From Cradle to Stage: How Early Years Performing Arts Experiences Are Tailored to the Developmental Capabilities of Babies and Toddlers

Abstract

Theatre for early years (TEY) has become increasingly popular around the world in the last 30 years but has struggled with legitimation. Scholars have challenged TEY's validity and have declared performance to children aged younger than 3 years to be frivolous or even impossible. However, new models of aesthetic sensitivity and intersubjectivity have become allied with artistic practice, as artists choose to collaborate with developmental specialists. This article provides case studies of recent early years performances and explores how they have been tailored to specific developmental stages throughout early childhood. The authors propose that this comparison of the routes by which contemporary artists combine age appropriateness, accessibility, and aesthetic validity may define two alternative models of current praxis.

The infant audience: The impact and implications of child development research on performing arts practice for the very young

“…Indeed, there is evidence that performances celebrating autonomy and participation may in fact contribute better both to engagement and to educational progress, compared to performances which only grant agency in a brief post-show session, or not at all (Fletcher-Watson et al, 2014).…”

“…The first performance designed for newborns, L’oiseau serein ( The Serene Bird ), premiered in France in 1987 (Ben Soussan and Mignon, 2006); more than 850 productions have since been created around the world, including opera, ballet, circus, classical music concerts, comedy, puppetry, live art, and interactive installations (Fletcher-Watson et al, 2014). Performances tend to be multi-sensory, engendering engagement by prioritising sensory stimuli.…”

Seen and not heard: participation as tyranny in Theatre for Early Years

“…Theatre for Early Years (also known as Theatre for the Very Young or TVY), which means theatrical events explicitly designed for audiences under 5-years old and their caregivers, has grown enormously in popularity since it emerged in the late 1970s (van de Water 2012;Fletcher-Watson et al, forthcoming). From installations to immersive theatre, from opera to ballet, professional performing arts for the youngest audiences now appear at venues around the world.…”

“I Know That It's Something That's Creating a Bond”: Fathers' Experiences of Participating in Baby Theater With Their Infants in South Africa

“…There has, however, been controversy over the usefulness of Theater for the Early Years, partly because the early performances were not tailored to the needs of very young children who were regarded as a difficult audience ( 29 ). But more recent developmental research and an understanding of neuroscience has changed the nature of performances ( 29 ). In recent years the scope of TEY has widened to include young audiences with autism and other cognitive disabilities ( 30 ).…”