I applied for Arts Emergency because I knew that I wanted to get a career in the dance industry. I thought Arts Emergency would be a good start because I would get paired up with a mentor that was there to help me and guide me every step of the way. My mentor Sarah has been so helpful and so insightful so far, she gives me new and interesting dance practitioners to research to help broaden my knowledge and to help me pin down my ‘personal style’.
Recently, I went on a trip to Leeds to go and meet her in person and have a look around the university she works at to get a greater understanding of what degree level training would look like. It was so great to meet some of the BA Dance students and see what kinds of things they are getting up to. Whilst I was in Leeds, we went on a tour of the city (as it is somewhere I am looking to study) and then watched some tech runs of the degree students and then a performance by the MA students.
Sarah has invited me back to Leeds later in the year to participate in a class with the BA (Hons) Dance students, so I can get a real feel of what post-college dance training is like.
We had some time in the theatre to dance and Sarah was giving me corrections to make my piece that much better. We then set some tasks to help give me inspiration before creating my audition solo at the end of the year. I have to make three, thirty-second solos in the style of three of the practitioners we have looked at already to help me embody their styles but to also find new ways to move.
Whilst I was there, I got to meet some of the other university teachers and lecturers, and it was nice to have a chat with them about what I wanted to do, especially because they specialise in dance. Sarah has invited me back to Leeds later in the year to participate in a class with the BA (Hons) Dance students, so I can get a real feel of what post-college dance training is like.
Now that I have been matched up with Sarah, I feel like I am now more confident to go to auditions and interviews because I know she is there to help me every step of the way.