Our Ballet company had their "try-outs" yesterday, and over twenty students auditioned. It was amazing, without tears, with little anxiety, with a variety of talents, abilities, and levels of students.
All students are entered into the company, but they are leveled into a group, into a role, with teachers who are the observers debating about grouping and solo role. We decide to alternate roles, so that students doing "Nutcracker" several years in a row, have the opportunity to learn various parts. We hand out forms that ask, "What would be challenging to you?" and "What part would you like to dance?" We take these into consideration when giving out roles.
Our try-out was unique, in that our adult dancers were asked to interact with the youngest (junior 4 to 6 year olds). They had to compose and dance a short piece, using ballet steps they could all do, depicting characters from the "Nutcracker", and dance in front of the group. I was amazed at the ability of all the older dancers to work with the younger dancers. No divas here, students worked together, and performed as a group, showing they could succeed and make the best show by December. I was proud of our system of teaching which nurtures cooperation and individual progress.
Who else sees a "try-out" as inclusion, not an elimination process?
Who else sees it as a way to prepare students to get to know each other, work together, and feel a "part" of the group, rather than judged by teachers, other students, and therefore not as good as the others. Most students already know in which class they practice. Teachers already know how their students perform. "Try-outs" should not make the students feel worse, become anxious, or begin to dislike dance. Just because something has been done one way by some companies, does not make it right!
We love our own style Try-Out, and we would not do it any other way. I think others can learn from US!
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