Todd has the steps for dance success
AT SIX, Todd Dougan saw a ballet performance on TV and decided he wanted to be a dancer — and, over a decade on, his ambitions to be on stage are stronger than ever.
now 18, Todd, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, is in the second year of a Level 3 Musical Theatre diploma at Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet), one of the largest further education colleges in the UK.
His course has included performing at the college and at The Skills Show at Birmingham’s nEC last november. He and his classmates are also encouraged to audition for and represent other local dance schools and theatre groups.
One audition resulted in Todd joining a group from across the West Midlands who will take part in pre-show performances on stage and in the foyer of venues such as the Birmingham Hippodrome.
‘ It’s a chance to make industry contacts and dance with new people, so it’s another way to learn and improve as a performer,’ he says. Todd, who is now starting rehearsals for a forthcoming Hippodrome show and working on end- of- term performances at the college, adds: ‘We each keep a record of our performances and make notes on how well we think we’ve done.
‘This ties in well with the feedback I get from my lecturers. We also post videos of our performances on a private social networking group, so we can judge what was good and what could be done differently.’
Todd is also enjoying guest lectures from industry professionals.
‘We’ve taken part in workshops with a West End performer and a professional choreographer in which we’ve gone through the very useful process of being in a commercial audition,’ he says. ‘It helped us to understand what the show producers might want from you, but it also brought home just how much hard work it takes to get to the point of being ready to audition for a major show, let alone being able to deliver what a casting director, producer or choreographer might want from you.’
After finishing his college course, Todd aims to go on to drama school and forge a career in West End and Broadway shows.
He says: ‘Whether I’m dancing, singing or acting, being on stage in front of a live audience is just the best feeling.
‘And when people applaud, I always feel privileged to have had the chance to take part in something that’s been appreciated.’ FOR more information about BMet, log on to www.bmet.ac.uk