Glossophobia: Fear of Public Speaking

November 2015
Glossophobia: Fear of Public Speaking
How Performing Arts Helps People Conquer the Most Common Fear
Public Speaking remains the #1 phobia.
1. Glossophobia – Public Speaking
2. Necrophobia – Fear of Death
3. Arachnophobia – Fear of Spiders
4. Achluphobia – Fear of Darkness
5. Acrophobia – Fear of Heights
Could you imagine that speaking in front of a
group could be fun and stress-free? Studies show
that public speaking is the number one phobia.
The good news? The stress and anxiety of
speaking before a group can be reduced
or avoided if the issue is addressed at young age.
Virtuoso Performing Arts not only provides a
safe place to explore speaking in front of a group;
it provides the tools for a student to break free of
labels like shy, inhibited, and introverted. On the
very first day of classes, VPA students are up in
front of the group sharing fun personal facts,
working with props and performing pantomimes.
After our 32-week acting course, we've seen shy
and quiet students express themselves boldly at
our May Showcase performance!
VPA's Acting Instructor, David Zizic, has created a
new way for students to express their feelings in
front of a group: "Feeling Flowers" is a fun new
acting technique game. Yellow flowers symbolize
happiness, white flowers represent anger, other
colors call for various feelings as well. There's
even a multi-color bunch of flowers that
symbolizes craziness!
Students hold one bunch of flowers and say
"These are my happy flowers", while acting with
the corresponding emotion. There's an emotional
rollercoaster effect when all the flowers are being
passed around the circle. Expressing feelings in a
fun group activity leads to the shedding of
inhibition and prepares the student to confidently
approach more advanced solo work.
8120 Lehigh Avenue, Morton Grove, Illinois 60053
Acting also builds confidence in academic areas.
The American Alliance for Theatre & Education
found that students involved in drama
performance “scored an average of 65.5 points
higher on the verbal component and 35.5 points
higher in the math component of the SAT.” Acting
develops listening skills, reading comprehension,
as well as social skills among children.
Visit our website to sign up for a Trial Pass for any
Virtuoso Performing Arts class or private lesson.
Or simply register for a season of classes at our
website today!
VirtuosoPerformingArts.com
847-998-9900