About The Program
Bilkent University Department of Performing Arts is proud to offer Theater for Kids, a 4-level weekend program designed to introduce kids to the theatre since 2015.
Bilkent Theater for Kids program aims to provide the students with the skills of enhancing personal expression, self-confidence, imagination, and basic social skills, which constitute the foundations of acting education.
The first level of the 4-level program’s acting lessons consists of improvisational acting exercises for theater education produced by US educator Viola Spolin who was considered “the grandmother of improvisation”, and created structured group exercises called “theater games” to enhance stage confidence and presence.
In the following levels, the program focuses on speaking, playing games, and scenes in plays. The program’s movement and dance lessons offer activities that emphasize body awareness, flexibility, durability and bodily expression. At the following levels, students are able to take Turkish folk dances, period dances, and Broadway dances (jazz, hip hop, etc.).
Each of the 4 levels of the program is completed at the end of a 11-week period. At the 4th level of the program, the students are directed to perform on stage for a final presentation and are offered a certificate of completion. The entrance examination for Bilkent University Theatre for Children program Level 1 takes place every September.
Students eligible to participate in the program for the 8-10 and 11-13 age groups receive lessons on the weekends for a combined 4-hours on Saturday or Sunday.
The program is supervised by Asst. Prof. Jason Hale, Chair of Bilkent University Theatre Department. The program’s instructors are Bilkent University Theatre Department graduates and selected senior students.
Please send e-mails to Program Coordinator at bilkentcocuktiyatrosu@bilkent.edu.tr and follow us at @bilkenttiyatro for announcements.
