English drama classes in Morges

Programme

Program

The classes are organized around texts chosen by the teacher with the intention of staging them. The students have a first work of memorization and then of passage in solo, in duet or in group. They will be guided in their interpretation by the teacher who will take charge of the staging, allowing them to evolve in the same conditions as in a professional creation! 

Objectives and skills

Working with the text allows students to work on the text of a playwright and to appropriate a work through a character.

This approach allows two fundamental aspects:

On a personal level, working on a text, a play, allows the student to evolve in his or her acting and to deepen the quality of his or her interpretation by appropriating a text. These courses allow students to work on their memory, diction, stage presence, expressive skills and tools for understanding the space and the stage. 
On a global level, the work of the text is the fundamental tool that will allow the creation of a piece to be presented to an audience. This work evolves throughout the year and allows students to perfect their acting and interpretation intentions in order to stage a scene or a play. 

The student will have the opportunity to perform on stage, in front of an audience, allowing him/her to go through all the stages of the production of a play. They will be part of a troupe, a team, and the final result will be based on this group collaboration. The work provided by each one will thus allow this production to see the day.

It is therefore also a collaborative work that allows the development of skills over time and in mutual aid. 

Learning to perform with Apolline

How to allow children of all profiles to make the most of their lessons, while developing their own potential?

Based in Lausanne, Etoy and Yvertdon, Apolline has a philosophy based on the accompaniment of the student, creativity, freedom of each one, exchange and benevolence by proposing : 

  • A caring, listening, dynamic and creative teacher who will always seek to put the student at ease and value his/her qualities, while helping him/her to develop his/her potential. To do this, we take to heart the need to create and maintain a safe environment so that everyone can perform without fear. At Apolline, we believe that it is essential to be able to try, to make mistakes and to progress in a playful atmosphere. 
  • A group with a coherent age range so that the students can take pleasure in the exchanges. The creativity of others will allow everyone to develop their own.
  • Coherent classes with varied exercises and an evolution in the work, to allow students to develop their abilities and playing techniques over time and to consolidate their knowledge. 

Prices

Classes Duration Monthly price* Single price**
Drama - children and teenagers (by age group) 60 minutes

79.00 CHF

900.00 CHF
Drama - children and teenagers (by age group) 75 minutes 89.00 CHF 1'025.00 CHF
Drama - teenagers & adults (by age group) 90 minutes

99.00 CHF

1'150.00 CHF

* 12 monthly payments from September to August (voir notre règlement).

** Price for payment of the full year's courses in one payment

Valid for annual registration (courses from September to June). All fees are included in the posted prices. Registration during the year is possible (prorated according to the number of remaining courses)

Course locations

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Visual Arts - Music - Theatre - Musical Comedy

Next year 2023-2024

Learn more

Our arts school offers acting classes for all ages, from children to adults, as listed above. Whether in or out of the classroom, our acting classes allow participants to discover and explore their creativity while learning skills useful in various areas of life. Through our classes, students learn to play different roles, work on their voice and body language, and express a wide range of emotions. In addition, our expert teachers provide practical tips and tools to help students develop their personal artistic expression. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced actor, our acting classes offer a unique opportunity to develop your artistic skills while having fun and exploring your creativity. We believe that our acting classes can be a rewarding experience for everyone, whether it's children looking to express themselves creatively, teens wanting to develop their self-confidence, or adults wanting to improve their communication and self-expression.

Getting young people into the theater can be a challenge, but there are several effective ways to encourage teens and young adults to experience the art form. First, it can be helpful to create events and programs specifically designed for them, offering performances that are appropriate to their age and interests. It is also important to partner with local schools and youth centers to promote theater programs to teens and youth. Discounted ticketing offers for students or school groups can also be an effective way to make performances more accessible and affordable for young people. In addition, building bridges between film and theater can be interesting. For example, by organizing screenings of films inspired by plays, or by inviting popular film actors to perform on stage. This could attract the attention of young people and inspire them to discover theater. Finally, to encourage young people to attend the theater, it may be important to emphasize the social and community aspect of the theatre experience by offering them the opportunity to meet artists, participate in discussions and workshops, and connect with other young people who are passionate about art and culture.

The process of a first class at Apolline is designed to help students feel comfortable and discover their creativity. In the first class, our teachers begin with group activities to help newcomers introduce themselves and feel more comfortable in the acting space. Also included are exercises to help participants develop confidence and feel more comfortable in their bodies. Our teachers invite participants to explore the space, use their body and voice to express emotions and work on their non-verbal communication. All of this can be done in a fun, non-judgmental way to help students feel safe and explore their creativity without fear. The first class also focuses on discussions about the participants' expectations and goals, as well as what they would like to learn and discover during their theatre training. We are open. Overall, Apolline's first acting class is designed to help participants become familiar with the acting space, develop self-confidence and body expression, and discover their creativity in a safe and supportive environment.

Apolline's acting classes and acting classes in general allow students to learn and improve their communication, speaking and acting skills, as well as to develop their creativity and imagination. Acting classes are also an excellent way to learn teamwork, listening skills, respect for others and self-confidence. In addition, drama classes can also help participants discover different and innovative art forms and explore their own culture and identity through artistic expression. Participants can also become familiar with Swiss authors and locally produced plays, which can give them a better understanding of their own culture and community. Drama classes are a great way to gain confidence in speaking in everyday life, speaking with a steady voice, having good diction and expressing themselves eloquently.

Memory is one of the actor's main working tools on stage. Even before working on the staging of a play, you will have to appropriate the dialogues, as a ground, a base of work on which to seek, build and explore the tracks of interpretation and staging. But this can be a complex task: how can you get to know dialogues and monologues that are sometimes tedious? First, it will be helpful to identify your learning style. What is your memory type? Are you more sensitive to visual, auditory or kinesthetic aspects? If you're not sure, there are many tests online that will help you find your input channel. Once you have identified your memory type, build tools that will use these channels. If you are a visual type: Easy for you, so the most effective method will be to work directly with your book. Read it regularly and use a ruler to hide your line of text to make sure it has passed into your memory. If you are an auditory type: Ask someone to work on your text by giving you the line and correcting you aloud by reading back to you the erroneous passages. If no one can give you the line, you can also work on it using your phone: Record the entire text, leaving some gaps before your lines, then say them out loud. You can then work on your text orally and be corrected directly. If you are a kinesthetic type: Try as much as possible to work on your text in situation. You can use the same methods as for auditory memory while moving in space. If you already have elements of staging or set design, take advantage of them to integrate them into your memory work. Don't forget that the most important thing with memory is to work regularly and over time! There is no need to work 5 hours on your text the night before, prefer small work sessions well in advance of the first rehearsals. This way you will be perfectly at ease to concentrate on the work of directing and the emotional investment that the play requires.

Although acting classes and improv classes share some aspects, there are several important differences between the two types of classes. Acting classes are often more structured and focus on acting and directing written material. Participants learn to work on speaking, diction, character interpretation, stagecraft, and set and costume design techniques. Improv classes, on the other hand, focus more on spontaneity and improvisation. Participants learn to work on active listening, responsiveness, scene improvisation, storytelling and group acting techniques. Improv classes may also include music and dance to help strengthen the bond between participants and develop their creativity. Acting classes may also include musical elements, but this depends on the type of play or performance. If you are interested in discovering the world of musical theatre, check out our program on our website now! In terms of age of participants, acting classes are often offered to all ages, while improv classes are often more popular with teens and young adults. Ultimately, both acting classes and improv classes can be beneficial to participants, offering different but complementary experiences. Participants may find either type of class more suited to their personal acting style and interests.

For the moment, we offer our acting classes in Morges, Lausanne and Yverdon. In view of the growing interest for our courses, it is possible that we will open classes in various cities in French-speaking Switzerland, such as Geneva or Neuchâtel. As for our musical comedy classes, our teacher Mélie teaches in Lausanne.

It's not easy to determine if your child has a talent for comedy, but there are a few signs to look for. First, if your child enjoys acting and making others laugh, this can be a good indicator of his or her comedic potential. Also, if your child enjoys participating in shows, plays or role-playing, this may also be a sign that he or she has some aptitude for comedy. Watching how your child interacts with others, how he or she tells stories, and what he or she says can also be clues to his or her potential as a future comedian. If you think your child has a talent for acting, you can encourage him or her to participate in acting classes or acting activities for children. Children's acting classes can help your child develop acting, improvisation and speaking skills, as well as build confidence. It's also important to keep in mind that even if your child doesn't become a professional actor, the skills learned in acting classes can benefit all areas of life. In fact, acting can help children develop creativity, self-confidence, teamwork and self-expression.

It is true that we do organize vacation camps at Apolline, including vacation camps for children of all ages in the field of visual arts. At the moment, we do not organize similar camps for theater and musical theater, but this situation may change in the future.

There is no particular diploma given to students throughout their learning process. Indeed, Apolline favors learning that is based on pleasure through progression and not on performance. This is why we do not organize exams, and why there are no diplomas. Every year we organize a festival with the colors of the school: The Apolline Fest. You can read our article on this subject. Each student who wishes to do so has the opportunity to register and perform in front of an audience of friends and family. This is a good opportunity to showcase all the work done during the year. It is also common for our teachers to write letters of recommendation for students to help them achieve their goals. In addition, for experienced students, our teachers offer a professional curriculum to prepare motivated students for the art school entrance exams. All of our music teachers have a degree from an art school.

The question of whether theater should be included in the school curriculum is a matter of debate. In France, theater is already included in the school curriculum through the teaching of artistic and cultural education, but this varies from country to country. There are arguments in favor of including theater in the school curriculum. Theater allows students to develop their creativity, oral expression, self-confidence and teamwork skills. In addition, theater can be used as an educational tool to address topics such as history, literature and social issues. Theater can also be a gathering place for students, promoting inclusion and social cohesion. Finally, learning about theater can help students discover themselves, better understand others and develop their artistic sensibilities. However, there are also counter-arguments to the inclusion of theater in the school curriculum, including the issue of balance between different school subjects and the difficulty of finding time to include artistic and cultural activities. Ultimately, the inclusion of theater in the school curriculum depends on the educational priorities and resources available in each location and school system. However, theater can offer significant educational and cultural benefits for students, and it is important to find ways to integrate it into school education as much as possible.