*Newbie - First Time Post*
Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2016 11:18 am
Hello to everyone!
I have a 9 year old daughter, into everything - dance, signing, drama etc. I am completely green in the industry and we have no 'personal contacts' to ask trusted advice from! My query is this - I feel like I am being swept along by all these 3 elements. I am worried, though exceedingly happy, my DD will end up doing too much and being too 'diluted' - being an average all rounder instead of a 'shining' XYZ... (does that make sense?) She has been told she is doing well at the 'triple threat' but I am concerned at the pressure this exerts.
Currently she has singing lessons/exams, she does Trinity exams, musical theatre exams, 2 lots of ballet and Modern and Jazz. I've just stopped her doing comp team as it eats into so much time. She's also at a drama club which puts on annual productions and enters lots of festivals (which again I'm considering reigning her back from due to time) and does bits and pieces of 'training' through Jo Hawes / Sylvia Young etc. As a family, we have no passion for her to perform as a young child although we are led by her and she does get submitted for auditions etc on occasion to what she likes the sound of. To support DD in her dreams (currently being a dancer or singer or actress!!!) we are hopeful of taking a more 'long term' route with her 'training' and performing arts education. Though I am totally child led.
I wonder therefore if anyone is willing to answer a few questions that might help me make a few family decisions, obtain a good family balance and not let her lose out on opportunity in the future:
1. Trinity or Lamda exams? She started Lamda then her drama teacher swapped to Trinity but politics dictate (don't ask! ) I may have to look again at Lamda. This is the biggie sitting on my mind I guess.
2. Stay with a drama group which offers 'serious' styles of acting along with some musical theatre but can be demanding due to (again) politics of the staf, or let her join a pure musical theatre group. Will this cut her off when applying to schools/Uni's in other elements of acting? Again, I reiterate, she's 9!
3. RAD or ISTD for ballet? Or both?! I understand the ballet gives them the 'core' and the ability to transfer skills to other forms of dance?
I appreciate to many of you these must seem rubbish questions but I'm becoming so confused by trying, as a Mum, to do 'what's best' for DD and she does her lessons spread from in school to 3 different dance/drama companies. As she's fairly talented I am getting pressure for her to do more with each of these as well and have her teachers telling me to consider getting her an agent too? I guess that's a whole new post in itself...!
Thank you & please be gentle!
xxx
I have a 9 year old daughter, into everything - dance, signing, drama etc. I am completely green in the industry and we have no 'personal contacts' to ask trusted advice from! My query is this - I feel like I am being swept along by all these 3 elements. I am worried, though exceedingly happy, my DD will end up doing too much and being too 'diluted' - being an average all rounder instead of a 'shining' XYZ... (does that make sense?) She has been told she is doing well at the 'triple threat' but I am concerned at the pressure this exerts.
Currently she has singing lessons/exams, she does Trinity exams, musical theatre exams, 2 lots of ballet and Modern and Jazz. I've just stopped her doing comp team as it eats into so much time. She's also at a drama club which puts on annual productions and enters lots of festivals (which again I'm considering reigning her back from due to time) and does bits and pieces of 'training' through Jo Hawes / Sylvia Young etc. As a family, we have no passion for her to perform as a young child although we are led by her and she does get submitted for auditions etc on occasion to what she likes the sound of. To support DD in her dreams (currently being a dancer or singer or actress!!!) we are hopeful of taking a more 'long term' route with her 'training' and performing arts education. Though I am totally child led.
I wonder therefore if anyone is willing to answer a few questions that might help me make a few family decisions, obtain a good family balance and not let her lose out on opportunity in the future:
1. Trinity or Lamda exams? She started Lamda then her drama teacher swapped to Trinity but politics dictate (don't ask! ) I may have to look again at Lamda. This is the biggie sitting on my mind I guess.
2. Stay with a drama group which offers 'serious' styles of acting along with some musical theatre but can be demanding due to (again) politics of the staf, or let her join a pure musical theatre group. Will this cut her off when applying to schools/Uni's in other elements of acting? Again, I reiterate, she's 9!
3. RAD or ISTD for ballet? Or both?! I understand the ballet gives them the 'core' and the ability to transfer skills to other forms of dance?
I appreciate to many of you these must seem rubbish questions but I'm becoming so confused by trying, as a Mum, to do 'what's best' for DD and she does her lessons spread from in school to 3 different dance/drama companies. As she's fairly talented I am getting pressure for her to do more with each of these as well and have her teachers telling me to consider getting her an agent too? I guess that's a whole new post in itself...!
Thank you & please be gentle!
xxx