Live performance art is increasingly abundant in the Creative Capital, but immersing young children in this culture can feel a bit daunting. Will they understand it? Will they enjoy it? Will they ever sit still? If you are wondering how to expand your child’s imagination with a live ballet performance, Festival Ballet Providence dancer Kirsten Evans has the ultimate guide to planning your trip to the theater!
- Familiarize. Read the book, see the film, tell the story, act it out! Acquainting your child with the story being told will ensure they follow along, allowing them to fully experience the fun of live performance without wondering what’s going on. If your little one is a first-timer, it’s especially helpful to start with a “story ballet,” or one that depicts a classic fairytale like FBP’s Little Mermaid, so they feel comfortable with the characters before seeing them onstage.
- Explain. Now that your kids know the story, teach them how ballet dancers tell the story with their bodies instead of using words. This way, they will know to look out for theatrical movements, facial expressions, and miming during the show. By the end of the performance, they will be total experts on the subject!
- Grab some snacks! True of any outing with a pack of littles, having something to munch on can quell a mid-show tantrum when hunger strikes. Bonus points if get an extra cookie to steal your own bite of during intermission!
- Hit the bathrooms first. Arriving at the theater a little early (we recommend 30 minutes) provides enough time for a potty run or two before settling into your seats. It’s tough to enjoy the performance when there’s important business to take care of!
- “Hype it up!” As FBP dancer and Providence nanny Tegan Rich suggests, “A week or two before the show, get the kids excited about the ballet by chatting with them about it.” Tegan adds, “It gives them something to look forward to.” You might ask them what they know about the story or which characters they look forward to seeing on stage. Show them how eager you are to see the ballet, too! Anticipation is half the fun.
And there you have it! See? Bringing little ones to the ballet isn’t as tough as it seems.
If you’re looking for somewhere to start to introduce your little ones to the ballet, Festival Ballet Providence’s Little Mermaid is the perfect place to start! It hits The Vets stage April 27-29, and tickets are available now!
Little Mermaid
Music: Alexander Borodin, Claude Debussy, and Reinhold Glière
Choreography: Mark Diamond
Friday, April 27, 2018 | 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 28, 2018 | 2:00 pm
Sunday, April 29, 2018 | 2:00 pm
The Vets
One Avenue of the Arts | Providence, Rhode Island | 02903
Tickets are available for purchase online, by phone at (401) 421-ARTS (2787), or at the PPAC Box Office located at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence.
