Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

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Hilltop
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Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by Hilltop »

Hi, a friend’s daughter who’s just started at one of the well-known dance/drama schools on a MT degree course is having second thoughts about performing as a career due to the current COVID situation and the effect on the industry at the moment. She also experienced some ‘bitchyness’ in the last term of her 6th form course, so this may have also influenced her. My DD who is in year 10 is also wavering a little bit but seems to be re-energised by her dance school reopening next Saturday. In my mind, I feel that it will be 7-8 years before my DD will need to go out and get work professionally (if she is lucky enough to get into one of the training colleges during that time), so I’m hopeful that things will be better by then but I just wondered what other parents or their children felt about it at the moment?
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Dogcop
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by Dogcop »

Our DS who went to Sylvia Young then graduated from Bird has completely changed career path for now as, at 21 wants to actually make money. He has in the past been in several West End shows, Tv and his last job was lead actor in Louis Tomlinson's videos and had some lovely opportunities over the years, for which we are very grateful. However, he feels that the industry sadly has nothing to offer at the moment and faces an uncertain future. I felt a bit sad at first but am now just pleased that he is in work that he enjoys and has made a new life for himself. He teaches singing and dance at the weekend so keeps up his performance skills. That has been our take on it, I know of many others that have not been put off at all
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by Ditzi »

My dd is currently in Year 11 and will be starting performing arts sixth form next year. To be honest this whole situation made me wonder if this is the right path for her to take. She is doing well at school and could take an academic career path if she wanted to. I have always been supportive and encouraged her to follow her dreams, but I’ve started to have doubts. We had a heart to heart discussion, we both expressed our worries, but she told me this is what she wants to do and she would regret it if she changed her direction now. She’s worried she might have to do some online classes when she starts in September if things aren’t getting better by then, but nothing’s changed otherwise.
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icantdance
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by icantdance »

My DS is auditioning this year but he stayed to do A levels and is pretty academic. This is what he wants to do, and I wouldn't ever want to put him off or he'd live a life with regrets and 'what ifs'. It's pretty dodgy out there at the moment but I guess if he goes down the degree path he could always go into teaching for a while. One thing that this post has made me think about is the diploma/degree option, and given the state of the industry I think he should actively do the degree rather than the diploma as it gives him more options for post grad if that's what he needs to do later. I don't think you can do a PGCE without a degree...although feel free to disagree if I'm wrong!! I think it's important for him to pursue his dreams and I'm hopeful for the cruise industry recovering so he can work on cruise ships (he wants to travel as well) and I can have reduced holidays! There are other options besides the West End which will recover by next year, including cruise ships, hotels abroad etc which would keep them doing what they love and enable them to try the West End a couple of years down the line.
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by Marissa »

No, She's more determined then ever. DD will graduate this year and luckily she has been enjoying the film side more and more so that may be her adjustment. Right now she is isolating as three other musical theatre in her flat have covid. I'm absolutely gutted for her musical theatre dream but she has showed me that she is resilient and ready to fight for this career x Even in Lockdown she manged to do a bit of film work for credits. I'm very proud of her xx
islandofsodor
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by islandofsodor »

My daughter thrived during lockdown. Once term ended (her college provided zoom classes from 9.30-3/4pm every day she took the opportunity to do lots of online classes with CCI in areas she had either not thought of or that were her weak areas.

She got a month free trial with a training organisation devoted to a section of the industry that has not stopped during lockdown and decided to continue it. She's networked within that organisation and has even had a couple of 1:1 sessions with people. She's going to organise a specialist showreel specific to that sector.

She's currently at home as the entire cohort are on 14 days off due to positive cases in a different halls of residence but is due to return next week.

She's disaspointed that both her LAMDA Shakespeare certificate & Advanced 2 dance exam has been cancelled & is eager to return to training but has really enjoyed some of the other areas she has been exploring.
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riverdancefan
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by riverdancefan »

Nope not in the least.
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2dancersmum
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by 2dancersmum »

Not put off at all. DD secured a 6 week temporary job after her last dance contract finished in Feb, just for a bit of income before her next contract starting early June (obviously cancelled/postponed). She was furloughed from said temporary job and then when her workplace opened up offered another temp and then a permanent job with the company. Although she is enjoying working a regular job it has just reinforced how much she misses her performing career and is really looking forward to being able to perform for a living again.
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by Hecouldshine »

Very interesting to hear about other people's dcs who we've been following longterm on here. Wishing everyone luck for the next 12 months. And fingers crossed for the whole industry.

My ds went down the academic route after school and got a degree from Warwick Uni but has since done a dance diploma and is now on the Dance Performance MA at Trinity Laban. He was offered a half scholarship and felt doing it this year was his only chance. If he went for a non performing job now he thought he would never get his technique and fitness back to a high enough standard later for performance. He does want to teach dance long term so if there are no performing opportunities when he graduates next summer then I suppose the teaching will happen sooner rather than later. I am sooo relieved he has his first degree though, just incase he changes his mind and wants to teach in a primary school, which was his career choice many years ago.

Amazingly he is actually able to train and rehearse (in an enormous hall) with his fellow MA students at the moment. They form a student dance company which usually tours the UK and some European countries in the second half of their year so we're obviously hoping something can be managed next spring, even if it's only in the UK.
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Marissa
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by Marissa »

Hecouldshine wrote: Thu Oct 15, 2020 5:32 pm Very interesting to hear about other people's dcs who we've been following longterm on here. Wishing everyone luck for the next 12 months. And fingers crossed for the whole industry.

My ds went down the academic route after school and got a degree from Warwick Uni but has since done a dance diploma and is now on the Dance Performance MA at Trinity Laban. He was offered a half scholarship and felt doing it this year was his only chance. If he went for a non performing job now he thought he would never get his technique and fitness back to a high enough standard later for performance. He does want to teach dance long term so if there are no performing opportunities when he graduates next summer then I suppose the teaching will happen sooner rather than later. I am sooo relieved he has his first degree though, just incase he changes his mind and wants to teach in a primary school, which was his career choice many years ago.

Amazingly he is actually able to train and rehearse (in an enormous hall) with his fellow MA students at the moment. They form a student dance company which usually tours the UK and some European countries in the second half of their year so we're obviously hoping something can be managed next spring, even if it's only in the UK.
My dd is interested to follow on maybe with a MA in dance or have a gap year and see how it goes.
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by MygirlsloveMT »

In a funny way I think it’s made my dd more determined! She did a pre-voc year last year at Performers and has started the degree this year at Wilkes. It has been a VERY strange start, no parties to get to know everyone so it took her a while to really connect with people in her group but she has got there now. She said she watched BGT final with her housemates and they cried at the musical theatre part at the end because they miss it so much. Maybe they are lucky that they are just starting their training and HOPEFULLY this will all be over by the end of 3yrs but either way, no musicals at all has made her realise even more how much it’s missed and how much she wants to be up there doing it! I feel really sorry for them all at the moment as it’s not the full experience we hoped for them but I think they’re a lot more determined than we think and this will either make them or break them!
38ta
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by 38ta »

My ds has been very focused on wanting to do musical theatre. He is only year 10 but already had been to boys days at a few schools and attended CDMT so had a list of where he wanted to go. He should’ve done a number of shows this year including lead roles and as part of NYMT but since this whole situation he has moved away from wanting to go down this route which seems sad. I think seeing how the industry has taken such blow has really hit him.

He continued training in lockdown and loved singing and particularly his acting sessions but he really didn’t enjoy dancing over zoom!

He’s even started talking about ‘normal’ jobs but has decided that he wants to focus more on acting than musical theatre.

Who knows what he will end up doing eventually but think it’s so sad that something like this can totally change people’s future path. I think the buzz might return the minute he gets to be on a stage again but who knows!

Good luck to all those on courses at the moment- really feel for them and especially those who are finished and starting their careers- such difficult times.
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by Katyben »

Hi all,

My daughter is a first year at Bird and we’ve now just received an email that for November they have 7 hours of face to face classes a week and then 3 hours a day of online classes. As of the 4th December they are fully online.
I just don’t understand because schools are in full time so why can’t colleges be?
Also how are the students going to reach the standard they need to be at?
It’s such a worry. Does anyone else feel like this?
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by Katyben »

And to add- they have not been in full time at all yet. Just a few classes a week x
amo185
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Re: Has COVID changed your DC training/career plans?

Post by amo185 »

Yes I think it is a worry for so many young people. DD is certainly concerned about being ready to audition for degree/diploma, given that large bubbles are being sent home constantly to go back on Zoom despite wearing masks and socially distancing at college. I don't think there is any right answer and no sign of letting up. Is there any PA college that has managed to do everything face to face and had no Covid cases? It's frustrating but no easy answer - and little logic as to why some colleges are mostly face to face and why some are mostly online. Just have to keep as positive as possible and hang on in there!
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