Guest dancing<><piper Posted December 22, 2004 Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 I highly doubt I can go to a summer intensive this year. I might go to an audition or two for practise though. Our teacher is very strongly recommending going to one and I am afraid I will be behind a lot of people in my classes who are going, since I haven't been dancing in the summer and not only have they been dancing but they've been at an intensive. And I might be placed in less advanced classes next year etc. I have been thinking of looking into taking a summer term at the community centre, though that wouldn't be very high quality it would still be dancing. What should I do? Is this a good idea? Also, I guess I need time to think through my motives and where my ballet is going. Please move this if it isn't in the right place...I wasn't sure. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted December 22, 2004 Administrators Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 Dancing piper, you did not tell us why you might not be able to go. Is it a financial matter, or is it because your parents do not want to send you? It does sound to me like it would be a very good idea for you to go this year, since you have never been and your classmates have. Without solid classes during the summer you will not only lose technique, but you lose the opportunity to improve dramatically because of the intensity and amount of work that gets done in the summer. It's very important for serious students to continue through most of the summer. A vacation is fine, and necessary once in a while, but not a whole summer! Two weeks, three at the most. Quote Link to comment
Guest dancing<><piper Posted December 23, 2004 Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 I can't go because I am going to a piping camp in June and there are rumours of going to Scotland. Also I don't have enough money. I will talk more to my parents about it; and see if they might pay for it but I don't think so. ALso they don't adore the idea of me staying away, though there are a few here. I can't say any more until I have thought through it. Quote Link to comment
Marenetha Posted December 23, 2004 Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 This is going to be my first summer going away from home (I have at least one definite safety SI), and I'm 15. My mom wasn't keen on the idea of sending me away earlier - and she's still not keen on the idea of sending me to NYC, so no, I won't be auditioning for ABT or SAB. This sounds kind of odd, but if it turns out not to be a financial issue - my mom had no problem once she realized that I was serious, and working as hard as possible to get better at ballet. When I think about how much better I am now, as opposed to say, 13, when I first joined this messageboard ... wow. (Thanks to all of my lovely ballet teachers, and all the lovely moderators on here, and all of the other lovely people! ) Realizing that I had a lot of enthusiasm about it really did make a difference as far as her willingness to pay for lessons, to drive me long distances for ballet - all of that. I mean, my mother knew that I liked it before, but ... Quote Link to comment
Guest rolikerri Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Hello all, I am 14 years old (15 in June) and I am seriously looking into summer intensives. I have never been to one before. As far as my training goes, this is my seventh year of dance taking ballet, tap, and jazz, it is my second year for pointe. My studio is just that, a studio. It is not a real ballet school. I take two classes a week, both 2.5 hours, with 45 minutes in each of the studies. I only have 30 minutes of pointe a week! Last semester i took ballet at school so that gave me and hour and fifteen minutes of extra ballet everyday, but the semester is over. I realize that this is not the best situation for me. I have tried asking my mom about switching to a more serious school, but it would be very costly. I am not looking at a career in ballet, but I am very serious about it and have often been disappointed in the lack of professionalism in my studio and of the students there. I was wondering if you think that I should audition for and SI's and if you had any suggestions for SI's that are tough but not necessarily headed in the professional direction. I live in North Carolina, I have been checking out many options and I just wanted some extra advice. I was hoping doing this SI would show my mother and grandparents(who fund my school year dancing) how much I want to be doing serious ballet year round. I am sorry this was so long but i thought the more information the better... Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted December 29, 2004 Administrators Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 rolikerri, the main reason for the existence of Summer Intensives is to provide intensive training for the professionally minded student, or at least for those who are working seriously in a good training program. I think your choices may be somewhat limited because of your lack of training, however you might be able to get accepted to some of them that do not require auditions. Perhaps you could try for CPYB. Or, if there is a good school in your area where you would like to attend in the fall, going there in the summer might be very helpful in getting you to a better level in the fall. Sometimes we will accept students in the summer in the lower levels if they are planning to attend the school full time in the fall. It depends a lot on what we see in terms of potential and physical facility, as well as the adaptability to the different type of training. You may very possibly need to be quite willing to start with younger dancers for a while before you can catch up to your age level in a professional school. Quote Link to comment
Guest rolikerri Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 How much younger would that be? I was looking into DanceLab, and I would be at the higher end of the age bracket and that would be better because I am not as advanced. Although the training from my studio is insufficient, I am willing to work harder than I ever have. I'm trying to do as much as I safely can at home to practice. I have interests in other areas of the arts that I plan on pursuing as a career but I always wanted to keep dancing high on my list. I want to go somewhere that professionals come out of but not necessarily become professional myself. Im not sure if I'm making any sense here. I am a perfectionist and want to be the best at everything I do, and I want to do ballet. I want to get into a school this fall that is serious and I want to perform in the Nutcracker etc...I'm just trying to figure out how to get there. Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted December 30, 2004 Administrators Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 rolikerry, I understand completely what you mean and what you want to do! Not a problem The idea is to get the very best training that you can if you are going to study ballet at all. It's really important to learn it correctly, and to have enough of it to benefit and really learn. The Boston Dance Lab program would be very good if you can get accepted there. But also do look into the better schools in your area, as it could be very beneficial to start there in the summer. Quote Link to comment
Guest rolikerri Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 Im glad Im making a little bit of sense! Yeah, Im going to check into dancelab and also The Greensboro Ballet which is in my area. It has two one week intensives, so that could be okay. Thanks for listening. Quote Link to comment
Guest dancing<><piper Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 I have done a lot of talking about/thinking about this but haven't made a sort of decision. It is hard to explain... I talked to my parents about it a bit and I don't think my dad wants me to go. He knows I am not seriously looking for a career even though I love ballet, though if I was he would think differently. A big issue for me is that even though I do ballet because I love it, it is still really hard for me to not be one of the better ones in classes; and if I was behind or stopped getting good parts (not because I was bad but because everyone was better), that would be really hard for me. I guess I know that at this point I can't really just think "I will just work really hard and there won't be any problems of that sort." I am a really competitive person.... As usual I suppose I have gone and confused you all as much as myself.... Quote Link to comment
Guest dancing<><piper Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 I talked alot more about it with my dad and I might go to the ABT one. But it is really not for sure...especially as it starts in the middle of piping camp. Anyway I am doing one or two auditions for practise, and on Tuesday the 12th I am doing one for the Virginia School of the Arts. If I was going to a camp I wouldn't go even if I was accepted because my teacher doesn't want us to do that one (I don't know exactly why) Quote Link to comment
luv2dance515 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 (edited) sorry that was off topic...never mind Edited January 10, 2005 by luv2dance515 Quote Link to comment
luv2dance515 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I am in the same boat. Does anyone know of any SI or just serious ballet programs around Cornwall, New York? I need to catch up during the summer...I'm way below my age level...not even on pointe! Quote Link to comment
Administrators Victoria Leigh Posted January 10, 2005 Administrators Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I believe that Mr. Johnson addressed the Cornwall studios on another topic for you, luv2dance. Quote Link to comment
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