So what is Speech Arts?

Effective communication is such a critical skill for all of humanity; throughout history, the desire and opportunity to reach out and make a connection with another person has been of paramount importance. Despite the myriad benefits it has provided us, the rise of technology in modern society has resulted in a significant decrease in the art of communication. As we transition to emails, texting, and other social media, the crucial skills of presentation, thoughtful discourse and articulation have become de-prioritized in our society. I started the Diamond Academy of Performing Arts with a singular goal: to provide children with the necessary skills to perform, speak with confidence, and be assertive through the craft of Speech Arts. Whether shy (as I was), or a boisterous outgoing “star,” the Diamond Academy will provide the necessary tools to turn your child into the leaders of tomorrow.

Recital Performance @ Summer Camp 2019

Speech arts is the training of the voice and the mind. It exposes students to the great poets, playwrights and authors of the English literature canon, and uses those works to teach the students how to discover and use their voice, bodies and minds to communicate their message out to an audience. Whether speaking to a party of one or hundreds of thousands, speech arts prepares you for it all and grants you the confidence to clearly express your thoughts and opinions. And, most importantly, The Diamond Academy teaches these critical skills in an exciting and dynamic environment where improvisation, creativity and (most importantly) FUN are the cornerstones of the experience.

We are more than just a Performing Arts academy; the beauty of speech arts is that students learn many different techniques to become great performers and actors, but teaches so much more than that. Speech arts goes beyond performance to make you a great communicator – one who knows that, no matter in what the situation you find yourself, you have the skills and abilities to find your voice and put it to use. It's accessible and fun for the performer and non-performer alike, and through our curriculum each student will get to select, prepare and present their own specific materials. In my many years of teaching, I have never seen anything work so well toward helping children confidently communicate and connect to their breath and voice, and seeing these transformations is what continually fuels my passion for teaching speech arts.