Beginning dance training at 20?

[scottishdancer00]

Dd started a HNC in musical theatre this year and planned to be auditioning to dram school currently for next year but has decided to stay where she is and do her HND as she feels she will be a lot stronger next year.
However due to having no sixth form in Scotland she began her college training at 18 so will be 20 when she plans to begin at drama school.
She had previously assumed she’s be auditioning to places like mountview and gsa where obviously being 20 or older is a bit more common but recently she has been being grouped together with the dancers at her college (can’t even tell you how happy this has made my girl ) and being talked to by teachers about auditioning for more ‘dancey’ schools like Emil dale, conti , SLP ( her technique etc isn’t strong enough for somewhere like laines, nor could we afford it) with her teacher telling her for her casting type and the kind of roles she’ll be going for she needs to be able to do well in the dance call to even be heard sing.
Would being 19 in the audition and 20 at the beginning of the year be and issue for these type of more dance focused MT colleges be an issue ? Will she be overlooked as too old ?

[smallbythesea]

No. Dd is in her 1st year at Bird and her class ranges from age 16 to 22.x

[Munchpot]

Dd started a HNC in musical theatre this year and planned to be auditioning to dram school currently for next year but has decided to stay where she is and do her HND as she feels she will be a lot stronger next year.
However due to having no sixth form in Scotland she began her college training at 18 so will be 20 when she plans to begin at drama school.
She had previously assumed she’s be auditioning to places like mountview and gsa where obviously being 20 or older is a bit more common but recently she has been being grouped together with the dancers at her college (can’t even tell you how happy this has made my girl ) and being talked to by teachers about auditioning for more ‘dancey’ schools like Emil dale, conti , SLP ( her technique etc isn’t strong enough for somewhere like laines, nor could we afford it) with her teacher telling her for her casting type and the kind of roles she’ll be going for she needs to be able to do well in the dance call to even be heard sing.
Would being 19 in the audition and 20 at the beginning of the year be and issue for these type of more dance focused MT colleges be an issue ? Will she be overlooked as too old ?

Totally agree with smallbythesea. My DD is at Bird in her first year of degree, she's 19 at the moment and ages in class range hugely.

[Marissa]

No x my daughter has fallen into dancing older. At 18 she realised she needed it for MT x but picked it up so well and actually wants to go further into the dancing area now x I think because she mimicks well and wants it and is determined to get it right it has helped her! She chose The Hammond because of her love of ballet x

[islandofsodor]

My daughter auditioned at Hammond and SLP and was offered places at both. At Hammond on the diploma course its about half and half 16 year olds and 18 year olds but there are some aged 19 and older. On the degree course they are all 18 plus and its not uncommon for students to be 19/20.

At SLP dd felt that she was one of the youngest. Most auditionees were at least 18 and some of the current students she met had started the diploma at an older age having first done a Foundation course.

[lotsolaffs]

Emil Dale is not more 'dancey' time is split equally between acting,singing and dancing.

[islandofsodor]

Just one point however. If she has already done a HND will she be eligible for full student funding or is she looking at postgrad/conversion courses?

[riverdancefan]

My DS will be 19 when he starts at Arts in September.
He ( so far ) appears to be one of the oldest, the bulk of his year will be 18.
However I truly don’t feel your DD will be at a disadvantage at all, if anything a couple of years maturity can help with living away, organising work and life etc.
DS would have waited another year if he hadn’t got the college he wanted.

[riverdancefan]

Emil Dale is not more 'dancey' time is split equally between acting,singing and dancing.

I second that, all three disciplines are given equal attention and all with great teachers.

[itsalongshot]

My DS will be 19 when he starts at Arts in September.
He ( so far ) appears to be one of the oldest, the bulk of his year will be 18.
However I truly don’t feel your DD will be at a disadvantage at all, if anything a couple of years maturity can help with living away, organising work and life etc.
DS would have waited another year if he hadn’t got the college he wanted.

My dc is at Arts ed and in fact at 18 when started was one of the youngest, they range from 18-24 i believe

[riverdancefan]

My DS will be 19 when he starts at Arts in September.
He ( so far ) appears to be one of the oldest, the bulk of his year will be 18.
However I truly don’t feel your DD will be at a disadvantage at all, if anything a couple of years maturity can help with living away, organising work and life etc.
DS would have waited another year if he hadn’t got the college he wanted.

My dc is at Arts ed and in fact at 18 when started was one of the youngest, they range from 18-24 i believe

They do but I would imagine it differs year on year depending on who they take. I can only speak on this year’s intake ( so far)

[scottishdancer00]

Emil Dale is not more 'dancey' time is split equally between acting,singing and dancing.

I second that, all three disciplines are given equal attention and all with great teachers.

Definitely, dd loves Emil dale , I guess what I meant by that is that the standard of dance is still very high whilst at some schools the singing and acting will be stronger than the dancing

[Robin64]

I don't think age is too much of a problem but I agree check the funding situation with degrees/ HNDs and student finance. DD did foundation at 18 so started degree at 19. Ages vary on her course. For acting courses they often prefer slightly older applicants so maybe spread the net on courses unless your DD is set on MT. If so then they need to be fit and confident for the dance part of auditions so maybe consider extra ballet lessons for technique (she might need ballet photos for application) and being fit really helps in the jazz auditions. Good luck.

[Scarytimes]

I don't think age is too much of a problem but I agree check the funding situation with degrees/ HNDs and student finance. DD did foundation at 18 so started degree at 19. Ages vary on her course. For acting courses they often prefer slightly older applicants so maybe spread the net on courses unless your DD is set on MT. If so then they need to be fit and confident for the dance part of auditions so maybe consider extra ballet lessons for technique (she might need ballet photos for application) and being fit really helps in the jazz auditions. Good luck.

Student finance ok up to (about) 24 years as my son (not the performer) has just started a degree at 21 after working for 3 years.

[islandofsodor]

It’s not the age with regRds to degree funding it’s the fact you are entitled to 4 years of student finance for a first degree allows students to repeat a year) and the OP’s dd will already have a higher education qualification (HND)

The following information is for Scottish students

We will normally support you for the minimum number of years you need to complete your programme of study. However, we will allow you one extra year’s funding to cover scenarios that include the following:

Academic repeat years
Medical or compassionate repeat years
Approved changes of course
Intercalated years
Year one of a degree for HND holders
Year one of an HND for HNC holders

STUDENTS WHO PROGRESS TO DEGREE LEVEL AFTER COMPLETING A HIGHER NATIONAL LEVEL (HNC, HND) COURSE
You may be able to gain direct entry to year 2 (or 3 in some cases) of a degree if you successfully complete a course at Higher National level. You are eligible to apply for full support from year 2 of the degree, providing you have not previously received support at degree level.