NIDA SDA course

Any feedback on the NIDA SDA course - it rarely rates a mention in the training discussed in this formum.

Apparently a very good course that is now very comparable to WAAPA. Under Avigails direction it will take over as the best

Avigail knows what she wants. This isnt always a good thing. It is only one person's opinion, where other institutions have a panel of people. The SDA audition was not very pleasent as places like Ballarat, VCA and WAAPA. I am also suprised that a Music Theatre Course at NIDA places Acting as the least important aspect in the course. But hey, some good people have come from NIDA SDA.

Avigail know what she wants and NIDA are building on their MT area to be very competitive with WAAPA. She is a hard task master. I have done alot of stuff with her, and whether you like her or not she is a damn good teacher and very well recognised and thought of in the industry. Yes I am surprised about the acting component in the course too but she does get results. I dont see that NIDA Acting is as strong as it used to. I know some lovely people who have got into this years acting course and personally they are good but not outstanding. If anyone saw the two part documentary a few years ago based on the NIDA Acting auditions, my gosh, it stripped you of any dignity and confidence. It was their way of weeding through those who didnt have the passion. The candidates they chose were literally professional before they even started the course. I wish they would show this program again. Maybe I am wrong but just dont feel their current selections have the same professionalism.

Yes I thought the same

i don't know where you got the idea that avigail places acting as the least important componant in the course....maybe because its "Singer Dancer Actor" and actor is last?....thats actually only so that the acronym isn't S.A.D (although we still called ourselves the "SAD"s.) Avigail's priority is always acting - and the intergration of the three skills so that the actors journey is wholistic. as far as nida acting is concerned....i think they're taking on slightly younger people...maybe this is so they can "mould" them more or something...but most of the people i know currently in the acting course are extremely talented....but of course they all have weaknesses. i would agree that their selection process is not as full on as it used to be ....i think this is possibly due to comments/criticism they may have received after the airing of "drama school" and possibly due to the change of director. The SDA course is getting a lot more respect now, as people such as Hayden Tee, Belinda Wollaston and Daniel Scott are starting to star in big productions. i think its a fantastic course that will only go from strength to strength.

It is too late to audition for the course??????

I believe it is too late to audition for SAD (sorry sda), but have you read the posts about CODA. I believe they still have another round of auditions. A friend of mine said she attended both show cases and said that the CODA showcase was just as good if not better than NIDA. Maybe it's worth checking out Sing Over King in newtown. Good luck

i did the course a couple of years ago, and it was an incredibly tough year, but the best of my life - avi does certainly know what she wants, and although her personality tends to clash with some people's, she is a great teacher, and can get a lot out of you. as far as the priorites between singing dancing and acting, majority of the classes are focussed on the singing and dancing, so it does feel like the emphasis is on those two, but all the teachers do make sure that you aren't just standing there and singing, there is a huge emphasis on having a meaning behind ever single word you are singing, and that a character is coming through in dancing. it's definitely worthwhile checking out the course. it's hard to find a show playing in sydney that doesn't have a grad in it, and a bunch of graduates have worked on cruises and in london and new york too.