What is self expression?
Self-expression is how we make the invisible parts of ourselves—our identity, ideas, and emotions—visible to others. It can show up in our clothing, our tone of voice, our posture, and even our silence. At The Drama Spot, we focus on two main tools of self-expression: voice and body. Through these, we ask: How can I let others see what I feel or believe inside? What do my words, gestures, and movement choices reveal about me—and how might they make someone else feel or understand something new?
How do we use it in theatre?
Theatre is one of the purest forms of self-expression. Actors use their whole selves—their voice, body, and mind—as instruments to communicate what words alone cannot. Learning to express with intention is part of the craft: knowing when to speak, how to move, and how to let stillness speak for you. Just like a musician tunes their instrument, actors learn to care for their voices and bodies so they can perform honestly and sustainably. When a performer channels emotion through both voice and body, the audience doesn’t just see a story—they feel it and experience it. And in that shared experience, empathy grows.
Why is it important in life?
Every moment of genuine self-expression—big or small—is a glimpse of truth. When we practice naming and showing what’s inside us, we invite others to understand us better. That connection builds empathy both ways: the more we express ourselves, the more likely others are to respond with care and understanding. Finding your voice, your movement, your way of being seen—it takes time. But every attempt brings you closer to your most authentic self. And when we live that way, we make it easier for others to do the same.
How can I bring this skill home?
There are many different approaches we can take at home to inspire our children to work on self expression. Since we are focusing on voice and body at The Drama Spot, we can carry these focus topics into our homes. Here are some suggestions for each age:
Tots and Pre-K: Next time you are in the car as a family, turn off the Spotify playlist and explore your kiddo’s thought-process. Asking specific questions like “what do you see outside?” or “which of these ____ is your favorite” can prompt some interesting answers. Asking follow up questions may spur a narrative to rival any great author. Asking structured questions (instead of the open-ended “how was your day?”) allows your kiddo to think more about their answer than the question. This is a wonderful platform for them to express their thoughts using their voice!
Elementary School: Pose the challenge of having a conversation without words together. Use only body language and facial expression to express your words instead!
Middle School: Ask your kiddo what their favorite piece of clothing is that they own and have them use their voice to explain to you how it helps them express themselves.
High School: Declare a movie night. But there’s a twist - your student gets to pick 5 movie options. Without telling you what they are, they have to describe each one to you using the self-expression method of your/their choice. It could be an interpretive dance, an improvised song, a single word, a color… whatever you can think of! Based on their responses, you pick one to eliminate. Then you move to round 2 with the remaining 4 movie options. This round has a different mode of expression. You continue this way until you have the winner! (Fair warning: You might have so much fun with this game that you never even make it to watching a movie!)
