School Of The Arts, Singapore

[Ragamuffin shinobi]

ikkinique:

Ragamuffin shinobi:

Wow! Thanks for your reply!

Really good to hear this from a student's perspective.
There's always that nagging feeling that if my girl loses interest in dance in future, her years in Sota will be tough. However, it may also be the best years since it'll allow her to continue doing what she (currently) loves while she studies. I have no doubts that Sota provides very good training and facilities for the different art forms. Hmmm... Just wondering of she will be able to stand the rigourous schedule tho.

Just out of curiosity, your friends in dance intend to give up dancing after graduation? Or just not go into full fledged performing? My girl has also asked about what happens to her dance qualifications coz she heard that most dancers in Sota stop their dance class outside. Does Sota prepare them for their RAD or equivalent certification? I think Sota does prepare the Music students for some music certification.

Thanks in advance again! :thankyou:

Hi!

No problem at all.
Most of my dance friends actually want to go into other fields (i.e.journalism, law), but there are, of course, some that want to go into professional training. For ballet training, most of them tend to stop training outside so cross-teacher conflict doesn't occur... But if you come in through SOTA with a non-ballet dance form, then of course you will have to continue your training externally. Grades in ballet don't matter in my opinion - a dance company/university will not care if you have a Grade 8 qualification in a dance exam and you turn out to be an average dancer. However, I am not a dance student so I am afraid I cannot offer much in terms of advice, and I am quite sure my opinion might be contested by other students in my year.

For the parents who wants to more about the music aspect:
SOTA does not specifically prepare us for ABRSM/Trinity exams. It is our own choice to go for these exams. SOTA prepares us to be better performers and musicians - our aim is not to get a ABRSM diploma, but to be a better musician. Us students in Year 5 find that getting ABRSM grades 1-8 do not matter when it comes to getting into university - after all, the live audition is what gets you through, and not your qualification. The aim of our teachers is not to prepare us for external exams, but to harness our own personal talent; especially if you play an ethnic instrument with no available qualification exam to take. However, most of us still go for ABRSM exams just to benchmark where we are.

Hope my reply helps you.

Thank you very much once again! :grphug:

[limws1]

ikkinique:

Hi, i am a year 5 music student graduating from sota in 2014. if you have any questions regarding, i'd be happy to answer

My girl is in SOTA Yr 1 theater. May I know why is it not allowed to wear the art form T-shirt during normal school days? This wasn't stated in the students' handbook.

In her class, half the class fail their common tests, do you experience the same thing during your early years at SOTA? How does the seniors do in their studies?

I was told some of the teachers are very unapproachable. When students want to ask questions, the teachers will reprimand them. Why is this so? Are teachers not happy teaching at SOTA?

Many of the students have cup noodle for lunch and the canteen stalls sell all kind of fried food. Does SOTA follow MOE's guideline on canteen food?

[dasalo]

limws1:

Hi limws1, if you may allow me to answer some of your Qs.

My girl is in SOTA Yr 1 theater. May I know why is it not allowed to wear the art form T-shirt during normal school days? This wasn't stated in the students' handbook.

Art form Ts are meant to be worn during their art form activities although it is not stated in the handbook. PE and polo Ts are their normal wear during school hours for security and identity purposes.

In her class, half the class fail their common tests, do you experience the same thing during your early years at SOTA? How does the seniors do in their studies?

Fail all subjects or just one or two? This is common esp ARC. By end of yr, they should be able to catch up although some never did. The seniors - read story books/novels, newspapers, go library do research, research in the internet. Basically independent learning.

I was told some of the teachers are very unapproachable. When students want to ask questions, the teachers will reprimand them. Why is this so? Are teachers not happy teaching at SOTA?

I view this very seriously. I suggest you take this up to the Student Affairs.

Many of the students have cup noodle for lunch and the canteen stalls sell all kind of fried food. Does SOTA follow MOE's guideline on canteen food?

My dds always bring home cooked lunch so they don't eat at the canteen much but I heard they have economic rice and some other decent food. There's always some kind of fried food in all schools I think. I don't think (i'm not sure) Sota comes under MOE's purview. Their canteen has never been praised by my dds. Cup noodles is always a hit anywhere, even at my home but I leave no chance for it.

[JRLam]

ikkinique:

Hope my reply helps you.

Hi ikkinique,

Do you know if it is SOTA's Open House day on 12 May? If not, do you know which day is it held and what can the public expect to see on that day?

Sorry to ask you coz the website doesn't seem to offer much info yet I thought I read/hear from someone else on that Open House day ...

Thanks!

[blitz]

JRLam:

ikkinique:

Hope my reply helps you.

Hi ikkinique,

Do you know if it is SOTA's Open House day on 12 May? If not, do you know which day is it held and what can the public expect to see on that day?

Sorry to ask you coz the website doesn't seem to offer much info yet I thought I read/hear from someone else on that Open House day ...

Thanks!

Its on the website http://www.sota.edu.sg/
12th May 9-5pm

[dance and theatre]

Ragamuffin shinobi:

Wow! Thanks for your reply!

Really good to hear this from a student's perspective.
There's always that nagging feeling that if my girl loses interest in dance in future, her years in Sota will be tough. However, it may also be the best years since it'll allow her to continue doing what she (currently) loves while she studies. I have no doubts that Sota provides very good training and facilities for the different art forms. Hmmm... Just wondering of she will be able to stand the rigourous schedule tho.

Just out of curiosity, your friends in dance intend to give up dancing after graduation? Or just not go into full fledged performing? My girl has also asked about what happens to her dance qualifications coz she heard that most dancers in Sota stop their dance class outside. Does Sota prepare them for their RAD or equivalent certification? I think Sota does prepare the Music students for some music certification.

Thanks in advance again! :thankyou:

My daughter is in SOTA Dance Year 3, so I can only help with answers about dance. She auditioned for SOTA in her Primary 6 year with a RAD Gd 5 certificate and CSTD Tap Silver, Jazz Gd 5 and a resume that included wins in the under 13s category of the Asia Pacific Dance Competition (Ensemble).

As far as I know, for the SOTA auditions a dancer with technical maturity and a keen awareness of the performance (facial expression, dance artistry) is very important, it is what sets a dancer with potential apart. Sadly, while some dancers have technique, they lack the performance factor and seem to go through dance motions with a very wooden expression which lets them down. SOTA dance auditions are very competitive, and if you present the RAD certificate as part of the resume, your child should be in the High Distinctions (92% and above). Aside from Ballet, the auditions have students from Malay, Indian and Chinese, as well as Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop and Dancesport/Ballroom some of whom are already savvy competition or award winners.

Only 30 students are given spaces for SOTA Dance each year so you can imagine the standards required.

\"My girl has also asked about what happens to her dance qualifications coz she heard that most dancers in Sota stop their dance class outside. Does Sota prepare them for their RAD or equivalent certification? \"

My daughter has passed her RAD Intermediates last year and currently in RAD Advance 1 at her dance school outside of SOTA. She has stopped the Graded RAD classes because the dance teacher felt it was not necessary as the RAD Vocational Exams require higher dance skills, are geared towards performance over the graded syllabus learning. Frankly, it gets harder to keep up with ballet outside as SOTA dance has long hours, each day the dance schedules are different and there are practices for showcases or events. Some outside dance schools are not supportive of SOTA's dance curriculum which is tailored very specifically for the students, it does not follow the RAD syllabus (being one we are used to in Singapore). I personally know of incidences where outside RAD dance teachers have strongly discouraged their dance students from auditioning for SOTA saying the IB dance curriculum is untested and no one knows yet where it will lead.

Many parents ask me are the SOTA dancers being short changed when they do not have the outside ballet schools and RAD exams ? Look at it this way : SOTA dance is everyday, Monday to Friday and over the holidays, they must attend Dance lessons in school over a fixed period. SOTA has it's own dance exams which they MUST pass.

Is the RAD certificate important ? I used to think it was, but now have decided it is not because looking at my daughter, SOTA dancers receive more than adequate dance training. At Year 3, the level of Ballet is very mature, technically very good for Singapore standards because the teachers themselves were dancers and know the exacting standards required.

My daughter absolutely LOVES the school and is lucky to have the opportunities to learn dance from industry specialists who were dancers with Singapore Dance Theatre and THE Dance Company. The exposure SOTA dancers get is extraordinary where subsidised dance performances and ballets at the Esplanade are learning experiences, their depth of learning about dance is amazing (Anatomy & Kinesiology, Dance History). There are regular Master Classes from visiting teachers of other schools around the world to broaden their dance training.

Does my daughter want to be a dancer ? She says yes but ...... she also wants to do well in school especially as she enjoys Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.

At the end of Yr 2, parents will be invited to a talk where the IB subject combination is explained very clearly to them. They will be able to see where their child is heading academically and speak to the Subject Heads for clarification. Neither the student nor parents will be left floundering for answers, I've found the teachers to be contactable via emails and able to meet me when I ask for appointments.

I hope this helps.

[Ragamuffin shinobi]

dance and theatre:

Ragamuffin shinobi:

Wow! Thanks for your reply!

Really good to hear this from a student's perspective.
There's always that nagging feeling that if my girl loses interest in dance in future, her years in Sota will be tough. However, it may also be the best years since it'll allow her to continue doing what she (currently) loves while she studies. I have no doubts that Sota provides very good training and facilities for the different art forms. Hmmm... Just wondering of she will be able to stand the rigourous schedule tho.

Just out of curiosity, your friends in dance intend to give up dancing after graduation? Or just not go into full fledged performing? My girl has also asked about what happens to her dance qualifications coz she heard that most dancers in Sota stop their dance class outside. Does Sota prepare them for their RAD or equivalent certification? I think Sota does prepare the Music students for some music certification.

Thanks in advance again! :thankyou:

My daughter is in SOTA Dance Year 3, so I can only help with answers about dance. She auditioned for SOTA in her Primary 6 year with a RAD Gd 5 certificate and CSTD Tap Silver, Jazz Gd 5 and a resume that included wins in the under 13s category of the Asia Pacific Dance Competition (Ensemble).

As far as I know, for the SOTA auditions a dancer with technical maturity and a keen awareness of the performance (facial expression, dance artistry) is very important, it is what sets a dancer with potential apart. Sadly, while some dancers have technique, they lack the performance factor and seem to go through dance motions with a very wooden expression which lets them down. SOTA dance auditions are very competitive, and if you present the RAD certificate as part of the resume, your child should be in the High Distinctions (92% and above). Aside from Ballet, the auditions have students from Malay, Indian and Chinese, as well as Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop and Dancesport/Ballroom some of whom are already savvy competition or award winners.

Only 30 students are given spaces for SOTA Dance each year so you can imagine the standards required.

\"My girl has also asked about what happens to her dance qualifications coz she heard that most dancers in Sota stop their dance class outside. Does Sota prepare them for their RAD or equivalent certification? \"

My daughter has passed her RAD Intermediates last year and currently in RAD Advance 1 at her dance school outside of SOTA. She has stopped the Graded RAD classes because the dance teacher felt it was not necessary as the RAD Vocational Exams require higher dance skills, are geared towards performance over the graded syllabus learning. Frankly, it gets harder to keep up with ballet outside as SOTA dance has long hours, each day the dance schedules are different and there are practices for showcases or events. Some outside dance schools are not supportive of SOTA's dance curriculum which is tailored very specifically for the students, it does not follow the RAD syllabus (being one we are used to in Singapore). I personally know of incidences where outside RAD dance teachers have strongly discouraged their dance students from auditioning for SOTA saying the IB dance curriculum is untested and no one knows yet where it will lead.

Many parents ask me are the SOTA dancers being short changed when they do not have the outside ballet schools and RAD exams ? Look at it this way : SOTA dance is everyday, Monday to Friday and over the holidays, they must attend Dance lessons in school over a fixed period. SOTA has it's own dance exams which they MUST pass.

Is the RAD certificate important ? I used to think it was, but now have decided it is not because looking at my daughter, SOTA dancers receive more than adequate dance training. At Year 3, the level of Ballet is very mature, technically very good for Singapore standards because the teachers themselves were dancers and know the exacting standards required.

My daughter absolutely LOVES the school and is lucky to have the opportunities to learn dance from industry specialists who were dancers with Singapore Dance Theatre and THE Dance Company. The exposure SOTA dancers get is extraordinary where subsidised dance performances and ballets at the Esplanade are learning experiences, their depth of learning about dance is amazing (Anatomy & Kinesiology, Dance History). There are regular Master Classes from visiting teachers of other schools around the world to broaden their dance training.

Does my daughter want to be a dancer ? She says yes but ...... she also wants to do well in school especially as she enjoys Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.

At the end of Yr 2, parents will be invited to a talk where the IB subject combination is explained very clearly to them. They will be able to see where their child is heading academically and speak to the Subject Heads for clarification. Neither the student nor parents will be left floundering for answers, I've found the teachers to be contactable via emails and able to meet me when I ask for appointments.

I hope this helps.

Thanks for the parents point of view here, dance and theatre!

[blitz]

Anyone went for the SOTA open house? No comments?

[Ragamuffin shinobi]

blitz:

Anyone went for the SOTA open house? No comments?

We went for the dance showcases and we were blown away! Fwaah! Can understand their long hours now...
:rahrah: :rahrah: :rahrah:

Now wondering if my dd can ever reach those standards.... more like if she can even get in like that.

[dance and theatre]

The dancers in the showcases are Yr 3, 4, the Esmerelda Solo is by a Yr 6 sitting for her IB this year. My daughter's class did the barre exercises in the 10.30am showcase and it's mostly to show the parents and prospective students where they will be at after 2 whole years of dance.


Glad you enjoyed the showcase, they are always wonderful to watch.