What could DD do with an HND in Dance.....

[NigellasGhost]

if it all goes pear-shaped and for whatever reason (injury for example) she can't perform? DD wants to apply to do this, starting in Sept, instead of going to sixth form. Here is some of the course blurb:

"this course prepares you for a performing career in dance. You will study the HND Professional Stage Dance which provides you with a breadth of dance and theatre arts training, including ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, acting and singing. You will have the opportunity to make your own choreography, undertake research into the social and political context of dance pieces and be assessed in audition technique."

would this kind of thing be a good move considering 1) it would mean A'levels would not be studied 2) there is a 3rd year in which it gets converted into a degree.

Any thoughts would be most welcome!!

[LittleBairn]

I know a lot of dancers who have gone on to run their own dance schools, they seem to make a good living out of it.
If she physical wasn't able to dance she could write reviews and articals on dance with the critical thinking she has been taught.

[NigellasGhost]

she has no interest in teaching dance (at the moment at least) but the writing aspect is something we hadn't thought of, thank you LittleBairn. Would she then need to go to journalism college - I fear there would be no funding left for that! But she is good at English, would take English A level if she was going to a school that offered A levels.

She's interested in fashion, design etc. but I'm not sure you can get into fashion college without some kind of qualification in art or textiles etc.

[LittleBairn]

A journalism course would put her at an advantage unless you could find freelance work but that's very difficult to do without the right contacts.
A blog would be a good place to start to practice her writing 'find her audience'. If she is good she might even get invites to productions to review.

Fashion college its so competitive now a days she would need excellent art A levels and a portfolio.

One avenue she could go down would be designing and making dance costumes especially if she is already part of that scene. If she was particular talented at it then an art school may be interested in her.

[NigellasGhost]

Thank you - would you say this kind of course might be a possibility? or would it be better to have A'levels....

//www.arts.ac.uk/fashion/courses/undergraduate/ba-costume-for-performance/

[LittleBairn]

If she is very committed to dance and performance then I would say let her skip the A levels if she's willing to out the work into a different direction education wise to move into that sort if career.

I'm not sure about that course it sounds rather restrictive. The first course seems more broader and offered the opportunity for critical thinking, an essential skill for her when it comes to most areas of performing arts.
Then she could decide to take it to degree level or go do something like a 1 year Journalism course.

[bookishandblondish]

I now know five ex dancers - three are now chief financial officers, one is a teacher and the one trained in therapy ( drama/ dance type).

Apparently a lot of dancers move into finance - something around the security & discipline according to my ex- CFO.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Where is she thinking of doing the course? Rather than the HND in dance most colleges who are training potential performers tend to offer the Level 6 Trinity Diploma.

[titchy]

How old is she? Both the university of the arts one you linked and HNDs are degree or equivalent and aimed at 18/19 year olds with A level or equivalent qualifications.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

The school dd goes to offers the Trinity Diploma alongside up to 2 a levels (or a Zumba teaching qualification for those who don't want to do A levels). But that's way ahead in the future for us as she's only year 7!

[Picturesinthefirelight]

It's a bit different for dance though titchy. There are quite a few degree equivalent courses aimed at 16 year olds as they need to be done and out there auditioning by 19 (short career etc etc)

[NigellasGhost]

that doesn't surprise me, bookish - the discipline is unbelievable especially in ballet, which is DD's preferred dance form (for now). Can't see her as anything financial however, since she's dyslexic and maths is a weak subject.
LittleBairn, I was thinking of the fashion course (or something similar) after the course I refer to in my OP. The first course (in OP) would be done instead of A'levels. A year or so after completion, DD would have an idea whether she's likely to have a performance career, and if not, it would be at that point that something else could be considered.... journalism as you suggest, or something fashion/costume oriented...

[NigellasGhost]

thanks Pictures, that's exactly correct.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Is it Ballet West? I know someone who went there is now at Central as there was a problem with their degree accreditation. He went at 16.

If that's your dds vocation & she's good enough to get in then go for it. She can always retrain/top up to a degree later.

[NigellasGhost]

Um yes it is!

Their degree is being reinstated apparently.

DD will also be auditioning at Central however......

[Picturesinthefirelight]

My dd is at a school beginning with H.

[NigellasGhost]

the retraining or topping up in the future could be a problem though Pictures, as she would have used up her government funding.

[NigellasGhost]

OK I know it!
how old is she?

[Picturesinthefirelight]

She's in Year 7 - so just started on the rocky path.

[NigellasGhost]

sorry - you said Year 7 ....

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Are you on balleco. Loads of good advice on there.

[NigellasGhost]

Yes I am! I can't ask too much on there as I know the director of dance of DD's current school looks on there, and of course I don't want them knowing we are definitely thinking of auditioning for alternatives for 6th form (which will be next September). I've searched the archives quite a bit however.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Surely she must realise that children such as your dd will be considering those options. Is she at a 'normal' school at the moment?

I have only heard good things about Ballet West though its a bit middle of nowhere.

My dd has aspirations in musical theatre so lots of different options at 16. She's only really in voc school now at 12 as she wasn't fitting in at normal school - if she changes her mind in a few years time that's fine by us.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I take it you are looking at HND/degree courses because of the DaDa changes?

[NigellasGhost]

DD currently at "normal" school and managing to keep the ballet training up to the required level in the evenings and weekends - but at sixth form will HAVE to go to a vocational school full-time. although ballet is her first love, the bottom line is she wants to be a dancer, so perhaps contemporary will be the direction she takes. However, it's scary thinking about how many dancers there are out there as opposed to how many jobs. Each year I think perhaps this is the year she decides it's not for her anymore... but it has never happened! This has been going on since Year 3.... (and before that too, when I think about it)..

[NigellasGhost]

Yes, that's right...so Central and Rambert as well.
There are a few DaDa's to be had still though, aren't there? I don't get what the changes were, exactly. Did they just say there would be fewer DaDa's?