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Secondary education

GCSE options again -- dance? For the relative beginner?

21 replies

lancelottie · 29/02/2012 14:11

Right then. DS had his 'guidance interview' today at school. Wants to do drama, French, geography, maybe German as a backup. Fine so far.

As a parting shot, head of year hands him back the options form and says, in humorous, man-to-man fashion, 'And if you don't hand it in on time, sonny, I'll put you down for BTEC hairdressing and Dance.'

'Actually,' says DS, 'errm, I'd really like to do Dance. Can I?'

True, he does love dancing, and does it for an hour a week at That Drama Franchise, which he'll have to give up shortly as it's £££. He's also just started doing Tap, but we're talking roughly 10 lessons in his life so far, and I don't somehow think Tap features much at GCSE.

The GCSE is a twilight subject so doesn't remove another option, but is it even remotely feasible for a lad who hasn't done much before? He would definitely be the only boy there, and I suspect the only child who hadn't ballet-ed his way through all the grades since the age of 3.

Thanks for this one, DS...

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TalkinPeace2 · 29/02/2012 14:19

Its not one DCs school offers so I cannot check the syllabus.
Get some info.
it may be mostly modern, jazz and street dance
does his school do Rock Challenge?
If it ties in with that then he may be fine
but you need lots of info about the emphasis and the theory / practice split

DCs Rock challenge team always rope some rugby players into the group so that the girls can be lifted high up ....

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lancelottie · 29/02/2012 14:21

Thanks, I will.

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lancelottie · 29/02/2012 14:22

DS definitely not the rugby build, though!

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boschy · 29/02/2012 14:29

Dance for boys is brilliant! My DDs are at a specialist performing arts school (well normal comp, but PA specialism IYSWIM) and the dance boys are fantastic - and they go on to work in choreography/performance etc etc. Most of the students at this school start at 11, may never have done dance before, so having done ballet etc is not essential by any means.

If he wants to do it then I'd say go for it. Our dance boys are veerrry fit (performances a delight for my aeing eyes!!), they are comfortable in their own skin, they get on so well with the girls, they help teach the little ones (from 2 upwards) in the school dance company, just fabulous.

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lancelottie · 29/02/2012 14:44

Thanks Boschy. Yes, I should think dance is great for physical fitness and could feed into the drama as well (two lots of performance to practise for, though?). Hmm again.

The thing is, it may be more accepted for boys to dance at a school with a PA specialism. There's comfort in being one of (plural) dance boys, but being the only one AND starting late ... well, I think I'll encourage him to look into it more, anyhow, and see what he thinks.

On the other hand, a hairdresser in the family could be just what we need.

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boschy · 29/02/2012 14:47

ah, missed that he would be the only boy. perhaps that's his motivation?!!
still, if he wants to do it, and he's doing drama as well and thinking about some sort of theatre-related career it would be another string to that bow.

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Trix2323 · 29/02/2012 17:52

A boy who likes dance and wants to do the GCSE? Great! Do encourage him in this interest, especially if he will have to give up the extra- curricular dance.

Dance helps with lots of things, includng posture and fitness, as well as being great fun.

Wish my DSs would do dance....

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TalkinPeace2 · 29/02/2012 17:54

the sole senior boy at DDs ballet school had been out with ALL the fittest girls by the time he was in year 10 ......

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madwomanintheattic · 29/02/2012 17:59

there were about 6 lads who started dance for gcse as relative beginners in our last uk dance school. (the dance teacher went into school, but they also decided to take extra classes and take part in the dance school shows and performances.)

they were amazing. and these were young men who had just taken it on a bit of a whim, really. there was one girl who started at the same time, so was taking the beginner classes with them, and they progressed so far and so fast it was amazing. they choreographed their own routines which were always a smash at the performances, and of course the whole gazillions fo small pink dance school girls were desperately in love with them all.

tis a shame that didn't stretch to ds1 who was actually in their goddamn ballet class, and was hounded out because 'ballet is for girls', but they were too young to appreciate the inconsistency at the time.

tell him to for it. absolutely. 100%. make sure they have the facilities and access to tutors to really make the most of it though.

fantastic!

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lancelottie · 29/02/2012 19:05

OK, that's really encouraging! Now if we could just find another few boys to take it too...

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taxi4ballet · 31/01/2013 15:13

I'm not all that impressed with his head of year making such a sexist remark! I think it was in very bad taste.

Boys DO dance, and actually, they have a much greater chance of becoming a professional than girls do. There is a very high demand for boys at vocational dance schools and a very short supply.

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Lancelottie · 25/03/2014 16:04

I just had to revive this thread, as DS had his moderated dance performances this week and got A or A* in all sections!

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Cocolepew · 25/03/2014 16:18

Brilliant!

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Lancelottie · 25/03/2014 18:12

Yep, he's pleased as punch with it. Thanks to all who encouraged him!

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Lancelottie · 25/03/2014 18:14

I've just seen that at the start of the thread I said rather scathingly that he 'wasn't a rugby build'... he now has some quite impressive muscles for a fairly little chap.

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oddsocksmostly · 25/03/2014 18:53

That's brilliant Lancelottie!

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MillyMollyMama · 25/03/2014 20:23

If they have had dance lessons all their lives they should be way above GCSE level!! Graded exams are much more demanding in ballet especially. Tell him to go for it though. It will be enjoyable and will go well with drama.

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Lancelottie · 25/03/2014 21:08

Milly (my fault for reviving a zombie thread), he did indeed go for it and is rather pleased at the outcome.

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Lancelottie · 25/03/2014 21:10

How did I manage to change from non-capital to capital and thus lose the 'highlighted OP' bit, I wonder?

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CheesyPeasForTea · 25/03/2014 22:00

Congrats to your DS! When I was at school the rugby team were encouraged to do dance to improve their fitness and flexibility. A few of them enjoyed it so they studied it post-16. One of them ended up joining the Rambert Dance Company, performed in West End Musicals and now runs his own dance company in Australia!

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MillyMollyMama · 25/03/2014 22:05

I am glad it has been a success. I think it can be a really fun way of staying fit, no rain and wind, and no mud. DD did tap, modern and ballet until she left school.

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