Advice on career in dance

[sylv165]

My daughter has been dancing since she was 2, and is now 11. She has started talking seriously about wanting a career in dance, but I am clueless as to what the options are. She is a bit of an all rounder - in the past year or so has passed Grade 4 exams in acrobatic arts, ballet, modern, musical theatre, and lyrical, and grade 3 contemporary and tap. She also competes with the competition team and is generally successful, usually places in top 3 in solo.

So she is a reasonable standard for her age, but because she spreads herself across many different styles I don't think she could (or would want to) go down the traditional ballet route. Her favoured styles are contemporary and acro, but I would say modern is probably her strongest. Has anyone got any tips as to what she could do career-wise with this background? And what she should be focusing on between now and then if she really does want to start taking it more seriously? I'm sure she is good enough to get into a dance course of some kind when she is 18 as some senior girls in her dance school have been accepted, but just not sure what comes after that.

I know what you mean! I was glad I took a few years out before starting the law (even though I love it) so don't feel stressed about letting my DC follow their passions. One of the lawyers in my team trained as ballerina originally but had to stop after an injury.

I’m have a DD starting dance college this in Sept. She has very similar background to your daughter. She loves ballet, and competes in Jazz and Lyrical. She loved the competitions! We are in ROI. She has attended classes with most of those that you named. And I’ll guess the monthly visiting teacher is Emily?

My advice is to start on singing lessons. Pretty much all college auditions will have singing as a requirement or at least optional. And it is amazing how a voice improves with training. My DD just started singing a year before auditions, and was so sorry she didn’t start several years ago.

The other advice is to attend summer intensives. My DD did residential at Tring for 2 years and adored it. She also did Jelli in Liverpool another year. She also did Ballet intensives, and masterclasses whenever she got the chance.

Meanwhile, I still have same thought as you, what jobs will be available??

From audition parents talks it sounds like the colleges drum into them that they need to work on transferable skills, that only a few will get ongoing performing jobs.

So, she is going to give it a go, try live her dream. And break the bank of Mom and Dad in the process 😂

oh and she also did an Easter intensive at Bird. And sorry about the typos!

@MomOfTwoGirls2 it is indeed Emily, sounds as though we mix in similar circles lol! I actually hadn't thought about a residentials/intensives so that's interesting. I'll do a bit of research. It is also good to know that they do teach transferrable skills at college, as my biggest worry is that she doesn't end up as one of the lucky few, wastes a few years of her life discovering that she isn't good enough then ends up a bit lost. Coming from a very traditional academic background that is a bit alien to me. But I suppose the alternative of never giving it a try is worse if you are genuinely passionate about something.

Good chance we have been at some of the same competitions or conventions 😊

I think my DD was about 13 when she decided for sure that she wanted to do dance. She stayed in school to do her Leaving Cert so she could have a plan B if it doesn’t work out.

Best of luck to your DD!