It’s never to early to introduce children to performing arts
Luca Cravotta probably doesn’t remember the first ballet he ever attended, but he was in good company. At 5 months old, he watched “Cinderella” while squeezing the finger of Patricia McBride, legendary dancer, associate artistic director of Charlotte Ballet and a 2014 Kennedy Center Honoree. To the rest of us, this is extraordinary. To Luca, McBride is simply one of his mom’s colleagues. Ayisha McMillan Cravotta, Charlotte Ballet academy director and Luca’s mom, laughs when she recalls this story some five years later.
“We were able to approach it with a lot of flexibility since I work for the ballet and my husband [Jeff Cravotta] is a photographer and does a lot of work for the ballet,” she says.
Most kids don’t get to see their first performance under such remarkable circumstances, but whenever and wherever it happens, introducing children to the arts can open a world of discovery.
Cravotta, who spent her early career performing with the Houston Ballet and North Carolina Dance eatre (now Charlotte Ballet), started dancing when she was 2 years old. She grew to love the art form and was a professional dancer for 11 years. In her role at Charlotte Ballet Academy, Cravotta oversees the artistic and educational programming for amateur dancers, age 3 to adult, ranging from novice to pre-professional. Cravotta shares her tips for best ways to introduce children to the magic of performing arts.
First Time
For very young children, consider starting with events that are less formal and specially tailored for kids. “My parents took me to a lot of live music performances,” Cravotta says. “Back when I was growing up, it was people like Raffi and folk musicians who hit the circuit. I remember storytelling as another really early way that I got engaged with performance.”
Denne historien er fra March 2019-utgaven av Charlotte Parent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2019-utgaven av Charlotte Parent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Covid-19 Legacy
How will this generation-definind event affect our children?
Four fun things to experience with your kids this month
Four fun things to experience with your kids this month
Staying Fit As a New Parent
It’s not impossible
Autism Diet Do's and Don'ts
Autistic individuals often have difficulties with sensory processing issues, sometimes called Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD.
Best Friends in the end
You can be friends with your child…just not yet
Therapeutic Riding
Teaching confidence, focus, and friendship, one ride at a time
A Cool Girl's Bedroom
WHEN DESIGNER JACY PAINTER KELLY, owner of Jacy Painter Kelly Interiors, took her family to New York City last summer, her 10-year-old daughter Lucy went crazy for the cool urban vibe of their downtown hotel room. It gave Lucy the itch to makeover her own bedroom in their Fort Mill home. She wanted more mature accents like silver wall sconces and velvet pillows, paired with punk rock elements like a graffiti-inspired bed frame and pink neon sign. Luckily her designer mom knew exactly how to tie it all together.
Three Charlotte Murals
An art critic and his 5-year-old daughter offer their thoughts on public artworks found around the city
Growing with Grace
Everyday etiquette for children and teenagers
The Pint-Sized Foodie
A visit to NC Red