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Questions about Upper School auditions


Anna C

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Does anyone know what the Central pre-finals open day entails? Are they required to dance at all? Thank you.

No dancing last year - it was literally an open day to watch the school and students at work. You just wear ordinary clothes and get to watch various classes and a Ballet Central rehearsal. Dd remembers a talk in the library too.

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The day was very well worth going to. Even though we didn't in the end choose to go with Central, the day really made us feel very positive towards a school we'd previously known little about. We saw one third year student dancing that I could have literally watched all day...

 

We watched several classes, had a tour of the school, had a talk with the physio/nutrition people, a talk from one of the accommodation providers and also a talk from the deputy head. The deputy head's talk definitely let the school down. It was a pity the principal wasn't available on the day, but hopefully s/he will be this year.

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  • 7 months later...

Hi,

I am currently 15 (16 next january) and I have been planning to audition for vocational training: I would be due to start post 16 (upper school) vocational training in September 2017. So obviously, auditions are coming up very soon. Unfortunatley, I injured my ankle back in April and my MRI scan is in November, meaning it is highly unlikely that I will be able to audition this year (I know some schools have auditions starting as early as November - like Elmhurst, with others not till Jan/Feb time. Realistically I do not think I will be better to audition and even if I am it will take me a while to regain my fitness and I doubt I would be succesful in the audition). So, my question is would I be able to audition the following year and start a year late, (in 2018) but start from the beginning of the course? So I'd go in with the other 16 year olds but I'd actually be 17. I hope this makes sense! Thanks for reading.  :)

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  • 1 month later...

Does anyone know the ratio of 16 year olds against 18 year olds accepted on the dance (musical theatre) courses at Laine, Bird, Performers,Urdang etc?

Might be a tad late, just thought I would add to your question regarding Birds and other similar colleges. 16 year olds can only study the Dip level of qualification. 18 yr old applicants have the option of the Dip or the BA(Hons). Hence the reason I believe that so many continue with their A levels and apply at 18. Thus ensuring a backup Plan B is already in place. 

I know that Birds like to see the post 16 boys auditioning to be physically developed in their upper body strength due to the partner work on the course. That info was hot off the press from 2 weeks ago during a recent audition by a friends son. As far as employ-ability goes I don't think there is a huge difference between the Dip and BA qualification at open auditions. As the director/audition panel don't tend to look at the CV (qualifications) just headshots and how the candidate performs on the day. It all depends which path you wish to take your career. 

 

I know quite a few that hold the Dip and BA qualifications. Many have been very successful with just a few gaps in employment since graduation. The only overwhelming comment made by those that went to MT college at 16 is that they wish they had taken their A levels. Now they are approaching their late 20's some are embarking on distant learning which is challenging to balance, work, training and studying along with the costs involved. 

 

Hope that helped a little bit  

Edited by balletbean
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Please can anyone offer any insight into RBS upper school audition timings (London 5th Feb)?

I'm trying to sort travel and am keen to know what time we might be free to leave. Info from last year much appreciated, thanks.

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Is this prelims? If so in the past there are a number of sessions in the day. So timings will depend on which group your dc is in. Think actual audition was 1.5 hours long. Had a time slot when you could arrive from.

Thank you. We've got an email now with a time slot so feel able to give them a call to clarify finish time.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I guess not everyone wants to share all at this stage. My DD is auditioning but I'm not one to post too much detail and haven't got anything to add to what others have already posted. Happy to talk on a PM with you or anyone else if you'd like to?????

 

We haven't done Rambert yet though so can't help with that.

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16 year olds can only study the Dip level of qualification. 18 yr old applicants have the option of the Dip or the BA(Hons). Hence the reason I believe that so many continue with their A levels and apply at 18. Thus ensuring a backup Plan B is already in place. 

 

 

 

Late answer sorry but I just wanted to add to this comment.

For most of this colleges, age i.e. under or over 18 is not what is relevant. To be offereda place on a BA (Hons), you must have passed A'levels or equivalent irrespective of your age. If you come from Scotland where they do their Highers at 17 or if you have been accelerated at school and have already passed A'levels, you can get in a BA Hons before 18 unless the school specifically states you have to be 18 (Millelium for example). Not at Bird, Urdang, LSC nor Rambert...

 

My 2 DDs started a BA Hons and got offers at respectively 17 and 16.

 

Having said that, I agree with the fact that having A'levels or equivalent is a wise move for the future.

 

Hope it helps...

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Very happy to share info about audition processes etc, but so far dd has only been to Elmhurst. I posted quite a bit about that on the Elmhurst thread. Hammond and Tring next week, so will feedback about those when they are done.

Pleased to hear about others' experiences if anyone has information to share.

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I'll be happy to share as well about Tring but it will be about Drama... It could be useful for some, you never know.

Anyway, DD3 is auditioning for the 6th form Drama course early Feb. If someone is interested, let me know.

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DD is auditioning too but I am bracing myself quietly. She is only applying to highly competitive schools (her choice, not mine). She is through to Elmhurst finals so we're going to have to wait until March, if not much later, to work out where she will be heading. Such a ghastly process!

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We did Rambert on 6th Jan five girls were kept back to do solos out of all of those auditioning. There were about twenty four in the class in total. They ran very behind and auditions started very late due to them overrunning in the morning.

Thanks for this information. Have results come out yet and if so, do you know if there is any link between those asked to do solos and offers made? Useful to be forewarned about over running too.

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DD is auditioning too but I am bracing myself quietly. She is only applying to highly competitive schools (her choice, not mine). She is through to Elmhurst finals so we're going to have to wait until March, if not much later, to work out where she will be heading. Such a ghastly process!

I'm finding it hard too, Flora. It's tough that we don't know when we will know - I think that's one of the hardest things for me as I am an organiser and prefer to be in control! Dd is also at Elmhurst finals in March, so we may see you there. At least when there are finals, you hear when the results are out, which I think is better than the wondering I will do about when we will hear from places which don't hold finals.

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They email results really quickly only a couple of days before you get a response. From speaking to others offers not made unless you are asked to perform a solo even then no guarantee of offer, rambert said this wasn't the case but I know if many who have auditioned and this has always happened but as I say I can't guarantee it just going on experience. Good luck for the auditions

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It's all so tough isn't it? Applying to the good schools and the long wait to know for sure if you can actually go or not, whether it's finals or funding finals. I guess that's also part of parents appeal for Rambert, if you get a place you get a place, funding/finals not an issue... just the small hurdle of getting a place!!

 

The 5 girls keep back was that just from one of the sessions that day or both? Does anyone know if you're in the morning session, do you have to wait until after the afternoon session for everyone that day to do solos together or is it straight away?

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