Acting lessons are a great way to develop new skills, meet like-minded people, and connect with the local theater community. However, if you’ve never been to a class before, it can be intimidating. What can you expect on your first day? There are so many possibilities, and we understand it can make some new students anxious.
How To Prepare for Your First Acting Class
Fortunately, we have a few tips to help you fight the pre-class jitters. As a school for Broadway music lessons, our instructors have experienced those same nerves, which means we’re uniquely qualified to help you make your first day a success. Here are 10 tips on preparing to attend your first acting class.
1. Remember That Your First Acting Class Should Be Fun
First and foremost, your first acting class should be fun. Though this may be the initial step to a serious acting career, you should focus on enjoyment in your early experiences. Pushing yourself too far could lead to burnout, putting you off something you used to love.
As well, there’s a lot to be said about being comfortable with silliness. Theater can be outlandish, and the only way to truly embrace the pageantry is to have fun.
2. Choose Clothes You’re Comfortable In
During your first acting class, chances are you’ll be moving around a lot. Many classes start with basic techniques to help students become aware of their bodies. To ensure you have a full range of movement, you should choose comfortable clothes, not too loose and not too form-fitting.
3. Make Some Goals for Your First Acting Class
While it’s important not to take yourself too seriously, you should still create one or two goals for your acting or Broadway music lessons. They can be personal or professional but should be small steps to achieve in your instructor’s hour. Here are a few good examples:
- Ask questions.
- Connect with other students (if you’re in a multi-person class).
- Engage fully with the exercises, even if you feel silly.
- Improve at least one of your skills.
Focusing on a goal provides a feeling of accomplishment at the end of the first session.
4. Practice Speaking
You’ll need to be comfortable with your voice because you’ll be doing a lot of speaking. The best way to practice speaking is by talking to yourself in the mirror. Try not to focus much on what you look like while you do it — this is strictly about getting used to speaking.
5. Be Comfortable With Making Mistakes
Whether you’re taking a chemistry class or your first acting class, you’re bound to make mistakes. The truth is, mistakes are a good thing when you’re learning, as they’re part of the educational experience. In addition, your instructor may offer constructive criticism to help you do better next time, so make sure to listen carefully to feedback.
6. Get Comfortable Expressing Your Emotions
Acting is all about expressing emotions as a character, so you’ll need to get comfortable being emotional if you aren’t already. This isn’t easy for everyone, but making an effort to be vulnerable and authentic can do wonders for your skills, even after just one class.
7. Be Prepared To Work With Others During Your First Acting Class
Even if you have a one-on-one acting lesson, you may still have to do a scene with the instructor. Acting opposite others is a key skill, so expect to practice it a lot.
8. Be Ready To Try Something New
There’s a wide range of exercises to loosen up your limbs, warm up your voice and use your imagination, so don’t be surprised if your instructor asks you to do something completely new. Of course, you may not get it on the first try, but that’s the purpose of practice. The key is to approach instructions with an open mind.
9. Know You’ll Start With the Basics
No matter what you’re studying, you have to start with the basics to build a solid foundation for complex subjects later on. Acting is no different. For the first class, expect to go over elementary techniques.
10. Don’t Psych Yourself Out
Don’t let your mind wander to what could go wrong; it’s easy to have a bad time by thinking of the worst outcomes — but there are also so many great things that can happen, too. If you start to get too much into your head, take a deep breath, remember that you’ve got this, and focus on having fun.
Start Your First Acting Class Today!
Are you ready to enroll in acting or Broadway music lessons? Then it’s time to contact Broadway Lessons. You can sign up for one-on-one or multi-person classes. To find out more or to register, visit us online or call us at 212-464-7323.
10 Ways To Prepare for Your First Acting Class| Broadway Lessons