NotaPushyMum.Com

Hi,
just read some your comments and discussions about britian does variety show, just wanted to say I recently performed at Blackpool and I know there was a £4 fee etc etc, you could also buy tickets but you didnt have to, as they told us it was the judges votes firstly before the audience, I understand caution as I have performed in various shows including tv i.e stars in their eyes (wish theyd bring it back) where everything was included, but give these guys a chance, they were really fab especially with the kids, I looked on it as an opportunity to perform in a huge theatre and even though I didnt get through I am so happy to have been part of it and would love to have got in the final but thats a chance, I brought a pianist rather than backing tracks I thought they might have seen something different in that, but the plus side is unlike BGT and Xfactor that put all the acts through for a laugh this was genuinely interested in each act who auditioned, they even gave me a slotted time in the day of the audition as I was singing that night and did not want to queue, but when I arrived there was no long queue like the other shows, it was well organsised, maybe next year it will be as it gets popular. Everyone in the show was so nice you almost forgot it was a competition.
please give them a chance they gave one to me and I would do it again, they have a fb page and you can read all the comments on there,
thanks

Sorry, but I just don't think it is ever fair to ask someone for an audition fee for a commercial event unless you are getting a workshop out of it (such as YMT:UK or NYT) or proper expert adjudication (like a competitive festival). Asking for a fee for participation is a bit different (though even that is open to question!). But in this instance someone is asked to pay to find out that they are not going to be in a show...

I just think they should be factoring in the cost of holding auditions when they do the budgets. That strikes me as being far more fair, otherwise the auditionees are sponsoring those who are successful. I'ts great to hear that it was well-organised and that people enjoyed themselves. However, I think that if this is the pricing model the organisers continue with, they will have to be prepared for criticism from cynics!

Some children at our local dancing school went to this and paid to audition, which I do not agree with! There were a panel of 3 people who were 'experts' in their field as judges. They told one 9 year old that even tho they could recogniese that they were extremely talented if they were to be put thru she would have to pay for a proper professional to teach her a routine and song. The child had told them that her Mummy had put the number together they had made an assumption that the mummy had know experience as they were unaware that the her Mummy had had a 15 year west end career and was infact a teacher and true 'professional' !! The routine in question has qualified for the All England dance finals and gained 90 marks at festivals!!! The successful children were then told that the audience vote would count at the next round and were handed 20 tickets to sell on behalf of the organisers on the basis of ' the more tickets you sell the better chance you have of making it thru'!!!!!

My advice is be careful!!

That is disgraceful.

That's terrible Rlaight, but I'm not surprised. I've had my reservations about this talent quest all along. I feel that by paying a fee (although nominal) to enter it has funded the whole event and the losers have indeed subsidised the winners. The BDV website, in my opinion, lacked important & required information. How qualified were the judges? They were apparently a handful of children's TV presenters and a DJ, I think!!! Hardly qualified to judge a technical dance!!! At least the All England Dance adjudicators are experienced and experts in the relevant dance mediums. Btw huge congratulations on your DD reaching the AED finals; best of luck. I know I'd certainly take this achievement more seriously than BDV!!! When are the finals?

We have experienced this kind of thing many times in singing competitions. There is always a fee to take part, the judges are often dodgy and have links to stage schools who unsurprisingly supply a high proportion of comtestants! When you enter independently without a stage or dance school behind you, you have a snowflake's chance in hell or getting anywhere!

The reason these events take place are in general because they have an idea that will either make them money, or get them access to people to employ without any expense (and then generate a bit of income as a by product).

If people want the experience, I can't see any real issue with it, as long as you're aware - but what I don't understand is when people think people do these things for some kind of public benefit?

If you want genuine, expert adjudication against proper approved criteria - then do competitive festivals. If you are happy to have a persons opinion - then do these events.

The only people who complain, in my experience are the ones who genuinely feel their friend/relative/employee was unfairly treated - but if you put yourself up for scrutiny in events of this nature - you are bound to find some comments unfair to your own perspective.

Perhaps a warning should be on the entry form - enter at your peril.

I doubt the winners find anything really of any real benefit from these apart from experience. It doesn't make the event bad. If they charge, and you're willing to pay - is there a real problem with them making money in this way?

I read the comments in this thread a few months ago and at the time felt it would serve no useful purpose to comment. However, with BDV 2012 underway pretty soon I now feel compelled to respond to the earlier comments made here.

I'd first of all like to respond to rlaight's grossly inaccurate and misleading comments. The 9 year old referred to in her comment bore the surname laight and it's not unreasonable to assume that 'mummy' is the writer of the comment even though it was written in the guise of a third party.

One of the judges was a trained dancer and dance teacher. Another judge was a professional voice coach. All of the judges were completely aware that many of the acts auditioning were students at Buckingham Dance Studios where the auditions took place.

We have NEVER, EVER told any act that they would have to pay for "a proper professional" if they wanted to be put through (is there such a thing as a 'proper' professional?), nor would we EVER adopt such an unacceptable practice, and it is highly irresponsible and misleading on the part of rlaight to make such a claim. We knew full well that the child in question was a student at Buckingham Dance Studio and, as already confirmed by rlaight, thought she was "extremely talented" so why on earth would we suggest professional training which would have been disrespectful to both the child and Pollyanna Buckingham?!

However, we did have a discussion with 'mummy' regarding the content of her child's routine. All of the judges, and at least two of the BDV production crew that were in the audition room at the time, felt quite strongly that the provocative hip grinding and/or thrusting included in the routine was wholly inappropriate for a 9-year old child and made them feel somewhat uncomfortable. For that reason 'mummy' was asked to talk with the judges, at which point we said we were quite happy to put her child through to the live show but suggested she consider having the routine modified to make it more appropriate for such a young child.

rlaight also contradicts what 'mummy' told us when she says that "mummy had put the number together", as 'mummy' herself told us that Pollyanna Buckingham created the routine!

The child in question WAS put through to the live show as she was extremely talented, however just two days prior to the show she was withdrawn by 'mummy' due to "an injury to her foot". The email was signed 'kind regards' - three days later rlaight made her posting on this web site. A strange about face.

I can only assume that rlaight's attempts to tarnish our reputation are because she felt somehow disgruntled at the criticism of the hip grinding/thrusting routine "mummy had put together" which gives one the impression that 'mummy' is more concerned with her own feelings than those of her daughter.

Interestingly, the overall winner of the Under 18s National Finals was Rhys Rice, a dancer that auditioned at Buckingham Dance Studios. Rhys was judged best in show by both audience and the judging panel.

Moving on to comments about the credibility and suitability of judges. BDV is NOT a dance competition. The clue is in the name, i.e. VARIETY. If we were running a dance competition then we would, of course, have a judging panel comprised of suitably qualified people.

One of the things I've noticed about cynics is that they often choose to look no further than the issues that they feel support their concerns. Details of some of the judges for BDV 2011 were clearly displayed on the web site (and as of today's date those details are still available at http://www.britain-does-variety.co.uk/judges.html). To quote 'claret' "They were apparently a handful of children's TV presenters and a DJ..."

Tim Lichfield (the DJ) is "an incredible magician and qualified hypnotist"

Naomi Wilkinson (one of the 'presenters') is a trained dancer

Then we had Emma Barton, three years spent in Eastenders could possibly have her cast as a 'soap actress' ... but she also played the lead role of Roxy Hart in Chicago in the West End ... I guess that means she can sing and dance doesn't it?

Two other West End performers, two leading theatrical agents, another amazing magician ... suffice to say, our judging panel comprised people perfectly capable of identifying and judging a VARIETY of talent.

'claret' also comments on the fact that paying a fee to enter has "funded the whole event". Claret, do please come and work with us because you must have awesome negotiating skills. It costs thousands of pounds in theatre hire, staff and productions costs, travel and accommodation for every single venue and if there's a way that can be funded from a £3 audition fee I'd love to learn about it!! A £3 audition fee doesn't even cover the cost of the audition venues and related staffing!!

We have however taken on board the fact that some people feel it unfair for acts to pay an audition fee only to find they have been unsuccessful, and for that reason we're adopting a different process for BDV 2012. The arrangements have yet to be finalised but will be published on the web site soon.

'paulears' makes a valid point by stating "what I don't understand is when people think people do these things for some kind of public benefit". There is a HUGE amount of work involved in an enterprise of this nature. It is not something that requires an hour or so a week of someone's time - there are literally HUNDREDS of man hours involved over the course of six to eight months simply administering the venture, let alone the amount of man hours involved in auditions, live shows and travelling.

I take great pleasure in pointing out that the positive feedback for BDV 2011 totally overwhelms the tiny amount of negativity we've seen, as evidenced on our Facebook wall.

What an unprofessional post. I'm in shock!

BDV's "post" - me thinks "protesteth" too much was made in December 2011 and I for one have avoided reading again.
I think it is exactly why noone posted a reply-at is why it was hard to make any comment about it. Least said almost the better- rlaight put your fingers in your ears, keep head up and rise above the nonsense as I'm sure you have!
Let's just get on with what is done best here helping and supporting each other.
And of course being ironically NPMs!!

Weird this should come up again, just thinking something similar about a well known "dance challenge" held in my local area late last year . It was on my mind as I was asked of DS was going in again this year ...... Let me think? No!
It was a disaster from beginning to end, it over run by HOURS, late arrivals were allowed to perform putting everyone back by ridiculous O'clock. DS was placed in the wrong category and unable to perform one dance ( we had paid for)
There was a supposed strict 2 min routine limit which we stuck to for solo dance DS routine being 1 min 45 secs. Oh what a surprise! The longest routine we timed after realising it was a free for all was just shy of 3 mins, there were barely 2 or 3 that stuck to the timing , and noone was stopped despite the crazy over running!
Making my DS routine look like a 10 second rehearsal ! If I had known I could get away with a 3 min routine i would have!
It was frequented by the usual dance schools some of whom were excellent and some DIRE but those who were successful did not surprise me in the slightest ( although some decisions were dubious in the extreme.
The moral of my story is that we will NEVER waste our money ever by participating in anything like these challenges, talent shows etc ever again!
My money is too hard earned and precious to line the pockets of those who run biased and badly planned events !
You live and learn!