Quick post....This Summer has been quiet and low key. Mads has had a 3 day gig in Chicago for Sears and Kmart, when I'll detail later, but other than that we've asked for time off so that she can regroup and enjoy Summer.
A few months back Mads started with two acting classes, as she'd like to branch out and get commercial representation. The classes went great with some one on one teaching and I could tell that she was digging it when she came out of the class. Like any child when they experience a discovery of something interesting and new that they may be good at and at the very least, enjoy, you see a spark that this is worth pursuing.
The classes are expensive and require about a 2.5 hr drive each way, so it's another commitment on top of the modeling stuff. During our many drives we've often discussed things she could do to help her evolve. We've had some wonderful feedback from our close friend Will Seymour, who has been an Actor and teacher to young students for years. Besides being an all around wonderful person, he's been incredibly generous with his time in giving Maddie and I feedback as we go through this process and have questions. Will expressed how auditions can go and what the agents or clients are looking for. Someone who's willing to go out on a limb...take a risk....look a fool....show something fresh. When I think of it, I think of it right up there with free falling......."Please God, catch me before I fall!"
Maddie's at the age where if she can learn to take risks and get out of her comfort zone, I know it will benefit her in whatever challenge she may come across. So improv was at the top of my mind and many times Erik and I have discussed how those on SNL have come from some of the greatest learning backgrounds before they break out.
With that said, we enrolled Maddie in the Groundlings week workshop. I'm hoping if it works out, it'll be a scary, thrilling and safe place for Maddie to get a feel for her inner geek and let herself go. Forget about being a pretty face, forget about what people may perceive of her and let her just develop those thinking skills that many people ignore in a situation that requires an on the spot response to be witty and funny....not to mention working as a team.
So I'll let you know how it goes. Worse case, she may never want to do it again and will hate it. Best case, she will learn some skill sets that will serve her well in life. One of the best tools we can give our kids is to step out of their comfort zones....mix it up a bit and to not worry so much about falling flat on their face. Like Thomas Edison once said, " I have not failed," during one point of his experimenting to find a long burning filament. "I've just found ten thousand ways that don't work."
No comments:
Post a Comment