Hello everyone! I’m a 2016 high school grad (female) who’s taking a gap year this year. I auditioned for MT programs last year, but I wasn’t in the right mindset at all honestly compared to this year. Anyway. This year in addition to still doing local shows, I’m hoping to resume vocal lessons and find a dance studio. I’m looking into college audition coaching as well, but that’s a whole other fish to fry (tips on that are welcome as well lol).
I haven’t regularly taken dance lessons for probably 6 years. I’m not TOTALLY inexperienced, but I wouldn’t consider it my strength when it comes to singing, dancing, and acting. That being said, this past July I was in a production of CATS, a notoriously dance-heavy show, as Bombalurina, who although isn’t a super-main dancer, is relatively featured. Being in that show truly gave me what I think is invaluable dance experience, through the types of dancing we did, technique, etc. Most of the roughly 6 weeks of rehearsal was dance-centric, almost like a dance camp within a show. When it comes to putting down my training on a resume that I’ll give at auditions, how should I approach the dance section? Should I include the studio that I went to for 3 years, but stopped 6 years ago to show that I’m not completely blind to dance? Also how do I approach noting the training I got from doing CATS, if I should even note it? I will of course add the lessons I’ll be taking this year. But any thoughts/opinions/advice you could give me on those questions would be really appreciated!
I would add the three years of dance training - even if it was awhile ago - like you would list any other “skill” training you have (Piano; two years private lessons; Voice: six years in select school choir, three years private lessons, workshop with Audra MacDonald, etc.) Just list Dance Training: three years of ballet, jazz - or whatever. If the studio was “notable” you could include the name or the teacher’s name. I think you could also include “intensive dance training” from your CATS experience - especially if the person who ran the dance classes and/or the choreographer was/were “of note”. If you were taught in a regular class setting - ballet or jazz, etc. - that was beyond just working on the show choreography, certainly include that - maybe something like: six weeks of intensive dance “boot camp”, or some such. Otherwise, listing the role you played in such a dance-heavy show would probably get the point across that you “can dance”. You do not need to list dates for any of this - unless it is pertinent. Perhaps others could comment on this, but you may want to draw special attention to the “extras” you did during your gap year - to show that you were serious about improving your skill set in that “short and recent” period of time. Then perhaps all the “gap year” learning would be listed together. Just a thought. Personally, I feel taking a gap year shows extra commitment above the norm. Others may feel differently.
That makes sense. And yeah, part of the reason I am taking a gap year is to really brush up all of my skills without balancing that with high school! Thank you so much for the advice!