Michael Pereira packs a punch when it comes to performing arts, since being chosen to represent the province at the South African Championships of Performing Arts and the National Eisteddfod in August.
The six-year-old Maragon Private Schools Grade 0 pupil received two gold, two silver and three bronze medals at the national competition in April, and qualified to represent South Africa in Los Angeles.
Michael is proving that art, be it narrative or dramatic, can be taken seriously as a profession and is achieving great heights with his talent.
Michael’s mother, Kirsty Pereira, says he loved watching his 10-year-old sister perform and started memorising all of her acts and poems.
“It got to a point where we had to ask him to not say her pieces when she was performing on stage because he would be much louder than her.”
With more talented performers in the house than some parents are blessed with, Michael’s parents enrolled him at the Linda Theron Drama Studio in January this year.
His drama teacher Linda Theron said, “He started accompanying his sister to classes when he was just three years old and he would sit there and memorise her work, so I encouraged his mom to bring him in and we began classes”.
When competition season is in full swing, Michael spends a lot of time on solos in both small and large groups. Daily rehearsals are non-negotiable, either at home or at the studio.
“We usually have 18 weekends to practise before competing,” Theron informed.
“When you are working with little children, you need to keep everything light and entertaining. Michael does half an hour of drama a week, and closer to performances, practises daily at home. He learns the poems and monologues through repetition, pictures and movement. Drama has allowed him the freedom to be all kinds of characters and even deal with life’s issues in a positive manner,” she added.
Michael recently took part in the culture evening at Maragon, reciting a dramatic poem on Being the Boss. He received four diamond certificates, one platinum and one gold the RACA National Eisteddfod in August.
On 28 September, he took the top prize as the category winner for prepared mime and monologue, ultimately winning as the overall individual of the pre-primary school section.
Kirsty adds, “Drama with such a young child has its ups and downs regardless of everything. It goes from ‘I want to get dressed and perform’ to ‘I don’t feel like it today; I just enjoy putting stickers in my book’. Every day is different, depending on how he feels and we just take it one step at a time.”
