Theatre Skills for Life, with Natasha Rekhi
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Theatre Skills for Life, with Natasha Rekhi
BY KIM ADAMS
Click the “plus” below for the full show notes and the full text transcript. Scroll down for the blog post.
Theatre gives kids a chance to relax and express themselves — and explore new ways of being — outside the boundaries of classroom rules or societal expectations.
“When they’re in a very safe environment, like a theater class, they feel very relaxed because it’s not like the general classroom environment. They also don’t know what to expect, so it is a bit of a surprise. It’s a safe place. It’s a social place.”
Theatre helps develop language and communication skills, resilience in stressful situations, and acceptance of people from different backgrounds.
We also talk about
and more.
RESOURCES mentioned in the episode:
For the latest opportunities to build theatre skills with ages 5-17 — summer camps, virtual productions and interactive virtual plays on Zoom where audience and actors solve the mystery together! — contact thetheatre4kids@gmail.com.
Online drama is a creative and engaging activity, safe and convenient for families. It’s a great way for kids to socialize, share and connect with children living in different countries, and a virtual production provides a great way for families and old friends to connect long distance.
Mosaics activity for processing life events and intentionally shaping our narratives.
Flash Sale: Buy this week and get a live debrief session included.
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RATHER READ? I’ve got you covered with a transcript and blog post below.
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ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST:
Natasha Rekhi is a drama educator and public speaker based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She has taught children in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
During the global pandemic she founded Theatre4Kids: a virtual drama education program that has since been accessed by 15 nationalities across two continents. She is also a teacher of drama at the International School of Amsterdam and a presenter on the radio station Broadcast Amsterdam.
Natasha aspires to make theatre education accessible to children around the world by providing a safe, convenient and multicultural learning environment that promotes diversity and inclusion and develops empathetic and innovative thinkers of tomorrow.
CONNECT WITH Natasha Rekhi:
Facebook: kidsoftheatre
Instagram: @theatre4kids
ABOUT YOUR HOST:
Kim Adams is an American raising three daughters along with her math-teaching husband of 20 years. She loves photography, reading, thunderstorms, walking on the beach, camping where there are no bugs, and has a weakness for mint chocolate chip ice cream.
CONNECT WITH KIM:
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If you’re just tuning in, catch the whole series on storytelling for expats and their kids.
In Episode 21 I talked about working with your own story through an art process: reflecting on your life events and arranging those memories and events into a design that’s meaningful to you. In the end you’ll have created a beautiful mosaic. Mosaics are usually made of tile and glass, but this is a much less complicated process because we’re using colored paper. So it’s accessible for anyone everywhere, and all ages.
And I’m having a sale this week on that Mosaics activity, so now is a great time to pick it up. Of course it’s always a great time … but right now you’ll get, in addition to all the instructions and tips on how to make it go smoothly, and guidance on talking through the conversations that go along with the activity – you’ll also get a live session, time with me to talk about what came up. That’s a really powerful way to enhance the learning and benefits that came from spending that intentional time considering and shaping your own story. So go ahead and grab it – there’s a link in the shownotes for you.
In Episodes 22 & 23 I had two guests who spoke about verbal and written storytelling. They shared really beautiful, beautiful expressions of what we gain from other people’s stories; and what other people gain when we share our stories; and the process of crafting a story that takes the listener on a journey to arrive at the destination we’re aiming for!
Today we’re talking about story in the form of theatre, and how those skills learned in theatre practices benefit us in so many ways. So let’s get right into today’s episode.
Kim: [00:00:24] I have Natasha Rekhi with me, and she runs Theater4Kids I have seen her in action and she does a beautiful job getting the kids really engaged and excited about what they’re doing. I’ll let you introduce yourself, Natasha, tell us a little bit about your program and who you work with and what you love to do best.
Natasha: [00:00:55] Thank you, Kim, for such a warm welcome and having me on your podcast this morning. I’m Natasha Rekhi. I’m a drama educator. I also teach at international schools in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. And during the global pandemic, I founded Theatre4Kids, which is a virtual theater program that welcomes children from all over the world. We’re very excited to be able to offer this opportunity to so many children in so many different countries.
Kim: [00:01:21] Yeah, yeah, it’s great and your programs are normally a few weeks long, or How does that work?
Natasha: [00:01:34] So generally, we offer workshops which run in blocks of five or six weeks. We also have summer camps during the holiday period, the age group, it’s best suited for kids between the ages of 5 right up to 17. So near adults can also join us and have some fun. And we’ve got different themes that we offer depending on the ages. So it’s very catered and it’s very targeted. And the idea is to get in there and get to meet kids from all over the world to bond together and really create this community of theater makers.
Kim: [00:02:05] Ok, very nice. Can you tell us a little bit more about: What is theater? What is drama?
Natasha: [00:02:15] Interesting question. And I love answering this one, because in the world of performing arts, we often use these words very interchangeably. Drama is more the written part of the play, and theater is when we actually put it into action and we just we kind of tend to use it very interchangeably. And that’s that’s OK. I think drama is such a universal language, if I may say that, which just brings so many different people together in one space, whether it’s the actors, whether it’s the audience. And I think it’s been a bit different during the global pandemic, the way we’ve kind of consumed theater and been able to interact and participate either through the virtual mediums as we’ve created with theatre4kids. So, yeah, things have changed, but a feeling of community is still very integral to theater, I think.
Kim: [00:03:08] Ok. Now, I saw on your Instagram account you had this little quote that jumped out at me, it was along the lines of, “Arts education is not an add-on; it’s really critical for achieving the academic priorities.” And I wanted to hear you talk about that a bit more and tell us some of the maybe unexpected benefits of drama or theater skills. Yeah. Benefits in general and then benefits particular to the way you run your programs.
Natasha: [00:03:46] So this is something that’s so close to my heart. There’s been such a lot of talk about arts education being an add-on, and I really believe it’s the other way around. I think arts education is something that actually helps you get to those good grades and get to college and get on top of all the achievements, academic achievements that parents sometimes put a lot of emphasis on. And the reason I say that is because even as an educator within the education space, I witnessed the children who’ve been part of any sort of arts education program are generally more engaged, better communicators, and are able to deal with stressful situations and navigate through those unexpected situations very easily. And I say that’s important because these days there’s such a lot of emphasis on mental health, mental well-being. We’ve seen during the pandemic what’s happened, particularly with the teenagers who kind of had a really I think that age group has had a really tough time. So I think the benefits, the unexpected benefits are that actually it kind of feeds back into the education system, back into the academic space, and it sort of really complements the learning efforts that we’re trying to give our kids anyway.
Natasha: [00:04:59] I’ve also seen that at theater4kids in particular. We focus on the four C’s. That’s why we say “theatre 4 kids,” the number 4. The four C’s being communication, concentration, creativity and confidence. So the way we structure these programs, every class will have these elements that are woven in. Whether it’s through drama exercises or games or whether it’s through the virtual performance aspect of being able to face the camera and articulate your thoughts and express yourself.
Natasha: [00:05:31] And I think a big benefit of drama is that it’s a space of non judgment. So, you know, it’s a creative space where you can express yourself, where no one’s judging. And I think that’s very important when you’re trying to instill and foster self-confidence skills in young children. So I’ve had really that firsthand experience, both as a parent and as an educator. And I think that, yeah, it has to be it has to compliment the the academic sort of set up. And schools are beginning to recognize that now. And I’m seeing that there is a lot more, I would say, reception for the performing arts and for theater in general.
Kim: [00:06:13] That’s good to hear. So how did how can we set up this environment that’s nonjudgmental? Because I did not ever have theater practice when I was in school. I’m not intimately familiar with the processes and how you go from zero to a full production. And there’s a lot in between. But I imagine and maybe this is why I never participated, but I imagine going in already with those expectations in my mind of the audience is going to judge me based on my performance. And so I think when I hear you talk about creating a safe space that’s nonjudgmental, I think that’s really beautiful. And I also kind of wonder, like, how do you structure exercises and practices to to get the kids past, you know, if they have this preconceived notion about how I’m here to perform and perform, almost by definition means being judged.
Natasha: [00:07:22] Yeah, good question, Kim, and I think the online space has given us that opportunity to really bring out the beauty, I would say bring out the confidence in every job, but also in the children who might be feeling shy and intimidated when they have to face the camera. That’s because it’s a very safe space. It’s very intimate. There are small class groups. We don’t have 10 and 12 when it comes to a class. It’s a very small class size where the teacher student, which is pretty good. And then again, we work through a series of different exercises. So, you know, as we said, we start in the beginning with an online experience. It’s more like getting to know what’s happening in the class, getting to know our actors, getting friendly with our troupe, and making sure that the crew is kind of really happy and ready and well-connected so that by the time are ready to face the audience, there’s already that bonding, this already that trust between the different actors. Also a series of different voice exercises, things that we do with expression. And I think one of the interesting things that’s worked really well with theatre in particular is that that we actually have something called a virtual interactive play, and that is an opportunity for actors to create their own script. So it comes unscripted. They get to create their own script. They get to add different aspects to their own character. So there’s an element of surprise that they first encounter. And there’s also that element of intrigue that the audience is exposed to, which means that there to be judgment when you don’t really know what to expect. So that’s a lot of work around characters. And yeah, over a period of time, of course, kids get more comfortable and it is a process in saying that. But at the same time, there are these little steps that we can take to make sure that children feel comfortable performing in front of in front of an audience that they are not familiar with.
Kim: [00:09:14] Yeah. Oh I love that. How that because they don’t actually know what’s coming, they have to engage in a different way. And meanwhile, they’re they’re really learning to work as a team together.
Natasha: [00:09:26] Yes, that’s the idea, to kind of collaborate and create literally.
Kim: [00:09:31] Yeah. Hmmm. When you were talking earlier, you talked about how the students who are in the theater programs, often they kind of stand out in the school setting that they’re more engaged. And I have noticed that. And I kind of assumed it was the other way around. That it was those kids who have that natural confidence who are the ones who are going to go and audition. And they’re already really engaged. And so they’re willing to put in the time and all of that. But but you’re saying that you think it’s kind of the other way around. So can you say a little bit more about that, like maybe the transformation that you’ve seen happen with some students or what are the particular skills that kind of help them take it back the other way than what I was thinking.
Natasha: [00:10:23] So I think you’re right, there is this sort of natural expectation that children who are articulate will raise their hand and will join theater programs and be naturally dramatic will be attracted to it. And I do get students like that and it’s wonderful to have them in my class. Equally, there are parents sometimes who are motivated to send their kids or their kids themselves who feel conscious and as you say, judged in the general school environment, who want to work to kind of enhancing those skills. And I’ve seen children blossom. It’s been their own sort of motivation to say I want to get better at this, but I’m looking for a fun and interactive way to do it. I’m not looking for a way where I’m going to be subjected to normal classroom rules of public speaking, where they can feel kind of more, I would say not inhibited and then more engaged. That’s the sort of child that sometimes walks into my theater class. Equally, I have children who have been non-native English speakers because a lot of my programs are conducted in English when I conduct them myself, that being my first language. So I’ve seen improvements in English speaking skills and also for children who have special special requirements, sometimes with learning and developmental needs. I’ve seen them blossom in my sessions as well because they just find it so relaxed. They can really be themselves, so, yeah, it’s sometimes the motivation of children, in other times it’s the adults who kind of the parents who want their kids to shine.
Natasha: [00:12:07] When they’re in a very safe environment, like a theater class, they feel very relaxed because it’s not like the general classroom environment. And then they also, in a way, don’t know what to expect. So it is a bit of a surprise. So, yeah, I think it’s it’s a safe place. It’s a social place. There are other kids there. They’re all learning. And drama is kind of an equalizer because there isn’t like a particular way in which somebody and of course, some kids are naturally more articulate. But that’s not the only aspect of drama. We also have pantomime, where you act without words. So you kind of have to have to work with expressions. So there are so many different ways in which kids can be part of this experience and really blossom and learn and engage.
Kim: [00:12:48] So nice.. We’ve been talking a bit about classes in a school setting. Can you talk a little bit about how parents can use drama or theater skills and exercises or practices in the context of everyday life, parenting (which has its own challenges), and family life?
Natasha: [00:13:13] Yeah, this is an interesting one. Sometimes I have friends and other parents say, hey, I don’t even have a single creative bone in my body, how am I supposed to be dramatic This can feel like a challenge, but it isn’t as big as it seems. And the reason I say that is we start with small steps, with everyday experiences.. For example, if you’ve got preschoolers or elementary kids or younger ones, you start with a simple stuff. It could be as easy as picking up a book and reading it in a different voice. We can all try that. We’ve all tried that at some point, really getting into character and playing off each other. And I do this with my six year old sometimes. And I find it a very interesting conversation because suddenly I’m not mom and he’s not my son anymore and we’ve kind of entered into these different roles. So that’s one that I think helps with the literacy skills, with the reading for the younger ones. And the other thing is we’ve got so many household items lying around the house. And one thing that I did when my kids were much younger was creating this mystery box. And I kind of put all these different safe household objects into one space and I’d let them have a go at it and just try working at creating a space, maybe a scene, using their imagination. It’s interesting how they do not get bored and they are very sort of happy to explore this tirelessly almost and try and experiment with different scenes.
Natasha: [00:14:39] So the mystery box idea creating a safe space, as I say, it’s not the space but what’s in the space that’s sometimes very important. So that’s a good kind of trick. And work around it could be as easy as driving home from school. And maybe the road becomes a river and the car becomes a boat. You’re having a conversation in your everyday life experiences that can be quite dramatic and quite easy to do without having to think about complicated things. So, yeah, that’s something that I think I would say the parents can focus more on imagination of being creative in the moment. And of course, for teenagers and older kids, they’re obviously wanting to try things on their own. So one thing that worked really well during the pandemic was quarantine monologues. I had suggested that to lots of my students to say, write down your feelings, express yourself, start journaling, do fun stuff like maybe find some household objects, create a 30 second advert and let’s sell it to the family. And then the best one gets a prize. It becomes like a bit of a family fun event. So just simple things around the house can be so inspiring to try and create and add some drama and sprinkle some drama into your everyday routine.
Kim: [00:15:55] Those are really great tips — and would never occur to me. I think I’m one of those that I don’t feel like I have. I’ve lost touch with my imaginative side. I think this is how I would say it. So when I hear those it’s like, oh yeah, I could do that. But like, just to come up with them on my own, I feel stumped. So thank you for those.
Natasha: [00:16:16] I’m glad I could be helpful.
Kim: [00:16:19] And what about now with the extra the particular challenges of distance learning and doing school at home, everyone at home together at the same time, mom and dad are in a different role. You are playing multiple roles at the same time or being parents, and teacher, teacher assistants. You know, the ultimate motivator and the disciplinarian. Twenty four seven, which is a bit different. It’s a new dynamic for a lot of families. And are there some ways that theater skills can help us through that?
Natasha: [00:16:54] I definitely feel it can help to find those meaningful breaks in the day. As you said, we’re wearing many different hats and if one is stretched with all these different responsibilities and these are extraordinary times and I think simplifying and I say going back to the drawing board, keeping it simple, keeping it fun is always my sort of go to, at least when I encounter stressful moments myself. And I think that, as I said, creating that community engagement at home, creating another activity to do together, collaboratively, even if that’s once a week, it doesn’t have to be every day. Things like, you know, the game nights that families did traditionally with each other could be turned into a bit of a sort of dramatic play off. We’ve done that as a family where we’ve had everyone get into a different character. We’ve even created like a board game that I have actually on my Instagram page, which is super easy to do. It’s a printable and you roll the die and whichever spot your die lands in, you become that character for the moment. And you have to speak in a different voice. So this is like kind of the fun stuff with the little ones that can be used to kind of bring some drama in. But I think also sometimes when we as parents, as you say, can we forget so many things that we forget could be our own sort of point of inspiration. For example, not just drama, but if you like painting or doodling or drawing them, maybe you just create a piece of art together and you work collaboratively during some spare time. Or I often say there are parents with so many different skills. Someone likes gardening, get the kids to join in. I think the important thing is participating together in the activity if you can at least once a week is helpful.
Natasha: [00:18:52] we all have certain things we enjoy doing. Doesn’t have to only be drama. Sometimes some people are better skilled at gardening, someone at cooking. And if you can kind of bring the family together into the activity, even if it’s one activity that you as a parent enjoy, then it becomes more like a collaborative piece and then everyone kind of connected. So I think keeping the connections going, making sure that we have one activity is a family that we do every week, which could be a creative thing. Even a cleanup can be interesting. It could turn into like a treasure hunt experience. And I’ve done this with my sons. And I said, OK, well, no, let’s go find all the lines on the floor. Let’s go find all those Legos on the floor. And let’s try to clean up the space now. And we’re going to try and feed whoever can get the maximum pieces into the bin is going to win. So simple things around the house where the chores don’t feel like chores is is how we can help. I would say overcome these very stressful and extraordinary times without having to think about another thing to do and making it difficult for ourselves.
Kim: [00:19:59] Yeah, yeah, I really like that and just think that this is a great way to create a break in the routine, something different, it kind of marks the time and lets you kind of step outside the situation, I suppose, figuratively. But it really helps you step outside like that. OK, so what if what if you’ve got a parent who feels really shy that I don’t have any training in drama or theater and I really don’t know what to do? Is that is that a good case where you would say it’s a good idea to work with an outside professional?
Natasha: [00:20:42] I think so, because I think if you don’t really have to do everything yourself and we don’t if there are resources available, if there are specialists available and now we we are, for example, available virtually as well, then parents can reach out, they can connect and they can find another way of getting a specialist in to help with their kids and their after school activities and whatever it might be that children are interested in. Yeah, there is definitely so many options. I think we’re so spoilt for choice. I, as a parent sometimes juggle and it’s mind boggling the kind of options we have to do. So I think it’s great that we have these options and that as a parent we can reach out to everyone who’s doing creating these creative experiences or even others and have so many options for our own children. Yeah.
Kim: [00:21:32] All right. So with that in mind, how can families get a hold of you and get signed up with your programs?
Natasha: [00:21:39] It’s quite easy, we’re in the virtual space, therefore we are on social media, so we’re on Instagram, on Facebook Sieda for kids, they can also email us an email at the theater4kids@Gmail.com so they can write us an email. We always publish our latest workshops and our different camps online. We are building a new and beautiful website that should be ready very soon. But we are very easy, very easy to get in touch with and families can just reach out to us any time. And we’re very responsive and love to hear from them.
Kim: [00:22:14] And do you have what do you have coming up this summer?
Natasha: [00:22:17] So we’ve got a lot of different options, depending on the age. For the younger ones in the ages of five and eight, we’re looking at elementary improv because everyone loves improv, improvising and learning the tips and tricks around that. Then for the tweens and teens, we’ve got some monologue workshops where we were going to be focusing on public speaking and expression in an interesting and interactive way. We’ve also got our very popular virtual interactive plays with different themes. And I’m sure you’re familiar with one of those at least. And also some options around readers theatre, because we have had a lot of requests from parents saying they want their children to improve their communication skills and focusing more, that focuses more on literacy skills and all of that. So we’ve also got the readers theatre options. And from time to time, we offer audio drama as well. So we’ve done some interesting audio dramas and mysteries for broadcast, so we might bring those back for the summer as well.
Kim: [00:23:21] Ok, what is readers Readers theatre?
Natasha: [00:23:26] So that’s actually when you actually perform off the script, but you’re reading the your part, so you’re not necessarily memorizing all your lines. And that’s very easily achievable in an online space because as I said, we’re virtual at the moment. We plan to be. And so there is it’s much easier to perform. We do theater because then you don’t need elaborate sets. You, of course, do need costumes, which we help children learn how to create with, again, with resources that they have available, because we’re very mindful that we are in this time of lockdowns in many countries and there are social restrictions and all of that. So it’s a nice way to get get around public speaking, getting so making sure that your pronunciation skills are refined without making it very boring. So it’s a fun way of doing that.
Kim: [00:24:14] Ok, so does that mean they don’t spend quite as much time with the script because they don’t have to memorize it, but they have to spend enough time to be able to put the energy into it?
Natasha: [00:24:25] Yes. So there is character development that takes place. There is personality that they kind of need to understand. There are different aspects to it. And then, of course, there is a performance. But as I said, and as you rightly understood, it isn’t really memorized. But then it’s read.
Kim: [00:24:50] So you’ve got some programs that individuals can sign up with you directly, but then you’re also looking to connect with schools to run programs, is that correct?
Natasha: [00:24:59] Yes, that is. And we’ve had some very good opportunities that have come our way with kids. And in that I worked with some online schools here in Europe that are that have been online from the beginning. So it isn’t something new for them. They’ve been traditionally online schools right before the pandemic. And I ran their residency program recently. So they had I had all the different age groups in one class, which is very interesting because it wasn’t that I was different to how I work and which is why I started off saying drama is a universal language. It has an appeal to everyone. So we had children who attend right up to 17 in one session working together. And it was a very interesting outcome that we had with children who do not speak, who are non-native English speakers, some of them, some of them who had some learning challenges that they were able to overcome some of the shy kids. So it was a nice mix of different ages and different backgrounds in that one space. And that was the online sort of school residential program that I recently meant. But in addition to that, I also work with schools in person, and I run a lot of the afterschool clubs for schools here in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. And I’m also hoping to reach out to more online schools and work with them and try to put kids either as an after school club or either integrated with the existing program. That would be wonderful for me.
Kim: [00:26:42] You mentioned that kids are absorbing this understanding of diversity just through the fact of participating in these programs and that was a key element that you built in. Can you say a little bit about that for the audience?
Natasha: [00:26:59] Yes, I’d love to share this Kim, and I did say that. There are two ways that they achieve this in my sessions. One is, of course, by naturally because we have people from all over the world and potentially in one session. But I say that so many different nationalities are part of this program. We’ve had 15 different nationalities in the past year that have access the kids across two continents, which I’m very grateful for. And I think that in that classroom setting, you will find children from different parts of the world joining different backgrounds, different cultures. So that’s the first level of acceptance. And the other thing, the drama of the other opportunity the drama provides is getting into a different character. So, again, as I said, you you kind of judge in the beginning saying, yes, this is a protagonist, this is the antagonist. This is not good. This is bad. But when you actually walk into a drama class, you do a kind of learning to or when you’re part of one, you’re learning to be more open minded about the possibilities of being this different character, of creating this different experience for the audience. So there is that acceptance that takes place naturally in. A different children that kids just encounter in one session and they kind of learning and sharing experiences from each other.
Kim: [00:28:16] That’s very nice. Yeah, thank you for sharing that again. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Natasha: [00:28:25] I think I would say that one of the learnings of the pandemic has been to kind of try something new, and I would encourage parents to also look at the options of being able to access theater, sitting at home and getting that, getting that, accessing that opportunity, because we have that now. So I think it would be wonderful if we had more kids signing up to theater and being able to do it in the comfort of their own spaces without having to go somewhere else. I think that would be wonderful. And also, from my perspective, the ability to share and reach out to so many different kids. I would love to have that opportunity going forward and be able to build this community of theater makers.
Kim: [00:29:10] Yes, great. Well, I can say again that my daughter is thoroughly enjoying her sessions with you. A lot of times the interactions online tend to be a little bit more flat or it’s hard to transmit energy through the screen in the same way that you can in person. And you bring a tremendous amount of energy that just jumps through the screen. it just draws the kids in. I think it’s really fun to observe and for her to be part of. So thank you for that.
Natasha: [00:29:48] Ok, thank you. Thank you for that fabulous feedback. And it is my privilege and honor to be able to teach kids and to be able to share so much, even if I’m not physically present. So I’m very grateful for that opportunity.
Kim: [00:30:02] Yes. Well, thanks for coming and talking with us. I’m doing a series of interviews on storytelling for third culture kids and cross-cultural kids and international families. So we’re looking at how telling our stories and listening to stories helps shape our identity. Can you tell us how theater skills can help in that process of understanding ourselves and understanding others in our context within the world around us?
Natasha: [00:31:05] This is interesting, this is a very interesting question, and I think theater and drama naturally are predisposed to storytelling in so many different ways. And how we express ourselves is one way in which in a way, you know, we discover our own identity, we discover our own potential. So I think it goes kind of a little bit beyond when we are accessing drama. But also, as I said, that we have spaces where children design their own characters and they often draw from their own cultural experiences to do that, or they kind of tend to reinforce who they are, where they come from. And I always tell my students the starting point is who you are. Before you pretend to be someone else. It’s more about discovering who you are and you will always find inspiration from your own life. That is so there is so little aspects that are so interesting that you always bring to your character. So we bring ourselves to drama. We also discover ourselves through drama. We also discover our potential. We also discover where we can go. We also have new possibilities that we encounter. So it’s a bit of a it’s quite a Win-Win situation in that sense. And you don’t really hold on to yourself because you discover this other stuff. So you kind of it’s very interesting that there’s a lot of creativity at play. At the same time, there’s a lot of newness and a lot of cultural experience and sharing that takes place.
Kim: [00:32:28] And that’s like a process of discovery through practicing trying on new things and say, OK, does this fit me? How does it fit me? Yeah, so practicing which character resonates with me the best or which strength of the characters are really suited the best to me?
Natasha: [00:32:55] Exactly, and also sometimes it’s about maybe I didn’t look at it the same way, or maybe I’m looking at it from a different perspective now, and that also resonates with me. So being open to the possibilities. So one is, of course, holding on and discovering who you are. The other is also being open minded about who you could become potentially.
Kim: [00:33:14] Yes. Yes, that’s great. Oh, thank you so much. I really appreciate having you come and talk with us.
Natasha: [00:33:23] Thank you for having me. It’s been a pleasure.
Wow, that interview was packed full of wonderful insights and practical tips. From communication skills to the freedom to relax and express yourself. From figuring out who you are to expanding worldview. Honestly, as someone who didn’t have a background in theatre or drama, I didn’t appreciate all that was wrapped up in drama and theatre. I have great appreciation now.
She also gave some great ideas for how to sprinkle drama into everyday life. (The kind of drama you want in your life!)
To review, head over to the blog post for this episode, which is linked in the shownotes, and it’s all lined out in an easy to read format.
I want to add:
Since the time of recording, my daughter has finished one of Natasha’s short programs, and we thoroughly enjoyed it, so I can highly recommend it for any child who’s willing to give it a try. She made it engaging, fun, she drew them out and into the activities in a nonthreatening way. There was a little bit of homework, which made us stretch, and the end result was a lot of fun for us and for the grandparents and some friends who joined to watch.
I know she’s got a similar format program running in July. To find out details and other offers during the summer, or whenever you happen to be listening, contact Natasha at thetheatre4kids@gmail.com – that’s spelled the british way with “re” at the end and the number 4. It’s in the shownotes so you can doublecheck the spelling.
And don’t forget to grab your access to the Mosaics activity NOW because the flash sale is on this week only through the end of Thursday. That’s a special offer where you get the activity PLUS a live session with me to debrief it, which is a really valuable way to take it deeper and more meaningful. The link for that is in the shownotes.
This episode is the 4th in a series on storytelling for third culture kids (TCKs) and cross-cultural kids (CCKs) and international families. We’re exploring how storytelling (as the giver or receiver) helps shape our identity. See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
Natasha Rekhi runs Theater4Kids, a virtual drama education program for children ages 5-17 from all over the world. Programs generally run in blocks of 5-6 weeks, and are catered to different age groups.
I’ve seen Natasha in action. She does a beautiful job getting the kids really engaged and excited, and the result is a bonded community of theatre makers. It’s really fun to observe and to be part of.
Technically, drama is the written form of the play and theatre is when it’s put into action, but these terms are often used interchangeably. Drama is a universal language that brings together so many different people, whether the actors or the audience, together in one space with a feeling of community.
Theater and drama naturally are predisposed to storytelling. How we express ourselves is one way.
The starting point is who you are. We bring ourselves to drama. Before you pretend to be someone else, you first discover who you are. You find inspiration from your own life to bring to your character, which tends to reinforce who you are and where you come from.
We also discover ourselves through drama. We discover our potential. We discover where we can go. We encounter new possibilities through cultural experience and sharing. There’s a lot of creativity at play, looking at things from different perspectives, trying on new things to see how it fits, practicing which characters or traits resonate with me. You don’t hold onto yourself too tightly because you’re in a process of discovering.
So it’s a combination of holding onto and bringing yourself, and being open minded about who you could potentially become. It’s really a win-win situation.
The first level of acceptance comes naturally by having children from different backgrounds and cultures joining sessions and working together. In the past year Theatre4Kids has had kids join from 15 different nationalities across two continents. Kids encounter children different from themselves, and learn from each other by sharing an experience.
Secondly, drama provides the opportunity to get into a different character. As part of a drama class you learn to be more open minded about the possibilities of being a different character to create an experience for the audience. So you move beyond protagonist versus antagonist, good versus bad.
“Arts education isn’t something we add on after we’ve achieved other priorities like raising test scores and getting kids into college. It’s actually critical for achieving those priorities in the first place.” — Michelle Obama
One of the unexpected benefits of theatre is that it feeds back into the academic space and complements other learning efforts. While there’s been a lot of talk about arts education being an add-on, Natasha believes it’s the other way around. Arts education actually helps you get to academic achievements like good grades and college. Fortunately, schools are starting to recognize this with greater reception for performing arts.
As an educator she’s seen that those who’ve been part of arts education programs tend to be more engaged students, better communicators, and better able to deal with stressful situations and navigate unexpected situations.
This is very important for mental health and well-being.
We expect that children who are articulate or naturally dramatic will be attracted to join theatre programs, but there are many reasons kids may join. Sometimes parents are a motivating force behind kids. Some children are motivated to improve skills, such as public speaking, but want a more fun and interactive way to go about it, not subjected to the normal classroom rules, but where they can be more engaged and less inhibited.
Often children who are non-native English speakers improve their English speaking skills. And those with learning and developmental needs blossom because the atmosphere is so relaxed and they can really be themselves.
Theatre classes are a safe place, a social place where everyone’s learning. The element of surprise in not quite knowing what to expect helps. Also drama is an equalizer, because there’s not only one way to articulate or express yourself.
In episode 21, Creating Life Mosaics, I described a way to explore the pieces of your life and put them back together in a way that makes sense to you.
THIS WEEK I’m having a Flash Sale: In addition to the activity, you’ll get a BONUS live session with me to debrief what came up. This is a really valuable way to deepen the learning and processing and make it even more meaningful. Flash Sale ends Thursday 24 June (end of day). Grab it now.
ABOUT HOST
Hi there! I’m Kim Adams, member of Expat Coach Coalition and licensed practitioner for Adapt and Succeed Abroad. I’m an American raising three daughters along with my math teaching husband of 20+ years, currently in Oman.
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Connect with the broader international schools community as we examine issues that affect us all.
Thinking you can fix the world is totally naive. But it’s not naive to think you can change it. We change it all the time, whether we like it or not.
Theater4kids focuses on the four C’s (hence “4” in the name):
Programs are structured so every class has these elements woven in, whether through drama exercises, or games, or the virtual performance aspect of being able to face the camera and articulate your thoughts and express yourself.
Drama is a space of non judgment. It’s a creative space where you can express yourself with no one judging. That’s very important when you’re trying to instill and foster self-confidence skills in young children. In Theatre4kids programs, class sizes are very small. This very intimate space also creates safety.
Classes begin with getting to know each other, making sure the crew is happy and well-connected. By the time they face the audience, there’s already bonding and trust between the actors. They work through a series of exercises on voice and expression.
A virtual interactive play has worked really well. This is a play that comes unscripted, so actors get to create their own script and character. There’s an element of surprise for the students, and intrigue for the audience. When you don’t really know what to expect, there’s less judgment.
Because they don’t actually know what’s coming, they have to engage in a different way. Meanwhile, they’re really learning to work together as a team. The idea is to collaborate and create, literally.
Start with small steps, with everyday experiences. For example, it could be as easy as picking up a book and reading it in a different voice. Get into character and play off each other. We can all try that. This helps with literacy skills for younger children.
Use household items lying around the house. Try creating a mystery box. Fill a box with a variety of safe household objects, and let kids try creating a space, or a scene, using their imagination. Experiment with different themes. Kids are happy to explore and experiment almost tirelessly.
It could be as easy as driving home from school, and the road becomes a river and the car becomes a boat. This is right in everyday life, very easy to do and can be quite dramatic without effort. Simply use your imagination to be creative in the moment at hand.
For teens and older kids who are more independent, monologues can work really well (for example, quarantine monologues). Write down their feelings, start journaling, and express yourself.
Or create a 30-second advert. Find a household object and sell it to your family; the best one gets a prize. This becomes a fun family event.
Simple things around the house can be so inspiring when you’re ready to sprinkle some drama into your everyday routine.
When we encounter stressful moments in life, keep it simple, keep it fun. It doesn’t have to be every day; it could be once a week. But you can create an activity to do together to create community engagement at home.
Game night could be turned into a sort of dramatic play off. Everyone get into a different character. You can do it as a board game (see Natasha’s printable on her Instagram page): roll the die, and whichever spot your die lands in, you become that character and speak in a different voice.
So many things could be our point of inspiration. Not just drama. Parents have many different skills and interests. If you like painting or doodling or drawing, then create a piece of art together. If you like gardening, or cooking, get the kids to join in. Even a cleanup can be interesting … it could be turned into a treasure hunt or competition.
Rather than adding more to our to-do list, build in some fun and creativity to everyday life. The important thing is participating together to work collaboratively, which keeps everyone connected. Try to do it at least once a week if you can. When you create a break in the routine and do something different, it marks time and lets you step outside the situation.
There are so many resources and specialists available; parents don’t have to do everything themselves.
Theatre4Kids has a lot of different options, depending on the age.
Elaborate sets aren’t needed for virtual productions. Costumes are needed, but children are helped to be create with resources they have easily available.
To find out what Theatre4Kids has to offer currently, contact via email. It’s very easy to get in touch and they’re very responsive. Natasha would love to hear from you, so reach out any time. For updates, trailers and inspiration, follow on Instagram @theatre4kids and Facebook kidsoftheatre and check out the website.
Natasha’s also interested in working with more online schools to integrate with their existing programs and run after school activities.
Flash Sale ends Thursday 24 June (end of day). Grab your access to Mosaics now, and get a BONUS live session with me to debrief your experience with the Mosaics activity. Spend some time with your family reflecting on and shaping your memories of the past year (or another time period).
While launching the group program adapt.succeed.together., we noticed that a lot of people were looking for more connection and social support. We responded by creating a weekly live chat on zoom called expats.together.
Currently we’re doing a short Facebook Live every Wednesday at 11am CET, where we dive into a relevant (and sometimes provocative) topic. We’d love to hear your take, whether during the Live or in the comments.
Find details on the adapt.succeed.together. Facebook page under Events.
MORE EPISODES
Sometimes we lose track of how we impact those around us. Recognizing our power to effect change can be very uplifting. David says, “Thinking you can fix the world is totally naive. But it’s not naive to think you can change it. We change it all the time, whether we like it or not.” Then it’s up to us to know when and how to engage with others who hold vastly different viewpoints.
Do you like the idea of built-in community and connection combined with plenty of privacy? Do you wish your children had freedom to play outside and with neighborhood friends at any time? Do you want to retire in a country with low cost of living, gorgeous weather and deliciously fresh, healthy food? Then it’s worth your time to learn more about Greek Village Cohousing and why it’s great for families. “It’s really for anyone who is drawn to community. That’s what it comes down to.”
As TCKs (and adults) work through the complex issues of identity, place and belonging, it can be really hard to express what’s going on inside. We may need an expanded vocabulary. We may need permission to be outside of prescribed standards. “When we use creativity and tell our stories in creative ways, it opens up a different way of processing. It helps us to get past the expectations we have for ourselves.”
Saying goodbye is unfortunately a staple of expat life. Here are some of my tips for those who resist goodbyes … relevant for adults and kids; leavers and stayers.
Kim Adams is an American raising three daughters along with her math teaching husband of 20+ years. She loves photography, reading, thunderstorms, walking on the beach, camping where there are no bugs, and has a weakness for mint chocolate chip ice cream.
As a member of Expat Coach Coalition, Kim is a licensed practitioner for Adapt and Succeed Abroad, a tested and proven program that helps you do just that: adapt, and succeed, no matter where you are.
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