SERA00 Regimen: Pre-debut

Hey everyone!

This is the second post in the SERA00 Regimen series, so if you haven't read the first one do that first. I'm just going to jump into the continuation.

PRE-DEBUT

The next stage is the pre-debut. This is where you are intensively trained for about a month leading up to your debut as a 00 rank. In CASUT00's case, they trained for six months to directly debut as official members. 

While CASUT00 did drop members from the line-up before debut, SERA00 actually doesn't do that. If you pass the audition, you can basically prepare to debut sooner or later (unless you're fired for other reasons o.O). However, it's not uncommon for girls who realize that they can't take the life to leave.

First and foremost, you have to realize that in the end, we are idols and we kind of need to look good. That's standard. So the very first thing we do during the pre-debut is learn how to take care of ourselves. Things like having a healthy diet, and putting on makeup. The stylists give you a makeover and teach you how to achieve it. 

Often they'll cut your hair and suggest everyday styles that will work. For example, ponytail, pigtails, braids, or keeping your hair down? Which ones do you pull off best? How to curl or straighten your hair, apply eyeliner. Which eyebrow shape suits you, which style of makeup complements you best.

They'll choose products for your skin to help keep it clear and stuff. But other than in your pre-debut, that's all the beauty lessons you're going to get unless you go to a stylist by yourself. Because of the sheer numbers of members, it's impractical for each girl to take her turn with the makeup team. So unless we're appearing on television, or having a big concert or something, we usually do our own makeup.

Workout! With all the physical energy being an idol drains, staying in top shape is a must! So the pre-debut puts a lot of emphasis on exercising. No, they don't spend money on getting us stylists, but they get us each a personal trainer. Yep. Intense workouts until you're deemed "fit", and then you go to the gym by yourself. To give you an example of "fit", Sassan is fit. None of the 00 ranks or recently promoted members are considered fit. Not even Macey or Sammi. Am I fit? I was declared fit maybe two months ago? :D but it took me like more than two years o__o

So basically (I use that phrase often in general, don't I?), a pre-debut training day would look something like this. 

(7-9 AM) You wake up in the morning and exercise first thing with your trainer for about two hours.

(9 AM -12 PM) Attend school. Most trainees are school aged. If not, then practice or do something else.

(12-1 PM) Everyone lunch time!

(1-5 PM) Two slots for two-hour classes. You probably have more than two so it'll be spread out over the days. Your classmates are pretty much different every day. The classes are singing, dancing, choreography, and media. Singing is pretty straightforwards. Dancing is literally teaching you moves, working towards being able to dance freestyle to any music that comes on. Choreography is the class where you learn the choreography for all of SERA00's songs, but they start out with what you need to debut, which is the most recent 00 rank stage. Media is how to handle yourself in front of an audience. For example, MC-ing, posture, TV appearances, etc. They may teach you what producers expect you to bring to a show and have you practice so you don't freeze up on your first appearance on national television. 

(5-7 PM) Group class. This is where everything is put together in preparation for your debut. Since you never have singing or choreography with ALL the fellow trainees, this is your chance. You'll practice singing and dancing in sync, and perfect formation changes for each song. 

(7-8 PM) Dinner time ~

(8-9 PM) Free time.

(9-10 PM) Evaluation O.O Remember how I said SERA00 won't cut girls before their debut? I lied. Well, kind of. So you see, the thing is, SERA00 is a big group. We have a set formation for each song, but the line-up is never the same each time it's performed. So in that sense, we don't really have a line-up of members like CASUT00 or other idol groups do. The number of new members we admit doesn't really affect us. 

However you can be cut if you don't perform well on the evaluations. There are levels 1-7 with 7 being the best, and you need to have at least a 5 or higher in all 4 classes or you won't debut. Every night you have a chance to show off to the teachers, who will decide whether your skills have improved enough to move up a level. When you start out most likely you're a 1 or 2 in each subject. 

When I debuted, I had a 6 in singing, media, and choreography, and a 5 in dancing. Rome had 6 in choreography and dancing, and 5 in media and singing. It's harder to get to the higher levels. Only one or two trainees get sevens each generation.

I heard that for the sixth generation, Macey , Echo, and Tomiko got 7666, while Sammi got 6666, and Yumichan got 7766. That's a scary generation, considering the highest marks are set by our seniors. Every current media member got at least one 7. The top holders are Geneviève, Maya, and  River with 7766, Luna, Fracken, and Harley with 7776, and Angel and Sassan with the only 7777s to date. 

I remember it being a pretty harsh routine, and even I only endured it for about a month and a half. The CASUT00 girls lasted 6 months! Both Arron and JY got 7777, but they got 6 times the time to do it. Not that the achievement isn't great, it's still pretty amazing. 

So that's the day. There are no more scheduled events after 10, but many girls choose to go practice by themselves or with friends. Every member has a SERA00/CASUT00 ID card that grants them access to our facilities, which are electronically locked. 

Usually all members have halted SERA00 activities by 12, but it's actually not uncommon, especially if we have something big coming up, to see members in the dance studies at 3 or 4 in the morning. New members, DON'T DO THAT! It'll ruin your health. You need sleep to function! Trust me, I know <<not mentioning August 2012>>.

So. Audition. Get in. Get at least four fives. Moving onto 00 ranks next time!

Please support SERA00!