Auditioning for SEPT 2018

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amo185
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by amo185 »

Just wanted to add that we saw the Emildale Night at the Musicals performed by mixture of BTEC and older Gap year students. It was really excellent - especially the singing and acting through song. Musical arrangements were stunning (v high quality MD) as was the staging and the choreography - although not a huge variety of dance styles. The energy and enthusiasm were contagious. An amazing performance standard for this level. Definitely a course to be reckoned with although I think I'd want dd to keep up her ballet and tap elsewhere. Not sure why they charge £4000 per year when other BTECs are free though. Possibly so they can stage such professional productions? Need to investigate more!
islandofsodor
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

That's actually incredibly cheap for a full time course & I have no idea how they manage to run on that amount of fees when you consider normal private school fees are around £4000 per term.

The btecs that are free are run by state funded FE colleges & 6th forms (sometimes outsourced to "names".
Upinlights
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by Upinlights »

Hi so who's getting ready to apply with their dd's and ds for September 2018 ? We're in the process of filling in the application forms etc. DD would love Urdang, Laines, Performers or Millennium but we also applying for Emil Dale , Birds and Italia Conti just in case. Would love to hear how anyone else is getting on so far x
islandofsodor
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

Trying to get Dd to actually stop "researching" & actually start applying!

So far she has Hammond & SLP on the list. She'd love to try for Arts Ed 6th form but we wouldn't be able to afford their fees.

I've also told her she needs to look at local 6th forms/FE colleges as back up but she won't contemplate it but is going to apply to Jill Clewes Academy for Performing Arts.
amo185
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by amo185 »

We have another year but I've realised people are auditioning now for 2018 therefore in a year's time dd could be.
What is now putting me off are the huge numbers I'm hearing about almost everywhere. Where can you actually find out the "number on roll" as such for a Btec, Diploma or Degree course? Also there are so many different qualifications to be gained! I've seen that Urdang 6th form course mentions no more than 16 in a class - but only worth two A levels and is called Access to Vocational training. No idea what that is. Can't find numbers for other courses. When you read up on Emil Dale for example - their Btec provision reads the same as their Diploma course and the same as their Gap Year course (with the exception of Tap on the Diploma). And what's the difference between Itali Conti London Diploma and their Guildford own diploma in terms of content?
It seems an absolute minefield now! I'll need at least a year to get my head around what's out there! I guess I'll start by reading through all the threads on here - accompanied by a stiff drink! And learn from all of you!
theMTAonline
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by theMTAonline »

amo185 wrote:We have another year but I've realised people are auditioning now for 2018 therefore in a year's time dd could be.
What is now putting me off are the huge numbers I'm hearing about almost everywhere. Where can you actually find out the "number on roll" as such for a Btec, Diploma or Degree course? Also there are so many different qualifications to be gained! I've seen that Urdang 6th form course mentions no more than 16 in a class - but only worth two A levels and is called Access to Vocational training. No idea what that is. Can't find numbers for other courses. When you read up on Emil Dale for example - their Btec provision reads the same as their Diploma course and the same as their Gap Year course (with the exception of Tap on the Diploma). And what's the difference between Itali Conti London Diploma and their Guildford own diploma in terms of content?
It seems an absolute minefield now! I'll need at least a year to get my head around what's out there! I guess I'll start by reading through all the threads on here - accompanied by a stiff drink! And learn from all of you!
Hi there...we're a couple of years off you needing HE...but you're absolutely right the transparency in the industry (or lack of it) is shocking. Too many 'hearsay' quotes and not enough facts. I would invite all of you to go to www.theMTA.co.uk where you should find every single fact that you need to know to inform your application (or not). If perchance we've missed something out, or you feel like it's hidden - then please do holler.
chivers61
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by chivers61 »

Hi,

What do people think about having two "Auditioning for 2018" threads - one for sixth form/A levels etc and one for diplomas/degrees? This thread becomes very long and to a large extent, despite overlaps, they are reasonably separate topics.
chivers61
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by chivers61 »

amo185 wrote:We have another year but I've realised people are auditioning now for 2018 therefore in a year's time dd could be.
What is now putting me off are the huge numbers I'm hearing about almost everywhere. Where can you actually find out the "number on roll" as such for a Btec, Diploma or Degree course? Also there are so many different qualifications to be gained! I've seen that Urdang 6th form course mentions no more than 16 in a class - but only worth two A levels and is called Access to Vocational training. No idea what that is. Can't find numbers for other courses. When you read up on Emil Dale for example - their Btec provision reads the same as their Diploma course and the same as their Gap Year course (with the exception of Tap on the Diploma). And what's the difference between Itali Conti London Diploma and their Guildford own diploma in terms of content?
It seems an absolute minefield now! I'll need at least a year to get my head around what's out there! I guess I'll start by reading through all the threads on here - accompanied by a stiff drink! And learn from all of you!
I'm not in a position to comment on BTecs, A level at PA college etc but your point on course sizes and numbers is so important. Large courses are not necessarily a bad thing but they are not for everyone. Hopefully we all know our DCs and in what environment they will thrive and hopefully and more importantly they know themselves. Course and class sizes are by no means secret as those currently in an establishment can tell us what they are. So I'm not sure why every college just doesn't list their courses, the size of the year they plan to recruit and the class size. They could publish current figures for Sept 17 and plans for Sept 18. It's not difficult.
islandofsodor
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by islandofsodor »

theMTAonline wrote:
amo185 wrote:We have another year but I've realised people are auditioning now for 2018 therefore in a year's time dd could be.
Also there are so many different qualifications to be gained! I've seen that Urdang 6th form course mentions no more than 16 in a class - but only worth two A levels and is called Access to Vocational training. No idea what that is. Can't find numbers for other courses. When you read up on Emil Dale for example - their Btec provision reads the same as their Diploma course and the same as their Gap Year course (with the exception of Tap on the Diploma). !
With regards to the different type of courses its more the level of courses not the content as such I think.

A 16 year old can apply for either the Level 3 btec you or the level 6 diploma but the standard of the second will be higher (the diploma aims to get you industry ready in 3 years whereas the btec aims to get you to the standard you need to be to audition for diploma/degree courses).

The Urdang course is also a Level 3 course, it is a Cambridge technical (quite a few schools are offering Cambridge technical instead of A levels for more vocational subjects) So again it aims to get you ready to audition for degree and diploma courses.
Belledancer
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by Belledancer »

Upinlights wrote:Hi so who's getting ready to apply with their dd's and ds for September 2018 ? We're in the process of filling in the application forms etc. DD would love Urdang, Laines, Performers or Millennium but we also applying for Emil Dale , Birds and Italia Conti just in case. Would love to hear how anyone else is getting on so far x
Belledancer
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by Belledancer »

I am beginning the application process and it is taking hours - all colleges seem to require different photos, some online some not, some need UCAS applictions etc etc. My dd doesn't have time to do this research as she is doing a BTEC Extended Diploma in Perforning Arts at our local college and then dances at her local dance school every evening until 9.30 and all day Saturday. So although she has a very firm idea of her ideal colleges I am doing a lot of the leg work for her. Luckily we did a lot of open days last year as well as some Easter/summer courses and she is also doing the Urdang Pre-Audition Course at half term she in her mind she is well prepared - just the paperwork proving a headache!
amo185
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by amo185 »

I believe most university courses would need the equivalent of three A levels, so it appears that Urdang's course could prevent you from auditioning for certain degree courses afterwards, whereas BTECs, although possibly of a lower vocational level, keep the degree door open.But I could be wrong. Funding for diplomas seems quite rare now although we would be eligible for a DADA under the current system. DD is now signed up for the Urdang Pre-voc week too (as it's from 14) which I think might prove the eye-opener for the talent that is out there, what is on offer on their courses and what the expectations are - especially as she does not train currently at a vocational school. Then maybe she'll be able to decide whether to audition for more singing/acting based courses or dance based. We need an affordable (or preferably free) course between 16 and 18 with a high level of dance (she's currently working on Adv 1 ballet and Intermediate tap/modern) but with singing and MT focused, as that is her passion. We've started the research now and no doubt there'll be even more courses out there by this time next year! Thank you for the tips and I wish everyone good luck on this journey.
lawn
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by lawn »

amos185 - I think your daughter must be same age as mine - just got in to yr10? Mine acts (her main strength) and sings but doesn't dance. We live in the North, her school has no sixth form and she isn't interested in doing A levels anyway. We aren't helped that somewhere that she'd have liked to have applied to has closed, with no guarantee it will manage to re-open, even if it was in time for DD to join. That leaves us with only one real choice that she'll have to commute to. I've contacted the college already and we are attending one of their open days in November. I'm doing this a year early because if she says she doesn't like it, it gives a year to come up with what plan B is going to be. I'd not thought to ask about numbers on the course when we go- that is a very good point. Destinations of this years students I'd thought of asking.

Someone from my DD's drama group has started there this month and lives in our village. When I see her, I was going to ask about the practical aspects, how many days, hours, time taken to travel and cost of rail/bus fayres.
JustaPhase
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by JustaPhase »

Hi, I'm new to this forum and relatively new to PA.
My DD is 16, and finished her GCSEs in the summer at the local state school. DD is pretty academic (she would be on the school's own Oxbridge course had she stayed at school) but she loves performing.
Originally we thought she may go down the dance route, having danced from a very early age and having a dance scholarship for the last 2 years that meant monthly trips to Arts Ed where she was taking jazz classes with an LSC tutor.
However, through a local youth theatre group, and Lamda classes, DD realised that she loves drama most. So earlier this year she auditioned for Tring Park's sixth form acting course. They offer a full range of A levels, (or the BTEC), and offer scholarships and means tested bursaries. In our experience, if you are offered a scholarship then the financial support is not much less than the DaDa funding that we had researched..
So if you are ruling it out on the basis of cost, please be reassured that there is funding available, plus there is a 50/50 split on academics and vocational work put into a 10 hour working day.
DD has only been at TP for 3 weeks, but she is absolutely loving it.
At the Open Day last Autumn we were seriously impressed with the standard of work being showcased, and as TP has on site boarding, no late night schleps across town when rehearsals or after school activities finish late.
I hope this is helpful for those looking at 16-18 courses. Its been a steep learning curve for us, particularly in researching a course that offered the A levels DD wanted, plus the vocational work, plus onsite boarding as we knew this was important for our DD (& for us) living away from home for the first time.
mariapanayi
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Re: Auditioning for SEPT 2018

Post by mariapanayi »

Hi all,

My DD has trained at Bodens College of Performing Arts. This is a drama school - not a normal BTEC college... I might be incredibly bias, but I have never seen such a professional standard of work from 16-20 year olds.

They offer a Level Three Foundation Diploma and a Level Three Extended Diploma (my daughter graduated with the equivalent of 3 A grades at A-Level). She trained with them on a full time basis, and performed countless amounts of times... AND IT WAS ALL FREE!!!!! They offer acting and musical theatre training and over the two years, she performed in at least seven plays and four musicals. It really is a fantastic place.

Since completing their two year course, she is staying with them for a further year (Gap Year) - she has decided to major in Acting, although some of her friends are concentrating on musical theatre there. On this foundation course they complete a Level Four Associate Diploma and also have the option of a Level Six Licentiate Diploma. Again, this course is completely free for anyone starting it aged 18. They do have some older students there (up to 20 years), who have to pay - but it's only about £2000 for the year.

My main concern was that she gained recognised qualifications - her main concern was ensuring she is able to keep performing. In their gap year, they are apparently performing in a contemporary play, a classical play and two musicals - in ONE YEAR!! They also ensure students are well prepared for drama school auditions and give them an opportunity to work with industry professionals.

Again, I might be very bias, but I know she goes to college extremely happy every day, she has improved so much and I am so proud of her. They have students that progress onto drama school and I couldn't recommend them any higher.

I think the price of training is a little ridiculous at some institutions - and doesn't constitute the best training. I find myself very lucky to have found somewhere for her to train for three years without paying a single thing. I know the next stage is going to be expensive, and I couldn't have afforded to pay for both.

Sorry, this post is a little long - but I could bang on about them all day! Their website is www.performingartscollege.co.uk.
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