Calamity! Knee injury before on-campus theatre auditions.

[AEC]

DS has applied for MusicTheatre programs at various colleges & universities. He's got 3 onsite and one video auditions in January and February. The format varies quite a bit from place to place, but all include both singing AND dancing.    The other day he fell while ice skating and hurt his knee pretty badly.  MRI results just in - sprain or partial tear of ACL and MCL.  Nothing is a complete tear, Dr asserts it'll heal on its own and be just fine.  But I don't see how there's going to be any amount of dancing 4-8 weeks from now.

Not sure what to do. Do we contact the schools right away and let them know? What if he's able to dance by the time the latter ones come around? still worth having notified them? I guess there's no chane he'll be 100% by then, so they should know?  Michigan is his favorite - that's in mid Jan. I don't see any way he'll be dancing by then. I'll be happy if he's no longer walking with a cane and a knee brace. Singing & acting are his strengths - not the dancing so much - but surely this can't help with admissions. arggh.

really not sure what to do.

 

 

 

[catz]

Do you have video of him dancing you can offer up to these schools?   Has he applied to any schools that do not require auditions as back up?   I would definitely have him start emailing these schools with a heads up.  
 

I know someone got shut out of Michigan last year because their flight was delayed due to weather so I don’t get the feeling these programs with many many applicants are over the top accommodating.   

[katilac]

What did the doctor say? Can he go for another appointment before auditions? 

The doctor should have specified Grade 1, 2, or 3. If he's that confident it will heal on its own, it's not grade 3. Can he walk or is his knee giving out? If he can walk okay, it's most likely grade 1; otherwise grade 1 or 2. 

I personally wouldn't notify anyone just yet. Mid-January, so at least three weeks, right? Obviously, he doesn't want to risk further injury, but even grade 2 can sometimes heal in as little as two weeks (2-4 weeks overall). If he's zealous about following protocol, and a bit lucky, he might heal more quickly than you imagine. 

Either way, I would probably walk into the audition with a doctor's note, an easy routine as needed, a laptop to show dancing, AND a thumb drive to leave with them. All the alternatives, lol. Even an easy routine can show that he knows steps and can learn a dance (but obviously do have the doctor's note). 

Best of luck to him!

[AEC]

he'll be in for another appointment later next week - so before the auditions, but not long before the Michigan audition. He can walk, a few steps at most. But says it hurts quite a bit to do so. Dr didn't give us a grade - I'll send them email and ask.  We'll def take a note - that's a good idea.

re: "Do you have video of him dancing you can offer up to these schools?   "

that much is required to get the audition when you apply to the school, so they have some reference material.  The on-site audition varies by school - some of them you go in with a routine, some of them it seems they teach you a routine there and that's what you're supposed to do.  <sigh>  it will be, what it will be. He's supposed to ice and use an exercise bike for now.  We'll just do that and see where he is.