Kids Diamond Aventurine
We’ve discovered an ancient, legendary storybook, gleaming with brilliant tales of powerful trailblazers throughout history. But finding it was the easy part—protecting it from those who want to snatch and destroy it means epic challenges await! Your task is a mammoth one, LeBlancers: protect this storybook, while also learning the eight great, powerful techniques that lie inside—so that you may grow in bravery, boldness, and begin to trailblaze your own unique path. Hurry—the pages are turning!
We’ve discovered something ancient, mysterious, and powerful: a storybook called The Tale of the Trailblazers. Inside its pages lie eight mysteries—each one holding powerful, classified techniques for those daring enough to forge their own path. But many others are after this storybook, and some do NOT plan on treating it with care! It’s up to you, LeBlancers, to protect this legendary artifact, and while it’s in your possession, gleam insight from the eight epic techniques that help make trailblazers stand out. In doing so, you’ll become a future trailblazer as you soar onto magnificent roads ahead.
Eight delicate pages of old, each with a unique technique to be revealed, as we blaze ahead together. Every class you’ll dive into an acting technique, and in the end, find that you are making a mark in storytelling that is all your own. But what exactly IS a trailblazer? A trailblazer is someone who charges ahead, smashes through goals, and inspires everyone around them. So the challenge that has been tasked upon you this term, LeBlancers, is about being bold, brave, and unafraid to stand out. And we know you can do it!
But watch out—others are after this storybook, and you must protect it week after week! As your trailblazing skills grow, so will your strength in protecting this remarkable book. But no one can do it alone, so we must work together! Are you ready, LeBlancers? We are bursting with curiosity to see what’s written on Page 1 … turn the page, and let’s get into it!
Schedule has not been released yet.
WEEK 1: TO TRAILBLAZE IS TO NOT GET LOST IN A CROWD
WEEK 2: TO TRAILBLAZE IS TO LET THE EYES SPEAK LOUDLY
WEEK 3: TO TRAILBLAZE IS TO BE ABLE TO TURN AT THE FLICK OF A SWITCH
HOLIDAY CLOSURE
WEEK 4: TO TRAILBLAZE IS TO TRANSFORM DEEPLY INTO CHARACTER
WEEK 5: TO TRAILBLAZE IS TO FULLY EMBODY A REACTION
WEEK 6: TO TRAILBLAZE IS TO BOOST YOUR SCENE PARTNER UP
WEEK 7: TO TRAILBLAZE IS TO INSPIRE OTHERS WITH YOUR WORDS
HOLIDAY CLOSURE
WEEK 8: TO TRAILBLAZE IS TO NOT SEE THINGS IN ONE WAY
We are our students' biggest fans; we love seeing them perform and use their skills. At L.S.A., we tell our students that taking videos and pictures of yourself in performance or while practicing is a great tool to go back and reflect on your abilities. However, we hold a strong stance on maintaining a respectful environment, and to that end, no recording of full classes is permitted at LeBlanc.
Parents may only record their child during class when it is their turn to perform, and they hear the word "Action!" and stop when they hear the word "Cut!". Feedback and instruction are not to be filmed and shared.
Our school is built on our unique approach to teaching, and many of the techniques we share in class are exclusive to LeBlanc. We believe that all our students learn in a safe, comfortable, and engaging way. By doing so, our students have an atmosphere for optimal learning and skill retention!
Although we all know you are online learning professionals at this point, we just want to make sure everyone is in the loop with our key virtual acting class etiquette:
Our class time is valuable, and we want to make sure our students have conducive learning environments and are ready when the clock strikes. To ensure our students have the best experience possible, LeBlanc School of Acting has a strict 'Late Policy'.
Our Late Policy means that if you are more than 10 minutes late, you will unfortunately not be allowed to participate in class and will not be let in from the Zoom waiting room.
At LeBlanc, we work hard to create exciting class plans coordinated to class time. By being late, our students lose out on key elements and education while disrupting the class flow and learning of others.
Our team is always open to working with unexpected schedule changes or appointments; they just need to be made aware ahead of time. If your child will be late, please email admin@leblancschool.com to let us know in advance.
WEEK 8: WE DARE YOU TO FLIP THE EMOTION
Joy-Sadness. Anger-Fear. Disgust-Trust. Anticipation-Surprise.
It’s Performance Week!
This week, you’ll be performing a scene audition-style. Read on for required prep and your script.
Can you believe we’ve come to Week 8 of the term, LeBlancers? You’ve made it through seven thrilling dares and bold adventures. You’ve met each challenge with gusto and glittering creativity. And now the final dare awaits. Pull the last card in our epic term, and see what the challenge is for this week.
For our final class, we dare you to FLIP THE EMOTION.
Connecting to strong emotions is essential when performing a scene. But sometimes, there are multiple strong emotions that make a great choice. Other times, you’ll be asked to try it with an emotion that is the total opposite than what is written. This might be to see if a new discovery jumps out. Or—and the most likely scenario—to see if you can take direction.
Directors want to see that actors can take redirections and be malleable! As an actor, it’s your job to demonstrate that you can stretch and play with a scene. In the entertainment industry, it’s becoming more and more common to be asked to flip the emotion in the audition room, or to send two contrasting takes with a self-tape. Because of this, young performers must learn the art of flipping the emotion—even if it feels like a curveball, or when you’re convinced it’s not going to work.
Rise to the challenge as we dare you to FLIP THE EMOTION this week, and prepare the script attached to perform audition-style in class. Let’s dare to finish the term like pros, LeBlancers!
HOW TO PREPARE FOR PERFORMANCE WEEK:
Printing out the script 10 minutes before class is not enough. In order to get the most out of class, please follow the following notes. Preparing for performance week includes some essential components:
1) Learning your lines. You should be comfortable (ideally off-script / memorized) with all of the dialogue;
2) Blocking scene action in a non-distracting, simple way for the camera;
3) Understanding what is happening in the scene, who your character is, and what they want most of all;
4) Dressing to suggest with smart wardrobe choices; and
5) If possible, incorporating all of the techniques you explored throughout Weeks 1-8.
Performance week should be treated the same as an audition. It is unacceptable to be unprepared for performance week.
Click here for script
Teacher:
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm BST, Wednesday
Meeting ID: 831 1696 8802
Passcode: 609732
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83116968802?pwd=4j30hIYlxPtQX5Pk9t23dlIgasaBLZ.1
WEEK 7: WE DARE YOU TO NOT CARE
An uninterested character does not mean an unexciting actor.
Another week, another dare. Ready to pull the card? Here it comes! Ready, set, draw! The suspense is killing us! We’re on the edge of our seats! Come on, we care a lot about this!
… or not. Whatever.
LeBlancers, this week we dare you to NOT CARE.
“Um, what? You’re telling me to not care? Seriously? Won’t that ruin my audition?”
Okay, so we aren’t really saying that. This week, the dare is to get you to explore characters who are uninterested in the action on camera, and unimpressed by their scene partners or fellow characters in the scene. We’re talking about characters who have an attitude of indifference. But hold on, LeBlancers! You still need to be engaged, committed, and an active actor!
What’s the risk of playing an uninterested character? Young actors will often read a character’s indifference and take it to the extreme. The result is a performance that lacks complete energy and is devoid of any interpretable body language—a total bore. “But wait, you said the character was bored!” Yes, that’s true. But when a character is bored, or doesn’t care, it ABSOLUTELY does not mean actors are off the hook from making strong choices. It may sound contradictory … this is why it’s a daring challenge! In class, we are going to find that balance. We’ll discover how to perform this lack of enthusiasm as a strong actor. We’ll play with characters in a script who are bored, over it, and couldn’t care less.
Did you just say script? Yup, we did. It may not be performance week, but this dare comes with a sneaky little script attached. Print it out and bring it to class. Are you ready, LeBlancers? Get ready to NOT CARE!
Teacher:
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm BST, Wednesday
Meeting ID: 831 1696 8802
Passcode: 609732
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83116968802?pwd=4j30hIYlxPtQX5Pk9t23dlIgasaBLZ.1
WEEK 6: WE DARE YOU TO SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE
It’s Week Six! Seis! Sita! ‘Eono! 육! Chwech! 六!
Another week, another dare card. Are you ready to bravely take up the weekly challenge, LeBlancers? We’ve had five weeks of exciting dares so far, but this one is going to be epic. That’s because this week, we DARE YOU TO SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE.
Did you know there are between 6000 and 7000 languages in the world, and over half of the world’s population is bilingual, meaning they speak two languages fluently? Mais oui, c’est vrai! There are even 200 fake languages created, spoken, and made popular in books, films, and television! HIja', cha'vatlh! This week, we are daring you all to speak another language as an actor. That means boldly committing to learning proper pronunciation, and most importantly, being confident in what you are saying. When speaking another language, taking it seriously is of the utmost importance, so that you don’t fall into two major traps: A) sounding like a caricature, or B) mistakenly saying something that is incorrect. Speaking another language can be quite nerve-wracking for some, so in this class, we’ll be tackling this dare with phonetics AND fun!
How does speaking another language benefit an actor? Having more than one language in your toolkit opens you up a wider range of roles, but the payoff goes beyond booking a job. Studies have shown that learning another language strengthens key parts of your brain, and can actually raise your intelligence! The act of memorizing a new language also improves your ability to memorize lines, tackle challenging dialogue, and train your vocal chords. So this week, we will be exploring a different language (you’ll find out in class) and training our voices and our brains to communicate with confidence. Who’s up for the challenging task? Let’s go! Ejja nagħmluha! 화이팅!
WE DARE YOU TO SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE, LEBLANCERS!
Teacher:
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm BST, Wednesday
Meeting ID: 831 1696 8802
Passcode: 609732
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83116968802?pwd=4j30hIYlxPtQX5Pk9t23dlIgasaBLZ.1
WEEK 5: WE DARE YOU TO REMOVE HABITS
Drop the mannerisms that are holding you back.
An actor needs to be aware of so many things going on in a scene: blocking, timing, scene partners, actions—you name it. But they also need to be aware of their own mannerisms: their facial expressions, physical gestures, vocal inflections … all of these can get in the way of the performance in a BIG way. It’s time for another dare card, and it’s daring you to REMOVE HABITS.
What are actor habits? Physical mannerisms like sighing, fidgeting, playing with props, or awkward posture; facial expressions like raised eyebrows, biting lips, or over-exaggerating; vocal inflections like “ums”, sarcasm, or character voices; and even emotional patterns like pushing the emotions, overthinking, holding back, or being intimidated by an ask that is challenging or silly. Every actor has them, and if left unchecked, they can really get in the way of your performance. You don’t want the audience to be distracted when watching you, and you certainly don’t want them to feel like the character didn’t make sense, or how they were written didn’t match up with how you were unknowingly behaving.
Are we daring you to lose your unique sparkle and loveable quirkiness that makes you you? Absolutely not! It’s a fine line that we will discover in class this week. The dare is to let go of the habits we hold onto because of nerves— habits that won’t let us step out of our comfort zone and embody the character.
This week, we will explore scenarios in class that help us curb the awkward habits and commit to immersing ourselves in the scene and character. And who knows, perhaps they will have some habits of their own! We dare you to REMOVE HABITS and jump into Week 5!
Teacher:
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm BST, Wednesday
Meeting ID: 831 1696 8802
Passcode: 609732
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83116968802?pwd=4j30hIYlxPtQX5Pk9t23dlIgasaBLZ.1
WEEK 4: WE DARE YOU TO SAY IT TO YOURSELF
Mumbling, thinking out loud, mental reminders, oh my!
It’s Performance Week!
This week, you’ll be performing a scene audition-style. Read on for required prep and your script.
Welcome back from the holiday break, LeBlancers! But what’s this? Another dare card? It sure is, and it’s a whopper! We are daring you to SAY IT TO YOURSELF!
As actors, you know that how you deliver your lines to your scene partner can make or break a scene. You must give words meaning and motivation to affect your scene partner and make the entire story come alive. But what happens when your character has lines that they specifically say to themselves? If you’re not sure what we mean, here are some examples: a mental note; a mumble under the breath; a long-winded soliloquy. These lines are just as important as any other piece of dialogue, and yet, you wouldn’t believe how many actors say them as if they are speaking to someone else, or in a basic or safe way. And a safe way means they throw them away! In these scenarios, actors need to commit to different choices than the ones they make with more common dialogue. We want you to face this week with a daring attitude as you explore how technical—and exciting—these lines can be.
Many scripts that come your way will have moments where your character is talking to themselves, and we dare you to infuse your lines with bold choices, perhaps a risk, and a lot of commitment. Up for it, LeBlancers? Then get ready to SAY IT TO YOURSELF.
In addition to exploring this technique, you will prepare a script to perform audition-style in class. Let’s put it all together for performance week!
HOW TO PREPARE FOR PERFORMANCE WEEK:
Printing out the script 10 minutes before class is not enough. In order to get the most out of class, please follow the following notes. Preparing for performance week includes some essential components:
1) Learning your lines. You should be comfortable (ideally off-script / memorized) with all of the dialogue;
2) Blocking scene action in a non-distracting, simple way for the camera;
3) Understanding what is happening in the scene, who your character is, and what they want most of all;
4) Dressing to suggest with smart wardrobe choices; and
5) If possible, incorporating all of the techniques you explored throughout Weeks 1-4.
Performance week should be treated the same as an audition. It is unacceptable to be unprepared for performance week.
Click here for script
Teacher:
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm BST, Wednesday
Meeting ID: 831 1696 8802
Passcode: 609732
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83116968802?pwd=4j30hIYlxPtQX5Pk9t23dlIgasaBLZ.1
WEEK 3: WE DARE YOU TO BEG FOR YOUR LIFE
High-stakes scenarios require emotional boldness and bravery.
We’ve made it to the third week of the term, and now, we dare you to BEG FOR YOUR LIFE. In acting terms, of course. We’ll be exploring a week of challenging and intense emotional connection. Every actor will be asked to be courageous as we explore the emotion of terror.
What is terror? Terror is extreme fear. It’s not nervous, scared, or alarmed. It is an intense emotion with high-stakes and a big commitment. If you have an audition that challenges you to tap into feelings of terror, you must rise to the challenge. But so many actors don’t!
Why don’t we commit to scenes of terror? When you’re acting on Zoom or filming a self-tape, you must fully commit to the emotion… even if it’s a big emotion that feels terror-fying! If not, you risk your performance looking boring, fake, or unbelievable. And when filming from home, you have to push through any insecurities or embarrassment you have about committing to a scene while your family is home. “I don’t want to be loud”, “I don’t have space”, “I don’t want to freak out my dog”, are all common reasons actors hold back in high-stakes scenes. And what happens? You turn in a tape that doesn’t meet the expectations needed in these circumstances. Oftentimes, you end up feeling unsatisfied with your performance.
Not this week, LeBlancers. We dare you to commit to the scene, even if Grandma is in the next room knitting a sweater. Take a few moments to ensure you can participate fully in class this week:
This dare card wants you to BEG FOR YOUR LIFE, young actors!
*For this class, we will explore high-intensity scenarios that may involve monsters, kidnapping, and/or horror genre creatures. Our instructors are committed to ensuring class is always safe, and fun.*
Teacher:
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm BST, Wednesday
Meeting ID: 831 1696 8802
Passcode: 609732
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83116968802?pwd=4j30hIYlxPtQX5Pk9t23dlIgasaBLZ.1
WEEK 2: WE DARE YOU TO GET OFF-BOOK FAST
Six pages of dialogue in twenty minutes is possible, right?!
Welcome to Week 2, LeBlancers, and your second dare card of the term! For this class, we’re daring you to GET OFF-BOOK FAST. Sounds easy? Difficult? Scary? All of the above? Let’s find out.
What does it mean to be “off-book”? Being off-book, in actor terms, is no longer needing the script. Having all of your lines memorized is certainly one part of that, but it goes beyond simple line regurgitation. When you are off-book, you’re not only memorized, but you’re also confident in what you are saying, and are able to play around with getting the scene “on its feet”. That means if you’re given a gesture, blocking, or creative direction, you can focus on interpreting the notes, and not mentally fishing for your lines. See why you need to be confident?
Getting off-book looks different for every actor, as there are many strategies for quick memorization, and you must figure out which strategies work best for you. Perhaps it’s writing out the lines by hand. Maybe it’s saying them while doing chores. Classic out-loud repetition works for some; recording them and playing them while you exercise or dance works for others. No matter what strategy works for you, when the time crunch is real, you have to push the nerves out of the way, and get the lines off the page and into your body—fast. So this week, you’re learning some text and performing it off-book!
Ready to learn your script? Great! Oh, right. You won’t be getting it posted here. Nope, that would be waaaaaaay too much time to prepare. We want you up for the challenge, LeBlancers, and out of your heads! You’ll get the script in class, and you’ll perform it then, too.
See you in class, when we dare you to GET OFF-BOOK FAST!
Teacher:
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm BST, Wednesday
Meeting ID: 831 1696 8802
Passcode: 609732
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83116968802?pwd=4j30hIYlxPtQX5Pk9t23dlIgasaBLZ.1
WEEK 1: TO TRAILBLAZE IS TO NOT GET LOST IN A CROWD
It’s time for quick thinking and standing out!
Welcome to your first week of Fall term, LeBlancers! We’ve opened up The Tale of the Trailblazers, and Page 1 has some important insight for us: to trailblaze is to not get lost in a crowd.
Trailblazers stand out. They take risks. They make the most of their moment. They certainly do not fade into the background and get lost in a crowd. All of these things involve confidence and quick thinking—skills we need to keep this precious storybook safe! So that is exactly what we are going to work on this week in our first class. We are epically excited!
Standing out and thinking on our feet may sound easy, but every one of us at some point will struggle with this: whether it’s due to nerves, hesitation, not wanting to look silly, or fear of making a mistake. It’s comfortable to blend in. We’ll need to garner some bravery and boldness as we jump into learning how to think quickly and stand out in front of the camera.
If you can master the technique-based activities explored in class, you’ll grow in confidence and become a fierce performer. These skills will help us protect our storybook from others who are trying to force us into the background! Come prepared with a non-distracting space where you can use full body movement, and a lot of creative enthusiasm for the Zoom class. We can’t wait to see you in our first week of the term!
Teacher: Jeff Gonek
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm BST, Wednesday
Meeting ID: 831 1696 8802
Passcode: 609732
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83116968802?pwd=4j30hIYlxPtQX5Pk9t23dlIgasaBLZ.1
HOLIDAY CLOSURE:
A daring six classes down, and the creativity is bubbling as our adventurous term is well on its way! You’ve pulled another card, and YIPPEE! It’s the holiday break card. A week of relaxation awaits! Our offices will be closed from Monday November 4th - Monday November 11th, inclusive, as our Canadian team observes the holiday. No classes will run and correspondence may be limited.
Two more weeks of thrilling dares and challenges are in store when we return on Tuesday, November 12th.
We dare you to log off for a week!
HOLIDAY CLOSURE:
Three dares down, and five more to go! We applaud your courageousness and admire your risk-taking attitudes. Now the challenge is to recharge and reflect on everything you’ve learned so far. Our offices will be closed from Monday October 7th - Monday October 14th, inclusive, as our Canadian team observes the national holiday. No classes will run and correspondence may be limited.
The deck is shuffling, and new dare cards are waiting when we resume classes on Tuesday, October 15th.
We dare you to take a break!