Despite everything hitting us all this year, we have had an amazing time at The JPA Academy. All our students have adapted to keep each other safe, whilst working really hard and enthusiastically. It has been a year of no shows, now photos, no filming…but a lot of laughs, technique, creativity, confidence and progress.
Vanessa and I are so impressed with the progress made across all the classes. We have worked on harmonies and some brand new music from up coming shows in Singing. Lots of our JPAers have made us proud by singing solos in class. In Dance class we have been able to use the time to work on technique and have seen a huge improvement in the skill of every Junior and Senior. In Drama we have been working to create a piece full of comedy, pace and great characterisation. The Juniors have created a showcase of scenes from shows including Oliver, Matilda, Bugsy Malone, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Spelling Bee. The Seniors have been creative and comedy geniuses putting together The Complete Works of Shakespeare (slightly abridged!) and it is really fun. Company have put together their own version of Twelfth Night which I would happily take on a tour of schools.
A huge amount achieved in such challenging circumstances. It has been wonderful to work toward something, and we are sad that the extension of the restrictions means that we couldn’t invite an audience to our planned Open Week at the end of term.
As we approach the end of another year we will be saying goodbye to some truly remarkable people. Some are heading to Performing Arts training, some are off to Uni and we know that they will take their passion and wonderful skills with them. It has been a real privilege to be part of your lives and training.
The Performing Arts have been left with nowhere to be, with no audience and with little hope…but it is a world that has no limits. The creative minds have been working. The performers have been working on their craft. Writers have been writing. Everyone has new stories to tell.
We can’t wait to get back where we belong – working and rehearsing, ready to perform to a full house.
By September we plan to be fully open and building our classes to be full of confident creative students learning from inspiring teachers.
Get in touch to join us in September and spread the word about our classes in the Performing Arts where we build confidence and creativity.
