Direct School Admissions (DSA) Ballet in Singapore

AQ Principal Ms Josephine was interviewed by Straits Times for an article published in The Sunday Times dated Sunday, March 12, 2017, about the DSA programme. The full interview, reflecting AQ’s stand on DSA is as follows:

1) What do you think about the DSA changes in the current education landscape, particularly the removal of general academic ability tests to focus on specific talents? Will this work, or create more stress, and why?

“In my opinion, the General Academic Ability Tests (GAT) gives Secondary schools an insight to the child’s academic ability and helps gauge if a child can cope with the academic standards of that particular school. By removing the GAT, it may give rise to a “mismatch” between the student and the school.

For example, if a child is very talented in dance and gets selected after going through the school’s audition, this child might eventually face possible academic challenges. There is a possibility that the child will be struggling to match the academic requirements of the school where the rest of the fellow peers got admitted by meeting the minimum required T-score of that school.

This may create more stress for the child in her secondary school years. On top of having to cope with school workload, the child still has to commit to the long hours of dance training in school. The school admission of a child with no considerations on the academic abilities might lead to an unfortunate wrong matching. We should review both the academics and talent and try to strike a balance.”

2) Roughly how many pupils have you helped with the DSA? An estimate is fine. Are you seeing more parents year on year sending kids for help to get through DSA, and how many per cent more each year?

“Every year, we will have a handful (about five) of our own existing students applying for schools through DSA. They are mostly shortlisted and selected and given offers from two or more schools. There is certainly a growing awareness amongst parents on the DSA program. We are receiving more enquiries in recent years from parents of non-existing students (some even with little or no dance background) on how we can help prepare their children for their upcoming DSA auditions.

In such cases, we explain to the Parents that there are no shortcuts to this art form. We cannot achieve optimal dance quality by simply attending a few hours of private lessons. Dance technique takes years to hone, and the successful candidates are often those who have done Ballet Exams, Performances and Competitions since five to six years of age. Thus, by their DSA audition in Primary Six, they would have at least six to seven years of regular dance training.”

3) How do you help the kids to do well at the DSA? In what areas? Elaborate.

“In past years, AQ Dance successfully rolled out a Direct School Admission (DSA) preparation program six months prior to the DSA application period exclusively for our students, boasting a remarkable 100% success rate. However, upon reflection and careful observation of our successful candidates in their respective school placements, we found that some students had to struggle academically, and it had an adverse effect to their self-esteems at that age. Some experienced burnt out and ended up disliking the art form and the school they are in. Through this experience we chose to discontinue the program that had the objective of training students solely for their DSA applications despite its financial benefits to us. We now prioritise the holistic happiness of our students.

Embracing a more balanced approach, AQ Dance has a comprehensive initiative aimed at nurturing the passions and talents of our dance enthusiasts. AQ’s Elite Scholars program, which identifies and nurtures talented dancers through a rigorous audition process, offering them a wealth of opportunities including annual competitions and performances.

Our commitment extends to students as young as five, offering them subsidized advanced dance training and the chance to represent AQ Dance at a variety of competitions and performances. This engagement is designed to enrich their personal portfolios while instilling invaluable life skills such as discipline, teamwork, and resilience—preparing them for the DSA and beyond.

Additionally, we provide specialized DSA Workshops tailored to equip our Primary 5 & 6 students with the skills needed for DSA preparation. This includes mastering dance choreography, participating in Dance Masterclasses, and developing essential skills in interview techniques, portfolio composition, and auditioning.

At AQ Dance, we’ve shifted our focus from solely DSA-driven preparation to supporting our students in whatever academic or artistic paths they choose. While we continue to assist those pursuing the DSA—with form submissions and testimonial writing—we believe in the collective responsibility of parents and schools to ensure the right fit for each child’s future.

Our ultimate aspiration is to witness our students thriving in their chosen educational settings, feeling fulfilled and acknowledged for their dedication to both their dance and academic pursuits.”

4) Do you think the changes would reduce competition and promote joy of learning? Elaborate.

“We are confident that the Ministry of Education (MOE – SINGAPORE) is making changes to the system in the students’ best interests. However, we should continue to further review if removing the GAT completely is truly beneficial in the overall assessment. The streamlining of the DSA application process, by way of the MOE proposed centralised system, will certainly make it easier and more transparent for all applicants.

There will always be individuals that will try to “work” any given system to ensure that they have the maximum possibility to achieve their school of choice. My personal thought on this is that while one may eventually get their desired choice, one may end up with a very unhappy and burnt-out child.”

Sunday Times – DSA Schemers (12th March 2017)