Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

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Chelsie68
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Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by Chelsie68 »

Looking for the voice of reason from some of you lovely people!

Dd is 13 and musical theatre mad. She’s a strong singer and enjoys acting, although she’s only recently started taking it more seriously and having LAMDA lessons. She’s been dancing since she was 2 and is currently working on ISTD ballet (grade 5), tsp (grade 6) and modern (inter foundation).

Her current plan is to do a level 3 extended diploma in MT after GCSEs and then study for a degree in musical theatre.

I thought I was being helpful and booked her in to a 2 day Easter course at Masters College this week. However, it’s been a bit of a disaster. She’s found the dance content of the course really challenging and been really upset (I’ve had texts asking me to pick her up, but I’ve persuaded her to stay as she’s there with a friend). The course is for 12 and above, so she’s one of the younger ones, but she’s convinced that the others are all coping fine and it’s only her struggling. She’s also very aware that the others are very slim and she’s not the same body shape as them.

She feels that all her dreams for the future have come crashing down and is in a bit of a state (with a good dose of teenage angst thrown into the mix!). Can anyone give me some good advice I can pass on? I’ve told her there are courses that focus more on singing and acting and where dance is less of a focus - any good advice of where this type of course is run? Any good singing/acting courses for her age group that she could try, where she might feel less of a failure?
Littleone
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by Littleone »

Hi Chelsie
Sorry to hear your DD is unhappy on her course . I am sorry that I don't have any advice on Singing/Acting courses ( My DD very much more dance focussed) However I will say that I think the fact that your DD is at the younger end of the age range is a big factor ..Is she expecting too much of herself ? My DD has done 'intensives' where she has felt well out of her comfort zone , and certainly less proficient compared to the other participants... She may not have enjoyed herself as much at these ... but I think it is these experiences that have helped her the most in her training/development ! I think she also realises this as she chose to attend a course last year in a style that she had very little experience in . She certainly didn't stand out and she saw some amazing talent there including dancers younger than herself but it helped her become more confident and improved her technique in that area and so was well worth it ! Being amongst the 'best' in a class although good for the ego will not be as helpful in improving ability imho .... although it is nice for them to feel they can 'excel' in one aspect :) At 13 the fact your DD is attending the course with significantly older dancers is an achievement in itself - Well done to her :D I hope after some reflection she can recognise how well she is doing ! :D
Chelsie68
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by Chelsie68 »

Thank you so much, Littleone, that was just the good sense advice I needed! She’s just texted to say she enjoyed the second workshop this morning, which was musical theatre jazz. The first session was commercial, which she doesn’t have much experience of. This afternoon is song and dance, which should be ideal for her - I have my fingers crossed!

I’m realistic and recognise that dd isn’t an outstanding dancer. She’s often complimented on her artistry, but technically isn’t as strong. She does fine in her exams etc but is never going to excel. In singing, however, she does excel, and her acting teacher is really pleased with her progress.

My main issue with my dd at the moment is her sudden lack of resilience. I’m hoping it’s just a 13 year old thing!
Littleone
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by Littleone »

Hi Chelsie

:D So pleased your DD had a better day today - and hope she had a lovely afternoon in 'Song and Dance' !

And suspect lack of resilience very common at that age .. and will also develop, with her dance technique :D, in time
Felicity
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by Felicity »

It sounds like she is doing amazingly well in dance, with much more training at that age than my DD who is also more of a singer and had only formal ballet training before doing the Arts Ed Foundation course and in September the BA in MT at GSA. The schools stress that they look for potential during auditions, not the finished article so she shouldn’t worry too much. What really helped my DD was getting involved in a fantastic youth theatre group in which they need to put all the singing, acting and dance choreography together to deliver a show.

Your DD shouldn’t be disheartened and instead see this course as an opportunity to learn from those around her. She is only young and has plenty of time. I hope she really enjoys the rest of the course. 😊
Chelsie68
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by Chelsie68 »

Thanks for all the lovely replies. Dd had a good afternoon, although she admitted that she wimped out of auditioning for a singing solo during the song and dance workshop, which is something she’d never usually do.

Hopefully normal service will resume soon - although I’m guessing the teenage angst could go on for some time yet! 🤪
joluth1
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by joluth1 »

Hi I think it is very normal for your DD to feel like this. My DD is now 18 but I remember a lot of emotional up and downs where she felt she wasn’t good enough, her dancing was lacking, everyone else found it easy and she struggled. It is very hard being a teenager, especially when you are in the spotlight. For my DD i just kept reminding her that it was about enjoying MT. Have fun and get the most out of each experience and trying not to put her under too much pressure. I’d be lying if I said she doesn’t still have the odd melt down and self doubt but she still loves MT and is following her dream. Go also agree with the previous post joining a local youth theatre group and making friends with like minded kids, having fun and enjoying the experience is key. Good luck x
biscuitsneeded
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by biscuitsneeded »

I think possibly it's not that the course was wrong for your DD, OR that she wasn't really up to the required standard, but the timing of this course coinciding with greater body-consciousness/teenage insecurity generally. It's good she saw it through though. She can't have been the only non-sylph-like ballerina there if it's non-auditioned.

Can I recommend NYMT? (Either a Summer/Easter course, or possibly auditioning next year for a production?) Their focus is very much on great singers and actors. There is a dance element to auditions but it's movement rather than very technical dance unless they are putting on a seriously dance-heavy show, and there are 4 shows each year so not everyone needs to be Bonnie Langford. The residentials are in Kent, about 20 minutes from the Dartford Tunnel, and NYMT alumni are all over the West End. The creatives are second to none, and the young people learn loads and have a brilliant time with other like-minded individuals who are serious about MT as a career.
Chelsie68
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by Chelsie68 »

Thanks everyone - on ‘the other side’ of the course she’s glad she did it and can appreciate that it was only a couple of the workshops that she found challenging. Having seen the short performance they gave at the end of the second afternoon, I can see why she felt in awe of many of the dancers - lots doing amazing aerials and other tricks!

NYMT sounds amazing, and will definitely apply for auditions for next year.
dancemom43
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by dancemom43 »

A friend of mines DD age about 13 went to Blackpool on a Summer intensive and she was very upset and got her mom to come up and stay with her. She is a very strong talented girl and I think it was just her age.
Every child has their own strengths and weaknesses. My DD is a good dancer but still feels out her comfort zone with commercial and ballet as more MT Jazz / Tap is her thing. My DD is around 5 ft 1 so would be too short for a dancer but MT there really is no prefect age, height, look etc... so your DD does not need to worry.
Your DD can either focus on her negatives and try to improve her dance by taking on extra lessons or focus on her positives and try to find a more actor / singer course.
Good luck either way.
Chelsie68
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Re: Help - disastrous Easter school experience!

Post by Chelsie68 »

Fantastic advice dancemom. I definitely think it’s an age thing. Last year she did a tap master class with Adam Garcia which was for higher grades than she was on (she got in at the last minute as there was a space which became available) and didn’t panic at all when it was challenging. Mind you, tap is her favourite genre.

I want her to keep working hard on her dance - can’t really fit in or afford any more lessons at the moment (3 x ballet weekly, 1 x tap, 1 x modern plus what she does at theatre school and extra weekly rehearsals for dance show opening/finale). Her dance school does a free weekly body conditioning class which would be ideal but doesn’t fit into her schedule. I’d like her to be the best dancer she can be, whilst also recognising that she has strengths that some of the amazing dancers might not have!

My dilemma now is that I’ve booked her in for summer school at Performers (booked months ago before teenage hormones kicked it). Knowing the reputation of the college, I’m guessing it’s likely to be dance biased and to attract a similar student as the Masters course. I’m guessing I’m going to get the invoice for the payment fairly soon. Not sure whether to ask my daughter if she’d prefer to cancel (and swallow the loss of the deposit) of just pay up and keep quiet and assume she’ll love it once she’s there!
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