This summer, I had the opportunity to go to AMDA, The American Musical Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles to be part of their two week summer conservatory program.I was able to be a part of a community with so many people passionate about the performing arts. You could tell at every moment that the people around you knew what they were doing, loved what they were doing, and loved perfecting their craft. I’ve been trying to perfect my craft performing in every Timothy musical and play I could since 8th grade and student directing the middle school musicals since my freshman year. AMDA was another great opportunity, a whole new world with new horizons to pursue.

There were three disciplines that we were separated into: Musical Theater (MT for short), Acting for Stage and Screen, and Dance, but regardless of which discipline we signed up for, we were all together all the time. I met so many friends, teachers, performers well known in their industry, and we all grew to love each other very quickly. 

My friends from the program and I still discuss how different it is to be in a primarily performing arts environment. Since making a career out of performing is rather ambitious for everyone who does it, being passionate about it is important. Having this common passion and ambition allowed us to make friends with the teachers, counselors, guest speakers, and each other. So much so that we would have parties in the back patio of the dorms, sing and dance the night away, and get up early the next day ready for another 14 hours of classes and activities. 

As the program started coming to a close, we all had the opportunity to audition for AMDA’s college programs and perform live showcases for the other students. That’s why our classes emphasized the importance of audition procedures and creative techniques to develop character in every performance. After AMDA, my love for performing has increased, and I can safely attribute that to all the people I met at AMDA who supported me and encouraged me during every performance and rehearsal. As I plan on pursuing performing arts as a career, it’s nice to know I have friends and connections and encouragement here at Timothy as well as across the country.