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Preparing for College/Upper School Auditions


Katymac

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What did your dds think of Glinda ?

Dd and I loved Glinda (toss, toss :-D) but it was Elphaba who stole the show for us last night.

 

In fact I had a bit of a "moment" during Defying Gravity at the end of the first Act. It was so special that the second act was a bit of an anti-climax in comparison.

 

I agree with your hubby it's probably not my favourite show but it was well worth the money and I will never watch The Wizard of Oz in the same way again! :-)

 

Sorry mods we have gone way off topic!!

Edited by Kitschqueen_1
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Looks like you might be buying new tights then - she has an exam coming up too doesn't she?  Rather than yet another audition expense try and think of them as first bit of uniform bought for her new school/college in September!!!  Being positive here. 

 

Glinda - not actually spoken to DD yet but her friend disliked her voice.  DD just texted me her overall verdict.

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How anyone manages to keep their voice healthy performing night after night astounds me!

 

Guess its the same as a ballerina's feet, they are the tools of the trade and have to be looked after.

 

Definitely preferred Elphaba's voice but loved Glinda's characterisation :-)

Edited by Kitschqueen_1
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Glinda's voice is supposed to be a little 'grating' - Elphaba comments on it in 'What is this feeling?/Loathing' - but if Picturesinthefirelight's husband thought it sounds unhealthy, that's worrying. I saw Nikki Davis-Jones when she performed Elphaba in the West End production (she was the standby) and she most certainly didn't disappoint ;-)

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Musical Theatre is (apparently) split into two main levels

 

Level 3 is a sixth form qualification and equivilent to A levels - it's a BTEC Extended Level 3 in Performing Arts/Musical Theatre/Dance

Level 6 is a 'post' school qualification (I get mixed up between Further & Higher sorry) and is a BTEC level 6 in Performing Arts/Musical Theatre/Dance and it's the equivilent of second year degree

 

I think?

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Level 3 is the equivalent of A levels as Katymac says.   Level 6 is a Higher education qualification, the vocational equivalent to a degree.  Most of the dance and musical theatre colleges alike offer the level 6 Diploma validated by Trinity as their qualification for post 16 education - Tring, Elmhurst, ENNBS, Hammond, Northern Ballet School etc.  This is the qualification that DADAs are offered for.  I don't think it is a BTEC.  After graduating with a level 6 diploma students have the option to do further academic units to gain a BA Honours degree.  Schools like Central offer the degree, rather than the diploma and that is why they get the normal student funding rather than DADAs.  

I know the RAD used to have a table on their website showing how RAD exams fit into the levels system.  It is a chart that shows how all the different qualifications - ballet, HNDs, diplomas, GCSEs, A levels etc compare but I was unable to find it to post a link. National Qualifications Framework is what I believe it is called.

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So, we have a tiny-weenie problem!

 

For Monologues & Songs 'wear non-dance clothes'

 

So that's her pyjamas, or school uniform (althought she is dancing in that next Thursday) or her PE kit or her Christmas day dress?

 

I think not - oh dear do we have tpo go shopping?

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OK - thinking now

 

Bright Orange (slightly shiney) formal trousers with a black, brown, beige & orang William Morris print smock & black Character shoes or black lace-ups?

 

Black & white handkerchief hem sundress leather jacket with black tights & canvas lace-up ankle boots

 

Great knitted dress with cream & cerise fairisle neckline, cerise tights & ankle boots

 

Umm green leaf patterned jeans with green & pastel cardi (1950's pattern with leather elbow pads)

 

Any of theses any good?

 

She tends to wear leotard, jeans & a tshirt - oh dear

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Perfect her dresses will do that - I think she has some more actually (bought for a show never again worn)

 

I'll have a fashion show (she'll hate it :rolleyes: )

 

Sorry I meant to say thanks for being so patient with me.........

Edited by Katymac
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Well looks like the bin for them then Katymac!! That's when I start binning or rather recycling mine when the holes start!!

When you mentioned holes and recycling tights LinMM it brought back memories of my ice skating days.

When I got holes in my tights , which was often from the blades, my Mum would cut one leg off 2 pairs of tights and I would both tights over each other making one good pair.

I know what my 2 DDs would say to that idea these days ;)

 

And just for the record we saw Kerry Ellis in Wicked.... Amazing!! She is my DD's inspiration .

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It's all changed because of DD's mock exams.......but hopefully for the better?

 

Friday 29th Nov Audition            

Monday 2nd Dec Audition        
Saturday 7th Dec Audition          
Sunday 8th Dec Exam Grade 6     (not exactly relevant……but it’s in my list!)
Monday 9th Dec Audition            
Tuesday 10th Dec Audition         

Friday 13th Dec Audition       

Tuesday 17th Dec Audition        

 

I suppose if they were far apart it would be like a rollercoaster......at least this way she is on a high until it's all over

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It's amazing what energy you have when young though!!

 

In my first year of teaching could go out dancing till 2-3 am and turn up at school the next day all fresh and raring to go( and I certainly got tested on a daily basis in my first job up in Liverpool)

If I stayed up dancing till 2-3 now I'd probably need a day in bed to recover!

 

Good luck to your DD I'm sure she'll be fine with it all and not too much time to brood if things don't go perfectly one day.

Does she have a preference for where she wants to go?

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Well we get subsidised train travel as DH is a medically retired employee & we stay at travelodges or with family so it's not too bad

 

Plus every year we normally do about 8-10 ballroom comps & this year we aren't because the priorities have shifted. I think comps cost more as all 3 of us go. DD. Will go by herself to Arts Ed, Brit, Urdang & possibly Bodyworks/Millenium. I'll go to Laine, Bird, Performers & we don't know about Italia Conti.

 

As we really don't know how good she is we need to keep our options open a bit. Despite her teachers confidence.

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I said I would post a bit about psychological preparation for auditions so here is first instalment.

 

Auditions by there very nature will evoke a sense of anxiety. This in itself can be helpful to enhance performance but it can be useful to explore ways of regulating this and having a few tools which you can call on if you feel the need.

 

The first step is to have a mini emotional toolbox in addition your dance clothes. Firstly, a few items which can help with grounding. You can experiment with this a bit but one of the things which is well used within psychology is the grounding power of scent. We can all relate to this to some degree or other when we suddenly become aware of a scent and it immediately brings online a memory of a past association with a particular scent. Scent has a rapid impact on certain pathways in the brain so can be drawn upon as a grounding object as part of an audition toolbox. You can be creative with this. Choosing a favourite essential oil and having it on a tissue in your dance bag can be a subtle way of grounding on way or before audition. Nobody would think anything of carrying a tissue. Oils such as lavender, grapefruit, orange, geranium are good and often used in psychology services. The other option is to find a hand cream or lotion which you like and have this in your bag. Experiment until you find a scent which appears to have a grounding effect. It is not so much about the scent properties but more the associations built up around it. This is an easy strategy that dancers and dancing parents can draw upon. It is used regularly in psychological trauma services so the therapeutic power of scent as a grounding strategy has been well researched.

I will post further on imagery, grounding strategies used within psychology plus how to "thank your thoughts for their unhelpful contributions and harness the ones which can keep you focused".

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