Musical Theatre Foundation Year

[moleseymum]

I would be interested to hear of any DCs that undertook a foundation year last year and who have been successful in gaining a place on a 3 year degree for September. I am particularly interested in hearing about the Arts Ed course as I believe it has only been running for 2 years. It is looking like a foundation year is what my DS will need to to get onto a three year course but some major fundraising will be necessary! Definitely cannot afford for him to live out on top of fees so will only be considering London and Surrey schools.

[Katymac]

Performers Pre-voc is about 35 hours contact time
Urdang & Bird appear to be a bit shorter
Millennium is (I understand) 3/4 hours a day
Evolution is in Colchester and excellent I understand

I don't know much about any others sorry

[moleseymum]

Thanks Katymac, think I might email the schools and ask for timetables from this year to compare them.

[afab]

Just got a lettre from Urdang about their foundation course and it's 28hrs a week, September to May.

[moleseymum]

Thanks afab, I would be interested to know how those hours are split across the disciplines. DS didn't apply to Urdang for their degree as it seems to be heavily dance based. Think it is actually called professional dance with musical theatre, so a bit of a giveaway! Arts Ed website says 9 to 5 Monday to Friday so that may be 30+ hours I guess.

[oscar]

I'm not sure about the foundation course content, but when ds was at the audition at arts ed the foundation students said it was really hard for them to get onto the BA course as they do a different audition process to everyone else and they were all moaning about it. I will try and find out a bit more. I really don't think a foundation at his chosen college will be any more advantageous than doing one somewhere else. Good luck to your ds .

[moleseymum]

I am wondering if doing a foundation at his preferred school would maybe turn out to be a disadvantage. DS went out for a meal with some of the of the other auditionees after his Arts Ed audition, with them was a foundation year student that had been offered the 3 year but didn't mention problems with the audition process. My DS's preferred school is GSA, but we know that doing a foundation at a particular school is no guarantee of a place on the three year course. I know GSA foundation students this year that had not been successful in getting onto the GSA 3 year course but had got into Arts Ed. Just wondered if there may be a pattern emerging!

[oscar]

At last count 6 from arts ed foundation offered BA and 3 on gsa foundation offered BA at gsa and 5 of them offered arts ed

[MTguy14]

Hello, Newbie here..
Not sure what the foundation courses from September '15 will endure but I know the Laine Foundation is 8-6 (Fitness class at 8-8:30 and 4 classes a day from 9-4:15 then a stretch class until 6)

8:00-8:30: Fitness/Registration
9:00-10:30~Class 1
10:45-12:15~Class 2
12:15-1:15~ Lunch
1:15-2:30~ Class 3
2:45-4:15 ~ Final Class
(4:30-6) Stretch

Hope that's useful to anyone with DC going on the Laine Foundation!

[Recless]

My DD has just completed a foundation year at Urdang and it was worth every penny. This year she gained a Dada place at Italia Conti, a Dada at Cambridge Bodyworks, a place at Performers and a degree at London Studio Centre. She has chosen to do the degree at Studios. I can wholeheartedly recommend Urdang Foundation . Days were generally 8.30 till 5.30, sometimes later and they worked extremely hard.

[jennifer1972]

My DD has just completed a foundation year at Urdang and it was worth every penny. This year she gained a Dada place at Italia Conti, a Dada at Cambridge Bodyworks, a place at Performers and a degree at London Studio Centre. She has chosen to do the degree at Studios. I can wholeheartedly recommend Urdang Foundation . Days were generally 8.30 till 5.30, sometimes later and they worked extremely hard.

Would you agree with other comments that it is heavily dance based or is it equally split between dance, voice and acting?

[Recless]

I would say the course is a dance based musical theatre foundation. There is a good amount of singing and acting training on the course and the 3 year diploma has a strand for singers who are not so strong at dancing. Students on the degree course are expected to be equally good at dancing, singing and acting. However I think dancing is the strength of the school and is ideal for students applying to Bird, Laine, London Studio Centre and of course Urdang. Not sure how many apply to GSA and Artsed from Urdang Foundation. I will ask my DD!