Preparing for College/Upper School Auditions

[Katymac]

DD has a lot of auditions (not Ballet but MT - but she will do Ballet at each one)

 

So good food, lots of rest, multi-vitamins, face-mask to avoid catching germs     .......what can you do to be on top form?

[2dancersmum]

I think you have it covered - just don't forget to have enough of everything you need - tights, leotards, hair stuff.  Your DD has a lot of auditions in a short space of time so take a deep breath and go with the flow.  I hope she enjoys each and every one of her auditions and fingers crossed for a successful outcome.

[taxi4ballet]

Could you talk to your dd's school PE department and explain about upcoming auditions - and ask whether it would be possible to miss things like trampolining, cross-country running etc in the weeks leading up to the auditions, so as to minimise the chance of injury?

[Pas de Quatre]

How about a flu vaccination?

[Katymac]

She is due a flu vaccination - but they won't do it except on Saturdays & on Saturdays she is in London - I'll chase it up & pay if necessary to get it sorted

 

She doesn't do games or PE anyway; we have a flexi-schooling thing going on & that was the first to go; we have to provide evidence of 2 hours exercise a week , 2 hrs!!! (I wish)

 

Yep tomorrow we are working out leotards/tights/shoes & doing an MOT on them all - she has a folder for each which will have college address/letter,song score, solo dance music & monologue for each but she is also taking her singing folder in case they don't like her song & her iPod in case her CD doesn't play is incompatable

 

One solo is a 'Jazz' solo - she has been working on a Lion King piece but it's more 'Contemporary Jazz' (apparently) is that safe? She has another she thought she would take in case.

[Thecatsmother]

I think there is a lot to be said for mental preparation in terms of managing anxiety and coping with the stresses of auditions. Maybe I will post some more on this if it is useful. Ultimately the only goal can be to perform to best of ability in the audition as the rest is out of your control but I do think that managing expectations and coping with being around multiple other potential dancers is perhaps something which is not talked about enough.

 

There are useful strategies to help manage performance anxiety. It can be good just to talk through any thoughts or beliefs that might emerge when placed in the stressful arena of auditions. It is an excellent skill for life in the theatre and one I wish I had known more about when I was dancing professionally. I guess for me the power of this kind of mindset is illustrated so well by watching the American gymnasts at work. Visualisation, challenging thoughts that induce anxiety and looking at the impact of comparing self to others are a few factors. Put simply, it can help so much if a dancer is able to harness an 'inner dialogue' which can be developed prior to auditions etc. it is almost like having your best friend in your head with you at the audition who is able to reassure and encourage.

 

There are also some v practical strategies which help generally with reducing anxiety which have been scientifically researched in different populations.

 

TBC if there is interest.

[Katymac]

Yes please

 

(anything for mums too? - I am really struggling with it atm; far more than she is)

[Fiz]

Katymac, some Boots and Tesco branches do drop in or short notice flu vaccinations for £10.

[Katymac]

Thanks Fizz - I'll see what I can arrange; she is a high risk so they might be a bit funny. I'll ring the GP tomorrow

[Lifeafterballet]

Cross training is an excellent way to prepare for auditions. Our dds vocational school is introducing an enrichment program including such sports as tennis, gymnastics and swimming. Dd played rugby, netball and ran cross-country right up to and after her auditions.

[Belljul]

Balleteacher, I would be interested in any tips you may have. I think the mindset has a huge impact on performance in an audition and should be given due consideration.

[rachaelballet12]

Hi Katymac where is your Dd auditioning for.

[rachaelballet12]

She is due a flu vaccination - but they won't do it except on Saturdays & on Saturdays she is in London - I'll chase it up & pay if necessary to get it sorted

 

She doesn't do games or PE anyway; we have a flexi-schooling thing going on & that was the first to go; we have to provide evidence of 2 hours exercise a week , 2 hrs!!! (I wish)

 

Yep tomorrow we are working out leotards/tights/shoes & doing an MOT on them all - she has a folder for each which will have college address/letter,song score, solo dance music & monologue for each but she is also taking her singing folder in case they don't like her song & her iPod in case her CD doesn't play is incompatable

 

One solo is a 'Jazz' solo - she has been working on a Lion King piece but it's more 'Contemporary Jazz' (apparently) is that safe? She has another she thought she would take in case.

[Thecatsmother]

Ok. Will post something tomorrow.

[Mad house]

Hi

I would also be interested please

[Katymac]

Thanks Balleteacher

 

Umm, too many I think

 

Urdang, Performers, Laine, Bodyworks & Bird for level 6

Arts Ed for level 3

Brit (level 3), Millenium & Italia Conti we have sent forms off for but have no dates yet

[Dance2013]

Wow she is going to be busy. My Dd is doing five, had one offer, hers have been quite spread out so no rushing about which seems to make things less stressful for her as school work takes up quite a lot of her time.

[JulieW]

Welcome to the forum Dance2013  and good luck to your daughter for her auditions

[Dance2013]

wow she is going to be busy.

 

My DD has applied to five had one audition so far and had one offer. The rest are all before Christmas luckily so she can concentrate on her GCSE's.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

In a way I think the ones going for pure ballet are lucky ;or maybe unlucky) as there are less schools.

 

For musical theatre off the top if my head (if she gets that far) I can think of 8 or 9 places dd would want to audition when she is 16 or 18!

[Katymac]

Flu jab booked for tomorrow (earliest appointment for the surgery 26th Nov, Walk-oin clinic booked until December, Boots & Asda don't do under 18s so she is having it at Tesco)

 

Gel nails for next Tuesday (I wish she didn't bite her nails)

 

Must remind her to do pilates/yoga DVD when she has time

 

 

We have 2 Monologues & 5 songs - that is the lowest number we can get away with to meet the requirements

 

Edited to add

 

"Oh & all her pink tights are soaking in Vanish over night"

Edited November 6, 2013 by Katymac

[Anna C]

I have never experienced gel nails. Do they make the putting on of tights tricky?

[Katymac]

DD picks her nails & they are below the end of her fingers

 

The Gel nails (not extensions) should strengthen her nails so she can't pick them - giving them time to grow; then she can have the bottom end filled in just pre-audition & hopefully her nails will just pass the end of her fingers & look French manicured.  I hope, maybe

[Anna C]

I think my Mum tried them and found that she lost a lot of manual dexterity because her nails felt almost double thickness - hence my question about getting tights on and off. :-)

[Katymac]

If that's a problem she can have them taken off instead of filled in & hopefully the 2 weeks will have protected/enabled her nails to grow enough

 

 

 

Anyone know how to get pink tights pink again?

[Anna C]

Probably just as cheap and a whole lot easier to buy new tights :-(

[Katymac]

Umm - there isn't a "don't like" button

 

They are soaking in a second lot of Vanish

 

I have new ones for audition but I'd like to rescue some (at least) of these

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I always wash ballet socks & tights in with a red wash

[Anon2]

I prefer Ariel stain remover to Vanish. I soak them in that to get rid of school wash greyness. Realised this summer that was washing some that were 4 years old that still suitable for every day wear but not auditions.

 

DD teacher used to recommend the red wash too! 

[Katymac]

Good idea - I'll have a go

[spooky]

Best way to keep colour in pink tights is to ban dds from wearing them under dark jeans as the colour always seems to rub off!

[Kitschqueen_1]

In a way I think the ones going for pure ballet are lucky ;or maybe unlucky) as there are less schools.

For musical theatre off the top if my head (if she gets that far) I can think of 8 or 9 places dd would want to audition when she is 16 or 18!

After quite dramatic body changes during puberty my dd realised that a classical ballet training was out of reach and is now pursuing a career in contemporary dance. However after watching Wicked last night I think she now wishes she'd considered MT. Absolutely fabulous!! :-)

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Dh went to see Wicked yesterday with school (we went in half term). It's fabulous

 

That's always been dds ambition since she was 6-7 years old to be in musicals.