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Preparing for College/Upper School Auditions


Katymac

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Hi Katymac

Having" been in your shoes"  last year my advice would be to have all the leos ,tights and accessories in an  "audition case", dd had one of those with wheels, and let your dd get on with it.

Conflict over leotards  with an auditioning teenager is futile and will only serve to upset you. I have been in this very situation and she did what she wanted anyway.

I tried to post to you on NAPM but couldn't remember my password, here is what from our experience dd needed although she didn't do as many auditions as your dd.

 

Classical leotard and  convertible tights for ballet

Brighter colored leotard and black tights for jazz/ own solo.....tights worn over top of leotard ,would also recommend this for tap.

Hair accessories put in some pump action gel spray as some buildings don't allow use of aerosols.

Clothes used for singing were anything from nice tracksuit to dresses nothing too formal.

Whether your dd can change clothes in between classes will be governed on which groups she is in and the running order.DD arrived at Bird immaculate bun for ballet only to find she was in the group that sang first and had to take it all out.

My dd used the same solos,monolugues and songs for each audition.

A major item, and one we didn't have for Bird ,red lipstick  ;)

 

If your dd has everything with her she can see what others are doing and follow their lead .

My DD 's second leo was a lovely long sleeved lace one.....I let her choose this one ......my dd has a generous bust and for the ballet she had a Capezio bra-tek gave her a lovely shape.

 

You made me smile about messing up your spreadsheet......It is a very stressful time indeed ,wishing you and your dd lots of luck ......PM me if you want to know anything as we were just MT not ballet.

 

 

 

 

.

What brilliant and comprehensive advice. :-)

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I can't work out how to post pictures of DD's hair!  She is very afro and her hair is wild - but the biggest issue is once it has been in a ballet bun it looks a bit tatty out

 

& I don't know how it will look after Audition 2 or 3 as it's only great just washed & we normally only wash once a week

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Maybe for Ballroom comps we wash, then ponytail (for Ballroom), then loose in a headband (for Latin) & that might work but generally we find post bun it's sort of backcombed itself - so it doesn't look good loose.  It would probably be OK in a ponytail..... DD & I can't do braids & it costs about £80 by us

 

I haven't added hairwashing to my spreadsheet.....yet!

 

She is still thinking about leotards & is thinking about spending her Birthday money on a coloured one...maybe!

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Stick to the pony tail / bun, leave the leotard business up to her and...relax !. x

I would agree with Ellie .......Let her do her hair how she would normally you will be very surprised once she starts auditioning to the young people who turn up and what they look like.......some of them will even have short hair  so cannot have a bun .It really isn't like when you turn up for a classical ballet course where everyone hasn't a hair out of place.

I would try appealing to any friends or looking on ebay before spending loads of birthday money a leotard although it will come in handy once she starts college, as my dd wanted half a doz more and where she is there isn't a uniform as such.

I always find a nice glass of prosecco will help with the latter. ;)

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Definitely time to relax a little - you have done all you can.  She will need your support even more when the results start coming through, you will frazzle if you dont stop, you'll burn out. 

 

Its important but not the end of the world, its learning how to deal with the little mishaps which prepare you for the bigger ones in life, if everything is too regimented and organised she will become reliant on your wonderful skills, take a back seat. :)

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At the end of the day they are looking at the child's potential do not worry about leotard colour, hair or lipstick. Yes be prepared but calm down and enjoy the experience, think about any questions you have for them as remember as this is where you child could be living for the next few years, you are auditioning them as well. Remember this is just the start of a long journey that can take lots of different paths.

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My mum is surprised at how calm I am; I've explained it's because I have a secret weapon - you guys

 

Nothing scares me more than the unknown (I've even had CBT for it) but with the info you are giving me I can make spreadsheets and flow charts and rich pictures and all sorts of systems diagrams which are my coping techniques.

 

Have re-read Bird & Laine & they say nothing at all about make-up <phew> but we might buy one 'just in case' it will make DD look very yellow tho'

 

2 years ago she hadn't been to the local town on her own, tonight she is staying in London by herself - this is all because of you guys (& NotaPushyMum & Mumsnet) I could never have done it without you

 

Thank you (& my mum thanks you too!)

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At DDs school they are told the red lipstick is because black leotards and pale skin can make the girls look a bit washed out so its just a splash of colour to liven up the complexion. Given your DDs skin tone and your comment about looking yellow I really would not worry about it. You are both well prepared. Try and just enjoy the journey now and see where it leads you both.

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Not disagreeing with you spanner. I quite agree with the general advice to stick to given requirements but I think make-up probably comes as optional and you still have to bear in mind what suits you. I know at DDs auditions there were girls with quite heavy makeup and others with none but ultimately the audition panel are looking at the candidates performance in the audition and their potential.

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Katymac just a small heads up for your DD when she auditions at Laines. Miss Laine is very hot on the "image" you project so I suggest some makeup. It doesnt have to be over the top but if she gets offered a place there she will be expected to wear makeup every day. When I was there woe betide any girl to turn up without any makeup, if she saw you without any she would tell you to go and put some on! Little things like this might make a difference and it cant hurt.

 

Hope you dont mind me saying!

Dramascientist

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I do think that for seniors ie post 16 then a little flattering makeup is fine.

 

However its a good idea to look at the websites of the schools you are auditioning for and their rules concerning wearing make up or grooming for existing pupils. If heavy make up is not allowed for pupils then it makes sense not to go to audition caked in it!

 

I would also advise men and boys look at rules concerning hair For example when at WL my ds always had to have short hair.

 

Guess what I am saying is, when auditioning try to look the part....

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Katymac just a small heads up for your DD when she auditions at Laines. Miss Laine is very hot on the "image" you project so I suggest some makeup. It doesnt have to be over the top but if she gets offered a place there she will be expected to wear makeup every day. When I was there woe betide any girl to turn up without any makeup, if she saw you without any she would tell you to go and put some on! Little things like this might make a difference and it cant hurt.

Hope you dont mind me saying!

Dramascientist

Absolutely. Laines students have to be immaculate.

One of my ex students loved it there by the way. For some reason she once went in with pink hair and was full of trepidation when called to see Miss Laine who strongly abvised her to keep the look as it suited her!

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She will wear 'light' make-up; probably eye liner, mascara& lipstick.  Probably in browns - she is stabbing the pins in to keep her ballet bun attached to her head (apparently) & she is wearing a black leotard as it's her best colour!

 

I have been 'told' !!

 

No foundation, as she sweats, no black eyeliner as it's 'false' & 'for going out' and lipstick 'that suits me'

 

 

 

I do wish I could post photos here - it would make life so much easier

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I have seen pics of your dd & I've also spoken to stage make up manufacturers asking for advice on make up for mixed race students.

 

The general consensus was they seem to need less foundation unless they have an uneven skin tone.

 

I've personally never liked the sound of Laines in that respect - from people I've spoken to who have either studied or auditioned there its a bit like marmite! You love it or hate it.

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A few more tips:

 

Take a water bottle that doesn't leak! The last thing you need is to get there and find a bag full of damp kit :wacko:

 

Use two hair elastics instead of one.

 

Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged and that you have the school contact details with you in case you are delayed on the way there.

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It was a pot of yogurt last week - fortunately she has learnt to keep food away from clothes & in a bag!!

 

She has a folder with:

College letter

Sheet music

Train tickets

Hotel info

CDs

 

Plus a second folder with all her songs/CDs in her rucksack at the bottom with her spare dance kit (totally on advise from here)

 

My mum was talking again about how calm I was!! And my deputy is sorting out the shifts I'm off to go with her. She is doing 3 alone, 3 with me because she can't get there without me and 2 she has asked me to come. Which I think is a good balance

 

We are geTting there (I think) & my spreadsheet is nearing completion!!

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The extra copies of the CD tracks (for solo dances and the colleges that don't want sheet music) that are going in her emergency 'spare' stuff

 

Would you put them on individual CD's like for the auditions or would you just stick them all on one CD?

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Pointe shoes scrubbed and ribbons unpicked - new ribbons to be added once they are dry

 

the ouch pouches were filthy!!!

 

& I have lost (or not bought) a brand new pair of satin ballet shoes.......

 

I have recorded 10 CDs (I used separate in the end) & have most of the copies of sheet music

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I think tomuchtalent asked about socks for year 7 auditions - unrelated to Katymac's audition prep. :-)

 

I have moved the question about socks (and the related replies) into this thread for neatness:

 

http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/4999-questions-about-lower-school-auditions/page-2

 

I've also edited this thread's title as it is mostly, if not all, about auditions for colleges/upper schools.

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Nah & she went on pointe late - she's only been doing Ballet for about 2 years 2months & went on pointe this February

 

She is 15 (16 next Thursday)

 

About that 'relax' stuff, I honestly don't know how.....I don't really have a relaxing life - in between a full-time (self-employed) job, a full-time daughter :rolleyes:  and a disabled husband; I live by adrenaline & the seat of my pants!!!

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Well a few people have shared my spreadsheet & the reactions range from 'you completely insane control freak' to 'actually I quite like this; can I use it for my DD'

 

I run a nursery, and we have these "That's not my....." books all different colours; when things are particularly stress-y they get put in rainbow order; not alphabetical order, you understand, rainbow order!! (it's to do with controlling the things you can, because then you stress less about the things you can't)

 

So far they have only been in rainbow order twice this autumn - when my mum had a fall & the first night DD stayed away from home in London

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