If your family has been enjoying movie musicals or listening to Broadway albums lately, your child may have developed an interest in song and dance. Musical theater dance classes will provide them with the skills to get on stage and participate in a uniquely American storytelling tradition.

What Makes a Show a Musical?

A musical is not simply an opera or a cabaret show—this type of show has some signature elements. Musicals introduce their main characters at the beginning and feature an opening number that establishes the setting and the characters' desires. Over the course of the show, the songs reveal additional characters' motivations, as well as the conflict and resolution.

Multiple theater professionals must collaborate to develop a musical because the staging and performance are more complex than a standard play. In addition to mastering the dialogue, the cast also needs to take voice and dance classes to be able to tell the story fully.

How Did Musical Theater Evolve in America?

Multiple performance styles have shaped musical theater in America, including minstrel shows and Vaudeville. These early forms typically incorporated popular songs, and the music didn't add to the plot of the show. Instead, the songs were meant to be catchy and memorable for maximum audience enjoyment.

Starting in the 1930s and 1940s, the story of the musical gained prominence. Writing partnerships often featured one person to tell the main story and another person to write the libretto, or songs around the narrative. By the middle of the century, audiences could enjoy character-driven shows, such as Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic "Oklahoma!" and "South Pacific" and Lerner and Loewe's "Brigadoon" and "My Fair Lady."

Why Is Musical Theater Important to Learn About?

In musical theater, music and dance work together to convey a story that promotes social awareness, as seen in the Kern-Hammerstein's "Show Boat," which centers on race relations during Reconstruction, and modern favorites, including "Rent" and "Newsies," which feature young people tackling the challenges of urban life. Studying these musicals in dance classes helps students explore their ideas about the world and express their feelings through choreography.

If your child is ready to dive into the world of musical theater, enroll them in dance classes at Forte Arts Center in Channahon, IL. This dance studio that provides instruction for students 3 and older, and their instructors emphasize young performers' comfort and safety during every lesson. Visit their website to learn about current classes, and call (815) 521-0744 to discuss enrollment.