Auditioning for 2022 entry

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dancelifemum
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by dancelifemum »

Elle’smom wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:14 am
NicoleT1978 wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 10:48 pm Hi all, jumping on post as my DD will be starting her auditions soon for next year's intake.......scary! I just wanted to ask do most people go to the open days? We are in Cornwall so to go to each of the schools she's interested in just for a morning or afternoon will be a bit of a nightmare, should she just go straight for the auditions? Also she's just turned 16 so will be doing her GCSEs soon, does anybody know how schools feel about them taking time out to go to auditions?
Open days I think are essential we visited some places that DD thought would be perfect and when she got there they just didn’t feel right. Time of for auditions was fine, lots of people move for sixth form so had interviews etc. I didn’t ask though I just informed them.
DD auditioned for her first choice first got offered a place and cancelled her other auditions as she didn’t want to go elsewhere.

Now looking at degree courses as someone who likes to plan she is struggling with not knowing exactly where she wants to go. Fortunately college is calming her down and saying take a deep breath there is time.
What she is finding hard is that everything is based on opinion - we go round in a circle between Bird, Urdang and Conti with PPA jumping in occasionally. I just keep saying audition for them all.
I would audition for all as advised above as you cannot guarantee which ones you will get offers for as there is often a curve ball somewhere in this process....they all get something and sometimes the audition day will make them fall in love with somewhere (sadly we did not get this opportunity last year) and I think Urdang are first round via video again this year.
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dancelifemum
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by dancelifemum »

Elysée69 wrote: Tue Sep 07, 2021 1:25 pm Hello. Anyone know whether reference on UCAS should be school reference or performing arts reference? Also, employment section... do we put in professional theatre credits? Thank you.😊
Our school did the UCAS side of things and helped with the personal statement (with a bias towards her outside performing arts interests and mentioned any thing relevant). We did get references from the dance teacher however I think only LSC required both.

We were told at Urdang that they don't really read the personal statement as it is based on audition but obviously still make sure it ticks all the boxes.

Some direct application forms then require you to complete a separate statement too on their forms
2littledancers
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by 2littledancers »

dancelifemum wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:32 am
Elle’smom wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:14 am
NicoleT1978 wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 10:48 pm Hi all, jumping on post as my DD will be starting her auditions soon for next year's intake.......scary! I just wanted to ask do most people go to the open days? We are in Cornwall so to go to each of the schools she's interested in just for a morning or afternoon will be a bit of a nightmare, should she just go straight for the auditions? Also she's just turned 16 so will be doing her GCSEs soon, does anybody know how schools feel about them taking time out to go to auditions?
Open days I think are essential we visited some places that DD thought would be perfect and when she got there they just didn’t feel right. Time of for auditions was fine, lots of people move for sixth form so had interviews etc. I didn’t ask though I just informed them.
DD auditioned for her first choice first got offered a place and cancelled her other auditions as she didn’t want to go elsewhere.

Now looking at degree courses as someone who likes to plan she is struggling with not knowing exactly where she wants to go. Fortunately college is calming her down and saying take a deep breath there is time.
What she is finding hard is that everything is based on opinion - we go round in a circle between Bird, Urdang and Conti with PPA jumping in occasionally. I just keep saying audition for them all.
I would audition for all as advised above as you cannot guarantee which ones you will get offers for as there is often a curve ball somewhere in this process....they all get something and sometimes the audition day will make them fall in love with somewhere (sadly we did not get this opportunity last year) and I think Urdang are first round via video again this year.
I believe Urdangs website says that the auditions are in person , as it stated arrive at FTH at 8.30 and be prepared to stay until 6 .

https://theurdang.london/full-time-cour ... auditions/

I may be reading this wrong though .
Clairecm1076
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

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NicoleT1978 wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:26 pm Hi All, thanks for the previous replies about the Open Days. We've hit a brick wall, we were getting all excited booking the open days and looking into auditions and I've just found out that they can't get Student Loans at 16 for the Diploma. I know she could possibly try to get a DADA but it would be the living costs we would struggle with, we are in catch 22, we earn too much for the Maintenance help with the DADA but not enough to be able to support DD in moving to London. I've looked into the Bursaries available but that would be minimal. Does anybody have any further information that I may have missed [-o<
I have a horrible feeling I may have to break it to my DD that she has to wait another 2 years :cry:
We are in same position, DD wont qualify for Dada even if she was offered one but she is determined to go away at 16. We are looking at BTEC Extended diploma courses as a lot are free or certainly a lot cheaper so only need to fund accommodation costs. She can then go onto degree at 18 when she can access student loan. There are a lot of colleges now offering the BTEC, Performers just started it this year aswell so there is still plenty of choice
Harry2003
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by Harry2003 »

I am so relieved to see a return to face to face auditions - how else do people know how to choose a college? So important to get a true feel of a place. Fingers crossed others are also goi g to go back to proper auditions.
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by Elle’smom »

NicoleT1978 wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:26 pm Hi All, thanks for the previous replies about the Open Days. We've hit a brick wall, we were getting all excited booking the open days and looking into auditions and I've just found out that they can't get Student Loans at 16 for the Diploma. I know she could possibly try to get a DADA but it would be the living costs we would struggle with, we are in catch 22, we earn too much for the Maintenance help with the DADA but not enough to be able to support DD in moving to London. I've looked into the Bursaries available but that would be minimal. Does anybody have any further information that I may have missed [-o<
I have a horrible feeling I may have to break it to my DD that she has to wait another 2 years :cry:
Look outside London Emil Dale has full funding for their extended Diploma, Read College has an Access to the Arts fund to help with the cost of fees. Living costs tend to be lower outside of London. When we started looking I was surprised how many places run the course and people get into the degree from a wide variety.
DD also had a place Queen Mary College in Basingstoke which has a good track record into Bird and Urdang and a place at Peter Symmonds who have also got people into degree courses. She would have done the single award diploma and then two A-levels if she had gone this route.
We also looked at ICT in Brighton, Arts1 in Milton Keynes and Wilkes in Swindon. They had a mixture of full and partial funding.
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by amo185 »

Emil Dale charge an additional £4000 a year top up for their 6th Form course - although in principle that covers the additional classes not the actual BTEC. There was no one in DD's year who opted out of this. I can't imagine anyone thinking of doing so. It's the additional provision that makes the course. The actual BTEC is the more academic side and the projects. It's an excellent course and we highly recommend it. Great BTEC results and degree audition success too to the top colleges. Emil is no longer the actual Principal (has handed over but will remain involved) so there may be changes but do encourage your DC to audiiton there for the 6th form. They'll love it and will get well trained if successful.
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by lawn »

Harry2003 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:17 pm I am so relieved to see a return to face to face auditions - how else do people know how to choose a college? So important to get a true feel of a place. Fingers crossed others are also goi g to go back to proper auditions.
Think that will depend on the college. Daughter is on a foundation (straight acting course) and a member of staff who also teaches at a well known place in Scotland has already given them a heads up that first round is self tape.

I totally agree with you though. Daughter had a degree offer elsewhere that had been changed from foundation, which she accepted. After acceptance we attended an open day they had. Then with 3 weeks to go before she started there she got an email offering her foundation from a more well known name, which she took instead. I can't say I was thrilled that she was turning down a degree with funding in favour of something more costly, further away and another year of auditioning. On asking more though, I discovered she had not got the 'vibe' at where she was offered. Of course she didn't know this until she attended the open day.

And from the drama school perspective, this week daughter's class was asked to do the monologue they'd auditioned with. Daughter's feedback was really positive with the comment they hadn't been able to pick that up from her tape!
Harry2003
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by Harry2003 »

lawn wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 9:43 pm
And from the drama school perspective, this week daughter's class was asked to do the monologue they'd auditioned with. Daughter's feedback was really positive with the comment they hadn't been able to pick that up from her tape!
Yes exactly. I think the collages made the best of a rubbish situation last year and did what they had to do but it’s not the best route of auditioning future students. Self tapes are obviously good for auditioning for film/TV but not so sure for live theatre performers. I would be very interested to know (not that I’ll ever find out) how many students have been incorrectly chosen/rejected via this method.
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anastasia79
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by anastasia79 »

Harry2003 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:17 pm I am so relieved to see a return to face to face auditions - how else do people know how to choose a college? So important to get a true feel of a place. Fingers crossed others are also goi g to go back to proper auditions.
This is one thing I wished my DD had the chance to do. It was so difficult making a decision on which school she would be best suited for from online open days and the minefield of self taping. If it wasn't for this group we would have struggled. So many with DC's at various schools helped me with their feedback. I am happy that the 2022 intake will have the face to face auditions this year. Nothing can replace that in person interaction.
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by NicoleT1978 »

Clairecm1076 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:12 am
NicoleT1978 wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:26 pm Hi All, thanks for the previous replies about the Open Days. We've hit a brick wall, we were getting all excited booking the open days and looking into auditions and I've just found out that they can't get Student Loans at 16 for the Diploma. I know she could possibly try to get a DADA but it would be the living costs we would struggle with, we are in catch 22, we earn too much for the Maintenance help with the DADA but not enough to be able to support DD in moving to London. I've looked into the Bursaries available but that would be minimal. Does anybody have any further information that I may have missed [-o<
I have a horrible feeling I may have to break it to my DD that she has to wait another 2 years :cry:
We are in same position, DD wont qualify for Dada even if she was offered one but she is determined to go away at 16. We are looking at BTEC Extended diploma courses as a lot are free or certainly a lot cheaper so only need to fund accommodation costs. She can then go onto degree at 18 when she can access student loan. There are a lot of colleges now offering the BTEC, Performers just started it this year aswell so there is still plenty of choice
Thanks. I had noticed the BTEC but presumed they would be the same, nice to know that there are some that are funded. It still leaves the problem of being able to support her with her accomodation and living costs. However, I have spent many hours today looking into what help she may get and I think as it's only a level 3 and she would be starting at 16 there is a possibility of her getting help through Universal Credit, its all very complicated so I've found quite a useful website that I'm going to get in touch with and see what they can advise.
Harry2003
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by Harry2003 »

First audition date through for DS. And so it begins. Good luck everyone.
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by Dancersmum1 »

Harry2003 wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 6:06 pm First audition date through for DS. And so it begins. Good luck everyone.
Good Luck!!

We have set aside time this week to start applications :D
Proseccoplease
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by Proseccoplease »

Well done Harry2003! DS has yet to even finish his personal statement :shock: Off to Leeds tomorrow for the Federation of Drama Schools Fair so hoping for some good advice re.auditions/courses! It’s all getting real!
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Re: Auditioning for 2022 entry

Post by Elle’smom »

Headshots are just in, is that beautiful young woman really my DD. They are learning their audition dances and narrowing down the songs and monologues.
As for the forms I have no idea they have a class every week at college for audition prep in which they discuss forms personal statements, whether to apply direct or through UCAS. So I assume she is on top of that.
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