put themselves forward.

Not everyone will receive the role they audition for, and specific roles are never guaranteed.

Learning to prepare, audition and continue contributing to the production regardless of the casting outcome is part of the experience.

For some members, simply choosing to audition can represent a big step in confidence.

Minis casting is more relaxed and age appropriate, although younger members are still encouraged to try small speaking or singing parts where appropriate.

Read more about Student Performance Opportunities.

Confidence through being part of a group

STAMP is also about being part of a company.

Members rehearse with the same people regularly, work together towards performances and learn that everybody contributes to the finished production.

Musical theatre depends on people listening to one another, remembering where they need to be, supporting other performers and working together.

Not everybody can be the lead character, nor does everybody want to be.

Being a reliable and confident member of an ensemble is an important part of performing.

Making friends and feeling part of STAMP

For many members, the social side of STAMP is just as important as learning to sing, dance or act.

Weekly sessions give children and young people the opportunity to spend time with others who share an interest in performing and work together towards a common goal.

We can't promise that every child will immediately make close friendships, but STAMP provides a regular group environment where members can get to know one another through classes, rehearsals and productions.

Some of the relationships formed through STAMP have lasted well beyond someone's time as a member.

A number of former members have remained connected to STAMP and some have returned as teachers, directors, choreographers and members of our creative team.

What if my child is shy?

Being shy isn't a reason your child can't join STAMP.

We don't expect a nervous child to walk into their first session and immediately volunteer for a solo or speaking part.

They can begin by getting to know the group, joining in with ensemble activities and becoming familiar with how sessions work.

As they settle in, we encourage them to take the next step when they're ready.

That might happen quickly or it might take time.

Read our Classes for Shy Children guide if your child is worried about joining.

What parents can do to help

If your child is building confidence, it can help to recognise the smaller steps as well as the obvious achievements.

Performing a principal role might be easy to celebrate, but progress can also be:

• joining in when they were initially nervous;
• learning a difficult section;
• remembering their choreography;
• singing confidently with the group;
• volunteering for a line;
• auditioning for the first time;
• recovering when something goes wrong;
• completing their first performance.

Try asking what they enjoyed, what they learned or what they found easier than last time.

Confidence can develop through lots of small experiences rather than one big moment.

When things don't go perfectly

Performing arts also involves challenges.

A member might find a song difficult, forget choreography, make a mistake during a rehearsal or feel disappointed that they weren't cast in the role they wanted.

Those experiences are part of performing too.

We want members to learn that making a mistake doesn't mean they have failed and that not getting a particular role doesn't mean they aren't an important part of the production.

They can continue learning, rehearsing and contributing to the company.

Twenty years of helping young people perform

STAMP has been working with children and young people in South Tyneside since 2006.

More than 1,000 young people have come through our doors during our first 20 years.

Some have gone on to further performing arts training or careers in the industry. Others have returned to STAMP as teachers and members of our creative team.

Many simply take the skills, experiences and confidence they developed through performing into whatever they choose to do next.

Our aim isn't to turn every member into a professional performer.

It's to give children and young people opportunities to sing, dance, act, perform, challenge themselves and discover what they're capable of.

Finding the right STAMP group

STAMP has three regular weekly groups:

• Minis: ages 3–6
• Blue Group: ages 7–12
• Green Group: ages 13+

All three combine performing arts with opportunities to build confidence and work towards performances.

If your child has never attended a performing arts group before, read Musical Theatre for Beginners.

If they're particularly nervous about joining, read Classes for Shy Children.

You can also read Preparing for Your First Class so they know what to expect before they arrive.

Explore our current STAMP classes to find the appropriate group and check current availability.