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EYB audition/rehearsals


Waltzingmatilda

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My DD is considering auditioning for the senior audition age group for the first time but would not know anyone else auditioning.  Has anyone had a DC who was in this situation and selected and if so how did they got on when rehearsals started?  Were they ok or did most other DC know each other?  Also, DD only does about 15mins pointe a week so would she still be considered for a pointe part as I am not sure if her feet would cope but I expect they could tell at casting if her feet looked strong enough or not for a pointe part wouldn't they? (obviously I realise she may not get that far)!  

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My DD did EYB several times without knowing anyone else before she started. She made new friends on each occasion. Even if a group of friends are accepted together, there's no guarantee that they will be in the same group, so DCs who are on their own don't seem to have problems making friends as a general rule.

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My DD has done EYB several times,the first time she didn't know anyone but quickly made friends. The second time some of the girls she had previously made friends with were there again so she had them plus new friends. She is back again this year and won't know anyone as all her friends from EYB are doing a different performance. She hasn't ever had anyone from her dance school with her but this hasn't stopped her from having a fantastic time.

Regarding pointe work they are very good at working out who is strong enough plus they appreciate the girls aren't professionals and are therefore not use to being en pointe for hours on end.

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At. The audition they are particularly looking for performance quality! They are very good at adapting roles to suit the dancers and what might have been a group dance en pointe at one performance might be changed to reflect the strength of that group and done in flats. Equally they are good at pushing to help with confidence! Brilliant organisation! My dd went to her first audition without knowing anyone and made friends with another dancer who is still a friend over 10 years later!

 

Heather

Taximom

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My DD did eyb a number of years ago, not knowing many if any other people there and made some very close friendships which she still has today. She hasn't done any pointe before the audition and pestered her dance teacher to allow her to get pointe shoes and had one lesson before the casting. She was chosen for a pointe part but was given a lot of extra coaching by the principles, often on a 1-1 basis.

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I did eyb in 2015 and didnt know anyone else beforehand but had a great time and made loads of friends who im still in contact with now! and I hadnt done much pointe either, I was in the corps de ballet and my pointe work improved very quickly through rehearsals!! they also gave the option if you weren't comfortable enough en pointe you can do it in soft shoes in the same group :)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi there

 

My DD wants to go to the Junior audition and doesn't know anyone.  That doesn't bother me so much as she really wants to do it and approached me about it after seeing a poster.  I know she will make friends and she is very chatty.

 

I am more nervous that a Grade 2 the others will all be in much higher grades and she wont get through.  Does anyone know if they take Grade 2 dancers in the Juniors?  I just want to set her expectations as she is soooo keen.

 

Thanks 

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Hi there

 

My DD wants to go to the Junior audition and doesn't know anyone. That doesn't bother me so much as she really wants to do it and approached me about it after seeing a poster. I know she will make friends and she is very chatty.

 

I am more nervous that a Grade 2 the others will all be in much higher grades and she wont get through. Does anyone know if they take Grade 2 dancers in the Juniors? I just want to set her expectations as she is soooo keen.

 

Thanks

Hi Poodle,

We went to an audition last year and got chatting to a parent who's daughter was chosen and she'd only just done her grade 2 exam. I recognised some children from local dance schools and I don't think they were higher than grade 2. The girl who was awarded the half scholarship was amongst those.

My daughter had only been studying grade1 at a 'proper' ballet school for 6 months and also had a bad cold so we weren't expecting her to get picked, it was a valuable experience and I think we'll go again in 2018 :-)

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Hi ,in my opinion and experience, they are looking for happy children who engage eye contact with the 'judges',look as if they are enjoying their dancing and also have the ability to pick up the steps quickly.

 

Good luck. Do let us know!

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Agree that the kids they choose tend to pick up steps quickly and are willing to give it a go. I think that they are also looking for performance. My DD has auditioned twice for EYB and was offered a place both times. On the second occasion, she was one of about 6 pulled out for the Scholarship exercise. Miss Lewis commented at the end of that exercise that the group had been selected because of their ability to project to the audience. As others have said, the audition itself is a lovely experience but it can be a bit of a crush with over 100 children on stage!

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My daughter auditioned 3.5 years ago when she had just taken her Grade 1 exam and, on that occasion, was unsuccessful.  She auditioned again last summer and was one of the children pulled out for the scholarship bit but didn't get one as she stopped 'performing' and showed off her technique instead - so important for EYB to perform at all times!  She was given two lovely duet roles though in The Sleeping Beauty Oxford performance

and absolutely loved it.  She's now at vocational school so doubt she'll be able to audition again but she said it really helped cement her ambitions and she is so happy to (a) to have the opportunity to perform with them and (B) that the next step on her way to her dream was achieved 2 days after her final performances.  When she auditioned the first time round, she did find it qutie daunting as had never auditioned for anything before but that  also ended up being a positive experience as she used it to help her for her audition the following year for RBS JAs and everything else that has come her way since then.  Like so many, she didn't really know many people when she started EYB, particularly as the few she did know were all doing different groups to her but she still made new friends.

Edited by dancefanatic
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Thanks everyone for your comments really appreciate your replies.

 

Some good tips there to pass on to my daughter, she is looking forward to the audition experience.  It does sound daunting with 100 dancers on the stage, I am just nervous for her :-)

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Thanks everyone for your comments really appreciate your replies.

 

Some good tips there to pass on to my daughter, she is looking forward to the audition experience.  It does sound daunting with 100 dancers on the stage, I am just nervous for her :-)

Don't worry - safety in numbers as everyone dances together in rows, with the front row moving to the back after each exercise.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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