2009-10 Parental Transition Support Group

[Momof3darlings]

Are there any other moms or dads of high school seniors experiencing Parental High Anxiety Flashes??? regarding all the crossroads facing our (not so) little ones???? What do you say to yourself to restore a semblance of serenity to your own heart and soul??? :confused: ;)

 

Resurrecting an old thread new for 2009/10 Junior/Senior Parents to give each other support and guidance. Please feel free to jump right on in.

[nutmeg]

That would be me, and I have no words of wisdom for achieving serenity (not my strong suit). But I welcome others advice!

[2kids2]

No serenity here either.. trying to take it one day at a time. Trying to preapre for as many contingencies as possible. Hoping we will have choices to make but nervous about having to decide.

[Momof3darlings]

Your words of wisdom will come, but this thread is not just for the offering of advice, but also for you to talk through your journey to help yourself and others. You will find those words of wisdom within those other parents who are "right there with you". While it might seem simple, 2kids2's "one day at a time" isn't a bad start to the sharing and support.

[sophiabuddy]

Can parents of Jr. Be included? It seems the angst start here, especially if there is a likelihood of an offer during the SI to join that company affiliated school. Help!

 

 

Sophiabuddy.

[Momof3darlings]

Absolutely sophiabuddy! The main emphasis will be Seniors however you are correct the stress does begin Junior year.

[balletmom311]

DD sent off her first email requesting an audition two days ago! She has about twenty companies on her list and plans on sending a one or two a day until she gets them all sent. Hopefully she will get a few invites!

 

She is really excited about this next big step! I am excited for her but also a little anxious!

[pointeprovider]

I can't believe that DD and I are at this point, but we are. I have no advice, but the stress level is very high here. We have our wish list, but the economy and the always-tough competition make that seem so wishful, for lack of a better word. In an effort to save money, time and energy, I have spent the past 2 months researching companies to see which might be the best fit for DD, and she will probably do only those auditions. I don't know if that is a good approach, but we can't afford to take them all.

[sophiabuddy]

I would appreciate pointers on what you were looking for during your research. From my previous post, DD is just entering this stage in the process. Any help would be appreciated. Also, my apologies if this request isn't exactly on topic here. Thanks.

 

Sophiabuddy

 

I can't believe that DD and I are at this point, but we are. I have no advice, but the stress level is very high here. We have our wish list, but the economy and the always-tough competition make that seem so wishful, for lack of a better word. In an effort to save money, time and energy, I have spent the past 2 months researching companies to see which might be the best fit for DD, and she will probably do only those auditions. I don't know if that is a good approach, but we can't afford to take them all.

[Momof3darlings]

Sophiabuddy--that is actually a good idea for a thread. I thought we had one but I haven't found it so I'll start another and ask the other moderators to help me find the one I'm thinking of. Until then, I hope people will keep this thread to support each other in general terms ironing this all out. I also hope you will all also follow the link to the new thread and share how you make the determination of how your list is generated.

 

How do you research which companies to audition for?

[Momof3darlings]

I've changed the title of this thread just a bit, so it reflects more of the goal of the thread. Share your steps, reach out to give and get support, find your serenity as you try to brave your way through the Brutal 2% of Reality Club. "Angst" just wasn't the right word.

[5-6-7-8]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Dd will be auditioning and/or looking for professional schools, but with more of a modern feel to them. I suppose the process is the same, so I'll continue to read this with interest.

[Pasdetrois]

The only though that comes to my mind is 'Plan B'. Whether your child is trying to get a company job or a place at Stanford or Yale for 'Plan A', it is wise to have a second road that can be taken. A second road will always be a disappointment but it doesn't have to be a disaster and a total change in direction, it just has to be practical and a road that can help the individual achieve their 'Plan A' in the long run. We all know that ballet is a tough road. Encourage your dancer to look at the half full cup and not the half empty. Rejections will happen, our kids have experienced this from first recitals when they didn't get the hoped for casting they desired. However, there is always something that can be gained from an experience and be reflected on in a positive manner. It may sound very Pollyanna but it is true! Dancers know quickly how they stack up. What qualities are in the room that maybe they are lacking. The shape, size and height of the girls ultimately held back at the end of the audition. Learning to be honest about your own ability and readiness is priceless. It's easy to become negative and really easy to be discouraged, but truly, a solid 'Plan B', that doesn't close doors can take the feelings of helpless and hopeless away.

[2kids2]

Can someone lead me to a thread or threads discussing what should be included on a "typical" audition DVD for companies. We are also starting to develop one too. I did a search but did nothing came up. I have already gone to the sites of the companies my dd wishes to send dvd. Most just say - "send DVD". Also noticing most are asking for a number of 2-3 years of professional experience. DD is senior with limited amount of pro-experience and high level pre-pro traininig. Send package anyway or seen as disrespectful to process?

[Momof3darlings]

2kids2--not sure how you got here to this page today, but if you will go back to the main Career Forum listing by clicking Career Discussion forum at the top of this page, then scroll down to the bottom of the page and change the selections on the lower right to: Topic Title, then A to Z, leave the other two selection choices as they are then press go, the forum will alphabetize for you temporarily. There is a box you can click to make that a permanent order (at least until you uncheck it). That makes it easy to scroll through the topics with the titles Audition: XYZ. Once the forum is alphabetized, you can find threads such as Audition: DVD or Audition: Resume or Audition: Photos or Audition: Portfolio, etc. etc. etc. ready for you to learn from and ask questions on. Pages 1-3 (after being alphabetized) are where the Audition: XYZ listings are but it's really not 3 pages, page 1 is only a few and so is page 3. Enjoy!

 

There is probably not a concrete answer to what to do about those places that ask for 2-3 years professional experience. In reality, no one really knows. All you can get is a no, there is no record keeping in that regard to be afraid of it hurting you. So choose to do with it the same thing you might do if your DD was 5'3" and the company minimum was 5'4". Some people would stay "stand tall" and go anyway, others would not go because they would assume that 5'3 3/4" is not acceptable.