Professional dance training for 13-16 year olds now open for auditions
The Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) is readying itself for
the 2012 auditions in April for the next generation of young
dancers from across London and the South East.
Based in the Creekside dance faculty of Trinity Laban
Conservatoire of Music and Dance, the CAT programme is an
innovative scheme which each year offers around 40 young people
aged 13-16 with exceptional talent with the chance to access high
quality dance training.
No previous dance experience is required but those auditioning
must demonstrate potential. Classes are held on Saturdays and
provide rigorous dance training taught by a team of professional
dance teachers and artists, which is supplemented by intensive
training during school holidays. CAT students also take part in
collaborative performances, most recently with The Royal Ballet
Upper School to create a joint dance performance piece, which was
performed at The Royal Ballet School earlier this month.
CAT Programme Manager, Martin Collins, said the course suited
both young people who had been dancing for years and people who
were completely new to it:
"Trinity Laban's CAT course is designed to help you figure
out if you want to be a professional dancer or not, and around 20
percent of our current intake had little or no dancing experience
before joining us. I would recommend that if you're not sure, come
to one of our taster sessions in March."
Martin pointed out that the programme attracted boys as well as
girls:
"We audition and train the boys in special Boys Only groups.
One success story is Taha Ghauni, whose only experience of dance
was through his PE lessons at school. Taha started on the Trinity
Laban CAT programme in 2008, and was part of a dance film and music
collaboration based at the Southbank Centre, as well as
choreographing his own highly original and imaginative dance
works." Following his A levels, Taha recently gained a place
at P.A.R.T.s in Brussels, a highly prestigious performing arts
training school, which selects students from all over the
world.
Taha said: "The CAT scheme worked as a catalyst for my
aspirations. It was incredible to be involved in a constantly
moving environment of young people enthusiastic about dance.
Throughout the scheme I felt like I was improving my dancing
abilities. Every teacher at Trinity Laban gave me the incentive to
aim high and achieve."
Amarnah Amuludun was one of the first CAT students when the
programme began in 2006. However she was no stranger to Trinity
Laban as she lived locally in Lewisham and first started dance
classes when she was aged 12, as part of the Trinity Laban Youth
Dance Programme. Armarnah is a highly talented performer, and in
September 2010 she started at the London Contemporary Dance School
on their BA (Hons) degree in Contemporary Dance.
"The CAT scheme is life changing and will be with me always.
It helped me discover what I was good at and what was worth
pursuing as a career."
Picture of Taha Ghauni provided by Youth Dance England
This year the taster days will be on 17 and 25 March 2012.
Auditions will take place on 11, 12, 21 and 28 April 2012. There
will be a Boys Only audition on 5 May.
For information on the taster days and auditions, please contact
the CAT administrator Bethan Peters 020 8305 9418, cat@trinitylaban.ac.uk
Read here for a blog by recent graduate Charlie Burt about her
experience on the CAT programme -
/education-community/for-children-young-people/centre-for-advanced-training/student-blog-by-charlie-burt.aspx
<< Back
