Performance and spectacle! Apeejay School International hosts special session on drama

Drama is a way of telling stories and weaving narratives paired with imagination and reality. To help Primary-year-Programme students know more and understand the nitty-gritties of the subject, Apeejay School International (ASI) recently conducted a session with theatre director  Anamika Gautam.

In an interactive virtual session, Ms Gautam explained the concepts of body language, sound, costume, emotions and expressions used while performing on the stage, to the students. She also asked them to display varying emotions on screen through facial expressions such as happiness, boredom, excitement, sadness, etc.

The session allowed students to delve deeper and learn about techniques, soliloquy (talking to oneself), aside, gibberish and so on. “Drama is an integral part of our lives, from the moment we begin our day till the time we go to bed at night, we are acting,” she said. She also talked about masked drama through various engagements to bring into play humour and learning that can enhance students’ motivation and reduce their stress.

She said, “The characters in drama create situations which may address societal behaviour and issues. We see stories inspired by our lives every day and the purpose of the drama is to create awareness and to teach and entertain others.”

The activities at the session allowed students to express a range of emotions in a safe, controlled academic environment. The session touched upon different forms of drama such as performing arts, devices and techniques used, and the ways in which it can affect peoples’ feelings and interpretation. The session left an impression on students along with teaching them the complex intricacies with a lot of fun and engagement.

“PYP is all about transdisciplinary learning. Students explore themes and inquire about the real life scenarios integrating all disciplines. Drama/theatre plays an integral part in developing critical skills. With this in mind, ASI organised a drama workshop for students where Ms. Gautam engaged them in fun activities. This helped them to understand the fine nuances of drama and also to appreciate how these skills can help them in personality development.”

-Mr. Purshottam Dutt Vashist, Principal, Apeejay School, International, South Delhi