In an age when kids are spending less time exercising and exploring and more time locked inside a video game, physical theatre – such as a performance by Aura CuriAtlas -- provides a perfect way for young people to express themselves and challenge the way they think.
Here are six reasons to bring your kids to the next show:
It makes kids put down the phones. The technology age has arrived in full force, with the average person checking their phone 85 times in one day! Young children are growing up in this era, and it is quickly becoming apparent that many of them would rather spend time scrolling through their phones than actually exploring the world. Luckily, Aura CuriAtlas has performed for many different schools and organizations, helping to bring a child’s attention away from the digital world and into the real world. The company is simply spellbinding.
It expands creativity. Physical theatre is incredibly intricate and allows for nonverbal communication. Being able to physically tell a story or represent an idea is a sharp contrast to the information overload that has become all too dominant in the current world.
It allows for abstract thinking. In today’s age, most things are explicitly and distinctly defined for us; the ambiguity of the world is slowly fading. The idea of thinking in broader terms and interpreting meaning from ideas is a skill that is not being developed in children as quickly as it has in previous generations. This unique type of theatre is abstract and allows kids to decipher meaning even when it is not given to them. This skill can lead to critical thinking both in a person’s professional and personal life, and a strong foundation developed in childhood becomes all the more valuable in adulthood.
It allows kids to appreciate the silence. Everything today is so loud. Between the hustle and bustle of cities, people talking louder and louder to be heard over each other, and the relentless voices of the online world, being able to appreciate silence is quickly becoming extinct. The beauty of physical theatre is the fact that it brings back the power of silences and reminds children that sometimes the best thing they can do is simply listen to each other.
It is different! Physical theatre is complicated and intricate and challenging, and at its core it broadens a child’s view of how the world works. It is such a unique experience compared to watching television or playing a video game, and it allows for creative expression and limitless ideas.
It showcases the importance of the humanities. It is no surprise that in an age of technology most people are forgetting how important it is to be able to appreciate art. Art is empowering. Art and theatre allow for expression and allow for big ideas to be heard. The progress of humanity is not centered around how to work a program or how to code for a computer; it is contingent on spreading and sharing ideas that will impact the world and the people in it.
The importance of physical theatre cannot be overstated, especially for young people. There is a great beauty in watching a child’s mind expand, and watching a theatre performance will allow for critical growth. It is exactly what a child needs.
Sources:
Comments