Former Turning Pointe pupil, Callan Eade, to start at Ballet Theatre UK in September 2024

We are thrilled to announce that former Turning Pointe student, Callan, will be taking up his place to study at Ballet Theatre UK this coming month.

Callan kindly agreed to answer some questions about his experiences auditioning for professional training and what he hopes to do in the future:

1. Which dance school have you successfully auditioned for, and what course will you be doing?

I auditioned for and got a place at The School Of Ballet Theatre UK Hinckley, Leicestershire; I will be studying a 3 year ballet performance BA (HONS) degree which I’m really looking forward to.

2. What was the audition process like? What did you enjoy? Was there anything you found surprising?

The audition was actually really enjoyable, it consisted of a typical 90-minute ballet class and a 45 minute contemporary class with a panel of staff watching both, which included the Principal. The girls also had a pointe specific class which gave me the opportunity to talk to some of the current students. It was a really relaxed atmosphere and the other people doing the audition were also very supportive. Going into the audition I was quite nervous however as soon as we started it all went away. Once we had completed all the classes we had individual interviews, I had my interview with the principal and one of the ballet teachers. They asked me about my background in dance and why I wanted to do that particular course and why I chose their school which really allowed me to express my passion for dance. They were interested in knowing which other auditions I was attending. We also discussed how I would cope living away from home, obviously I had already coped with this at a younger age, when I studied at Plumpton college. They also asked me what my dream job would be after my studies and they really made me feel at ease, it was more like an informal chat rather than a formal interview. Whilst I was in the audition there were talks for the parents/guardians and a Q&A session for them too.

3. What would be your ideal job in the future?

My dream job in the future would be to become a principal dancer in a ballet company and to tour the world performing in lots of different countries.

4. What did you gain from your time at Turning Pointe that helped you prepare for a career in performing arts?

Turning Pointe helped me realise that dance was my true love and that it could be my vocation as before joining Turning Pointe I had always seen dance as a hobby rather than a career option. Turning Pointe has a very nurturing environment and gave me the confidence to realise my potential. I cannot thank the staff enough for all their support and encouragement whilst living away from home.

5. What advice would you have for any younger students hoping to audition for a full-time dance/performing arts course in the future?

Just go for it! The main thing in the audition is to have fun. If the panel see that you are really enjoying yourself then that will make a huge impact on them. Also work really hard in the audition and don’t be afraid to ask questions as this will not only help you to improve your technique but it will also allow the panel to see that you want to learn and ensure that you get the exercise correct. Don’t be afraid to work for it outside of lesson time too; work on your flexibility, do some dance focused strength training, practice at home if you struggle with something; the more you do, the more prepared you’ll be and the better you’ll be for doing it. Take some time to do some research, look at what courses the different schools offer, do they run Summer Schools? Do they run associate programmes? If you are able to, go and see some of their productions this will help you get a feel of the different schools and what they have to offer.