Is your child a budding storyteller? Are they full of energy but need a positive outlet? Or perhaps they’re a little shy and looking for a safe space to come out of their shell?

This winter, step away from the screens and into the spotlight. We’re excited to introduce a unique winter program designed not just to teach performance, but to build unshakable confidence, creativity, and communication skills that will benefit children for a lifetime.

This isn’t your average drama club. It’s a journey of self-discovery, all while having a ton of fun!

What’s the Camp All About?

This program is specially designed for first-time performers and children with limited stage experience. Forget the pressure of being perfect—the goal here is to feel comfortable, confident, and expressive.

Over the course of the camp, your child will learn to:
Command the room: Build genuine stage presence and beat those first-time jitters.
Become a character: Dive into the fun of understanding a character’s thoughts, feelings, and personality.
Express themselves: Learn how to communicate ideas and emotions clearly and creatively.
Develop creative habits: Build a foundation for future learning in the arts and beyond.

The focus is on the process, not the product. It’s about giving kids the tools to express themselves authentically, whether they’re on a stage or in a classroom.

What kind of kids is this camp for?

This camp is a perfect fit for a wide range of kids, especially those who are curious and imaginative and love to make-believe and tell stories, as well as first-time performers who will find it the ideal place to start even with no experience whatsoever; it’s also a wonderful opportunity for shy or introverted children to gently step out of their comfort zone in a supportive, pressure-free environment, while equally serving as a healthy, creative outlet for energetic and talkative kids to channel all that wonderful energy, ultimately making it a fantastic choice for any young confidence-builder looking to improve their communication skills and make new friends in a fun setting—no previous acting experience is required, and every child is welcomed and encouraged to grow at their own pace.

 The Quick Details

Price: RMB 12,998 – 15,998
Dates: March 7 – June 5
Time: Saturday mornings, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Nanyang Gongxiangji (Near Dongsi)
Sign-up Deadline: March 1

Spots are limited, so don’t wait! For more information or to register your child, please contact us on WeChat: DFCOMEDY17

Images: Donnie Fan

This winter break, move beyond the ordinary and unlock a world of adventure and discovery with our specially curated winter camps for kids. Designed to ignite passion and foster new skills, our programs offer a perfect blend of exhilarating outdoor fun, immersive cultural experiences, and hands-on creative learning – all against the dynamic backdrop of China’s capital. Let your child turn the winter months into a memorable journey of growth, friendship, and endless possibility.

Check out #wintercamp on jingkids to find info on the latest camps this winter.

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Please give a quick introduction of your winter camp. 

Does your child love the stage? Do they feel they have talent, but rarely get the chance to step into a lead role？ Are they curious about acting on camera as well as live performance?

This program is designed for students who are ready to challenge themselves, take creative responsibility, and be seen.

If you’re a student who’s already found a love for theater, then this program is designed for you. It’s perfect for kids who are ready to move beyond the chorus and dive into the heart of a story with a leading role. Whether your passion lies in the magic of live theater or the craft of film, if you love the process of memorizing lines, building a character from the ground up, and polishing your performance, you’ll thrive here. This is for young performers who want to build genuine confidence not through classroom exercises, but through the real, exhilarating challenge of stepping into the spotlight.

What can the kids expect to learn? What will students work on and perform?

In our Sunday Morning Film & Stage Semester Project, each student will have meaningful, individual stage time. Over the semester, students will prepare and perform:

• A minimum of two monologues
• One partnered scene
• One group scene

 Students will learn how to adapt their performances for:

• An on-set film shoot (acting for camera, blocking, continuity, presence)
• A final live theatrical performance for friends and family

This dual-focus approach helps students understand the key differences between stage and screen acting, while giving them the confidence to perform in both formats.

This semester-long performance project is designed to give older students ownership of their creative work, provide them with serious and substantial performance experience, and guide them toward a clearer, more confident understanding of their unique strengths as actors.

Basic information:
Price: RMB15,998 (early Bird until February 14)
Dates: March 1st-Mid-June
Time: Sunday mornings 9 am-12 pm
Location: ISB-DOME DANCE STUDIO
Sign by deadline: March 1st

How can people get in touch?
WECHAT: DFCOMEDY17

Images： Donnie Fan

Whether you are trying to have your child develop their confidence or just trying to find them a hobby that can also help them understand our world on a deeper level, the upcoming theatrical production, Constellations: Reimagined by Kids, will be for you. The original Constellations production revolves around the theme of mortality, illness, and infidelity, while this adapted version is an interactive play directed by comedy and drama tutor Donnie Fan, along with professional drama teachers, and revolves around the theme of friendship, family, and adapting to a new environment, making it suitable for teen actors and actresses.

Donnie Fan is a professional stand-up comedian, director, screenwriter, and playwright who is experienced in both adult and children’s theatrical productions. He directed the Pride and Prejudice high school production, was part of the iQiyi International Comedy Special, and directed the ART (children’s production) this year, and also directed multiple children’s theatrical productions in previous years.

Q: Tell us about Constellations and how it relates to children’s growth and development.

A: Constellations is a story that takes place across multiple timelines, exploring how small choices can completely change outcomes. While the original play is written for adults, we’ve adapted it to reflect the pre-teen and teenage experience. For children, this becomes a powerful metaphor: their everyday decisions shape who they are becoming. It’s a playful yet meaningful way to show young people how choices and consequences are part of their growth and development.

Q: How do you think dramatic productions like Constellations show the audience the charm and psychological side of the development of children and teens?

A: Theater allows us to see children at their most vulnerable and most resilient. In Constellations, we’ll watch young actors stumble, make mistakes, and then learn to recover — just as kids do in real life. Their peers in the audience may think, “that’s exactly how I feel right now,” while parents will recognize echoes of their own adolescence. This dual perspective creates empathy and understanding, shining light on the psychological journey of growing up.

Q: What kind of kids should get involved in this project? What if they don’t have any previous experience?

A: Any child who enjoys theater, storytelling, or simply has a strong imagination should get involved. Kids don’t need prior stage experience. In fact, some of the best performances come from those who bring fresh, uninhibited perspectives. In our last production of Yasmina Reza’s ART, one actress had almost no theater background, yet gave a fantastic performance. This project offers kids a chance to take on meaningful roles that they may not otherwise get in a school play. The only requirement is an open mind and a willingness to explore.

Q: What will the experience be like for kids?

A: Each week, students will dive into different characters and scenarios, exploring motivations and emotions while building confidence in performance. They’ll collaborate with peers, experiment with improvisation, and gradually shape their scenes for the final production. By the time we reach show week, with costumes, makeup, and stage lights, the kids won’t just feel prepared, they’ll feel like they’ve grown through every step of the process. It’s designed to be fun, fresh, and full of discovery.

Q: Finally, what roles do students get to take on in the production process of Constellations, and how do they sign up for it?

A: We have a maximum of ten spots, and about half are already filled. Each young actor will have an equal share of stage time. Because Constellations explores the dynamic between two characters, every student will perform a unique scene within one of the timelines. These scenes stand alone but also connect to the larger themes of the play. Families can sign up by contacting me directly at Donniefancomedy.

If you want to sign your child up to be part of this production, the Early Bird payment is RMB 18,998 for August and September, with a non-refundable deposit of 20% to secure the payment.

Curious what the experience is like for kids? Check out what these past students have to say about it.

“Doing “Art” with Donnie and the cast was a very immersive and engaging experience. Everyone did their part and worked really hard, and the final performance of the show was a reflection of the outstanding hard work the team put together. Overall, it was a memorable time.” says 14-year-old Wei Yafei.

“My experience as an actor for the play “Art” by Yasmin Reza, reimagined by kids, was pretty good. I have a distinct memory of forgetting some of my lines (other people too), and still having a lot fun.”, says Arthur Legarand.

Images: Donnie Fan

It’s that time of the school year. Nervous kids and excited parents gather in theatres and auditoriums all over Beijing to see the results of hours of rehearsals. We applaud wildly for every Little Orphan Annie, Lion King, and third fairy from the left as we watch students exercise their creativity to beloved tunes.

But there is something different about the Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA) Middle School show this year. The students wrote it themselves. Instead of a traditional musical, they collaborated to create The Poisoned Apple Awards. It’s an original musical parody that focuses on the centennial gathering of all the evildoers you know from fairy tales, myths, movies, and pop culture as they hand out trophies to honor “The Meanest of Them All.” Imagine the Academy Awards if Hades hosted while Ursula and Regina George battled it out on the red carpet.

And it’s not only the script that’s original. A small group of dedicated students designed and built the costumes made from mostly repurposed materials. To top it all off, a small jazz trio of students will provide live customized arrangements to accompany the actors.

It’s ambitious, to say the least. So, Jingkids sat down with some of these creative young minds to find out what motivated them to tackle this challenge. They told us that while other musicals are great, they carry expectations of previous performances. “If it’s new, if we do it ourselves and no one else has done it, then we get to set the standard,” Rebecca Wei, from Grade 8, told us. Other students liked that they could evolve the script during the rehearsal process. “We can tailor the characters to the person playing them, to the talent we have,” Grade 8 student Joseph Doucette added. This probably explains how the Queen of Hearts ends up playing electric guitar in the final number!

The idea of collaborating to bring out the best in each actor came up a lot in the conversation. Students talked about the importance of having everyone’s voice matter as they wrote and sometimes argued, about the best choices for the show. But ultimately, they agreed that the process pushed them to try new things. Aarav Gupta, from Grade 8, told everyone: “I never thought I would sing in public, but we needed someone to do that line. So, you just do it ’cause it’s what the group needs.” The cast nodded their agreement with him as Lindsay Long, Grade 7, added, “I never thought I would do this kind of dancing,” and Wei gets a laugh from her castmates as she quips, “Yeah, I’ve never been so afraid of chairs!” referring to the Fosse-inspired dance routine the cast performs to their rendition of the “Cell Block Tango,” where different fairytale villains justify their life choices.

And this brings up the next question: Why this topic? Why focus on the bad guys? The room exploded with passionate opinions at this prompt. “It’s about perspective,” said Long. “The so-called ‘hero’ is the villain in our story.” Johnson Qiu, Grade 8, said, “Villains are important and significant in stories.” The kids went on to point out that “the story doesn’t work without us” is the last line they wrote in the show because these characters matter but are so often ignored or simplified. This mirrors conflicts in the real world where one side is labeled “good” and the other “bad,” and that’s not productive for finding common ground.

It’s a profound topic, but the students chose to tackle it through comedy, and their reasons might surprise you. Wei pointed out that villains are often the product of painful pasts and stated that “humor is based on pain.” Juju Zhu, from Grade 6, added that comedy is a great equalizer in the message of empathy, understanding, and perspective they are aiming for. “At first it’s weird [to look at things that way], but then you just laugh, because you can relate to it.”

As I chatted with the students, the thing that struck me most was how confident they were as they spoke about their work and how respectful they were of their fellow collaborators. I asked them what they thought they learned from this process. Stage Manager Crystal Xu, Grade 8, focused on critical skills. “I learned I had to be really organized,” she said. “The crew depends on me. And how to communicate with different people.” Several students talked about the empowering feeling of putting a message into the world. “Be responsible for your words,” stated Apple Feng, Grade 7, with conviction, and when pressed, she revealed she meant both the message you deliver on the stage and the promises you make to your castmates off of it. Dol Dol Zhu, from Grade 8, added to that sentiment. “Your actions matter. Everyone is important – even the chorus – ‘cause if you don’t show up, it affects everyone.”

It’s hard not to be impressed by these young thespians. They are opinionated and passionate, but they also have empathy and offer unwavering support to each other. They might have spent the last several months digging into what makes a character “evil,” but the only thing I see on display in this circle is compassionate leadership and hard work worthy of hero worship.

The curtain goes up on The Poisoned Apple Awards on Jun 22 and 23 as part of BIBA’s Spring Showcase, which will include the High School production of Boys Are from Mars and Girls Are from Venus.

For tickets, please email: Jwolf@bibachina.org

Images: Julie Wolf

How do you make a play take shape? What if a theatre festival is to be organized? In March of 2021, all this was still unknown. But there was a force driving me to start the journey.

After having the idea of organizing a theatre festival and directing a play, some like-minded people came along. We ranged from students from other international schools to students from public schools in Beijing. Some were old friends, some were new and unfamiliar, but all were driven by the same ambition and interests, and we formed a core group of seven people: Fan, Lisa, Sunny, Isa, Angel, Junhan, and myself. There was assistance from other tutors and participants, but the seven of us were mainly responsible for the event.

For us, theatre is terrific because it speaks to the heart. The ups and downs of life or its emptiness can be filled by theatre and caught in a story that doesn’t belong to us. Immersed in theatre, actors give to and draw from each other, we empathize with the director and the writer, and make a degree of reconciliation with ourselves. Because of this, the theatre has a unique appeal, and we want to make it memorable for our own sake.

There are many positions and opportunities in a theatre festival, and not all are related to acting. In a team, each of us must play multiple roles. Some are responsible for the promotion and operation of the festival, some are responsible for preparing costumes and props, some are responsible for the design of posters and tickets, and each of us has to be an overall planner for the event. As you can see, a festival requires various positions, which provides opportunities for people with different ambitions to showcase and practice.

First of all, the drama part is undoubtedly essential. One of the first headaches we had was writing the script ourselves or adapting another story, however, what would be the original text for the adaptation? After a lot of discussions, the idea of The Little Prince jumped out at us. In our opinion, the story is suitable for young and old, the plot is not limited, and it is easy to develop other content around. So, as director and assistant director, I and Fan decided to adapt The Little Prince.

Lisa and Sunny, two students who love art and design, were responsible for this part of the play. In the process, they designed the makeup for each character, drew schematics for each scene of the stage, and contributed a lot to the final set-up of the festival.

Since our festival involved ticket sales, Angel focused on the business and promotion side of the event. To land sponsorships, she talked to a few well-known companies and ended up relieving some of the financial pressure. At the same time, to better promote our festival, she published articles to attract more attention.

Isa and Junhan were in charge of the overall planning and took on the role of hosts. In a significant event, it takes a planner to make sure every detail is running smoothly, and it takes days and nights of planning, iterating, and practicing to ensure that every part of the event is error-free.

Each person is responsible for a different task, but we were not individually limited in scope. In a team, we focused on problems together. And when one person needed help, everyone stepped up.

You may be wondering, so what did this theatre festival include? There were differently themed “planets” that the audience could explore, as well as outstanding solo performances and the grand finale of The Little Prince. In the theme planet, the audience needed to interact with the actors to get clues, and after collecting all the clues they would get a variety of souvenirs designed by us. During the initial monologue performance, nine actors prepared their favorite drama pieces and performed them. The final act of the night was the highlight of the festival, The Little Prince.

There were six different little princes in my scripted production. Led by the little fox as the narrator, the audience did not have fixed seats but had to follow the actors’ footsteps and lighting cues and move between the venues. The audience of about 200 followed the path of the Little Prince from one planet to another. They landed on Earth with the Little Prince, stood around him, met him with different people and animals, and witnessed his final death or return. The audience saw the king lying under a pile of snacks, after moving to the next scene, standing on a ladder looking down at the others. Looking back, you could see the rose and the Little Prince’s deep conversation with the snake that traveled among the audience.

What made this journey even better was the people I met in the process. One of the most memorable moments was when, a week before the show, famous Chinese director Jiao Gang came to coach us. Not only did he teach a lot of acting techniques, but he also gave us a lot of advice on directing, making the whole experience much more interesting. For example, he suggested adding more formal elements to the play to make the performance more personal. Therefore, in the play, the Little Prince had to look down on the planet from a ladder, the king could indulge in snacks during the performance, and the snake needed to wander through the audience and have conversations. Finally, he also pointed out that because this was a play that sells tickets, it was a commercial act, so each of us was responsible for the drama presented. Through the theatre, I formed a unique connection with him and a heart-to-heart exchange.

This experience has given me and my team a new, in-depth understanding of the breadth of theatre, not merely in terms of staging a performance but also as a much larger project. During the process, we met different kinds of people and tackled all sorts of obstacles. Theatre has the potential to empower everyone. For me, theatre gives me a firm goal to keep moving forward, and it is my source of strength.

The second festival will be held in 2022. Like the first one, we will manifest innovative ideas and build a unique theatre performance. Perhaps not in the same form, but it will definitely be something unexpected. We hope that more people will participate, and we hope that you, who are reading, will pay attention.

We believe that the power of theatre is to reach some unimagined distances. In realizing the festival, some ideas are not too unrealistic, so let’s make them happen. Those moments that are beyond your control may be the moment when you reach your “B612” planet. For us, the tacit understanding and friendships we develop in the process, the satisfaction and happiness we feel at the end are the reasons to continue.

So, I hope you can either join us or watch us. Enter the utopia of theatre and feel the power of drama in 2022.

Images: Hank Zhou

Thomas Frank was just 7 years old when he stepped onto the set of the upcoming Chinese blockbuster, The Curse of Turnadot – aka Turnadot, 图兰朵, tú lán duǒ. He had never acted before and doubted his ability to perform in front of people. Now, however, he was expected to act in both English and Chinese, as well as perform stunts.

Just two days earlier, Thomas had gone to an impromptu casting call after his one-time martial arts coach Frederick Yderstorm received word that the film was looking for a “blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy” around Thomas’ age. The minute the casting director laid eyes on Thomas, he excitedly yelled, “He’s the one!” Just like in the movies.

48 hours later, he was on set, in front of at least 80 people, for a series of speaking and fighting scenes, which open the film. He was feeling the pressure like never before, and it required several takes before he got it, but he didn’t want to give up. As the days got longer and longer, his father tried to pull him out, but 7-year-old Thomas told him, “No, daddy, I want to try it. I think I can do it.” And he did, eventually. “That was a proud Dad moment for me,” admits Andrew Frank.

During the course of the next ten days that Thomas spent filming, he traveled from Beijing to a big Tang Dynasty set in Xiangyang, Hubei province. He met the main director of the film, Zheng Xiaolong, as well as American actor Dylan Sprouse – of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody fame – who plays the older version of Thomas. He even got an autograph from French actress Sophie Marceau (Braveheart) who plays his mother in the movie, though he lost the autograph.

Under the tutelage of “very big kung fu guy” Collin Chou, whom you would recognize as Seraph from The Matrix trilogy, Thomas received all of two days’ fight training before he had to perform his scenes. Luckily, he had a stand-in, a local boy around his age, with whom he became fast friends.

“The hardest part were the scenes where I had to cry or faint. They took a lot of takes, but eventually I got there,” Thomas recounts of his experience. But there were high points as well. “I got to ride a camel. It was very scary the first time and I really hated it. But each time I did it, I got to enjoy it more and more and in the end, it was really fun. Except that the camel kept peeing.”

After his first foray into show biz, Thomas feels that “acting is quite fun” and may consider a career of it. His father isn’t surprised, considering the generous amount of money he made during his ten days of filming. “When I told him how much he made per day,” reveals Frank, “he asked me why he was going to school.”

A student at the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), Thomas has spent all 11 years of his childhood growing up right here in Beijing. Born to Irish and Canadian parents, he enjoys playing badminton, hanging out with his friends, and watching movies. Well Thomas, we are excited to watch your movie when it comes out on the big screen on Oct 15!

KEEP READING: A Case For Why Children Need Playfighting And Bad Guys

Images: Courtesy of Andrew Frank 

Countless people dream of becoming a star. What’s more, in the age of social media stardom and seemingly overnight viral fame, the dream of being “discovered” and making it onto the big screen is, for the first time, both infinitely far and just within reach.

For parents, this dream can be terrifying. The film and theater industries are notorious for breeding starving artists, and that’s if you break into the industry. To pursue stardom seems to mean a life of waiting tables while waiting on callbacks from the last audition. So the question stands: What does it really take to be a star?

Qin Hanlei is the embodiment of an aspiring actor’s dream realized. From movies to TV shows and internet dramas, the young actor who used to reenact scenes from Liu DeHua movies in his bedroom is now bringing his own characters to life on screen.

Some of the many films and shows Qin has acted in include《非正式爱情 Informal Love》，《爱情狂想曲》，《三十那年 Thirty Years Ago》，《假装不正经》，《民警的诺言》 ，《爱爱囧事 Love Story》，《雨城故事 To Rain City With Love》，《青春期1、2、3 The Age of Puberty 1,2,3 》(which got over 20 billion views)、《上位》、《女人公敌 Women’s Enemy》.

But the path to stardom never comes without its challenges. Qin says his mother cried when he told her he wanted to be an actor. She worried for him, and not without reason. But Qin wasn’t going to give up. With the unwavering support and encouragement of his father, Qin began taking acting classes and soon graduated from 中国传媒大学 (Communication University of China) and began his acting career. Today, he’s starred in dozens of films and TV shows, and his mother secretly watches all his performances.

Now, however, Qin has a young daughter of his own. I asked him if he’d support her if she one day decided to follow his path and also pursue a career in acting.

Much to my surprise, however, the answer was a resounding “no.” Qin says he’s seen firsthand how harsh the industry can be, and he’s not wrong.

In China, many people still regard acting as a career path chosen by those who don’t do well in school, and everyone knows how difficult the job market can be. Qin says the hardest thing about the acting industry is its 内眷 Nèijuàn, directly translated to “inside-turning.” Neijuan refers to the endless cycle in which, no matter how hard you work, there will always be people working harder, often without sleep or food, forcing you to also push yourself past the limit just for the slimmest possibility of an advantage. Qin and his colleagues say acting is an industry where it feels like there are more actors than viewers, with few available roles and a seemingly endless ocean of people wanting to make it.

Furthermore, acting is considered 青春饭, qīngchūnfàn, a phrase that literally translates to “youth food.” But Qin believes that acting isn’t necessarily a career that starts and ends in your youth. When you’re young, there are roles for young people. When you’re old, there will be roles for old people. Simply put, if you’re good enough, you can act your whole life. Having said that, Qin adds that aspiring actors should focus on studying and have something to fall back on in case acting doesn’t work out.

It’s important to acknowledge the difficulties that come with pursuing acting. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Qin has these tips for aspiring actors to help them do just that.

Passion, passion, passion

Qin’s number one key to success is passion. In a career as difficult as acting, it’s critical that aspirants are willing to push through any hardships along the way. Qin says there were many times in his career that he’d go hungry, but every time he chose to stay in the game, explaining “Acting was like a child to me. I just couldn’t give it up.”

Looking back, Qin realizes he truly loves acting. No matter how grim things look, he says, if you stick it out and truly love what you are doing, you’ll eventually start landing roles and realizing how much you’ve learned.

Patience

There’s a saying among those in the profession that actors spend most of their lives waiting. From waiting for auditions to callbacks to facing rejections, aspiring actors must have the patience and faith to wait and, perhaps more importantly, persevere. Even as a successful actor, Qin says he still spends half the day waiting on set for some big star to finish shooting before he even steps on stage.

Have an open mind towards self-improvement

Like any other career path, Qin says you must always be willing to learn more. The worst thing an aspiring actor can do is become lazy and adapt a mindset of how you “should” perform. Qin urges young actors to watch other performances and always push themselves to improve.

Qin tells me of a time when he was denied a role before he even auditioned. The reason? Not because he wasn’t good enough, but because he didn’t “look” the part. This is the sad truth about the industry. You can have all the patience and passion in the world and still be rejected for things beyond your control.

But Qin says that blow inspired him to push himself to learn more. He says he woke up at 6am every day and read the book《演员的自我修养》more than 20 times. Qin says he knew he may not be as experienced or as good looking as some people in the audition room, but his ability to learn and his constant thirst for knowledge gave him confidence. He took that confidence to the audition room, using it to land roles.

Behind the shiny facade of fame, acting is no walk in the park. Many spend their entire lives waiting to be discovered. But it’s not impossible. Qin is living proof that it can be done. And once you have these three things, you’re already halfway to success.

KEEP READING: What the Tutoring Ban Really Means for Kids, Parents, and Educators

Photo credits: Qin Hanlei 

Every year we have the distinct privilege of compiling a School Choice Guide (SCG) for our readers. This special issue of our magazine is not only a comprehensive look at the state of international education in Beijing, it also acts as a compendium to our annual Jing International School Expo (JISE), so that parents and students are equipped to make the most out of their visits with principals and staff at the event, and ultimately find the best school for their family.

Due to COVID-19, we were unfortunately forced to delay JISE, however, our 2020-2021 School Choice Guide is available and jam-packed with information! Now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with everything from the various curricula followed at different institutions, to the ways in which schools ensure that all their students receive an equitable education, no matter their learning needs.

For now, check out our feature on scholarships and learn how your student can get a leg up in the competition. Then pop over to our School Profiles Index and find out which Beijing international schools offer these valuable awards.

Extracurricular activities (ECAs) are often framed as a means to an end, a way for students to stand out amongst a crowded field of college applicants. More importantly, though, they’re a chance for kids to dig deeper into a field they are passionate about, and which is either glossed over or entirely absent from their regular curriculum. From debate to drama and student magazines to radio, these programs are a vital resource for enthusiastic learners, eager to pick up real-world skills, gain insights into various career choices, and ultimately accelerate their professional development.

While every school within Beijing’s international education community offers a plethora of ECAs, we’ve highlighted four, from early years through high school, to give you an idea of what’s on offer for your child.

StageCats

Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB)

A collaborative theater community of students and teachers, who rehearse and perform a range of productions – including well-known plays and musicals as well as original pieces, which are devised through collaboration with students, a process that involves focused discussions, improv exercises on play themes and workshopping / re-working scenes with student input.

Helion Robotics

Dulwich College Beijing (DCB)

Helion Robotics is the name of Dulwich College Beijing’s FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Extra Curricular Activity club. The student-led team of nearly 40, including students from Year 8-13 and four teacher mentors, meets once a week off-season, and much more frequently during competition time. Member roles cover everything from engineering, construction, design, marketing, and finance, and the team is always looking to expand and improve. Each year, Helion in-vests hundreds of hours to design and build one robot which will be used to compete in team-based competitions requiring them to overcome challenges through skilled programming and engineering. Helion Robotics was awarded the Highest Rookie Seed at the FIRST Robotics Competition Midwest Regionals in 2019.

Project Think (HD Design Thinking Fair)

HD School Beijing

Design Thinking (DT) is one of HD’s specialty curricula that aims to build their students into real-world problem finders and problem solvers with innovative thinking and agency. It’s an in-depth opportunity for Design Thinking immersion, in which DT teachers lead two groups of students through an immersive four-week project. Under the guidance of the DT teachers, each student identified a real-world issue, then designed and built his/her own solution. During the final session, students present their projects to their parents. Past works have included Vacation Pet Feeder, Oil Protection Suit, Marker Machine, Plant Watering Machine, and Turtle Feeder Machine.

Sensory Play Activities (F-1)

AISB School – Hope International

Sensory play uses all five senses (sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste). This Sensory Play ECA will assist young children in developing fine motor skills and important cognitive skills used for problem-solving.

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 School Choice Guide

Some of you out there who are keen on the theatrical arts may have heard of a thing called the LAMDA Exams. Those of you that haven’t, it is basically a year-long project where you develop your acting skills by learning two or three monologues/duologues and performing them to an examiner who will, in the end, question you on your knowledge and understanding behind the pieces.

A LAMDA exam is the speech and drama equivalent of a music grade. LAMDA stands for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and they began offering speech examinations to the public in the 1880s. These examinations have been refined and developed over the years. They now form a comprehensive system of performance evaluation with the purpose of improving standards in communication through the spoken word, fostering an appreciation of literature and supporting creative, intellectual, and social development.

I have recently just finished my LAMDA Gold exam, and I can say from experience that it was quite the challenge. If any of you are thinking of taking the medal exams, be warned as it takes a lot of effort. Here are some tips on what to expect, and what I learned from the experience.

For your first piece, it usually has to be one written by Shakespeare or one of the Greek classics. I choose Shakespeare and recommend that you do the same as it’s much easier. You need to learn the piece from top to bottom with every, single, little bit of supplementing info you can find on Shakespeare. Where he was born, when he died, why he wrote his plays in his specific style, who were the plays based on, etcetera. Obviously, you cannot just watch the movie.

For your second piece of the LAMDA Exam, it needs to be written before 1980. Apart from that rule, you can just about choose anything. However, if you pick a tragedy for your first piece, maybe choose a piece that shows you can display a range of emotions instead of just doing three depressing pieces. When I took my exam, I opted for a piece by Oscar Wilde as there is a lot of information behind him and the themes he explored (which is what the examiner usually looks for). In my opinion, the first two pieces are the most important, as they are often the ones the examiner has heard of.

For the third piece, as long as it’s after 1980, you can choose anything. You can also play this to your advantage as it means that if you select one of the most recent plays, the examiner is less likely to have heard of it and so, probably won’t pick this piece to question you on.

On top of all that research that you already have to do, you also have to learn about a practitioner. For my exam, my chosen practitioner was Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1938), a very well-known Russian actor and director. He believed in making the part you’re playing seem as realistic as possible, by trying your best to become the person you are portraying and not just an actor on stage performing. Many very famous actors nowadays use Stanislavski’s methods to help develop their acting skills.

When introducing your piece, you need to say what character you will be portraying, when the piece was written and first performed, what is happening in the scene you will be performing, and how you used Stanislavski’s methods to make your piece better.

After your first piece, you repeat the whole process of introducing what your next piece is going to be about and then perform your second piece. You then repeat everything until you have finished the acting part of your exam.

For me, I found the hardest part of my exam the actual acting instead of answering questions. Although, when I asked a friend of mine who also took the exam (and who is a lot better than me at drama) she said that she found the questions a lot harder than the acting section. This confused me until I watched her perform all three of her pieces and I then understood why she had said the questions were harder.

So, as I’m writing this I fear that I’m not making the exam sound very appealing, so I’m now going to mention some stuff that will make it sound better. Completing a LAMDA Gold exam is major UCAS points for anyone looking to get into universities in the UK. It also helps develop your public speaking and presentation skills – which are handy things to have and know how to do, especially when you get older.

The LAMDA medals are usually focused on people who are a bit older – around 16 to 18 – but don’t let this discourage you! If you and your LAMDA teacher feel that you may be ready to take on a LAMDA medal exam, go for it!

Some advice for you: If you do decide to take this exam, please try the refrain from giving your LAMDA teacher a heart attack by leaving everything entirely to the last minute like we did. It makes them stressed out, and it then becomes something you dread to think about, which causes you to procrastinate on everything for a longer period of time until you are in this never-ending downward spiral that you can’t get out of. Just learn your monologues and all of the supplementing info, and you should do just fine.

Photo: Adobe Creative Cloud
This article appeared on p40-41 of the beijingkids September 2018 Teen Takeover issue.