Spring classes are coming up soon, Encore fans! Today we’re excited to check in with new teaching artist Julie Britt. Read on to learn more about Julie’s experience and her passion for the arts!
Encore: How long have you been teaching for Encore? In which capacities?
Julie: I began teaching musical theatre dance in Fall of 2018, and look forward to teaching more musical theatre dance classes and workshops this spring and at summer camp!
Encore: What’s the most valuable skill that theatre has taught you?
Julie: Theatre has helped me find myself and gain confidence in myself, made me able to speak and perform comfortably in front of people, and live my life looking through a creative and outside-of-the-box lens. Theatre has given me an understanding of the world, of different cultures and time periods, and the ability to have empathy for the plight of others by putting myself in their shoes. I have found that the joy of music gives me the ability to take myself out of the every day, and enhance the ordinary moments and experiences of life to make them extraordinary.
Encore: Why is arts education important for young people?
Julie: Arts education gives young people the ability to try things they never knew they could, and teaches them to discover their inner light and inner strength. Music and theatre can help them build confidence in themselves and strengthen their ability to empathize with others. They give young people the opportunity to open their minds to different perspectives and see the world through the eyes of another person, through history and learning how others live through their joys and struggles. Not to mention, it often involves exercise, enhances the brain, relieves anxiety, and brings laughter and joy!
Encore: What are you most excited about for the upcoming season?
Julie: I’m most looking forward to teaching theatre, music, and dance, because many of my favorite and most influential role models throughout my life have been my music and dance teachers. I’m excited to share the lessons they have taught me, along with my own learnings and experiences, with the young people that I get to work with. Music, dance, and theatre helped me grow into the fullest version of myself, and I look forward to seeing how the process transforms others too!
Are you ready to grow into the fullest version of yourself? Join Encore for a theatre class this spring – register today!
Photos by Larry McClemons and Aileen Pangan Christian. Blog contribution by Shannon McCarthy.