FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q.  DO you have to have experience of acting or performing?

A.   The very fact you are looking at our site tells us you have the 'qualifications' we need!  We don’t insist on previous experience - just a love for, and an interest in, learning more about the performing arts.  At TYD our members are united through a shared love of theatre, the power of stories and how they are told - not previous experience or career aspirations.

q.  do you offer a trial or taster class?

A.  Due to the high demand for our Saturday spaces we cannot promise an offer of a trial class. If you or your child is uncertain about joining please do drop us a line and someone will be in contact to discuss matters with you.

Q. what if a class is over-subscribed?

A.  We do have a waiting list if classes become full as we have to be mindful of the health & safety of our students and comply with regulations.  However, we will always do our best to accommodate anyone who wishes to join us.

q.  my child has a lot of experience for their age.  how can I be sure they will be challenged?

A.  Our main aim at TYD is to ensure that each person is treated as an individual and works to the best of their ability.  Inevitably, we do have to start somewhere when forming classes and therefore we do this by year groups.  However, if the dynamics of a class don't work and we find some children are not being stretched or others are a little daunted, we will always discuss how we can help overcome this and allow everyone to get the very best experience from their time with us.

Q.  what if my child is worried they are too inexperienced for their age group?

A.  We do find that members are of a very high standard at TYD and often - for their ages - they exceed expectations. This can be quite daunting to newcomers to come into such a high-achieving environment and we do understand these concerns. Our tutors are highly skilled at developing talent at a pace which feels comfortable to all and to allow someone to naturally find their feet. We therefore do encourage members to give their age group a try. If after a few lessons things don’t work out we can always explore moving people into a lower age group until their confidence has grown.

Q.  we may find it hard to pay the fees in onE go.  will this prevent my child from joining?

A.  At TYD we've always prided ourselves on offering the very best training at an affordable rate.  We do, however, understand that it can sometimes be a struggle to pay a whole term's fees all at once.  For our Windsor & King groups (for our Autumn and Spring Terms ONLY) we allow half-term payment options to help. Please, however, do talk to us if you have any worries or concerns over the payment of fees as further instalment payment options may be made available on request.

Q. If we need to leave TYD what do we do?

A.  We understand this can happen - priorities and circumstances change. If you have paid a half-term’s fees and wish to leave before the next installment is due then we require 4-weeks’ notice in writing. If you wish to leave before the start of the new term, we again require 4 weeks’ notice. Under certain circumstances - such as illness or a bereavement - we will of course, make an exception. We just ask you keep us in the picture so we can approach people on our waiting lists.

Q. Is there a uniform?

A.  We do not have a set uniform but do ask that members come to class every week dressed ready to move. Comfortable, loose-fitting clothes and flat, light shoes, suitable for movement must be worn in class. Once a year, we have TYD-branded t-shirts and hoodies available to buy at an affordable price but this is primarily for classwork. For productions we ask for the cast to have a basic black costume and this must be plain black with no logos (so the TYD t-shirts are not suitable).

Q.  Do you put TYD MEMBERs forward for auditions? 

TYD is not a talent agency and, as such, does not put members forward for auditions.  We would, however, notify people should opportunities come up that we feel they would be suitable for or could benefit from.  Once a member has reached the age of 15 they will be given the opportunity to audition for our Theatre Makers programme and be involved in a production on the Rutland Open Air Theatre stage.

Q. Do you Teach Singing or Dancing?

The workshops at TYD are focused on drama, acting and theatre-making.  Whilst we do not specifically train members in the disciplines of singing and dancing; movement, physical theatre, dance, voice work, music and singing are all used to develop the young actor's craft.  Should a member show an aptitude for dance or song, we would encourage the use of these talents within performances.  We also schedule specialist workshops in all areas of the performing arts, including singing and dancing. 

Q.  Do you Offer private lessons such as LAMDA lessons?

We offer private lessons as a secondary arm to TYD members and these run after the main classes. Often students work towards exams and assessments in Acting, Devising, Shakespeare and Speaking in Public such as those offered by LAMDA, Trinity or New Era Academy examination boards. Other participants just want to work on a particular aspect - including audition preparation, self-esteem and confidence.

Places are strictly limited and will be offered to existing private lesson members first and secondly to existing TYD members. Occasionally we do have capacity for non-TYD members but these tend to be restricted to online lessons or late on Saturday afternoons. Please let us know if you are interested in this offering.

q. How can i be sure my child is safe?

We make the safety and welfare of our members and staff a top priority. We have a comprehensive safeguarding child protection policy which you can read here and risk assessments which you can access here. Should you have any specific concerns or wish to discuss this further please do not hesitate to contact us.

As we are returning to normal operation from September 2022, we are mindful that the virus has not gone away and we are keeping in place certain procedures to keep our staff and students as safe as possible. Please again read our risk assessments which covers Covid-19 procedures.

q. My child has specific needs. Can tyd accommodate this?

TYD has always made reasonable adjustments to include everyone of all abilities. We have a wide programme of activities - including physical, verbal, technical and performance-related exercises - which are designed to nurture and develop skills in all aspects of the performing arts. These are tried and tested, and have been proven to be highly successful at improving a child's ability in this field at whatever level they start at. The key to our work is about stretching each individual to the height of their own ability while continously ensuring they can work and gel as a team. This can be adapted to include all abilities and level of skill, but importantly each individual must feel comfortable, respected and supported which might lead to some activities or exercises being a little challenging for them. Therefore if, for some exercises, an individual feels it is beyond their reach, they are permitted to sit out when necessary - but still be part of the group in an observational role providing feedback and critique if necessary.

q. what if restrictions SUCH AS those SEEN IN THE covid-19 PANDEMIC are put in place again?

We do everything we can to ensure we remain open and conduct face-to-face lessons. If however, lockdowns come into place as they did during the Covid-19 pandemic, we will continue all planned lessons online.

Equally, should events occur such as inclement weather or the house having emergency maintenance etc. we will do our best to relocate or make up the lessons at a later date.

Q. not answered your question here?

Then please contact us.