Summer Programs When Not Yet 16?

soozievt
Sat, 01 Jul 2006 16:29:27 +0000

Lulu’sMomma,
We didn’t have any MT dance classes at our studio but I don’t think that mattered at all. Students going into MT in college should ideally have training in ballet, jazz and tap (if you can only do one, do ballet but jazz would really help too). The BFA auditions usually involve ballet or jazz or both. So, if your dance studios are “recital based” and offer these disciplines, that is what most are doing, I think, who train in dance prior to college. Perhaps some studios offer MT styles but many, including ours, do not. My D’s jazz repertory dance troupe usually did a MT styled number, sometimes, Fosse, etc. For 13 years she trained in ballet/pointe, jazz, tap, lyrical/modern, and hip hop. None of her classes were geared to MT and most at her studio were not going into MT (some have pursued BFA or BA in dance though). But the technique is what is important and that is gained in classes in these disciplines. Even in my D’s BFA program, her classes are called: ballet, jazz, and tap, all three of which she takes each semester. The jazz class does do some dances that are MT styled. Also, if your D is in musicals and has roles that involve dance, she is using her technique and applying it to musical theater production numbers. In that regard, my D has also done lots of MT dance because so many shows she has done involve that style (ie., Pippin, 42nd Street, West Side Story, Oklahoma, etc). So those dance studios where you are offer the TECHNIQUE she needs to be ready for a college program in MT. Enjoy FAME…fun show!