Interesting tweet - student numbers

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martint
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Re: Interesting tweet - student numbers

Post by martint »

We were warned by people in the industry that at least two colleges were upping their numbers substantially this year, I'm surprised at those numbers though.
lbm1e14
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Re: Interesting tweet - student numbers

Post by lbm1e14 »

I think if you stand back and take a look at the emerging picture there is cause for concern. Urdang/Bird will be producing 180 grads each, Performers will increase significantly, Laine is now at 90, add ArtsEd, Mountview, GSA and the numerous others and the Unis, then the output in three years time will be approaching 1,000 graduates, all having paid a fortune and looking for work. All that against a backdrop of zero transparency with respect to employment and outcomes. The only winners are the colleges who are treating training as a cash machine.
islandofsodor
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Re: Interesting tweet - student numbers

Post by islandofsodor »

Some of that info isn't entirely accurate however I don't know about Performer's numbers changing or not but Hammond's intake remains 30 for the diploma (split between the dance course & the MT/triple threat course and 30 ish for the degree (a more singer actor with some dance course.) (In practice its usually a bit less) They are two entirely separate courses.
bop2thetop
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Re: Interesting tweet - student numbers

Post by bop2thetop »

Reading this thread and i was thinking either Bird or Urdang. Wow, we are churning out an awful lot of musical theatre performers arent we? Its very worrying as both my DC's are either training or recently graduated. But its so obvious why these two institutions have the most pupils and its all to do with funding. Lets hope they'll be jobs for everyone when they leave
lbm1e14
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Re: Interesting tweet - student numbers

Post by lbm1e14 »

islandofsodor wrote:Some of that info isn't entirely accurate however I don't know about Performer's numbers changing or not but Hammond's intake remains 30 for the diploma (split between the dance course & the MT/triple threat course and 30 ish for the degree (a more singer actor with some dance course.) (In practice its usually a bit less) They are two entirely separate courses.
I'm not sure accuracy is the point here. The point is there is no control over the numbers being trained which are ever increasing, and rapidly. Bop2thetop, and others, have summed it up quite nicely. Nor am I sure that it matters whether they qualify with a diploma/degree, with triple threat or are singer/dancers or actor/singers. They will all need work. There is already not enough. Arguably it may drive up standards as competition for roles becomes fiercer. But it may also mean that there will be more and more disillusioned PA college graduates who have spent a fortune in the hope that they will one day perform.

I may be wrong, but let's hope these colleges turning out industrial quantities of students don't kill the goose that laid the golden egg.
mariapanayi
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Re: Interesting tweet - student numbers

Post by mariapanayi »

That's ridiculous! How many are in a class? My DD attends a performing arts college with a maximum of 20 students per year, and three year groups. They tailor the course to the learners, have fantastic pastoral care and support, and ensure that they all have opportunities within productions (six full-scale productions per year!). How do they cast shows with so many? How do they provide one-to-one tuition? How do they ensure the progression of 180 learners. That's crazy!
paulears
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Re: Interesting tweet - student numbers

Post by paulears »

I got rid of somebody over the summer for being totally useless with no aptitude for working backstage at all. Hopeless, and unable to manage the most basic task without repeated instructions. He's now at university I have discovered, doing Stage Management. This is scary. Totally unsuitable for any job I have ever been involved with, and he's actually dangerous to other people. How did he get to uni? On paper he's qualified of course which sums up 16-18 provision, as there's rarely any practical content that follows any kind of industry practice and standards. We have dancers going to university who can't dance, and actors who can't act! What is going on?
Katymac
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Re: Interesting tweet - student numbers

Post by Katymac »

I do wonder if early specialisation is going to be a problem for some of these youngsters; dance to the exclusion of getting a train or managing you bank accoungt is a bit pointless

They need a wide range of skills to leave home & get work, performance is only one element.

DD has several jobs she can fall back on that require general usefulness skills - working back stage, event management, bar work but some of her contempories are having dinners provided by parents still (freezers stocked every few weeks) can't get a train to college, and tax/ni seem a mystery to all of them (DD was outranged at the idea that she can't keep what she earnt ;) )

Life skills are so vital
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