Auditioning for 2024 entry

[biscuitsneeded]

I'm a veteran of last year's thread (DS now at GSA doing BA Acting and very happy) but I wanted to hop onto this thread, firstly to wish all of you and your DC the very best for what can be an exciting, terrifying, painful and unpredictable journey, and secondly to say @MTEast that if your DD's applications don't come off, and you live anywhere near Cambridge, the performance school at Impington Village College is worth a look. The students can do BTEC performing arts alongside some IB options. Feel free to message me if you want to know any more.

Ooo I think it’s a viable option transport wise, and they have host families! Will definitely consider this. Thank you.

All I would say is not to expect the same intensity of MT training that you would get from eg Emil Dale. It worked well for DS as we couldn't afford anything fee-paying, and he was able to spend two years doing what he enjoys (he did theatre arts and dance IB alongside performing arts BTEC) but it's not the intense training of somewhere like EDA. There is still academic work to be done around the IB side of things, and it's an inclusive performing arts Btec which will include people with loads of performing experience and people who've done a couple of school plays. Some will go on to vocational training post 18, some are doing it purely for interest. They do have some very successful alumni, and the teachers are very kind and dedicated. The facilities are typical state school, so no state-of-the-art studio or theatre for example, but they try to get visiting tutors in for workshops and they get guests/grads in to talk about their experiences. Your DD would not necessarily make the huge progress in performance skills that she might at somewhere like EDA, but it's a good compromise if she's willing to do some academic work (DS ended up finding the academic side of theatre arts really interesting!) For us it worked out, as we knew DS would not want to carry on doing two more years of pure academics. The host families are really for international students as it's an IB international college (and I must say there is a lovely, outward-looking ethos about the college) but there's nothing to say you couldn't look for a host family. If it were me I wouldn't go to those lengths but it depends on your family set-up and what you're willing to do!

[MTEast]

I'm a veteran of last year's thread (DS now at GSA doing BA Acting and very happy) but I wanted to hop onto this thread, firstly to wish all of you and your DC the very best for what can be an exciting, terrifying, painful and unpredictable journey, and secondly to say @MTEast that if your DD's applications don't come off, and you live anywhere near Cambridge, the performance school at Impington Village College is worth a look. The students can do BTEC performing arts alongside some IB options. Feel free to message me if you want to know any more.

Ooo I think it’s a viable option transport wise, and they have host families! Will definitely consider this. Thank you.

All I would say is not to expect the same intensity of MT training that you would get from eg Emil Dale. It worked well for DS as we couldn't afford anything fee-paying, and he was able to spend two years doing what he enjoys (he did theatre arts and dance IB alongside performing arts BTEC) but it's not the intense training of somewhere like EDA. There is still academic work to be done around the IB side of things, and it's an inclusive performing arts Btec which will include people with loads of performing experience and people who've done a couple of school plays. Some will go on to vocational training post 18, some are doing it purely for interest. They do have some very successful alumni, and the teachers are very kind and dedicated. The facilities are typical state school, so no state-of-the-art studio or theatre for example, but they try to get visiting tutors in for workshops and they get guests/grads in to talk about their experiences. Your DD would not necessarily make the huge progress in performance skills that she might at somewhere like EDA, but it's a good compromise if she's willing to do some academic work (DS ended up finding the academic side of theatre arts really interesting!) For us it worked out, as we knew DS would not want to carry on doing two more years of pure academics. The host families are really for international students as it's an IB international college (and I must say there is a lovely, outward-looking ethos about the college) but there's nothing to say you couldn't look for a host family. If it were me I wouldn't go to those lengths but it depends on your family set-up and what you're willing to do!

Thank you so much for this. It’s a tricky one for us. My DD is autistic and has a condition called Functional Neurological disorder. It’s very complex, but she is riddled with symptoms at school and has no symptoms when in her dance classes or MT associates programmes. So for us, she absolutely needs to be somewhere with likeminded people for both her physical and mental health. I think I am just so scared the PA colleges won’t be an option for her, so any glimmer of a plan B is worth looking at for us.

[biscuitsneeded]

Ooo I think it’s a viable option transport wise, and they have host families! Will definitely consider this. Thank you.

All I would say is not to expect the same intensity of MT training that you would get from eg Emil Dale. It worked well for DS as we couldn't afford anything fee-paying, and he was able to spend two years doing what he enjoys (he did theatre arts and dance IB alongside performing arts BTEC) but it's not the intense training of somewhere like EDA. There is still academic work to be done around the IB side of things, and it's an inclusive performing arts Btec which will include people with loads of performing experience and people who've done a couple of school plays. Some will go on to vocational training post 18, some are doing it purely for interest. They do have some very successful alumni, and the teachers are very kind and dedicated. The facilities are typical state school, so no state-of-the-art studio or theatre for example, but they try to get visiting tutors in for workshops and they get guests/grads in to talk about their experiences. Your DD would not necessarily make the huge progress in performance skills that she might at somewhere like EDA, but it's a good compromise if she's willing to do some academic work (DS ended up finding the academic side of theatre arts really interesting!) For us it worked out, as we knew DS would not want to carry on doing two more years of pure academics. The host families are really for international students as it's an IB international college (and I must say there is a lovely, outward-looking ethos about the college) but there's nothing to say you couldn't look for a host family. If it were me I wouldn't go to those lengths but it depends on your family set-up and what you're willing to do!

Thank you so much for this. It’s a tricky one for us. My DD is autistic and has a condition called Functional Neurological disorder. It’s very complex, but she is riddled with symptoms at school and has no symptoms when in her dance classes or MT associates programmes. So for us, she absolutely needs to be somewhere with likeminded people for both her physical and mental health. I think I am just so scared the PA colleges won’t be an option for her, so any glimmer of a plan B is worth looking at for us.

There's also Bodywork Cambridge, but again it would be an hour's journey. Whereabouts are you?

[MTEast]

We looked at Bodyworks and it would be great, but a diploma is expensive and has no funding attached, so I think it’s a no, sadly. I don’t think she is ready for diploma yet either, especially not somewhere that is know for dance!

[Hilltop]

Hi, my DD has just started submitting applications and has auditions coming up now. Scary stuff! We just have a question - when they ask for two contrasting songs, should one of these be legit even if not asked for. I know technically it doesn’t have to be if they haven’t specified it but we just wondered if it looked better for one to be legit?

[LizzyBee]

Hiya, if possible, I would go legit if comfortable with doing it. Some places do specify so worth having a legit anyway. Arts Ed used to ask for legit in first round (think that might be changing) and they spend a year working purely on legit so it’s going to be good to show you can do it for any MT audition.

[Sahara]

Hi, my DD has just started submitting applications and has auditions coming up now. Scary stuff! We just have a question - when they ask for two contrasting songs, should one of these be legit even if not asked for. I know technically it doesn’t have to be if they haven’t specified it but we just wondered if it looked better for one to be legit?

We were at the Urdang Open Day a couple of weeks ago and they specifically said you don’t need to do a legit song as one of your choices. The course leader said you could do a pop song as one of them if you wanted to. They just want two contrasting songs that show off your voice. I know that other colleges do ask for legit though. If your DD can do legit well, then it’s good to show that I think.

[2good2hurry]

Hi, my DD has just started submitting applications and has auditions coming up now. Scary stuff! We just have a question - when they ask for two contrasting songs, should one of these be legit even if not asked for. I know technically it doesn’t have to be if they haven’t specified it but we just wondered if it looked better for one to be legit?

Agree with LizzyBee. Definitely have a strong legit ready to go. We have found that ArtsEd cut after dance and legit so an amazing contemporary won’t get heard unless you can show what you can do with legit.

[2good2hurry]

Hi, my DD has just started submitting applications and has auditions coming up now. Scary stuff! We just have a question - when they ask for two contrasting songs, should one of these be legit even if not asked for. I know technically it doesn’t have to be if they haven’t specified it but we just wondered if it looked better for one to be legit?

Agree with LizzyBee. Definitely have a strong legit ready to go. We have found that ArtsEd cut after dance and legit so an amazing contemporary won’t get heard unless you can show what you can do with legit.

And best of luck to your DD!

[riverdancefan]

Happy to help with info re: EDA and ArtsEd.
My DS is done and out in the wide world now but I remember the agonies of it all .. imprinted on my brain!

[MTEast]

My dad had prepared Maybe This Time and It Means Beautiful as EDA don’t require legit for 6th form. Totally set on the belt one and thought of Beautiful to show her softer side. Started lessons with a teacher at EDA part time maybe 3 weeks ago who range checked her and suggest she try a higher one. Much upset and many wobbles ensued, which I posted about in here. She tried I Could Have Danced All Night (which she previously done for an MT grade) with her local singing teacher just to have a third in case they asked and showed it to her EDA teacher last Sunday. His response was, “You need to do that one! They won’t know you can sing in that style if you don’t show them.” So based on that, legit seems like a safe bet!

[biscuitsneeded]

@MT East. Break a leg to your DD for tomorrow. A friend's DD is at EDA today for a 6th form audition and although they were asked to prepare 2 songs they've only done one. Just so your DD is forewarned that this may happen - be ready to choose just one if necessary.

[MTEast]

Well it’s done. She thought it went well and she performed her best, but she didn’t get an interview. They specifically said that doesn’t mean it’s a no, but she is convinced it does and is gutted. Urgh!

[Ditzi]

Well it’s done. She thought it went well and she performed her best, but she didn’t get an interview. They specifically said that doesn’t mean it’s a no, but she is convinced it does and is gutted. Urgh!

Not getting an interview can mean 3 things: they’ve seen enough to make an offer, they are not sure and they ask to see them again, or it’s a no. I know how disheartening it is not to get an interview, dd didn’t get one last year at GSA. Well done to your dd for doing her best, everything else is out of her hands.

[MTEast]

Well it’s done. She thought it went well and she performed her best, but she didn’t get an interview. They specifically said that doesn’t mean it’s a no, but she is convinced it does and is gutted. Urgh!

Not getting an interview can mean 3 things: they’ve seen enough to make an offer, they are not sure and they ask to see them again, or it’s a no. I know how disheartening it is not to get an interview, dd didn’t get one last year at GSA. Well done to your dd for doing her best, everything else is out of her hands.

Thank you.