This year, we will also be holding an audition for the first time at Motion Dance Studio, in the Amsterdam-Zuidoost district, on Friday 29 November. We asked Syglien Roosveld, director of this ballet and dance school, about her motivation for this new collaboration.
Syglien: “Actually, it was precisely the right moment for Jane Lord, outreach coordinator of the National Ballet Academy, to approach me, as I’d already been wondering for some time if a collaboration would be possible. I think it’s important that we join forces in seeing whether we can better reflect our current society in the year 2019 at the National Ballet Academy – and eventually at Dutch National Ballet as well. This means more cultural and social diversity, so that everyone feels welcome and opportunities are created for all colours and backgrounds”.
“For the children at my school, the collaboration with the National Ballet Academy means that they have more chance of coming into contact with top-class ballet. And it’s great that there are now signs that children from a different background and/or colour are welcome at the academy and the doors are opening to them! I think it’s high time that happened, as there are a great many youngsters in our district who would like to be a professional dancer, but who still often think that this dream can’t come true for them”.
“We are preparing the children who want to do the audition – and there are plenty – by doing lots of limbering exercises in class. In addition, every week the teacher goes through the main basic arm and leg positions with everyone, and we send them home with little assignments and tips – for the parents as well. We also talk about the audition itself: what’s involved in doing an audition, which requirements are set and how to cope if you’re not accepted, as well as things like discipline, appearance, arriving on time, working hard and perseverance”.
Read on about the audition at Motion Dance Studio
https://motiondancestudio.nl/auditie-selectiedag-nationale-balletacademie/