Video Auditions

[On Pointe]

Lately the YouTube algorithms have sent me numerous videos of youngsters auditioning for summer intensive programs,  especially for SAB.  While it's interesting to see talented,  and not so talented kids from around the country,  posting their auditions publicly strikes me as a very bad idea.  It's like reading the college entrance essays of high school seniors.  Some of the videos even have the comments enabled,  which could be devastating to a young dancer's sense of self.  (One sweetly earnest little girl is morbidly obese.)  Because of Covid,  video auditions are necessary,  but I think they should be private.   Does SAB require students to upload to YouTube?  What about DropBox or Google Drive?

[Helene]

Since SAB is no longer accepting video auditions for their Summer session, it looks like they've disabled their online video audition application:and removed the video instructions.

https://sab.org/summer-auditions-admission/

I find it hard to believe that they would require children/minors to post audition videos in a public space, and I don't know of any major, general video platforms that don't offer password-protected and/or private forums, if the school is asking them to post to a platform, rather than uploading a video to a secured server/folder that the school can access to assess. it.

There are a lot of young dancers  and dance students who post their videos to YouTube, Facebook, and, especially, Instagram.  The smart ones turn off YouTube comments.  Or their parents do, if they're following YouTube minimum age requirements (13) to have a channel.

 

Edited to add:  I just went over to the SAB Audition thread on Ballet Talk for Dancers, where there was a robust discussion about the audition videos.  There's an option to upload to YouTube, and one parent thinks that at least some of the people who've done this might not know that they can set the videos to "Unlisted" to make them private.  But it's pretty clear from the thread that SAB hasn't created a private space, but is relying on the uploaders to manage their own settings:

https://dancers.invisionzone.com/topic/64524-sab-nyc-si-audition-who’s-going-2021/?do=findComment&comment=693892

 

[Balletwannabe]

Hi- parent of a dancer here.  We, as parents, are fully aware of what we're doing when we're uploading.  Some people choose public on purpose, they want views & comments.  SAB by no means requires it.  I personally have no desire to have strangers critique my daughter.  

[nanushka]

8 hours ago, Helene said:

Edited to add:  I just went over to the SAB Audition thread on Ballet Talk for Dancers, where there was a robust discussion about the audition videos.  There's an option to upload to YouTube, and one parent thinks that at least some of the people who've done this might not know that they can set the videos to "Unlisted" to make them private. 

I suspect this is at least part of what's going on (though I'm sure there are some who, as @Balletwannabe suggests, are "fully aware" of what they're doing).

I think it would be a good idea — even, I'd say, an important responsibility — for SAB and other schools to offer clear instructions for how to ensure privacy, for those who want it.

Edited February 3, 2021 by nanushka

[Helene]

I agree that some parents would intentionally make the videos public and/or not disable comments.  I don't understand why any parent would do this deliberaately for their minor child, but I also don't have children, let alone one that wants to become a professional dancer.

Having been un numerous Zoom, Skype, and Blue Jeans calls with adults who weren't/aren't robust users of technology, I'm certain that some parents really haven't a clue about how this works.

The early Zoom seccurity vulnerability was exploited because non-corporate and non-premium users didn't go in and set up their privacy settings, which defaulted to the least secure, from what I've ready in technology articles.  I've never uploaded a video to YouTube, and I don't know what settings are defaulted, what are presented clearly as a choice, and which you have to seek out.

The irony is that the kids for whom this is second nature and a piece of cake are too young, according to the Terms and Conditions, to have a YouTube channel.

[pherank]

FYI: I just posted a link to SFB's article about how they are handling the student auditions this year (using ZOOM or recorded video):

https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/46005-sfb-2021-miscellaneous/?tab=comments#comment-431727

 

Edited February 5, 2021 by pherank