First of all without looking below, write “(live) performing arts” in the middle of a blank piece of A3 paper and brainstorm categories, sub-categories and examples of that as a mind map.
Use the categories below to organise and expand on your mind map, then brainstorm more sub-categories and examples.
Suggested categories of performing arts
animal training
cabaret
circus skills
comedy
dance
drama/ theatre/ plays
magic/ illusion(ism)
mime
music
music hall/ variety/ vaudeville
musical drama/ musical theatre
people
performance art
puppetry
readings
street parades
street performance
talent shows
venues/ places
Try to put the examples on the following pages in at least one place on your mind map, then brainstorm more. You can use a dictionary at this stage if you like.
Ask about any which you couldn’t put on your mind map then suggest extra ones which you put on your mind map and which aren’t here.
Are there any performing arts specific to your country? Where would they fit on the mind map? How would you describe them?
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Examples
acrobatics
am dram
ambient
amphitheatre
ancient Greek drama
banjo
baton twirling
brass band
breakdance
Broadway
burlesque
busking
card tricks
chanson
cheerleading
chillout
Chinese opera/ Beijing opera
choreographer
classical ballet
clowning
comedy duo/ double act
contortionists
court music
covers band
dance music/ EDM
diabolo
disappearing tricks
dog tricks
drag shows
easy listening
escapology
experimental theatre
farce
fire eating
flea circus
folk dance
folk music
fringe theatre
gig
happenings
hip hop dancing
human pyramid
improv/ improvisation
indie/ alternative rock
interactive theatre
juggling
knife throwing
lasso
lion training
lip synching
live music venue
living statue
lute
marching bands
Merseybeat
mind reading
modern dance/ contemporary dance
musical
native classical music
nativity (play)
off Broadway
off off Broadway
one man band
one man shows
open air concert
opera
opera house
operetta
panto/ pantomime
plate spinning
poetry readings/ poetry recitals
pop
rap/ hip hop
rep/ repertory theatre
revue
school play
shadow puppets
Shakespeare in the Park
sketches
snake charming
stand up
stilts
the street
string quartet
sword swallowing
tap dancing
(circus) tent
(open air) theatre
tightrope walking
tragedy
trapeze
tribute band
underground theatre
unicycle
ventriloquism
West End
Western classical music
world music
yoyo
zither
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PDF version for easy saving and printing: Brainstorming performing arts vocabulary
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