Qualifications required for professional work?

[P1P]

I wonder if any of the members can help ?

What if any qualifications are required for a professional ballet contract abroad ?

Are work permits required and if so does it have to be a dance diploma to qualify for one?

As these are awarded at the end of the academic year how will this affect those offered jobs/contracts during the year?

Do they have to complete this during the year by distance learning?

Thank you in advance

[Pas de Quatre]

No formal qualification is needed for any professional ballet contract.  Everything is by audition.  The dancer(s) they like the best get the job.  Sometimes auditions are by invitation only.  A few audition notices stipulate that the dancer must have completed a three year formal training course.  Others also require a certain number of years professional experience.

[Jan McNulty]

For EU countries I assume work permits are not required but I expect they will be for anywhere else.

 

Not dance related, but people I know who have gone to work in non-EU countries have needed to be "sponsored" by the company that has offered them the job.

[Kate_N]

What others have said is accurate, in my knowledge/experience. I think the stipulation of a dance diploma for auditions etc is to weed out those who are clearly not going to be up to the standard required - to save them embarrassment, and the auditioners' time! It gives everyone an idea of where the benchmark for standards will be set.

[2dancersmum]

As others have said, jobs are awarded on the basis of an audition. Each company will list its criteria for applicants. Some may state that an applicant must have 3 years formal dance training, others aske for so many years of experience, many specify heights or that you need to be an EU passport holder.

 

You also ask about the completion of a dance diploma if you leave before the end of the academic year. If you are talking about the level 6 Trinity diploma, then it will depend on individual circumstances for if the dancer is able to graduate with the diploma.The diploma requires assessment of technical and performance skills as well as the academic content so it will depend how much assessment has taken place. I would presume academics can be finished away from the school, provided the work is handed in by the appriate deadline. I do know of dancers who have left before the end of the 3 years training and still been able to graduate with the diploma, but likewise I know of a few that have not.

[Harwel]

Am I correct in thinking that if you complete 2 years of the diploma you get a level 5, assuming the work is up to date? A student I know of has just completed 2 years, has been offered a professional contract which starts end of 2016 and has been told that may get her level 6 as all course work has been completed and to a very high level.

[2dancersmum]

Harwel, I don't think there is a standard answer as it varies from student to student. The Trinity diploma is part internally assessed by the course provider and moderated by Trinity and part externally assessed ie by Trinity so I think they look at each student on a case by case basis. The performance part is externally assessed and there are criteria that have to be met.

[Harwel]

Thanks 2dancers.