How was the School at TDT? I have been thinking of going there...I did the dance BFA program at SFU and finished last December. I've been choreographing and performing independently since then...12 mins max, Mascall Dance's Gardendances, etc etc. Haven't done Dancing on the Edge yet although I applied for it last summer but was turned down. What didn't you like about dancing profesionaly in Vancouver? I find that it is really difficult to 'break in' to the tight-knit group of dancers that all the choreographers hire. Independent work is easier to come by, but to actually get hired for a show is near-impossible. No-one auditions, everyone forms companies by invite-only, which sucks. I'm hoping to apprentice with someone soon, when I have more time on my hands. I'm thinking that I may have to move elsewhere to get a fair chance at dancing in a professional company, which is a big step but one that may be necessary sometime soon. I am also thinking that I need to get back into dancing every day. which is why I'm thinking of taking the TDT program, or something similar....
Sorry it has taken me a million years to get back to you on this one! Anyway, TDT... *sigh* Where to begin??? TDT offers fantastic training. Really. There is no better training for contemporary dancers than the programme they offer. I believe that wholeheartedly. And Toronto is a great city to dance in as an independent--tons of opportunities. It has been a long time since I was at TDT, and I expect a lot has changed (I was there back in 91-93), so my comments may not be all that helpful. But when I was there, while it was technically and professionally amazing, in other ways I hated it. It was incredibly competitive--cutthroat. People in my class were sleeping with teachers, teachers took advantage of students, etc. etc. I just didn't have the stomach for that kind of thing. And if you have body image issues/ED issues, watch out. That was pretty much a disaster for me. I went there just after my first recovery from anorexia, spent my 2 years in Toronto alternating between fasting and eating compulsively, and when I left, I fell into a one-year anorexia relapse. But like I said, that was a long time ago. Maybe things are different now???
As for Vancouver, the dance scene there just sucks. I quit when I realized that there wasn't actually anyone I really wanted to dance for. I'd already danced for all the choreographers I liked. I HATED dancing for Mascall. Long story. I didn't want to be the dumb quiet dancer who sucks up to get into the right cliques and get the right jobs, and I just began to find the whole thing really quite gross and totally undignified. I felt like I was back in high school. You know, there are some really talented dancers in Vancouver. But there's no audience for contemporary dance. You end up performing for the same people, over and over again, 90% of them fellow dancers/choreographers, and you see the same dancers in every show. It gets boring. I got bored. So I quit. I love what I do now. I miss dancing; I love to move. But I don't miss being *a dancer*. That just sucked.
Hmmm, good to know about TDT...in some regards. Students sleeping with teachers? Yikes. Anyways I'm not the kind of person to do that kind of thing. But I do want the training, definitely. As for body image/ed issues, I can see that being a problem, but also a risk that I am willing to take.
I agree with pretty much everything you said about the Vancouver dance scene. And I've had friends that worked for Mascall recently and also hated it. Jennifer Mascall is a bit of a fruitcake. There is no audience and you see all the same dancers in every show and all the same people watching every show. But for now it's what I have to live with until I can move on to better things. Like hopefully, TDT!
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As for Vancouver, the dance scene there just sucks. I quit when I realized that there wasn't actually anyone I really wanted to dance for. I'd already danced for all the choreographers I liked. I HATED dancing for Mascall. Long story. I didn't want to be the dumb quiet dancer who sucks up to get into the right cliques and get the right jobs, and I just began to find the whole thing really quite gross and totally undignified. I felt like I was back in high school. You know, there are some really talented dancers in Vancouver. But there's no audience for contemporary dance. You end up performing for the same people, over and over again, 90% of them fellow dancers/choreographers, and you see the same dancers in every show. It gets boring. I got bored. So I quit. I love what I do now. I miss dancing; I love to move. But I don't miss being *a dancer*. That just sucked.
Reply
I agree with pretty much everything you said about the Vancouver dance scene. And I've had friends that worked for Mascall recently and also hated it. Jennifer Mascall is a bit of a fruitcake. There is no audience and you see all the same dancers in every show and all the same people watching every show. But for now it's what I have to live with until I can move on to better things. Like hopefully, TDT!
Reply
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