uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

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cluelessmum
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uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by cluelessmum »

Hi there - the lovely Katymac - mentioned that she spent approx 350 kitting out her dd with uniform last year. I'm hoping to spread the cost out as I think that September onwards will be expensive. Is there anyone who knows what different schools require?

If anyone knows what is required at any of these schools I would be really interested to know and it might be time to start looking for sales on some things if I can:

Urdgang
Laine
GSA
Central School of Speech and Drama

I'm hoping that many will require the same sort of items so for example if I know she will need footless tights I can grab some when the sales are on here - they don't go on sale massively but every penny saved is another penny that can go towards living expenses etc as my dd isn't eligible for Dada!

Many thanks!
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Caroline A-C
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Re: uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by Caroline A-C »

When my ds started at Arts Ed, I rang the school to confirm what tap shoes they required. The school said that it really didn't matter which ones or whether they were old or new. There was a uniform list but nothing specific to that particular school. Not sure if this is similar to all the other schools. First time we bought everything from Capezio in Covent Garden where you do get a discount if you can prove you are a performing arts student (we took offer letter). Think the discount was 10% which was a help as I think we paid over £400!! After that it has been a complete mixture. Ds even bought a pair of black leggings from M&S ladies once - said they were no different from his real dance ones except a lot cheaper!!
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Welsh Mum
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Re: uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by Welsh Mum »

When my dD was at Central it was also quite relaxed so she took some of her old stuff with some new extras. She already had lots of dance stuff so we did not fork out for all new stuff and that was not a problem. We did need a character skirt and Central sent us paper patterns so we got that made at home which made it much cheaper. She took all her shoes with her ( even her hard and soft Irish ones !) but really only needed ballet, tap and character shoes.
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carriecrafts
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Re: uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by carriecrafts »

Hi, it does depend where your dd ends up going... my dd is at Urdang and they are VERY specific. They didn't send out the uniform list until July ](*,)

Everything is Capezio and they gave the model numbers for the correct styles. Other schools use different brands so it really isn't worth buying anything other than convertible tights before you know where she will be going. Even though dd had almost-new tap shoes and New Yorkers (had needed them for summer shows) we had to buy new ones as hers weren't the correct style. We checked with Urdang and they said if hers were very similar she could wear them but if the class teacher noticed that they looked too different she would be asked to buy the correct ones. They did even specify Capezio tights but dd says they don't check and would never know. She thinks she would have got away with the New Yorkers in class but not for dance assessments at the end of term.

Urdang recommended purchasing direct from the Capezio store in Covent Garden (the store has copies of the uniform list) and if you take an acceptance letter from Urdang they set up an account and you get 30% discount! (I imagine other schools may have similar deals with whichever dancewear brand they use) so it is worth waiting. The uniform cost us over £400 with the discount.
x

Edit: now other people are mentioning 10% discount I am doubting my memory! Fairly sure it was 30%... :roll:
Katymac
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Re: uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by Katymac »

OK I got it wrong on the other thread - tights over leotard with black pants over again

Performers Pre-voc is very strict about uniform - even to buying new pointe shoes (& they haven't done any pointe)

& I have had to buy more as we went along

Sheet music needs to be bought along they way too & occasionally backing tracks; DD needed a laptop & ideally a printer (mainly for printing out the sheet music & odd letters - going to the library was a pain)

Bra tops seem to be endlessly necessary in different colours & styles too, more than leotards
Robsmumma
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Re: uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by Robsmumma »

Funnily enough, I asked dd about this last week. I paid a fortune for Laine uniform and she said some of it is still in the plastic.......
Katymac
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Re: uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by Katymac »

I'd have cried - I opened & named everything before she went!!

Fortunately the only thing she didn't use were the foot thong things which weren't too expensive
2dancersmum
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Re: uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by 2dancersmum »

Personally I would wait until you have a definite offer for your DD and then contact the school and ask for a uniform list - don't wait for them to send it to you. Or post on the forum for that school in case a parent of an existing student can send you a copy. You can say to the school that with coming from overseas you need time to source items and spread costs but you may well find they expect you to go through a supplier linked to the school as others have suggested. There seems to be a huge difference in what is specified - and costs involved. DDs was strict in terms of style of leotard, tap shoe, jazz shoe etc but had no brand specification and we found that most London stores and some online will give discount of 10% if you show your acceptance letter for vocational school. And some items like footless black tights, black pants were cheaper in Primark and other high street stores rather than dance stores. DDs housemate lives abroad and they bought quite a few items over here in the first week of term as said items were difficult to buy or very expensive to buy where they live.
cluelessmum
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Re: uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by cluelessmum »

Thanks everyone. I think I'm just going to buy tap shoes for now as she is hoping to start tap as soon as exams are over so she has some clue as to what to do before she starts in the UK. We only have one offer at the moment but don't know if she will end up in degree or diploma for Urdang. And maybe buy some new leotards for the recalls. From images I can find online of students it looks like she is going to need lots and lots of black clothing no matter where she ends up.

No news at all from Laine or GSA but expecting to hear later as if Laine is by mail it will take ages. Also she did the international audition for GSA so I suspect that she won't hear for ages as there are no recalls for overseas students and they also were unable to interview any of the students as they ran out of time and had a flight to catch. They called my daughter over briefly to speak to her after the auditions which was nice as she was the only student they asked to speak to but it was only to find out who she knew at GSA already. She will try to get to GSA as friends have offered her a tour when she flies in for the Urdang recall.

I guess I can contact Urdang after the recall to find out what is likely to be needed if we get a firm offer.
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Welsh Mum
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Re: uniforms for MT school for diploma or degree?

Post by Welsh Mum »

When not in dance classes Central require students to wear all black every day. We got lots of different style black tops - t shirts, tunics, sleeveless, strappy etc as well as black leggings and jazz pants. This all black rule is enforced every day for the first 2 years at least.
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