Blogging My Time Abroad

Hey everyone,

So I finally broke down & decided to blog about my time in Europe this semester. While most people will be keeping up with me through facebook, I have decided to keep a bit more personal and more detailed blog for my family and friends...and whatever creeper is out there reading this right now.

So a little about my time here in Europe:

I am studying abroad in London at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. (I have added to the end of this post a little more info on Mountview.) I am studying at Mountview through the IES Abroad Program. While my orientation and classes do not start until September 21, I will be in Europe from September 3 until the middle of December since I came over two weeks early to travel a bit before my course work actually started. While here at Mountview I will be taking ballet barre, ballet, jazz, tap, dance conditioning, voice, sight reading, music theory, acting, actor & the text, voice & movement, and a presentation workshop. I take all of these classes several times a week during this fall semester.

I will try to post as much as possible in my time here. I am excited to let everyone see what I am doing and enjoying while I am here in Europe. I would like to say though that I would like for everyone to remember that the legal drinking age here though is 18...

Talk to you all soon!

-JG-

A little info on Mountview:

Founded in 1945 by Peter Coxhead, Mountview is an independent college of Higher education, a member of the Conference of Drama Schools (CDS), and full-time courses are accredited by the National Council for Drama Training (NCDT). Mountview is widely acknowledged to be one of Britain’s leading independent drama conservatoires and its students are making their mark in all branches of the profession.

Mountview graduates have recently performed in popular productions in the West End, such as Connie Fisher (The Sound of Music), Hannah Jane Fox (We Will Rock You), and Jon Robyns (Les Miserables). Judy Dench currently serves as the President of Mountview.

Originally situated in Crouch End, North London, Mountview expanded in the 1980s to new teaching spaces – the Sir Ralph Richardson Memorial Studios in Wood Green, North London in the borough of Haringay. The Wood Green Campus has steadily expanded, and the Ralph Richardson Studios (RRMS) is where the training and rehearsal work for Performance, Technical, and Directing students take place.

IES Abroad students are enrolled in the Musical Theatre Program, and participate in the standard second year BA Musical Theatre undergraduate program of study for either a semester or an academic year. The courses are delivered in a highly supportive environment by faculty who are experts in their field. As a student on the Musical Theatre program, you will continually come into contact with practitioners from the industry who not only train by the highest standards, but who also pass on a wealth of experience and advice.