Will ballet go against dd?

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JayLou62
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Will ballet go against dd?

Post by JayLou62 »

Hi,
My younger dd is 16 and desperately wants to go into ballet. She does predominantly ballet classes (both RAD and Russian Vaganova style). She has started a full time dance course (private dance college) but the teachers say she is too balletic. If she is unsuccessful in ballet dd would try for Musical Theatre dance. However, her teachers say that she won't get past the first 5 minutes as she is too balletic.
Will her ballet training hold her back/stop her getting anywhere at Dance/Musical Theatre courses?
She currently does Advanced 1 and 2 ballet (RAD) and Advanced Russian ballet classes; Intermediate tap; Intermediate modern; jazz; contemporary; hip hop; commercial; lyrical; accro; Body conditioning; Pilates; private singing lessons (working towards Grade 7); private acting classes (working towards Grade 6).
2dancersmum
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by 2dancersmum »

My gut reaction is no it shouldn't as she clearly has strengths in other dance areas and can sing as well. Most auditions for dance courses or MT courses will have separate classes in ballet + at least 1 other dance style - usually contemporary or jazz, plus a vocal section plus a monologue or acting workshop. For the Trinity diploma in dance you are assessed on more than one dance style - even those that class themselves as ballet schools - if the title is Dance it is not just ballet. For a college like The Hammond in Chester , the first year of the course is common to both dance and musical theatre (max 40 students altogether) and then the student continue to either the level 6 diploma in dance or in musical theatre depending on where their strengths lie. My DD's strength has always been ballet and in the past she has been described as 'too balletic' but not any longer.
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Caroline A-C
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by Caroline A-C »

What the MT courses are really looking for is an absolute passion for the subject. If you have that then I don't think that fact that your dd's style is "too balletic" is really of any significance. There are dancers from all areas on these MT courses and those who have never really danced before. There is a lot of dance training whilst on the course (ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, pas de deux) which is streamed according to ability at least during the first year. They are looking for an all round package that they can train.

Having said all that, there is fierce competition for places at these MT colleges (think this year at Arts Ed there were about 4,500 for 45 odd places) so it really is something you have to be totally passionate about to consider.
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woody
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by woody »

My dd - a ballet girl - was advised to do more jazz, which would widen her opportunities when auditioning.
2dancersmum
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by 2dancersmum »

I'm agreeing with Caroline on this thread also. I know classical ballet courses are really difficult to get onto - as are dance courses but MT courses are definitely not an easier option as a back up to ballet. As Caroline says they are looking for someone with passion as well as a someone they can train to be a good all round triple threat and the competition is equally fierce.
lotsolaffs
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by lotsolaffs »

I probably sound ignorant but is "too balletic" a real phrase? Is there such a thing?
Does it mean that they are too balletish ? Now that is a made up phrase!
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riverdancefan
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by riverdancefan »

How about looking at more contemporary-based courses like Laban?

Ballet is certainly important and valued there....? She sounds like a beautiful dancer - there will be a suitable place of study for her out there for sure..
Musical theatre like ballet, as the above posters have mentioned is incredibly challenging and hard to make the cut into the popular colleges and schools.
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JayLou62
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by JayLou62 »

Thanks for all your comments - lots to think about. Laban, Art Ed and Mountview are out for the fact we can't afford it (student loan only covers £9,000 and the fees past that are out of reach for us).
Dd is trying again for Scotland Conseratoire on their ballet course (her favourite) and Central but will have to decide on other courses if they are 'no's.
2dancersmum
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by 2dancersmum »

Jaylou - I was under the impression that Trinity Laban course fees were £9k and full student loans were available to cover this. I maybe wrong but 2 of DDs friends have recently started there so I had a look at the website to see what they offered in terms of courses and funding for my younger DD and that is the impression I get from the website.
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by Katymac »

I don't know about funding but Northern Ballet (if I read it right Ballet & MT) & London Studio Centre seem good for wider ranges of dance
JayLou62
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Re: Will ballet go against dd?

Post by JayLou62 »

2Dancersmum - yes, it does appear that Laban's funding is £9,000 and can't see anywhere that it costs more so may be an option.
KatyMac, Northern Ballet School is DaDAs which is impossible for us and London Studio Centre doesn't cover full fees either :(
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