I am a 20 year old dancer who has been training for almost 6 years now, I was a late starter and had a weight problem (overweight) Now that I finally have that under control, I am diving deeper onto serious training. I am very flexible, have a good back, strong feet/ankles, high elevation, extention etc... but I lack on the technique end of it. Due to the starting late and the previous weight issue that held me back. But like I said I am getting in to more serious training now.
My goal is to be able to audition successfully :confused: for either York or Ryerson university in Ontario, or for the School of toronto dance theatre.
I just want to know if I am expecting too much for a late starter, am I too old?
If anyone has any tips on what to do training/technique wise, I would appreciate it.
I know I cannot be a professional ballet dancer, but I still love ballet..and want to be involved in it (maybe exams etc...) IS this possible???

I believe anything is possible. Be sure to get yourself into as many, solid ballet classes per week as you can manage. You can build your technique. Supplement this with reading about dance and seeing as much as you can too. Be sure to relay your enthusiasm to your teachers and ask them for suggestions and input. More classes, different types, corrections, etc. Try to be clear about your goals too. Best wishes for happy dancing!

You show a refreshing realism dancerchic. Dean's advice, as always, hits the mark.

I'm hoping that some of our other regular posters will be able to advise you about the various exam possibilities.

Thank-you for your responses. As dancers/teachers, you all know how strong one's passion for dance can be, now add motivation, desire, commitement and ethusiasm, and that is where I am at right now. I agree with Dean spears when he says that anything is possible, because I have come so far with my weight issue...and I did it for my love and desire to be a dancer. Now all I have to do is keep my inner strength and overall passion in mind as I enter this year of training. I am going to train one more year before I audition, and like what was posted, read everything I can, see everything I can, and take as many classes with great teachers to learn everything I can.
Thank -you so much!!!

I would also like to share an experience with you that happened to me recently. I live near Toronto Ontario, and I purchased tickets to see James Kudelka's staging of "Cinderella" by the National Ballet of Canada.(Which was an amazing show, Rebekkah Rimsay and Sonia Rodriguez, were amazing leads, as was Gulliame Cote... The only ballet I have ever been able to laugh all the way through) and before the show they had a "ballet talk" with Karen Kain and Rex Harrington, live in the flesh. Both are extremely nice and funny people. (As you may know Rex Harrington is retiring as pricipal dancer, this week and next are his last performances)
Well after the talk was over, I got to meet aren Kain. She signed my pointe shoes and got a picture with her. That moment was so surreal to me. and to top it all off, Rex Harrington signed a Romeo and Juliet poster for me, and we chatted for almost 10 minutes before I had to take my seat. Thre entire experience was so amazing for me. And it has really made me even more determined to be a part of the dance world.
I just thought I should share that with you. Thanks for listening.

Thanks for sharing that story dancerchic. I'm about three times your age, but it reminded me of a recent instance, when I was in Vilnius, Lithuania, reviewing a dance festival. I came back to my hotel around midnight and as I was waiting for the lift, I was greeted by some UK dancers and their AD and chatted to them for 10 minutes or so and, starry-eyed aficianado that I am, I went to bed a happy bunny.

The message is that there are a lot of ways to take part/add value to the world of dance, apart from being a pro dancer. I hope one of our exam-experienced posters will talk about that aspect.

<small>[ 19 May 2004, 01:40 PM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

You were asking about exams. I teach an exam syllabus in the UK which readily encourages adult students to take exams. They have a specific section os the syllabus which caters specifically for adult classes but adults can also study for the grade syllabus if they wish and show enough ability. They are graded in exactly the same way as the children for this.

I can't speak for how this is in the US. I know exam work probably isn't as common as it is in the UK but I know that some schools do follow examination syllabi. All I know is that it is lovely to have a keen adult stident come to you eager to learn.