Bird, Performers or Millennium?

[Katymac]

These are DD's top choices atm (this may change......tbh it keeps bloody changing but what can I do......)

So who can tell me what about:

Accommodation
Uniform
Additional costs
Anything quirky or interesting about the colleges/where they are based/who went there/ how they do performances etc

As the more information I have the better I feel about allowing DD to make the decision

Thanks in advance

[performmum]

My DD is in her first year in Performers.

This is what i can tell you.

Days start at 8am with a physical warm up. Days are long, she finishes at 6/15, 7/15 or 8/15 but she does have free periods during the day.

She has Ballet every day.
I am not sure how the rest of the lessons are broken up but she seems to have a good mix of all dance genres and singing, voice and acting and acting through song. Gymnastics every week.
They have their own gym.
On site physio - extra cost - but worth it as students are seen quickly and can get back to dancing quicker.

They have a theater fund which is a compulsory extra fee, they have been to see lots about 6 things in the west end.

College is well equipped. Teachers are good. Some great move it pieces this year. They also have a really good agency.

Accommodation list comes out from the college in about May. There are no student halls but plenty of houses and a good mix of houses with or without the landlady on the premises. Accommodation is reasonable - between £350 and £400 a month mostly including bills.

Corringham itself is not the most exciting place in the world, but then they don't have a lot of time for socializing. London is a very easy commute for the weekend & Lakeside is very close. There s a co op and a morrissons for the weekly shop & Asda deliver. There is a cinema and eating places and night clubs in Basildon.

The college is friendly and the tutors supportive.

It`s not easy & she has been permanently knackered but i imagine all of the colleges are much the same.
Hope this is helpful, let me know if you need any more

[Katymac]

Sorry Performum, I was being a bit economical with the truth - she is at Performers doing the Pre-voc & loves it and her accommodation

I guess I was trying to get the contrast on the thread but no-one else answered - so thank you for posting such a lovely full reply

How much was the uniform (it was about £330 for the Pre-voc so I'm guessing similar)

Just need info about Bird & Millennium now

[Pearl]

Birds have an excellent reputation and seem one of the hardest to get into so I guess that says their standards are high!!

At the audition they said that accommodation was about £100 per week up to £130 if you stayed with a lanlady.

[2dancersmum]

Out of curiosity have you used the search function and had a trawl through existing threads? I know there was a thread comparing Bird and Urdang last year and I am sure one of the posters gave some details on Bird - daily routine and uniform advice. I am sure this sort of information is requested and given each year.

[Katymac]

I did have a pootle - but 376 hits & 26 pages for Bird & I got don't buy Jazz Trousers any black leotard will do but you need the uniform one for exams & 2 houses that rent rooms - I must be really, really bad at this

Millennium was a lot shorter but equally limited

I'm just too damn nosey!

[Katymac]

The waiting is getting me down a bit - possibly as it's the second year of doing it

Plus I'd like for the auditions to be over; she has cancelled one, is doing one with her friends but has decided against the college, 2 at the weekend which are financially unlikely & Performers on Wednesday (& I can't remember if they do a funding audition)

So I'm wobbling a bit

[Megmar610]

Unfortunately you could have a bit of a wait as we didn't hear till May that DD had been offered a Dada, and I know that Bird can be even later. It does get very difficult when they have more than one offer and are waiting to hear about funding.

Where has your DD still got to audition? I presume she hasn't got a favourite

[performmum]

Katymac - performers uniform was very specific in terms of leotards & shoes. First years will sell their uniforms on so there is a cost saving there. I can't fully remember what we spent but remember with " show" shoes & new pointe shoes that it was quite costly & things like tights etc seem to constantly need renewing. However your DD will have lots of the staples so it will mostly be the leos that she will need.
It's really hard to make a decision & we struggled last year. At the end of the day. what matters is that they are happy. They are all hard to get in to & have equal reputations, most of the teachers teach across several of the major colleges so they are all getting similar teaching. We know a couple of pre vocs in performers doing the audition trail again this year - having done it last year, I can only imagine the stress & anxiety. So I wish you & your DD luck in the next few weeks & with the decision making process

[Katymac]

Aw thanks Performmum, they probably have friends in common

She has a lovely room there and would sort of like to stay - they gave her the chance and she is settled

Millennium was the first school she ever saw & the first one to give her an offer

& Bird? Well what can you say?

At least we have ruled out some of the others now

[Megmar610]

I was told that Bird haven't the space to have many in each year previously as they do diploma and degree, but from this Sept they are having bigger facilities so have increased numbers in each year group, which is good news for all auditioning and Bird being their favourite.

As performmum says all the teachers teach across the major colleges so think it's just down to personal choice of the three that your dd has been luckily enough to get offers at

[Katymac]

She got an interview - I think that's a good sign

[Megmar610]

Have you spoken to Bird to see if they can tell you where she is on the reserve list this info might help her make a decision especially if Bird is her favourite.

[Katymac]

We are waiting until we get the outcome from today really

I guess we will hear by the end of Easter

[Megmar610]

From experience you could be waiting to hear from something from Bird till the summer. Did your dd have an audition today?