South Devon College students take their training to Milan

Twelve performing arts students from South Devon College recently spent two weeks in Milan training at Musical Theatre School (MTS), a professional musical theatre academy. For several of them, it was their first time abroad. Funded through the Turing Scheme, the trip gave students access to specialist coaching and a professional environment.

The training at MTS was full-on from the start. Students were in the building from 9am until mid-afternoon every weekday, moving through ballet, jazz, tap, acrobatics and singing with specialist coaches who expected a high standard. “The lessons felt professional, inclusive, and intensive,” says Aidan. “Both the staff and students made us feel welcome and a part of each lesson.”

One of the more unexpected challenges was communication. Some of the MTS teachers spoke limited English, which meant students had to find other ways to get by. “The students helped out with interpreting,” says Lorraine Blake, a SEND Lead at South Devon College, who accompanied the group. “Our students had to learn how to use either an interpreter or find another mode of communication.” For Jamie, it sharpened his understanding of what professional training really demands: “I really got a good grasp of how professional the foreign students were and it gave me a strong idea of what level of commitment it takes to be productive in a learning environment.” Jacob was equally positive: “Being at the school was the best experience and gave us a lot of training.”

Sennon found the experience broadened him in more ways than one: “I met a lot of new and experienced people and learnt many different and new techniques, while also picking up bits of the language that have stuck with me. I gained new experience I wouldn’t have had back home.”

The students made full use of everything Milan had to offer. On their first major outing, they headed to the Duomo, and the reaction said it all. “When we got to the top of the steps, they all just stopped,” recalls Lorraine. “I could hear them go ‘oh my god, wow.’ Their faces were all just lit up. We’d had all these struggles in the first 48 hours and I just thought, this is why I brought them here.”

From there, the group took in the Cimitero Monumentale, a vast Gothic cemetery in the centre of the city filled with elaborate stone monuments and sculptures. They also visited the Da Vinci museum, explored the Castello Sforzesco, spent an afternoon in the Navigli canal district and even took on a Harry Potter-themed escape room.

For performing arts students, one visit stood out above the rest. “We took them to La Scala, one of the most famous opera houses in the world,” says Lorraine. “They were allowed to sit in one of the boxes and look out at the stage. For students who might only have seen the Princess Theatre in Paignton, the scale of it was quite something.”

Milan happened to be hosting fashion week during the students’ first week, and the streets were buzzing. Harvey, who has ambitions in fashion, made the most of every moment: “Going to Milan and studying at MTS was honestly the best two weeks of my life. Seeing fashion week play out on the streets around me was amazing, since that is what I want to do one day.”

Away from the sights, students were also getting to grips with looking after themselves. With a small hostel kitchen and a single hob between them, each room of four had to plan, shop for and cook their own evening meals together.

Navigating the city was its own challenge. “For many of the students, this was their first experience of a major metropolitan area,” says Lorraine. “To put them into Milan and say ‘you need to get from here to there, can you try to figure it out’, you could see some of them pulling on leadership skills they didn’t know they had.” Over the two weeks, the group covered pretty much every form of Milan transport: trains, metro, tram and bus.

“I really enjoyed the independence I felt as an adult in a foreign country for the first time,” says Jamie. “This trip was really good for me and I feel really glad I did it.”

Lecturer Vicky Bryan, who also travelled with the group, summed up the impact: “It gave them deeper subject knowledge that they wouldn’t have had before. Overall, the trip was a phenomenal benefit to the students, and it would be wonderful if every student had such an opportunity.”

Jamie agreed: “I really enjoyed myself and had a great experience learning and taking in as much culture as I could. The lessons were fascinating and I learnt so much about being a professional in a particular field.”

For students with ambitions in the performing arts, two weeks of training at an international level in a city like Milan is a fairly hard thing to replicate. They came back with new skills, new influences, and a clearer sense of where they want to go.

We want to give a big thank you to our amazing sponsors, without whom this trip would not have been possible: TSM Contracting, Bayside Graphics, Riverford Farm Shop, Smith and White & The Union Inn Denbury.

Love the performing arts? Has this trip sparked your interest? Find out more about performing arts at South Devon College here: Performing Arts – South Devon College