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anastasia79 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 10:59 pm

daffodilbutterfly wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 10:02 pm Thank you . Her strength is her singing and acting but is still a strong dancer .. good to have advice - how would you compare Urdang in the mix too ?

My daughter is in her first year at Urdang. We always knew them in the past to be mainly dance focused, however this has changed over recent years in my opinion. They are more triple threat than say Performers which is heavily weighted towards dance and was another of our top choices. She is a strong dancer and has about the same percentage of singing / acting classes to dance with slightly less acting so far since September. This is perfect as singing is her weakest of the 3 disciplines and she has seen improvements already in her voice. Based on what you’ve said Urdang may be another option for your daughter.

daffodilbutterfly wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 10:02 pm Thank you . Her strength is her singing and acting but is still a strong dancer .. good to have advice - how would you compare Urdang in the mix too ?

lawn wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 1:10 pm

MTDreams wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 8:14 pm

lawn wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 7:47 pm My own view of ED based on my DD's audition experience (the only RL one she did) was that they are more dance focussed despite what it said on their website. Daughter and friend both auditioned on the same day, both are strongest in acting and singing with dance the weakest. They were put in separate groups but both experienced same thing. The interest was only on the dancers. They were all over daughter's friend, an outstanding singer until they discovered she had no dance experience. With daughter by the time it got to her acting, her strongest and the last to do, they didn't even look up whilst she did her monologue. The only offer for degree from those who auditioned that day (they all made a group chat, how they know) went to the strongest dancer - who later went to Bird. Maybe that day they were only looking for dancers, but I came away with a feeling that I wouldn't have bothered for DD auditioning if I hadn't believed the info on their website about being 'triple threat'

Daughter found the best way to found out which colleges are more focussed to which threat, was to ask for the way the classes are weighted in % terms.

Its just shows how everyones experiences are different. A friend of my DD got offered the degree at EDA without being a dancer, but he was a really strong actor/singer. He's now at Mountview.

Was that for 2021 entry? My daughter's audition was. It took the form of a dancing workshop for a few hours. The singing was turn up at the piano and sing your pieces individually- ok covid restrictions might have affected that. The acting was the same no workshop just turn up and do your monologue individually. This is why it was felt it was more focussed on dance. There are always less males apply though so that may be why they needed a stronger male actor/singer and already had enough male dancers offered places.

MTDreams wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 3:28 pm

lawn wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 1:10 pm

MTDreams wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 8:14 pm

Its just shows how everyones experiences are different. A friend of my DD got offered the degree at EDA without being a dancer, but he was a really strong actor/singer. He's now at Mountview.

Was that for 2021 entry? My daughter's audition was. It took the form of a dancing workshop for a few hours. The singing was turn up at the piano and sing your pieces individually- ok covid restrictions might have affected that. The acting was the same no workshop just turn up and do your monologue individually. This is why it was felt it was more focussed on dance. There are always less males apply though so that may be why they needed a stronger male actor/singer and already had enough male dancers offered places.

No, it was the year before. That sounds a pretty typical audition for most MT courses, with monologues potentially being workshopped at recalls. I remember going to GSA's open day, where the principal said that they are a Drama school, not a dance school, so you need to be able to act, and yet the longest part of the audition was probably the dance audition. While the acting was literally do your monologue and that's it. But they can see enough to know whether they want to see more and recall. I have to add though that although the Principal said that about the dance, the dance training is excellent. My DD who has danced all her life to a very high standard is a much better dancer for being at GSA. I think the best way to work out what schools are all about is to go and see their end of year shows for the course you are interested in. We did that, and we were able to eliminate a school from the list as their show was very dance focused, much more than we thought it would be.

zoorangerman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 2:30 pm

anastasia79 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 10:59 pm

daffodilbutterfly wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 10:02 pm Thank you . Her strength is her singing and acting but is still a strong dancer .. good to have advice - how would you compare Urdang in the mix too ?

My daughter is in her first year at Urdang. We always knew them in the past to be mainly dance focused, however this has changed over recent years in my opinion. They are more triple threat than say Performers which is heavily weighted towards dance and was another of our top choices. She is a strong dancer and has about the same percentage of singing / acting classes to dance with slightly less acting so far since September. This is perfect as singing is her weakest of the 3 disciplines and she has seen improvements already in her voice. Based on what you’ve said Urdang may be another option for your daughter.

I guess one good thing about Urdang is their track system so they can choose if they want to stay triple threat or go down the more dancer route or actor singer.

Has your dd decided which track she will choose?

anastasia79 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:37 pm

zoorangerman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 2:30 pm

anastasia79 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 10:59 pm

My daughter is in her first year at Urdang. We always knew them in the past to be mainly dance focused, however this has changed over recent years in my opinion. They are more triple threat than say Performers which is heavily weighted towards dance and was another of our top choices. She is a strong dancer and has about the same percentage of singing / acting classes to dance with slightly less acting so far since September. This is perfect as singing is her weakest of the 3 disciplines and she has seen improvements already in her voice. Based on what you’ve said Urdang may be another option for your daughter.

I guess one good thing about Urdang is their track system so they can choose if they want to stay triple threat or go down the more dancer route or actor singer.

Has your dd decided which track she will choose?

Yes it is helpful. I’m assuming it will be the dance route but we’ll see once she’s done her first set of assessments at the end of this term and potentially what feedback her teachers will have for her. Does your child have an idea what school they would like to go to in September?

zoorangerman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 5:57 pm

anastasia79 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:37 pm

zoorangerman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 2:30 pm

I guess one good thing about Urdang is their track system so they can choose if they want to stay triple threat or go down the more dancer route or actor singer.

Has your dd decided which track she will choose?

Yes it is helpful. I’m assuming it will be the dance route but we’ll see once she’s done her first set of assessments at the end of this term and potentially what feedback her teachers will have for her. Does your child have an idea what school they would like to go to in September?

Thank you,

Yes Urdang is a strong favourite, she likes the track system, is a strong dancer but likes the options, audition in a couple of weeks. It sounds a crazy day. Offers in from Wilkes and performers so far and still conti to go. Accommodation costs for somewhere near Urdang are worrying!

MTDreams wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 3:28 pm

lawn wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 1:10 pm

MTDreams wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 8:14 pm

Its just shows how everyones experiences are different. A friend of my DD got offered the degree at EDA without being a dancer, but he was a really strong actor/singer. He's now at Mountview.

Was that for 2021 entry? My daughter's audition was. It took the form of a dancing workshop for a few hours. The singing was turn up at the piano and sing your pieces individually- ok covid restrictions might have affected that. The acting was the same no workshop just turn up and do your monologue individually. This is why it was felt it was more focussed on dance. There are always less males apply though so that may be why they needed a stronger male actor/singer and already had enough male dancers offered places.

No, it was the year before. That sounds a pretty typical audition for most MT courses, with monologues potentially being workshopped at recalls. I remember going to GSA's open day, where the principal said that they are a Drama school, not a dance school, so you need to be able to act, and yet the longest part of the audition was probably the dance audition. While the acting was literally do your monologue and that's it. But they can see enough to know whether they want to see more and recall. I have to add though that although the Principal said that about the dance, the dance training is excellent. My DD who has danced all her life to a very high standard is a much better dancer for being at GSA. I think the best way to work out what schools are all about is to go and see their end of year shows for the course you are interested in. We did that, and we were able to eliminate a school from the list as their show was very dance focused, much more than we thought it would be.

lawn wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 9:40 pm The problem I found with watching shows is that last year there were also on-line! Me and DD watched two, both from well-regarded schools and weren't keen on either. There were social distancing rules imposed on the performers which made it difficult. One was a place daughter hadn't applied to the other she had been offered foundation at. We were talking only a few days ago about it and why she'd turned it down, she said there'd been a couple of reasons but not thinking their show any good was one of them.

2good2hurry wrote: ↑Wed Mar 16, 2022 9:28 am Does anyone have experience of SOTE in Birmingham as a Foundation year in Musical Theatre? Many thanks.

zoorangerman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 5:57 pm

anastasia79 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:37 pm

zoorangerman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 2:30 pm

I guess one good thing about Urdang is their track system so they can choose if they want to stay triple threat or go down the more dancer route or actor singer.

Has your dd decided which track she will choose?

Yes it is helpful. I’m assuming it will be the dance route but we’ll see once she’s done her first set of assessments at the end of this term and potentially what feedback her teachers will have for her. Does your child have an idea what school they would like to go to in September?

Thank you,

Yes Urdang is a strong favourite, she likes the track system, is a strong dancer but likes the options, audition in a couple of weeks. It sounds a crazy day. Offers in from Wilkes and performers so far and still conti to go. Accommodation costs for somewhere near Urdang are worrying!

LizzyBee wrote: ↑Wed Mar 16, 2022 3:31 pm What does anyone think about MT at Leeds Conservatoire? I think the course looks good but I wonder about getting a good agent afterwards? They do a London showcase but in your experience, would agents be likely to go or do they stick to the more tried and tested ie the big 3 GSA, MV abd Arts? All thoughts welcome!!