Do I have to get into the school first?/Dancing!

emsrlyons · 08-09-2009, 04:02 AM

Hey guys! So, I'm wondering, do I have to actually be accepted into UM based on my application first in order to audition for the program? I'm planning on meeting with a staff member of the program for an interview/lesson in a few weeks, so will that be more of a deciding factor in determining an audition for me?

Also, how hardcore are they with their dancing audition? I can dance and do basic techniques, but I am by no means a trained ballerina, hahaa.

Thanks!!

*KatMT* · 08-09-2009, 09:15 AM

Michigan requires that applications be pre-screened, and deemed academically acceptable before they will schedule an audition appointment. This is not the same as an academic acceptance to the university. The way I understand it the department simply is making sure that a student COULD be academically accepted before granting the audition appointment. Soozievt or a Michigan student or parent should be able to clarify or confirm this. In terms of your question about meeting with the department having any impact on admissions... Do you mean will it give you a leg up on admission to the program? I do not work at Michigan, but I would think not. Where I teach we meet with many potential students each year, and it does not have an impact on admissions outcomes. Ultimately, those decisions are made on the strength of the audition and application materials. I believe this would be the case at most, if not all, schools. I think dance is taken into account at Michigan, but I do not know to what degree in relationship to the other skills. Are you currently taking class? If possible you may want to take a class this fall to continue building skills and technique before the audition season starts! Good luck!!

PS. After rereading your OP I think you were asking if your meeting with faculty will have a greater impact on whether or not you are granted an audition apointment. I do not think so. From what I understand all Michigan applicants must first pass academic muster before being granted an audition appointment. Although, I do think I have read on here of cases where someone was not initially granted an apointment because of academics who was later granted one. You may want to peruse the thread to see if you can find the reference.

CoachC · 08-10-2009, 12:07 AM

Dance is an important part of the UMich audition. Students do a pretty extensive barre before learning a jazz combination. emsrlyons, it would be really helpful for you to be in a basic ballet class this fall, if you are not familiar with basic ballet terminology and execution of those steps.

emsrlyons · 08-10-2009, 01:21 AM

Thanks so much guys, this helps a lot!

CoachC - with the ballet barre do you mean it's essential to know the a lot of the terminology/how to execute them? And do you know if the jazz combination is advanced?

Also, to anyone who may know - is the piano audition strictly for placement purposes or will they expect you to know how to play well?

perischack · 08-10-2009, 11:37 AM

Piano is for placement alone. The dance audition is a complete one -- not easy but not impossible. Advanced dancers can shine but we know a couple of kids who were admitted that aren't great dancers, so I don't think it's make or break by any stretch of the imagination.

emsrlyons · 08-10-2009, 01:58 PM

Great, thanks so much!

Skwidjymom · 08-14-2009, 12:10 PM

My D hadn't taken a dance class in 5 years or so and had only had a year or two each of ballet and jazz. Dance is her weakest discipline but she enjoyed the dance audition for Michigan and was waitlisted (she's at BoCo now). She thinks her ability to pick up combinations quickly helped make up for her lack of classical training. So don't count yourself out!

ShelleySings · 08-18-2009, 02:42 PM

Hey there!
I'm a current student in Michigan's mt department. So... I hope I can help answer some questions.
Yes. It would be very helpful to have some knowledge of ballet terminology, but it's not the biggest part of you audition. Dancing can really only help you get into the department. But there are many many people who get in that have never taken a dance class in their life! There are just as many "non-dancers" here as there are "dancers". There are also a lot of people in between. So DO NOT worry if you didn't make it into Juilliard. They will be looking for potential. And they don't need you to be a perfect dancer! You have to take a year of ballet before you take any other dance classes, so you can get your training in that year! But it wouldn't hurt if you knew basic terms. The combination you learn after the barre is a really simple musical theatre combination. They are looking for you ability to perform just as much as your ability to do the steps. So, if you can act the combo and have fun and make clear choices, they will fall in love with you!

And the barre isn't too extensive. Very basic stuff.

Piano IS for placement, but the people reviewing applications and audition scores will look at your placement and... well... there are more people here who played piano before their audition than there are those who didn't. But again, it can only help you. I had hardly touched a piano before I got here and had almost no music reading skills. But if you can play, even just a little bit, it can help you A LOT! So... it wouldn't hurt if you bought yourself a piano book and just learned really basic stuff. At least then you can say, "I'm not perfect yet, but I'm learning and I can play you this scale!" It's the little things like that can really make a difference.

I hope that helped??

perischack · 08-19-2009, 12:00 PM

Shelley, your input is quite appreciated, but in re: the importance of the piano placement audition, I will share this anecdote...the individual who was supposed to be handling this portion of the day when my son auditioned at Michigan earlier this year either did NOT show up due to a scheduling snafu. They told all the kids in his group and the next group affected not to worry about it at all -- that they could try to stop back later if they had time in between the acting and singing auditions, or if not, no big deal, they'd just do placement with the kids who got accepted on campus this fall.

They clearly were NOT using the piano portion as part of the admission decision.

soozievt · 08-19-2009, 12:42 PM

While piano is for placement purposes, I agree with Shelley that it can only HELP to show these additional skills that are important to being a MT Performer. Do you have to be able to play piano to be admitted? No. But when it is this competitive to get in, it can only help to demonstrate that you can sight read music and have some experience with piano as it will be needed in the program and in this field. As she said, more kids in the program know some piano than those who don't.

One curious thing is why they even bother with piano placement auditions at the college admissions audition because one could say it would be far simpler to do a placement audition for 20 new students than for hundreds of applicants. There must be some reason they include it on the admissions audition day.

I agree with Shelley that being a trained dancer or a pianist can only help you but if you are not, it may not hurt you necessarily. Then again, there are so many qualified people who apply, that every little bit can help.

The BFA in MT at Michigan is in a MUSIC school. Brent Wagner would be the first to tell applicants that if you don't already play piano, start immediately. He stated that on our visit. I also recommend that to anyone pursuing MT, even if not needed to be ADMITTED but it is needed to be a musical theater performer.

emsrlyons · 08-22-2009, 03:38 PM

I can play a little bit of piano. I know notes, haha! I'm sure i can learn how to do a few scales before my audition.

And as for dancing, I can pick up combinations pretty easily, especially musical theatre-oriented ones. I'm just not the classically trained ballerina... I did take a few years of jazz!

Thanks sooo much everyone, you have no idea how much help you all are!