<p>I was wondering if anyone here knows more about the Tisch Amsterdam Study Abroad program during the summer. What classes do students take, how are the teachers, etc. And how much does it cost?</p>
<p>Also, can someone tell me more about the training at the Experimental Theater Wing? It seems like it is really really cool. If I get into CAP, I might do my final semester there. Is the acting training their good?</p>
<p>Anyone???? Bump</p>
<p>I don't think anyone who frequents this list has had experience with the Tisch Amsterdam Program. Sorry!</p>
<p>Clay,
I have no first hand experience with the Amsterdam program. What I can tell you is that many of my daughter's friends have gone and every single one has said it is AMAZING and life changing. They kept encouraging her to audition for it (you have to get in by audition) but she never did because we can't afford summer programs during college.....that program costs about $10,000, I believe. If it were during the school year, it would be different (though she would not want to miss any semesters at NYU). It is through ETW. But she feels that by doing ETW for three semesters, she is pretty much getting the Amsterdam program but IN New York, ha ha. And she did travel on a vacation to Amsterdam last winter. But the faculty is from Tisch. </p>
<p>As far as ETW, my daughter LOVES it so much. You may want to even do it more than one semester (not that you have to decide this kind of thing so far in advance). You DO have to audition to switch into ETW and the first semester you are in it, is called Transfer Track. If you visit ETW's website, it has lots of information about the curriculum and lots of other stuff. After one semester in ETW transfer track, you are in upper level ETW and in that level, you can pick your training classes (unlike in CAP) and generally you pick a class in acting, a class in dance or movement and a class that is vocal/voice....many options in each discipline. The training is also physical. My D loves the kids in it and yes, the acting training is awesome (and there are still classes in voice/singing, dance, etc.). Great faculty. Last semester, my D got to be in a Moises Kaufman workshop production with his theater company, Tectonic Theater, and they got to create the show and he directed and there is a lot of that sort of thing in ETW. You can do self scripting, even composing, all of which my D has done. Another great thing is that you can opt to do an Independent Project as a senior (this is optional) which usually means creating your own show and putting it on. That was one big thing that attracted my D to do ETW but not the only reason at all. But indeed, now in her final semester, she wrote her own musical earlier in the year and is now in production with it and it will be put on right before graduation. </p>
<p>If you don't do ETW or even if you do, dong the Amsterdam program is another way to experience it.</p>
<p>Go explore ETW's site!</p>
<p>Thanks Soozievt.
I did look at the ETW site, and I have looked at the upper level courses. They seem to be amazing. But what courses do the transfer track students take. Because if I get into CAP21, I think that I will want to do the showcase.</p>
<p>Clay, in all honesty, it is too soon to even think of what you might do. Had you asked me four years ago if my D was gonna do ETW while at Tisch, I would have said, no. Things evolve. She decided to try this after five semesters at CAP, thus only missing one semester of training at CAP and the showcase semester. However, she was told she could come back for her 8th semester to do the CAP showcase, but later on, decided not to do that as she loved ETW and wanted to write and put on her own musical which would likely not be possible to do in CAP. She chose to give up the CAP showcase and take a chance in senior year to audition for the Tisch MT Industry Showcase, but that is by audition only, unlike the CAP one. Also, while showcases truly are a nice plus, they are not the end all and be all of her college choices. Things worked out for my D in that she did get into the Tisch MT showcase and was just in it about ten days ago. She also gets 8 semesters of training which CAP is not.</p>
<p>ETW Transfer Track (which is for one semester) does not allow you to choose the courses but believe me, that semester was really great for my D (it is not as if you choose courses in CAP either). I am sorry that I do not remember exactly what courses my D had in Transfer Track in ETW last spring, but I know that one course would have been in the acting realm, another in dance/movement and a third in voice of some sort. And I think some courses are like half of a semester and then they change it up. I think the dance class was called Contact Improv. And I think there is self scripting in some of the acting work. You could take private voice. My D stayed with her CAP21 voice teacher all four years.</p>
<p>My daughter was lucky enough to have the opportunity to do the Amsterdam program. And as everyone has mentioned, she thought it was an absolutely amazing experience.</p>
<p>It was expensive but she received a very generous financial aid package. I suspect that anyone who asked was granted financial aid. She also got her deposit back and later on she was refunded for some housing charges. So in the end, it was well below the $10,000 stated cost.</p>
<p>I am not quite sure what they did specifically. All I know is that is was a life altering experience. Apparently, the training is very physical and it helped her open up. They spent long hours (sometimes 6 days a week) in studio starting the morning with yoga. If you read the description of the training that is noted on the Tisch site, it is true to what the program encompasses. </p>
<p>The group stays with each other for classes and live together in a dorm, which was located across the canal from the Ann Frank House. After spending all this time together both in class and living in the dorm together, the group really bonded. If asked, these would be her best friends from Tisch.</p>
<p>My daughter enjoyed shopping in the local grocery stores and on the weekends would poke through the museums and local flea markets. Amsterdam is a unique place and loves its Art and artist!</p>
<p>that sounds so cool, is there any time to go visit other countries?</p>
<p>My D’s friend is doing the program in Florence this summer, and intends to go to London next year. Opportunities abound :D.</p>
<p>claydavisdbc,</p>
<p>In answer to your question, yes there is time built in the schedule with three day weekends. At this time a group of students went to Paris, another group went to London, and some stayed in Amsterdam and ventured beyond the city limits.</p>
<p>The program ends a couple of weeks before the fall semester starts which gives time for additional travel. I know a group from my daughters class went to Paris at this time. In the previous year, a huge group of my daughter’s friend went to Paris and Spain at the end of the program. Once you are accepted into the program, there is an orientation meeting and at this time they suggest that you buy an open ticket for your return that way you have the opportunity to plan for additional site seeing time.</p>