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Children who once hid in the wings, worried about stepping on stage, were among the confident young performers who took to the spotlight at Revolution Performing Arts’ sold-out showcase at the Wyvern Theatre.
Around 160 children aged 4 to 17 from RPA classes across Swindon and the surrounding area performed in Show the World Who You Are! earlier this month, with tickets selling out in just 48 hours.
For Founder Fi Da Silva-Adams, the biggest success wasn’t the sell-out audience or the polished performance. It was watching children achieve things they never thought possible.
“We’ve always believed children perform at their best when they feel supported, not pressured,” said Fi.
“The showcase looked incredibly slick, but that’s because the children were well prepared, enjoyed every minute and felt confident in what they were doing. We never expect perfection, and we don’t believe in pressuring the children to feel like they need to be. We want them to enjoy performing, believe in themselves and leave the stage feeling proud.”
For one family, the difference a year had made was impossible to ignore.
“Albie told me before bed that being on stage at the start of the show made him so, so happy and he couldn’t believe he’d done it,” said parent Gary.
“Last year he needed me to sit in the wings before he would go on stage. The difference in his confidence in just one year is amazing.”
There were countless moments like this throughout the performance.
One young performer found the confidence to join her best friend on stage just two days before the show after initially being too nervous to perform. Another child, who had been worried about being without her mum, finished her performance beaming with pride after throwing her inflatable saxophone into the air in celebration.
Another young singer, who had previously only sung confidently in her bedroom, found the courage to step forward and perform in front of a packed theatre after weeks of encouragement from her RPA leader.
“It wasn’t about one big moment,” said Fi. “It was lots of little moments that meant everything to the children and their families. Watching them grow in confidence, support one another and celebrate each other’s successes is exactly why we do what we do.”
The showcase also highlighted the strong community that has grown around Revolution Performing Arts.
When tickets sold out within two days, parents worked together to make sure every family still had the chance to watch their child perform by exchanging spare tickets between themselves.
“I hardly had to get involved because our families looked after one another. Parents were offering spare tickets, helping each other out and making sure nobody missed seeing their child on stage. That’s the kind of community we’ve built.”
Behind the scenes, months of preparation helped the day run smoothly, with volunteer chaperones, RPA leaders and backstage teams working together to support the performers throughout the show.
“Our volunteers were brilliantly organised, the children knew exactly what to expect and they looked after one another from start to finish. By the end of the day they were exhausted, but they were already asking when they could do it all again.”
Founded in 2007 by Fi Da Silva-Adams, RPA is dedicated to encouraging young people to embrace their individuality through the power of the performing arts. Revolution Performing Arts delivers 1,200 performing arts sessions every year across Swindon, North Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.
To find out more, visit https://revolutionpa.co.uk/
Article from Scott Media
