<p>Hey everyone. So I know that I've been making new threads a lot lately, but it's not like they can hurt, right? So, to give you some background, I am a junior in high school who barely knew what musical theatre was before entering high school. However, much has changed since then, and I'm looking to audition for colleges for MT next year. So, out of all three areas of MT, I would say that the weakest one for me at this time would be dance (not to say that I don't think I have potential, because I know that I do!) because I've had basically no formal training until now. This year, I just started taking a tap dance class at a dance studio near where I live. Now I know that tap isn't usually assessed in MT dance auditions, but I love it and it will help me pick up dance combos quickly, so I decided to take it. Aside from this, can anyone tell me how I can get more experience in ballet/jazz. I'd like to have at least some knowledge in these styles before I go audition. Should I go look for any free or drop in classes where I live? Could I get a video that shows me some basic ballet/jazz steps and technique. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts that you all have.</p>
<p>Hi, Yoshi:</p>
<p>It’s so great that you’re looking to improve your skills NOW before you get to be a senior! The more time you have the better. I’m curious as to why you chose to begin your formal training with tap? I know it’s a lot of fun (and it’s great exercise!) but if you can only afford to pay for one class, it definitely needs to be ballet. Ballet will give you the foundation, the control and the terminology you will need to do well in college (or any) dance auditions. Then, if you had more time, I’d add jazz. Tap would come only after you had a pretty solid foundation (like 6-12 months of weekly classes in each) in the other disciplines. </p>
<p>Now, if you can afford 2 classes, I would think it would be fine to do ballet AND tap for several months, followed by jazz AND tap for a few more, but if one is your limit, then ballet should be it.</p>
<p>If it’s available to you, you should look into taking a ballet class at the local community college. In some states (CA, for one) community college classes are free for high school students, and dance classes are often 2 days per week, so it’s a GREAT value! My D took ballet and jazz that way for free. She was already a fairly accomplished dancer at the time, but there were plenty of beginning students there as well. The teachers were very good at letting each student work at their own level.</p>
<p>I second the community college programs!! My daughter took dance there in the summers during high school- we are also in CA so it was free- so it was a great deal. She did not have a huge amount of dance behind her; only what she had picked up in a few classes when she was younger and in shows, as well as an IB dance program in high school- she learned a huge amount and had no problems with the dance in college auditions.</p>
<p>I agree with the ballet suggestions. And if you can possibly swing it financially, I would suggest that you try to get some private instruction. You will progress much more quickly than you might in a large class where you won’t get much personal attention. I also recommend a class in MT styles. If you can find someone who teaches that, it could be much more helpful than a generic jazz class.</p>
<p>If you are male, you may be in luck with ballet. The studio where my D studied ballet had free ballet classes for males, if in exchange they attended pas de deux (partnering) classes. Don’t know how common that is, but it’s worth mentioning!</p>
<p>As a dance student, I always found it very helpful to take classes that just a little more advanced than your level. It gives you something to work up to. Don’t push yourself but it keeps you going fast and working hard because you see and watch other students. Hopefully that helps!</p>
<p>Honestly, ballet is the foundation of dance, and the most important to have a grasp of, but if you need to quickly learn things, Id jump into a jazz class, so that the emphasis is more on being able to pick up steps and combinations and retain them and regurgitate them in a way that makes you look good.</p>
<p>Ballet takes lots of time before you can even get off the barre, and dance auditions for MT are RARELY ballet, and are often much closer to jazz.</p>
<p>Take a break from tap for the next two years because you won’t need it for 99% of Musical Theatre auditions, and even when they might ask if you tap, it’s not necessary. You NEED to focus on ballet, jazz, and theatre style dance.</p>
<p>In one year, I was able to go from having very little dance training to being able to do a full ballet barre reasonably well and being able to pick up combinations better, which is the key for college auditions (picking up skills.) Actually, I am one of the strongest dancers in my program. But, it took serious focus with daily dance classes and quite a bit of money. But let me say, anytime my dance audition went well for a school, I was accepted, and often, when it didn’t go well, I was rejected. Just goes to show what a huge difference it can make…</p>
<p>My advice: Get a PRIVATE ballet teacher who will look at your technique critically, teach you the ballet barre basics, and help teach you some basic center work/pirouette combinations. I recommend AT LEAST once to two times per week.</p>
<p>Then, spend the rest of your time in jazz and ballet classes, with a focus on picking up combinations, and if you can get some, work on some fosse and theatre jazz technique. You’re going to need to be able to do a single and ideally a double pirouette for college auditions, so work on those. If you can take three classes, I recommend taking one on the easier side to work on technique and performance (smiling, acting, etc.), one on your current level, and one too hard for you, so you get a sense of picking up faster and you aren’t too overwhelmed come audition day.</p>
<p>Hope this helped and good luck :)</p>
<p>What an excellent post from MTActor 123! I would like to add that not only is dance extremely important for college auditions, it is extremely important in professional theater. Have you seen a Broadway musical lately? There are very few that feature only singers. Dance training is key if you hope to be employed in musical theater. Start now.</p>
<p>My D graduated from Syracuse last year. She is working, thank goodness! And among her graduating class, most have been employed – but ESPECIALLY the guys who are strong dancers. They are all working. The ones who are only singers – not so much.</p>
<p>Thank you, MTactor and Onstage. And yeah, I really can’t just drop the tap class because we paid for it in full without refund (I really don’t want to drop it anyways). But yeah, I’ll consider what you said. I would just like to know where I could find a private ballet teacher. I might just be lucky enough to convince my parents to pay for that (just because I love dance and practice it all the time in my house). And where is the best place to take classes? (not specifically, generally). Because the dance studio where I’m taking tap is really laid back, and I’d want something more demanding. I would just like to know where to look. And would I have to spend lots of money to improve a lot by auditions? I’m jsut wondering because my parents are already paying a lot for me right now. Thank you</p>
<p>Yoshi2–</p>
<p>I’m new to these boards, and have been reading here and posting a bit more over on the music major boards (that’s the “bass” side of my screen name, for my son). </p>
<p>But I thought I’d answer here because my daughter is very much in your position, only a little younger. She is an incredible singer, but not a dancer at all, and actually has always been rather awkward and clumsy.</p>
<p>We were advised to get her a private dance teacher in part because there is just nowhere (even in a major city!) for a 15-year-old to take a very beginning ballet class, and it would be too embarrassing to be in a class of 9-year-olds.</p>
<p>My daughter’s acting teacher recommended someone who has been beyond perfect. She has performed on Broadway, and loves to turn non-dancers into dancers. I think you could find a private teacher in much the same way – ask all your other performance teachers and coaches (private and at school) who they would recommend for private dance lessons. If you don’t get any good answers, I would call the best dance studios in town and ask who there takes on private beginning students, and tell them very very explicitly what kind of training you need.</p>
<p>Our teacher teaches my daughter for 1 1/2 hours a week, always starting with ballet as a warm-up, but then moving into jazz and Broadway style dancing. Because she is a Broadway dancer herself, the teacher has started my daughter singing and dancing together – something I don’t think most dance classes would do, but obviously a skill a MT performer needs!</p>
<p>After less than two months, I am seeing major changes just in the way my daughter stands and walks. She is starting to hold herself like a dancer – not all the time, but she is aware of it now, and I’m sure it will be second nature by the time auditions roll around down the line. She also notices other people’s bad posture, which she never has before. </p>
<p>As soon as she feels comfortable with it, I will indeed take MTActor123’s outstanding advice and get her into regular group classes as well, but we will keep up with the private lessons. In less than 2 months, she has progressed so far! And I love the idea of taking classes that are too easy, the right level, and too hard, all at the same time. Brilliant! (Somehow I want to call this the “Goldilocks” method!)</p>
<p>Yes, they are expensive. We are in a major city, as I said, so maybe higher somewhere else. But we pay $150/lesson, plus we split the cost of the studio rental with the teacher. We have made arrangements to rent out a ballroom dancing studio on weekend afternoons when they don’t hold ballroom classes. So, yes, much much more expensive than joining a group class. Given what we have seen so far though (and given that we are willing and able to pay it), I think it’s well worth it.</p>
<p>Good luck, Yoshi2!</p>
<p>If you want some general advice about where to find a good private teacher, I would look and see if there are any “competition” style dance studios around you. At least in my experience, these studios tend to be more intense and the teachers have a more committed attitude. You don’t want to go to a class that is laid back because it wastes your time and money, and honestly, what you’re trying to accomplish is only going to happen if you’re seriously committed and work as hard as possible. Call around and find out about all of the studios and try out a few teachers to see what is working.</p>
<p>Good idea. And yeah, I think that I need to go to a competition style studio for what I’m looking for. I mean, even in my tap class right now, I wish I could have class more than just once a week (although maybe that’s good so that I can focus on ballet and jazz right now). I know of a competition studio that my older sister attended, so I’ll see if they can get me on the right track. I’m really excited to get better at ballet and jazz.</p>