Seven students studying Dance and Musical Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon College have been accepted into London Studio Centre, a prestigious vocational dance school based in North Finchley, where they will spend the next three years on the BA Hons Theatre Dance course, training for flourishing careers in the world of professional dance.
The successful students, all in their final year of Level 3 BTEC Performing Arts courses are: Tom Lowe, 18, from Solihull; Lara Hunt, 17, from Northampton; and Emma Jones,17, from Coventry, who are all studying Dance; and Molly Matthews, 17, from Coventry; Jasmine Webb, 18, from Rugby; Jack Watling, 17, from Banbury; and George Craker, 17, from Coventry, all studying Musical Theatre. While at the College, they have been learning a range of dance styles including ballet, tap, contemporary and jazz dance, and developing their audition skills through practical projects
The students were put through a two-stage auditioning process. During the initial audition, they were required to show their dance techniques in three different styles – ballet, contemporary and jazz. The students were then invited to a recall audition in which they were allowed to choose the specific style that best showed off their abilities as individuals.
Tom Lowe, one of the successful Dance students, hopes for a future in modern musicals and is also interested in gaining commercial dance work on TV and as a backing dancer for touring artists. Tom said: “I felt really nervous in the audition because you never know if they like you or if they feel you performed to the best of your ability. Once you get in there, though, you just get swept up in the atmosphere and enjoy the classes.
Tom sees his acceptance by London Studio Centre as the perfect opportunity to build on his abilities and enter the industry so he can achieve his goals, and recognises the role Stratford-upon-Avon College has played in preparing him for his successful auditions:
“Before I came to Stratford College my ballet and contemporary dance was quite limited so they’ve really helped me to expand on my technical ability. Also being in lots of performances here has really helped me to develop my sense of professionalism. I’ve had so many brilliant opportunities here. I’ve been able to perform in Matthew Bourne’s curtain raisers at the Birmingham Hippodrome in Swan Lake and Edward Scissorhands as well as taking part in a flash mob at Michael Buble’s concert at the Barclay Card arena.”
Like the College, London Studio Centre boasts excellent facilities and offers teaching from industry professionals. Through the efforts of lecturer Phil Watson-Smith, himself a professionally trained dancer and choreographer, the College has built up a great rapport with the Centre. Phil regularly takes students to Open Events there, and ensures that every year the Centre’s graduate company Intoto includes a visit to the College as part of its UK tour, with its next visit on Tuesday 9th June.
Phil is justifiably proud of his students’ success: “I am absolutely delighted that these students have been successful in gaining a place at London Studio Centre, the place where I trained and gained my foundation skills in dance. These students have shown great progress in their time at Stratford-upon-Avon College and are very deserving of this offer and many others they have received.”
