Ignite The Light

It Takes A Village - Choosing the Right Voices to Guide Young Performers

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 16:18:26 GMT

Why the right teachers, honest communication, and strong community matter when helping young performers chase big dreams.

It Takes a Village: Choosing the Right Voices to Guide Young Performers

Okay, I’m going to get on my soapbox for a few minutes.

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of posts and articles offering advice about choosing audition songs, finding the “right” theatre program or camp, selecting a voice teacher, and preparing young performers for opportunities.

And there’s something I think we need to talk about:

Who is giving the advice matters.

There is so much information available to parents and young performers now, which can be an incredible thing. But not every person giving advice has the background or expertise to give advice in every area.

Someone may be an incredible director but not be a vocal technician. Someone may be a wonderful choreographer but not understand what is developmentally appropriate for a young singer’s voice. Someone may have years of teaching experience but not have professional experience in the specific area your child wants to pursue.

And that’s okay.

None of us should be everything to every student.

I teach and coach young performers, and I have a wonderful network of friends and colleagues who do the same. I call them for advice. We talk about students. We bounce ideas off each other. If there is an area where someone else has more expertise than I do, I want that person involved. Why? Because my goal isn’t to be the person who knows everything.

My goal is to help the student succeed.

Let’s Talk About Audition Songs

I see audition-song recommendations all the time that make me cringe a little.

Sometimes the song is completely inappropriate for the age of the performer. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense for a developing voice. Sometimes it’s simply a strange recommendation for the particular audition.

There is no magical list of “best audition songs” that works for every performer.

A strong audition song should be:

Age-appropriate
Appropriate for the singer’s current vocal range and development
Appropriate for the audition
Something the performer can act and connect to
Something they sing consistently well
Something that makes them feel prepared and confident

If you work with a trusted voice teacher or vocal coach, use them as a resource.

They know your voice. They know where you are developing. They know what you do well and what you’re still working toward. A song that sounds amazing when one student sings it may be completely wrong for another student.

That individual knowledge matters.

Parents: Do Your Homework

The same principle applies when choosing a voice teacher, theatre program, camp, coach, or artistic home for your child.

Look beyond the impressive biography.

A degree doesn’t automatically make someone the right teacher for your child. Teaching at a school doesn’t automatically make someone the right teacher. Professional credits don’t automatically make someone a great educator, either.

Those things can certainly be valuable, but they are only pieces of the puzzle.

Ask questions.

What is their actual training? What ages do they regularly work with? What is their experience with developing voices? What is their teaching philosophy? Do they understand the professional world your child hopes to enter? Do they continue learning themselves? Do they recognize when something falls outside their expertise?

And maybe most importantly:

Are they willing to collaborate with other professionals when that is what the student needs?

To me, that is a sign of a strong educator—not a weakness.

Be Honest About Who Is On Your Team

There’s another side to collaboration that I think families and students need to understand:

Your teachers can help you best when they know who else you are working with.

If you are taking voice with one teacher, acting with someone else, dance somewhere else, working with an audition coach, or getting additional vocal coaching, be honest about it.

You shouldn’t feel like you have to hide one teacher from another.

Good teachers aren’t competing to “own” a student.

We are supposed to be helping that student grow.

Knowing who else a student is working with gives us important information. It allows us to communicate when appropriate, understand what the student is being asked to do, avoid giving conflicting advice, and help reinforce the work that is already happening.

There have been many times when I have reached out to another professional—or encouraged a family to work with someone whose expertise would benefit that student.

That isn’t losing a student.

That is doing your job as a teacher.

But that collaboration becomes much harder when teachers don’t know what else is happening.

So talk to your teachers. Tell them what you’re working on. Tell them about your auditions. Tell them about your goals. Tell them who else is part of your training team.

The more complete the picture we have, the better we can help you.

And If You Leave, Leave Well

Students change.

Goals change.

Families move. Schedules change. Financial circumstances change. Sometimes a student needs something different. Sometimes a teacher or studio simply isn’t the right fit anymore.

It is okay to leave.

What matters is how you leave.

If you are moving on from a voice teacher, studio, coach, theatre program, or another long-term training relationship, have the conversation.

You don’t need to make it dramatic, and you don’t need to feel guilty.

Just be honest and respectful.

If something isn’t working, sometimes that conversation can actually fix it. Your teacher may not even know there is a problem unless you tell them.

And if leaving is still the right decision, that’s okay too.

Thank the people who invested in you. Communicate clearly. Follow whatever withdrawal or notice policies you agreed to. Don’t disappear without a conversation if you can avoid it.

Leave the relationship with the same professionalism with which you entered it.

The performing arts world is incredibly small. You may work with that teacher, director, choreographer, studio, or organization again years from now.

More importantly, these are people who invested time and energy into helping you grow.

You can move forward without tearing down what came before.

No One Person Can Be a Child’s Entire Village

This is the part I feel most strongly about.

It takes a village to help young performers pursue big dreams.

A voice teacher doesn’t replace an acting teacher.

An acting teacher doesn’t replace a dance teacher.

A director doesn’t replace a vocal technician.

A choreographer doesn’t replace a college audition coach.

And none of us should be threatened when another professional has something valuable to offer one of our students.

I am incredibly grateful for the professionals I can call when one of my students needs something beyond my own expertise. I want the kids I teach and direct to have access to as many knowledgeable, caring professionals as possible.

Because ultimately, this isn’t about us. It’s about them.

Connections Matter, Too

The performing arts world is surprisingly small.

Relationships and connections matter.

The people you meet today may become the directors, teachers, choreographers, coaches, casting professionals, collaborators, and friends you encounter again years from now.

That is another reason communication matters so much.

Don’t create unnecessary competition between the adults who are trying to help you. Don’t feel like you need to keep secrets about where you train. And don’t burn bridges every time you move on to something new.

Your artistic community should grow with you.

Part of my responsibility as an educator is helping young performers begin building that community.

I want the students I work with to meet other teachers. I want them to experience different directors and choreographers. I want them to learn from guest artists. I want them to walk into new rooms knowing people who believe in them—and having the confidence to build new relationships when they don’t.

And that philosophy doesn’t stop at the doors of our own theatre family.

If I can help a young performer find the right resource, teacher, opportunity, or connection—even if that child doesn’t train with me—I want to help.

There is room for all of us.

Choose Your Child’s Village Carefully

So when you’re reading the next post telling you the “perfect” audition song, the “best” summer program, or exactly what your young performer needs to do next, ask one more question:

Is this person qualified to give me advice about this particular thing?

Then do your own due diligence.

Research the teachers.

Ask about their backgrounds.

Talk to families.

Ask questions about their philosophy.

Pay attention to whether they collaborate with other professionals.

Be open with the people who are teaching your child.

And when it is time to move on, move on with honesty and respect.

Most importantly, find the people who truly understand your child .

Young performers deserve adults who aren’t trying to be their entire village.

They deserve adults who are willing to build one around them.

I am incredibly grateful for the talented teachers, directors, choreographers, coaches, musicians, and theatre professionals who are part of my village—and who continue to pour their knowledge, experience, and encouragement into the young performers I love working with.

None of us can do this alone.

And I don’t think we’re supposed to.

Build Your Child's Confidence Today!

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 16:57:37 GMT

Don't Wait!

Your Child Doesn’t Need More Confidence Before They Join Theater—They Build It Here

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve had this conversation with a parent.

“My child really wants to do theater, but she’s SO shy.”

“He loves to sing at home, but the second someone is watching him, he completely freezes.”

“I think she would love it… I just wish she had a little more confidence first.”

And every single time I hear it, I want to say:

Don’t wait for the confidence.

Really. Because if there is one thing I have learned after more than 20 years of teaching kids, it’s that confidence usually doesn’t come first.

It comes after.

After they walk into the room nervous.

After they try something they were pretty sure they couldn’t do.

After they make a mistake and realize nobody laughed at them.

After someone looks at them and says, “Hey, that was really good. Try it again.”

After they make that first friend.

After they get through the song.

After they finally raise their hand.

After they walk offstage thinking, Wait… did I really just do that?

That’s where confidence comes from.

And honestly? Those are some of my absolute favorite moments to watch.

Confidence Usually Starts Really, Really Small

I think as adults, we sometimes have this picture in our heads of what a “confident kid” looks like.

They’re outgoing.

They’re the first one to volunteer.

They walk into an audition like they own the room.

They love being the center of attention.

But that’s only one kind of confidence.

Some of the most confident kids I know are quiet.

They watch first.

They think.

They take their time.

And then, when they’re ready, they step forward.

I’ve had students who barely spoke to me when I first met them.

Students who would stand in the back of the room and hope I didn’t call on them.

Students who wanted desperately to perform but were absolutely terrified of anyone actually watching them perform.

And then you start seeing these tiny little changes.

One day they volunteer for something.

A few weeks later, they sing a little louder.

Then they audition for a part they really want.

Then one day you’re standing in the back of a theater watching that same kid absolutely light up a stage and thinking…

Would you LOOK at them.

That transformation never gets old for me.

But it also doesn’t happen because somebody told them, “You need to be more confident.”

It happens because they were given a safe place to practice being brave.

Over and over and over again.

Theater Gives Kids a Chance to Find Their Voice

And I don’t just mean their singing voice.

Although, obviously, we work on that too!

I mean their actual voice.

Their opinions.

Their ideas.

Their ability to walk into a room and know that they have something worth contributing.

In theater, we ask kids to make choices.

Tell the story.

Speak up.

Try something different.

Be silly.

Be serious.

Take up space.

Let people see them.

And that can feel REALLY vulnerable at first.

But then something starts to change.

The kid who used to mumble starts projecting.

The kid who wouldn’t look up starts making eye contact.

The kid who was afraid to audition starts walking into the room saying, “Okay, I’m nervous, but I’m doing it.”

And THAT is confidence.

Not the absence of nerves.

Not being fearless.

Knowing you’re nervous and realizing you can do it anyway.

And They Learn How to Mess Up

Oh, do we mess up in theater.

All. The. Time.

Lines get forgotten.

Notes crack.

Someone goes left when the entire rest of the cast goes right.

Props mysteriously disappear even though everyone SWEARS they put them where they were supposed to go.

Someone misses an entrance.

Someone says the completely wrong line and everyone onstage has to figure out what on earth we’re doing now.

That’s live theater.

And honestly, I think it’s one of the best things about it for kids.

Because kids need to learn that making a mistake isn’t a catastrophe.

You mess up.

You breathe.

You figure it out.

You keep going.

And eventually they learn something that is so much bigger than theater:

I can mess up and still be okay.

I can have a bad day and come back tomorrow.

I can not get the part I wanted and still have an amazing experience.

I can get corrected without believing I’m terrible at something.

I can be disappointed and still celebrate my friend.

I can try something, fail spectacularly, laugh about it, and try it again.

If I can send kids out into the world knowing that, I feel like we’ve done something pretty important.

Sometimes They Just Need to Find Their People

This one is really close to my heart.

Because sometimes a kid isn’t lacking confidence at all.

Sometimes they just haven’t found the place where they feel completely comfortable being themselves yet.

Then they walk into a theater.

And suddenly…

There are OTHER kids who randomly burst into show tunes.

There are other kids who have very strong opinions about Broadway casts.

There are kids who think spending hours rehearsing the same 30 seconds of choreography is actually fun.

There are kids who love pretending.

Kids who love costumes.

Kids who love singing.

Kids who are loud.

Kids who are quiet.

Kids who are quirky and creative and funny and wonderfully themselves.

And suddenly that child who felt a little different somewhere else realizes:

Oh. These are my people.

There is something incredibly powerful about that.

Because when kids feel like they belong, they start letting their guard down.

They take chances.

They make friends.

They laugh louder.

They try things.

They start letting you see who they really are.

And little by little, that light starts coming out.

That’s a huge part of what I want Ignite to be.

Yes, we’re a performing arts studio.

But more than anything, I want this to be a place where kids walk through the doors and feel like somebody is genuinely happy they’re here. Because we are.

“Okay, Tina. But My Child Is REALLY Shy.”

Bring them.

Seriously.

You don’t have to apologize for it.

You don’t have to warn us.

And we are not going to make it our mission to turn your quiet child into the loudest person in the room.

Because that isn’t the goal.

I don’t want to change your kid.

I want to help your kid become more comfortable being your kid.

If they’re quiet, they can be quiet.

If they need to watch the game once before participating, that’s okay.

If it takes them a few classes before we really get to see their personality, that’s okay too.

We’ll get there.

For one student, a huge confidence moment might be performing a solo.

For another, it might be saying one line loud enough for everyone to hear.

For another, it might be walking into class without holding onto Mom.

And you better believe we celebrate all of those things.

Because growth doesn’t look the same for every kid.

It shouldn’t.

This Is Why Our Mission Is What It Is

Our mission at Ignite is:

Creating great humans who are great performers.

There’s a reason “great humans” comes first.

Of course I want our kids to be talented.

I want them to sing beautifully.

I want them to understand technique.

I want them to become stronger actors and dancers.

I want our shows to be incredible.

I’m a theater person. Of course I want all of that!

But at the end of the day, I care so much more about the people we’re helping these kids become.

I want them to be kind.

I want them to work hard.

I want them to know how to take a correction.

I want them to be able to hear “no” and keep going.

I want them to clap like crazy when their friend gets the part.

I want them to know that somebody else’s success doesn’t take anything away from theirs.

I want them to walk into a room and know that they deserve to be there.

I want them to find people who believe in them.

And I want them to become the kind of people who believe in other people, too.

Because eventually every show closes.

The costumes get put away.

We strike the set.

The cast group chat eventually gets quiet.

And we start working on the next thing.

But the kid who learned to stand a little taller?

The kid who learned to speak up?

The kid who learned that getting something wrong doesn’t mean giving up?

The kid who found their people?

They get to keep all of that.

And THAT is why I love what we do.

So Please Don’t Wait Until They’re “Ready”

If your child keeps talking about theater…

If they’re constantly singing around the house…

If they’re putting on shows in the living room…

If they love pretending…

Or even if they’re quietly curious but terrified to actually try it…

Don’t wait for them to magically become confident first.

Bring them nervous.

Bring them shy.

Bring them excited.

Bring them unsure.

Bring them exactly as they are.

We’ll meet them there. Because your child doesn’t have to walk through our doors already shining.

Sometimes they just need someone to notice the little spark that’s already there and give it a place to grow.

That’s what I hope Ignite can be.

A place to try.

A place to mess up.

A place to laugh.

A place to work hard.

A place to make friends.

A place to discover things about yourself that you didn’t know yet.

And hopefully, a place that starts to feel a little bit like home.

Come Find Your Place at Ignite

If you’ve been wondering whether your child is “ready” for theater, acting, singing, or dance, I’d love for you to come see us.

You don’t have to know exactly what class they should take.

They don’t have to have any experience.

And they definitely don’t need to have it all figured out.

Just start.

Sometimes one class can be the beginning of something pretty special.

Ignite the Light Performing Arts is located in Goose Creek Village in Ashburn, Virginia, and we offer performing arts programs for students from kindergarten through their first year of college.

Call: (703) 857-3858

Explore our programs: ignitetlpa.com

Your child doesn’t need more confidence before they begin.

They just need a place that knows how to ignite it.

Unpopular opinion.....being a comp dancer does not get you closer to Broadway...

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 22:22:23 GMT

The industry today is looking for true triple threats....

Competition Dance Isn’t the Only Path to Broadway (And That’s a Good Thing)

If you’ve ever heard:
“If my child wants to be on Broadway, they need to be a competition dancer…”

You’re not alone.

But here’s the truth:

Competition dance is one path—but it’s not the only path.

And for many families, it’s not even the best path.

Let’s Be Clear—Competition Dance Has Value

Competition dance builds:
• strong technique
• discipline
• stage presence
• confidence

Those are incredible tools for any performer.

But Broadway requires something more specific.

It’s not just about performing—it’s about telling a story.

What Broadway Actually Requires

Broadway performers are trained to do all of the following—often at the same time:

• Act with truth and intention
• Sing with strength and control
• Dance in multiple styles
• Adapt quickly and take direction
• Work seamlessly in an ensemble

It’s a different kind of training.

Competition often focuses on polish and performance quality.

Broadway focuses on storytelling, versatility, and connection.

Here’s What Most People Don’t Realize

You do not need to commit to:
• intense competition schedules
• weekend travel
• high financial investment

…in order to train at a high level.

There are programs designed specifically for performers who want:
• strong dance training
• musical theater integration
• flexibility for other activities
• focused, intentional growth

Without the pressure and expense of competition dance.

Teens—If Broadway Is Your Goal

If you are a competition dancer, you already have a strong foundation.

If you’re not , you are absolutely not behind.

What matters most is that you’re building:

• acting skills (real character work)
• vocal technique (healthy, sustainable singing)
• dance that supports storytelling
• the ability to learn quickly and take direction

Because Broadway auditions aren’t about one perfected routine.

They’re about how you show up in the moment.

The Biggest Shift: Performance vs. Storytelling

In competition dance, the goal is often:
“Watch what I can do.”

In musical theater, the goal becomes:
“Believe what I’m telling you.”

Sometimes the strongest performance isn’t the biggest one.

It’s the most honest one.

So What’s the “Right” Path?

There isn’t just one.

The best path is the one that:
• supports your child’s goals
• fits your family’s lifestyle
• builds well-rounded skills
• keeps the joy of performing alive

For some, that includes competition.

For others, it looks like focused training programs that develop triple-threat performers—without the competition track.

What Actually Prepares Performers for Broadway

Regardless of the path, the training should include:

• Acting classes (objectives, choices, character development)
• Voice training (technique + storytelling)
• Musical theater dance styles
• Performance opportunities that include singing and speaking
• Audition skills and confidence

That combination is what builds a true performer.

At Ignite the Light…

We believe there is more than one way to grow.

Our programs are designed to:
• train strong dancers
• develop confident actors and singers
• create versatile, well-rounded performers

All while building great humans first.

Because the performers who succeed long-term are not just talented—

They’re adaptable, kind, and ready for anything.

If Broadway Is the Dream

Know this:

You don’t have to follow someone else’s path.

You don’t have to choose the most expensive or most intense option.

You just need the right training, the right environment, and the right support.

Ready to Find Your Path?

We’d love to meet your performer and help you figure out what makes the most sense for your goals.

Whether that’s:
• a trial class
• a placement recommendation
• or a plan to build triple-threat skills

We’re here to help.

Come take a free trial class and let’s help your spark grow into something unstoppable.

�� Ashburn, VA (Goose Creek Village)
�� (703) 857-3858
�� ignitetlpa.com