Dance Stories: Pre and Post Dance College

Today Kayleigh and Eva tell us their experiences with auditions, college and life after college. If you have ever wondered what the dance college audition/life experience is like then this is the episode for you x 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hi guys, it's Kayleigh here, and I am with the lovely Eva. And today we are going to have a conversation about going to dance college, the audition process, what's after college, what's expected at college. And so Eva has recently done a few auditions for different places. So we're going to talk about her experiences. I have been to dance university and also left and graduated. So I can talk about my experience. And yeah, we'll just get right to it. So Eva, how has the overall audition process been for you? Quite good.

SPEAKER_01 0:38

Not very stressful, because I think they're quite, I don't know if they were always like this, but I feel like they're quite like relaxed now. They just want to see what you can do and not put too much pressure on you. And just to see your kind of like your personality as well as dance.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Yeah, I agree. I think as well, like it's almost like in an audition process, it's like they're looking for your potential.

SPEAKER_01 1:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

So you don't need to be perfect, but I would definitely say when I auditioned back in the day, I done a few auditions down in London as well as up north of Scotland, and it was definitely maybe a lot more competitive, shall I always say there was um a lot more pressure to be perfect, which I think is good that now you don't have that pressure and it is mainly focusing on the potential. So where was it you auditioned for if you don't mind?

SPEAKER_01 1:31

Well, I auditioned for a West, and that's where I think I'll I think I'll be going. Nice. I also think what was good about them is they were giving you equivalents, so like they were like, Oh, if you can't do that, then you you can do this instead. So it didn't make you real it wasn't like oh oh no, I can't do that, and panicking. Yeah, they were like, Oh, you can try that one instead, which I think was quite good.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Oh no, absolutely, definitely. Um, and then going into college, so you'll be starting college in then September time, or around then August, September time, and then it's just full pelt from there. I mean, when I was at university, so I went to a university called Ballet West up north of Scotland, and the days I loved it every day. We had ballet, we had jazz, we had contemporary, we then had point work and things like that, and it is super fun. I think you definitely have good days and bad days because the good days you can be feeling great, but on the bad days your body's maybe a wee bit achy, you've still got to attend class and show up, but it's great, I think, as well. You meet so many friends, and I've got friends now that I've known forever through it. So, what would you say is the one thing that you're most looking forward to when going to college?

SPEAKER_01 2:51

Um maybe be able to do like or like for example, like I've I like ballet, but it's maybe not my best. So maybe to get better at certain styles and to be able to work on it like daily.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

No, absolutely, yeah, and I think as well, like going to college, you get so many different opportunities, especially with West. Like, I know they obviously do go dance, they do different events throughout the year and everything, so it's getting to experience almost being like being a professional dancer, yeah. After you're getting like little snippets of it, which then is obviously great once you do graduate, because then you're out in the big wild world, big wide world of dance. Um, which is great fun. I mean, I loved it. I even started auditioning in my last year of uni, and um I was very fortunate enough to get a job on the cruise ships before I actually graduated, so that was very fortunate. But do you know? I know this is so long away, but do you have an idea of what you are you think you might want to do at the end?

SPEAKER_01 4:00

There's quite a few, so right. So I'd like to I obviously I'd like to teach and stuff, but I'd also like to do like backup dancing and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 4:09

Nice.

SPEAKER_01 4:10

Um I feel like that's really cool. Absolutely, and when you I feel like when you go to see someone, you're not just looking at them, you're looking at the dancers behind them, and it gives like quite a show.

SPEAKER_00 4:19

Oh, 100%. I think dancers have a huge impact on a show in the atmosphere and stuff. And definitely you might be surprised that if you look back in three years, two years time what after this conversation, you might actually have changed your mind. So, like for me, cruise ships was never on my radar. I always wanted to be like in a West End production or something, and then I just kind of actually a lot of people told me to go to the audition for the cruise ship. So I thought, oh, it's meant to be maybe I've got to go do it, and then yeah, done that for years and absolutely loved it, and it was never something that was on my radar. I think as well, when you go to college, you learn about so many other different like instead of just the box standard like teaching or just being in a west end or being a backup dancer, you actually find out like, oh, there's so many other pathways and avenues with your dance qualification at the end, but you're gonna have an absolute blast, you're gonna love it, it's gonna be great, you know, and you get to meet so many new people as well, yes, and you're just gonna you're just gonna grow and become an even better dancer, which is the most exciting thing. And why what's not to love about getting to do what you enjoy every single day? Exactly. No more high school, you're now a fully grown woman. Well, guys, I hope you've enjoyed our little chat and um enjoy the rest of your day.