Urdang

A place to talk about full time schools and post 16 training.

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Moonfaery
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Urdang

Post by Moonfaery »

Please can anyone advise on a few things re: Urdang degree course who have DC’s there currently.
I’ve been reading info on here and looking through their website but would appreciate some clarification please.
Do they offer weekly 1:1 singing lessons? Is the balance equal for singing/acting/dancing?
How many students are in a class?
And finally, I have seen past threads about the summer term being optional to do the show with additional fees to pay. Is this still the case?
Thanks in advance.
amo185
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Re: Urdang

Post by amo185 »

Really glad you've asked these questions as we are wondering about some of these too. Will be interested to hear the answers from those actually studying on the degree or who have finished recently. At their online Q and A staff said classes were up to 17 - cut in half for singing. But we've also heard that degree groups are larger than diploma groups...They stated that dancing was equally weighted in Year one (and after that depends on track) but they didn't say if it was weighted equally with singing and acting. And there was no mention of the "optional" summer show term. It seems to have been different every year as the college evolves and due to Covid too. All information very welcome! :D
Littleone
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Re: Urdang

Post by Littleone »

Hi
My Dd is doing the BA at Urdang. I'll try to help but can't promise to be totally accurate !
Re Singing lessons , I think in first year all degree students have a one to one lesson in term 2 and that continues in 2nd year .. unless you choose the dance track when singing is in a group - they do sing individually though and receive feedback.
The balance of classes in first year is fairly equal I think across dance, singing/voice and acting . There are classes that overlap the genres e.g. acting through song and integrated performance. In 2nd year the balance shifts depending on which track you choose.
Unfortunately, and as far as I am aware , it is all v uncertain re the Summer show. As far as I know ,Pre Covid the summer term for degree consisted of rehearsals for Summer show for which there was no extra cost and some Masterclasses for which I think you did pay . Both were optional. Last year, as the show wasn't possible, the online timetable continued until mid July. I don't know what will happen this year - I expect it will depend on the level of lockdown.
My Dd has been in dance classes of 16-17 both this year and last . Some of her singing classes were smaller - approx 8 students.
Hope that helps a bit ! :)
amo185
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Re: Urdang

Post by amo185 »

Thank you Littleone for the information - that's very useful and correlates with what we'd heard. DD has been asked again by Urdang if she's accepting her offer - needs to decide soon!
Moonfaery
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Re: Urdang

Post by Moonfaery »

Thanks Littleone for the info, very helpful.
Amo185 - My dd is going to see if they will extend the deadline for confirming her place as she’s not 100% sure. Although I doubt they will extend it by much?....
Urdang is a top choice for her but she’s waiting on a couple of others to see if been successful. She is also on bird reserve for degree which is frustrating as it seems from what I’ve read on here she won’t find out whereabouts she is on the list for a while yet.
Do you know how bird and Urdang compare with regard to triple threat training?
It’s also so difficult to decide as they are usually advised that ‘the place chooses you’ and you’ll know at open day/audition. But having to choose without visiting a place makes it hard to know.
amo185
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Re: Urdang

Post by amo185 »

We feel just like you Moonfaery. Urdang is a great option but not actually DD's first choice. We're just not sure how realistic her top choices are for her as they are colleges that take fewer students and she'd need funding. She's already deferred by three weeks although they've acknowledged students are waiting on other colleges. They said there had been 1600 applicants so far and we know of several who have been recalled (rather than a straight offer) so we do feel that DD did well to get the offer. But with three auditions still not taken place and three recalls ahead it still seems too early to decide. DD wants triple threat training with equal disciplines and I do think that Urdang offers that and it has a good reputation in the industry. DD didn't audition for Bird as she feel it's too large for her but that's her view.
Moonfaery
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Re: Urdang

Post by Moonfaery »

:mrgreen:
amo185 wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 7:08 pm We feel just like you Moonfaery. Urdang is a great option but not actually DD's first choice. We're just not sure how realistic her top choices are for her as they are colleges that take fewer students and she'd need funding. She's already deferred by three weeks although they've acknowledged students are waiting on other colleges. They said there had been 1600 applicants so far and we know of several who have been recalled (rather than a straight offer) so we do feel that DD did well to get the offer. But with three auditions still not taken place and three recalls ahead it still seems too early to decide. DD wants triple threat training with equal disciplines and I do think that Urdang offers that and it has a good reputation in the industry. DD didn't audition for Bird as she feel it's too large for her but that's her view.
So is Bird much larger than Urdang?
That’s useful to know.
I hadn’t realised that, I was thinking they were the same re: student numbers.
I think we might go down the route of paying the £100 to secure place at Urdang. Her other choices, even if successful, are unlikely in reality due to cost as they are diplomas.
Although I’ve been looking at accommodation options for Urdang and we will definitively have to assist with maintenance costs!
Dancecrazy
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Re: Urdang

Post by Dancecrazy »

Moonfaery wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 8:55 pm :mrgreen:
amo185 wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 7:08 pm We feel just like you Moonfaery. Urdang is a great option but not actually DD's first choice. We're just not sure how realistic her top choices are for her as they are colleges that take fewer students and she'd need funding. She's already deferred by three weeks although they've acknowledged students are waiting on other colleges. They said there had been 1600 applicants so far and we know of several who have been recalled (rather than a straight offer) so we do feel that DD did well to get the offer. But with three auditions still not taken place and three recalls ahead it still seems too early to decide. DD wants triple threat training with equal disciplines and I do think that Urdang offers that and it has a good reputation in the industry. DD didn't audition for Bird as she feel it's too large for her but that's her view.
So is Bird much larger than Urdang?
That’s useful to know.
I hadn’t realised that, I was thinking they were the same re: student numbers.
I think we might go down the route of paying the £100 to secure place at Urdang. Her other choices, even if successful, are unlikely in reality due to cost as they are diplomas.
Although I’ve been looking at accommodation options for Urdang and we will definitively have to assist with maintenance costs!
Don’t know much about Urdang courses as my dd didn’t audition there . She did summer intensives there and just didn’t get the vibe that it was for her . What I do know is that Bird is huge . My dd got a place last year after an online audition . She turned it down as she hadn’t seen the place in person . She knows a few people there who like it but don’t love it . I gather a lot of the classes were online up to Christmas compared to some other colleges . Not sure of details though . It’s so hard to decide where to go if you haven’t had the opportunity to see the college in person and meet some of the students and teaching staff.
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