It’s true that her journey into dance was intertwined with higher education: She double-majored in dance and politics at Oberlin College and earned her MFA in choreography at UCLA. Her thesis work looked at salsa as a way to express social­ resistance in the debate around immigration. The Cuban­ American daughter of two labor union organizers, Alvarez had also seen her mother transition into academia, which made it feel familiar and accessible.

It hasn’t always felt inviting and inclusive, however. “I was constantly fighting to legitimize the ways that I danced, and the ways that I moved, and the things that I was interested in studying,” she says. When it came to exploring social dance practices outside of ballet and modern and how she wanted to move through the world as an artist, Alvarez says, “I found myself having to really push back and advocate and argue with people that it mattered.”

After she graduated, Alvarez focused on art and activism the way she envisioned it. After some early adjunct-teaching gigs in dance departments, she shifted her focus to cultivating her own work, accepting occasional guest-choreographer and visiting-artist opportunities instead. “It felt like the field wasn’t ready yet,” she says.

Years later—after carving her own path, building a thriving company, and receiving recognition for her work—she found the job opening at UCSD. “It literally was describing who I am as an artist,” she says. “When I got the job description, I was like, ‘I think they’re ready.’ ”

She’s so glad they were. “I’ve always had deep, deep love for learning, deep love for teaching, deep love for inquiry and curiosity,” she says. “So much of my own artmaking practice is about asking questions and grappling with the world, and there is no better place to be doing that than inside of a university.”

Making Way for New Stories

Alvarez’s parents instilled in her a drive to make the world “a better, more loving, and just place,” she says, and she wanted to do it through movement. “I have a deep belief that choreography is community organizing,” she explains. “You’re imagining and creating worlds, and you’re redefining the ways in which we think about the world and think about ourselves within the world.”

That, in an oversimplified nutshell, is the philosophy she brought with her to UCSD at a moment when the “Dance” part of the Theatre and Dance Department in particular was in transition. “I fell in love with the blank canvas that I saw,” she says, along with the students and colleagues she met. It gave her the freedom to start building something new.

In her first year, she taught courses on the politics of partnering, introduction to dancemaking, and what she calls “ancestral technologies,” exploring the wisdom of one’s ancestors embedded in social dance practices. She hired nearly a dozen new lecturers to teach classes in forms as diverse as traditional hula, flamenco, capoeira, Filipino folk dance, West African dance, Afro-Cuban dance, tap, jazz, contact improvisation, and more.

She also did a lot of listening, and heard a common refrain­ about people being isolated in their own silos. She established a weekly “Connection Jam” where anyone and everyone is welcome. “We’re gonna get down, we’re gonna dance, we’re gonna sweat, and we’re gonna move together,” Alvarez says. “We’re gonna practice joy.”

Another new tradition has all the technique classes gather at the end of the quarter to share what they’ve been doing with their peers. It was so popular the first quarter they did it, in a small black-box theater, that they moved to the Epstein Family Amphitheater the next time around.

“Ana María’s presence in the department is wholly inspiring and palpably positive, and she has forged a strong sense of community,” says faculty member Jade Power-Sotomayor, explaining that Alvarez led the way in cleaning out the dance office and putting up new posters all over the building, “literally making way for new bodies and new stories.”

Connecting Campus and Company

The new role at UCSD came with a serious commute and a major balancing act. Alvarez still lives in Los Angeles with her family and continues to work as an artist with CONTRA-TIEMPO and beyond. It’s only possible to juggle, she says, because CONTRA-TIEMPO horizontalized its leadership structure—with Alvarez as artistic director running the group with three other directors. She splits her weeks between campus and company and plans intensive projects for academic breaks.

There are no silos here, either. “Because I have this access and connection to a professional dance company that is making work, that is touring, that is running summer programs, that is doing regular local gigs,” she says, “my students also have access to that.” Early on, Alvarez invited company members to San Diego to lead a Connection Jam so her students could meet and engage with the pros. In recent months, Alvarez has been working with a group of students to explore and deepen the physical language of ¡azúcar!, her latest piece for CONTRA-TIEMPO, to culminate in a performance with other faculty choreography at Winter Works on March 15 and 16. When CONTRA-TIEMPO comes to UCSD to perform ¡azúcar! in April, those students will become the community cast that shares the stage with them.

“I’m just so excited to be anywhere she is,” says Norma Ovalle, who graduated last year but is participating in the process as an alum volunteer. “I didn’t necessarily grow up seeing that there’s a possibility for somebody like me to pursue this,” she says. But that changed when she met Alvarez. She’s now working toward an associate’s degree and a future in dance.

Coming up a few years behind her, Vrisika Chauhan, a junior­ who has a background in Indian classical dance and also didn’t always feel like she belonged, decided to declare dance as a second major. “My perspective on what dance is has truly shifted,” she says, thanks to Alvarez. “She has helped so many students, including myself, feel seen.”

The post Ana María Alvarez Redefines the Dance Program at UC San Diego appeared first on Dance Magazine.

“It opened us up to a whole different realm of people,” says Robin Edwards, executive director of the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center and Hiplet Ballerinas. “People know about Hubbard Street. People know about The Joffrey Ballet,” but they don’t necessarily know CMDC, Muntu Dance Theatre, or Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, she adds, naming just a few companies that have participated in the Legacy Project’s first and second cohorts. “Ravinia was an oppor­tunity to lessen that equity gap.”

Aptly titled Metamorphosis, the show offered a glimpse at the transformation the Legacy Project hopes to foster in Chicago and beyond. The future it envisions is one where Black dance is recognized, celebrated, and preserved for posterity, and historical inequities in funding and operational support have been rectified. For now, the Legacy Project has stepped in to bridge the gap, drawing on the university’s plentiful resources and connections to help participating companies thrive.

Filling the Gap

The need for such an initiative was made stark in the 2019 report Mapping the Dance Landscape in Chicagoland, which found that only 9 percent of funding targeted communities of color even though people of color made up nearly half the population and more than half of dancers and choreographers (with 31 percent of dancers and choreographers identifying as Black or African American). The report called out the disparity, flagging, albeit gingerly, that the disproportionate allocation of resources “may perpetuate inequities.”

“To me, I know it exists. But I think it just shocked a lot of people,” says Legacy Project director Princess Mhoon, who grew up steeped in Chicago’s Black dance community and trained with several of the institutions she now works with.
The Legacy Project was born in the wake of that report when Tracie D. Hall, then director of the Joyce Foundation’s Culture Program, reached out to Logan Center leaders to discuss developing a program to bolster the organizations performing and celebrating Black dance—and see if they’d be willing to become its home.

It was an easy yes, according to the Logan Center’s executive director Bill Michel. The University of Chicago was simultaneously having discussions about how to support an increasing demand for dance offerings on campus. In addition to serving as a center for artistic practice for students, faculty, and staff, a core part of the Logan Center’s mission is “to create real opportunities for the incredible artists and arts organizations on the South Side of Chicago and across the city to be part of our community, and for us to be part of their community,” says Michel.

Cultivating Community

The Legacy Project’s cohort model brought together eight companies in its first round between 2019 and 2022 and 10 companies for its second beginning in 2023. A testament to its early success is the fact that six of the eight companies from the first cohort returned—including the aforementioned along with Joel Hall Dancers & Center, NAJWA Dance Corps, and Forward Momentum Chicago. They were joined by newcomers M.A.D.D. Rhythms, Move Me Soul, The Era Footwork Collective, and Praize Productions.

Leaders from each of the companies meet monthly for workshops—such as leadership development sessions run by experts and peer-led tutorials where each company shares hard-won knowledge—and discussions that foster a meaningful bond. “We got to work together. We got to talk with each other. We got to hear about other people’s struggles,” says Edwards, reflecting on the first cohort and the no-brainer decision to return for round two. The burgeoning community became a lifeline during the pandemic and beyond. “​​It was comforting to know that you’re sitting there amongst people that are going through the same thing,” she says. “We’re fighting for the solutions together. We’re not alone in this.”

Building Four Pillars

The companies and Legacy Project rely on UChicago resources and partners and other institutions and organizations across the city in addressing four pillars. First is capacity building, and second is advocacy, which undergirds everything else. The third pillar is archiving, and the fourth is presenting, which involves access to rehearsal and performance space on campus for each company, as well as joint programs like the one at Ravinia.

For capacity building, each dance company works closely with consultants and grad students through the UChicago Office of Civic Engagement’s Community Programs Accelerator. They identify high-priority areas of development and customize projects that will bolster growth, like crafting a fundraising plan or finding the right board members.

“We want them to not have to walk the journey alone,” says Sharon Grant, executive director of the Community Programs Accelerator. “We’re not a ‘One-and-done, go do a course, here’s some information, and then go back to figure it out on your own.’ ” Instead, they roll up their sleeves and help get things done.

The archiving component puts the “legacy” in the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project. Through partnerships with the Newberry Library and the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, and help from a student intern turned staff member, companies consider options for cataloging and housing their artifacts.

Edwards recalls poring over piles of old programs and photos CMDC sent to the Newberry Library. “What we’re saying is that we consider this to be so important that these things need to be archived,” Edwards says. Creating the collections that will tell the stories of Black artists and companies to the next generations is about preserving their legacies, to be sure. But it’s also about leaving behind something to build on into the future.

The post How Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project at the University of Chicago is Working to Bridge the Local Dance Scene’s Equity Gap appeared first on Dance Magazine.

A Taste of Undergrad Life

The college dance student experience encompasses much more than just studio time. It also includes residential and social life, interacting with nondance students, relationships with faculty, and approaching dance from an academic lens. Like many college intensives, “our summer program is based off of, and structured in relationship to, the BFA program,” says Boston Conservatory at Berklee associate professor of dance Kurt Douglas. “It emulates what a first-year student would experience.”

Students in Berklee’s Summer Dance Intensive, for example, are offered a range of technique classes as well as the chance to work with visiting choreographers. “The students get a chance to really immerse themselves in the choreographic process, which is one of the big elements of the conservatory program,” says Douglas. At Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, in addition to movement-based classes and improvisation, students at its Summer Institute are exposed to “workshops focusing on critical dance studies, speaking and writing, formulating feedback, and looking at contemporary artists,” says UArts School of Dance associate dean Jen McGinn. “There’s a larger understanding of dance as an academic subject that a lot of them are not as familiar with from their previous dance training.”

As in college, hard work is tempered with socializing. At both Berklee and UArts’ summer programs, dancers live in dorms alongside students participating in other arts programs, and partake in planned trips and activities together in the evenings and on weekends. McGinn says that the residential life at UArts pushes high school students to gain an important sense of independence and responsibility that will help them prepare to move away from home. “We’re in the center of Philadelphia, and they’re treated like adults in the sense that though they have an RA and a curfew, they’re walking from building to building down the city streets, and making sure they’re making it to mealtimes,” she says.

Preparing for the Future

The question on many students’ minds when considering a college summer intensive is if it will increase their chances of getting into that school. “It definitely helps us know them differently and better, just because we have so much more time with them,” says McGinn. For rising high school seniors attending UArts’ Summer Institute, participation in the program itself counts as an audition to the BFA program. Berklee handles things a bit differently, holding an audition for the BFA program during the summer intensive’s third week. “The first two weeks they’re able to use studio space to rehearse, and this way they don’t have to come back to reaudition during the year,” says Douglas.

While some students attend a college summer intensive with the goal of matriculating into that school, others might have their sights set on getting a BA outside of dance or auditioning for companies. Summer students in UArts’ program attend a mandatory two-hour seminar called Dance After High School, which helps them figure out the options available to them after graduation. “We get in as much as we can,” says McGinn. “Do you even need to go to college? What’s the difference between a BFA and a BA, the difference between being on a dance team versus being a major or a minor? It’s less to steer them in any one direction than to be a resource.”

Douglas agrees that whatever your dance goals are for the future, a college intensive can help. “In this collegiate space, the goal is to educate students so that it’s not just about this particular technique, or this choreographer’s style,” he says. “You’re getting a 360-degree experience of what it means to be a dancer in the world today.”

The post Why High Schoolers Should Consider a College Summer Dance Program appeared first on Dance Magazine.

These are some of the questions of the moment in the ballet program at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, which is staging new productions of The Nutcracker and La Bayadère this school year. Both ballets have come under fire for resorting to reductive, Orientalist caricatures—with La Bayadère all but disappearing in its full-length form from American stages.

There’s a perceived “zero-sum game, where it feels like we either respect the heritage and the canon and the tradition, or we respect the experience of people of color,” says Phil Chan, co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface. “Both of those things can happen at the same time.” Chan, who has long advocated for eliminating outdated and offensive Asian stereotypes from ballets, will stage the reimagined Bayadère in Bloomington with dance historian and musicologist Doug Fullington. “It is through this process that the work can remain alive and radical and relevant,” adds Chan.

That concept resonated deeply with Sarah Wroth, a professor and chair of the ballet department at IU. It couldn’t be more fitting for these projects to find a home at an academic institution, Wroth says, that sits at the intersection of scholarship and stage and has the time and resources to experiment. And the new productions offer an educational opportunity that students are thirsting for. “Young dancers today know what they want to be doing with their art form,” says Wroth. “They know what they want it to be creating in society. And I think it’s hard for them if they don’t get to see and feel that progress.”

A New Nutcracker

When Wroth returned to her alma mater as an educator after a 14-year career with Boston Ballet, the department was still using the same Nutcracker sets and costumes she remembered from the early aughts. The faculty decided their Nut needed a revamp—and that their colleague Sasha Janes was the choreographer for the job.

Janes’ vision bridges the acts so that they feel like one whole rather than two separate ballets, as is often the case in The Nutcracker. The Act I Christmas party is set in an embassy. The guests are delegates from various countries, wearing traditional dress and bearing gifts from home. “Rather than seeing this Victorian thing where all the men are in brown suits and women are in the same dress but different colors, I think we see individuals,” Janes says. “Because that’s the world we live in, right?”

Drosselmeyer—who in Janes’ production is a woman—helps stir Marie’s imagination. The rest of the ballet brings back characters from the party. The severe butler becomes the Mouse King. The ambassadors from Norway become the Snow King and Queen. Mother Ginger brings her charges from the local orphanage. The Chinese divertissement eschews upturned fingers and racist makeup and becomes a dance revolving around the delegates’ gift of silk.

This Nutcracker also uses technology, combining physical sets with projections, to transport its audiences and push the ballet forward. “Nutcracker is our one stronghold on American tradition,” Wroth says. “We just need to keep making choices for the betterment of it.”

A Better Bayadère

As soon as The Nutcracker wraps, IU students will dive into Bayadère rehearsals. Chan mentioned his and Fullington’s concept—which has been brewing for at least five years—when he gave a lockdown-era Zoom talk for the department. Wroth jumped on it: Could they bring that Bayadère to life at IU?

“My favorite creative prompt is asking myself the question: ‘What else could it be?’ ” Chan says. “Like when you’re a little kid and you have a pen, but it’s not just a pen. It could be a rocket ship or a lightsaber or magic wand. How can we apply that kind of thinking to a work like Bayadère?”

Instead of reproducing a French-born, St. Petersburg-based ballet master’s imagined India, Chan and Fullington are setting their love triangle during the golden age of Hollywood. Though they’ll re-create much of Marius Petipa’s choreography based on notations from 1900, the tale is reminiscent of quintessential American musicals like Singin’ in the Rain, Chan says, “if Nikiya was like Debbie Reynolds and Solor was Gene Kelly, and Lina Lamont, the sort-of princess, was this Gamzatti character.” In this telling, Ludwig Minkus’ score is reorchestrated in the style of a Gershwin musical, the Golden Idol is a dancing Oscar statue, and the iconic Kingdom of the Shades becomes an Art Deco fantasy à la Busby Berkeley.

“With the flip in the storyline, the beauty of the dance remains and the questionable plot dissolves,” says senior Ruth Connelly. Fellow senior Aram Hengen adds that IU’s learning environment is the perfect place for this change to begin:­ “It’s a lab, basically.” Both are excited to see ripple effects­ beyond their campus.

Chan, Wroth, and their colleagues are too. “All I’m saying is, ‘Let me show you just one other way to do it,’ ” Chan says. “Everybody benefits if we get more Bayadères. That’s the beauty of this form. It can take reimaginings.” The stories we tell have to reflect us, even when it comes to the classics, Chan says, and the stakes are high: “We’ve got to figure out a new way to do that for this new, more diverse, younger generation—or else we are doomed.”

The post Indiana University Removes Offensive Caricatures in New Productions of <i>The Nutcracker</i> and <i>La Bayadère</i> appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Burchfield says these questions help reorient students’ capacity to put their thinking first. At UArts’ School of Dance, students in the BFA program are emboldened with agency, artistry, and a fine-tuned ability to advocate for themselves in the professional world.

Cultivating Artists With Agency

Around 75 BFA students graduate from UArts’ School of Dance each year. For each of those dancers, their education starts and ends with their agency. “We don’t tell them, ‘You have to be ___, you have to be ___,” Burchfield says. Instead, dancers’ futures are shaped by students themselves.

“A lot of encouraging agency is encouraging students to speak to their own experience, to ask questions,” says Shayla-Vie Jenkins, assistant professor of dance and former performer with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. In her classes, student curiosity is a priority. “A lot of times it’s turning toward a classmate and working through the material together,” she says, “and then I encourage questions and elicit feedback in the moment.”

This approach, Burchfield says, is not to be confused with an unstructured or non-rigorous curriculum. All students must enroll in courses which expose them to UArts’ full spectrum of dance faculty and performance opportunities, many of which take on the rigor of a conservatory approach. In first and second years, these courses compose UArts’ Foundation Series; for the latter years, it’s Portfolio & Research.

How dancers learn to find themselves within this structure is what makes a difference. “People ask things like, ‘How do you prepare them for the real world?’ ” Burchfield says. “I always like to say, ‘Well, this is the real world.’ If a student really wants to be a filmmaker and a dancer, that is the real world. So then what does that mean? You’re going to have to divide your time; you’re going to have to figure out where you need it.”

A Curriculum Built on Reflection

During the school year, dance majors gather every five weeks for reflection. “It’s a kind of intentional pause,” Burchfield says, explaining it as a time for students to move outside of their everyday experiences and ask, “What have I learned?”

In the first and second years, these reflections occur when the dancers rotate teachers while staying in the same classes, exposing them to the breadth of UArts’ diverse faculty while still carving out time to notice their own artistic growth.

During the reflections, which are facilitated by associate dean Jen McGinn, faculty are not present, giving students the freedom to be honest with each other, and also themselves. Wendell Gray, a 2015 UArts alumnus, says these pauses gave him the space to pay attention to how he was growing as an artist.

“You see other people’s agency in real time. You see how people are learning ideas and taking control of what they do,” says Gray, who is now a Brooklyn-based artist and choreographer, currently working with Joanna Kotze, Jordan Demetrius Lloyd, Miguel Gutierrez, and others. His professional work remains directly influenced by his time at UArts. “It’s amazing, talking about what we do and how it extends to areas of philosophy and wisdom, understanding ways of being,” he says.

When Representation Is Not an Afterthought 

UArts’ pathway to student empowerment is aided by the diversity represented within the School of Dance as well as the Philadelphia arts district that the school calls home.

“Our student population is majority students of color,” Burchfield says, adding that the faculty makeup is similarly diverse. “Being in Philadelphia, it reminds me that America is made of diversities and differences—racially, ethnically, economically,” she continues. “There is an intentionality in our pedagogy. It’s an intention in the choices we make about who sets work on our students, who is teaching dance history—all of it. There is a social practice embedded in the dance practices.”

Burchfield also notes the city’s strong history of queer acceptance, and she emphasizes that UArts reflects such attitudes in the affirmation of its students and faculty.

Using Performance as Education

In third- and fourth-year students’ Pedagogies of Performance classes, the dancers ask questions such as, “How can you use this as a practice of intention? How can you think about what it’s like to move toward something you don’t recognize as familiar?” Burchfield, Jenkins, and Gray all agree: It’s experiences like these that teach students how to pay attention.

“I’m not just there to replicate the steps and to do them well,” Jenkins says. “I’m also being engaged physically and I’m also engaged critically in whatever the content is. I have an opinion. I have a point of view I can express.”

The resulting atmosphere, Burchfield says, cultivates a spirit of risk-taking that stays with students long after they’ve become alumni.

“Usually there’s no right or wrong,” Jenkins says. “It’s about the process. It’s really about the process.”

Joining the University of the Arts Family

Burchfield encourages anyone interested in UArts’ School of Dance to check out the program’s free Winter Dance Series, in person in Philadelphia November 30 through December 2 (or via its virtual broadcast online December 12 and 13—see @uartsschoolofdance for more details). This year’s program will feature BFA students in works by Bill T. Jones, Dinita and Kyle Clark, Gary Reagan, Katie Swords Thurman, Mark Caserta, Gary W. Jeter II, Jesse Zaritt, Juel D. Lane, Sydney Donovan, and Uwazi Zamani—many of whom are full-time UArts faculty members.

Audition workshops for UArts take place both in person and virtually. During the sessions, current students join the group of auditioners for a holistic approach to class.

Gray encourages prospective students to approach the process without too many nerves. “They really looked at me,” he remembers of his own audition. “I felt that desire. I just felt like a person.”

Learn more about the BFA application process here, as well as UArts’ MFA in dance.

The post How University of the Arts Teaches Dancers to “Pay Attention Differently”—and Why It Works appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Fast-forward two years and Lawrence, now a senior, arrived­ again on campus, this time a couple of weeks before classes started, for an intensive for another of FCD’s annual repertory projects: Lucinda Childs’ 1979 Dance 1, with music by Philip Glass and decor by Sol LeWitt. “It’s sort of the other end of the spectrum,” Lawrence says. The iconic postmodern piece is quite different from Zollar’s celebration of Black women’s bodies and beauty in all forms. “My goal for dance throughout college was to chase it as far as I could and see where it could take me,” she says. The wide-ranging repertory works, enabled by the unique Five College Consortium program, played a significant role in that journey.

A Sum Greater Than Its Parts

Five College Dance, like the Five College Consortium, does more together than each institution could alone. The Consortium is a collaboration involving four liberal arts colleges (Amherst,­ Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. FCD similarly serves as a centralizing force for five distinct dance programs. “Some are small and intimate, some are big and grand,” says managing director Melinda Buckwalter. “It challenges the students to find what they want. And maybe what they want is at another campus than they’re matriculated at, but that’s okay.”

For students, professors, and staff alike, the five-fold dance hub is a draw, combining the unique environment of a small liberal arts school (or, in UMass’ case, a large public university with a BFA track) with a diversity of offerings and robust community beyond their campus bubbles. Even next to some of the country’s bigger dance departments, says Angie Hauser, a dance professor and director of the MFA program at Smith, “Five College Dance can really stand up both on the programming level, curriculum level, and the diversity of faculty and forms.”

Students take courses and audition for performance oppor­tunities across all five campuses, with “travel packages” of back-to-back classes organized to simplify schedules. There are professors specializing in everything from ballet to African diasporic dance, as well as joint lectures and master classes from visiting scholars and artists, a shared production management team, and an abundance of shows.

The way students sometimes shuttle back and forth “feels very much of the real world, when you’re doing different gigs,” Hauser says. The annual repertory project in particular—which wouldn’t be possible without pooling resources—gives students a glimpse into professional life. “It probably is the best way we offer our students to feel what it’s like to be a dancer when it’s your job,” Hauser says.

A Repertory Tradition

One of the first things Caitlin Scranton did upon returning from her junior year abroad was slip on her pointe shoes to audition for George Balanchine’s Serenade, a collaboration between Smith and Mount Holyoke in the FCD spirit. A Smith Class of 2005 alum and member of Lucinda Childs Dance Company who visited her alma mater this summer to set Dance 1, Scranton has now been on both sides.

The list of FCD projects in the years since spans styles and decades, featuring major 20th-century works and more recent pieces by contemporary artists. Occasionally, a dance will be reimagined or a new one created for the students. FCD students have performed works by Trisha Brown, Mark Morris, Merce Cunningham, Ohad Naharin, Bill T. Jones, Bebe Miller, and Camille A. Brown, among others.

Championed for years by Jim Coleman, former FCD chair and retired Mount Holyoke professor, the repertory projects allow students to step into the past and present of dancemaking and engage with material in the deep way that preparing for performance demands, Hauser says. Plus, she says, it gives the community a chance to see live works they may only have read about or watched on video.

Childs’ Challenge

Lucinda Childs’ rep has been on the program’s wish list for years. What makes Dance 1 special “is how brilliantly tied to the music it is,” Scranton says. “The patterns and rhythms that Lucinda is able to shape with the way she’s put phrases together is just incredibly beautiful.”

Dance 1 isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s complex and mathematical. It requires dancers to learn movement phrases that feel impossibly fast, then gives them scores that tell them when to enter and with which phrase. They must count Glass’ meter-changing maze of a composition like the fate of the piece depends on it, because it does—the music offers little by way of guideposts if they get lost.

“I have never before been challenged by a dance piece in the way Dance 1 has challenged me,” says May Saito, a junior BFA student at UMass. “After every section we learned, we all felt that it couldn’t get more complicated—and then it did. Even when we aren’t running their cast, everyone stands on the side counting and offering support.”

Scranton had seven days before the fall semester to teach dancers—with all five schools represented—the choreography before leaving them in Hauser’s hands for twice-weekly rehearsals leading up to performances before and after Thanksgiving. “Dance 1 hones your efficiency: You really have to pare down your movement in order to get the task done,” says Scranton, who will return to coach leading up to the performances. “It can transform your dancing. I hope that they soak in that they can do hard things that they maybe think that they can’t do. That nothing is insurmountable.”

On the last day of the intensive Lawrence attended, students did a full run in the studio with a small audience from the FCD community. Professors filtered in as dancers warmed up, got some jitters out, and huddled to review counts. “And then we just did it. When it was over, I personally was shocked,” Lawrence recalls. “I didn’t know that I had it in me. It was triumphant.”

The post Five College Dance Groups Five Distinct Dance Departments Into One Unique Program appeared first on Dance Magazine.

With a degree program unmatched in its flexibility, dance students at Marymount can craft a course of study uniquely suited for their interests. Students can choose from four concentrations in both the BFA track (ballet, modern, jazz, and choreography) and the BA track (body, science, and motion; dance and media; dance studies; and teaching dance arts), and can even add other majors, minors, or concentrations. One of the department’s most popular concentrations is choreography, as the school offers a plethora of opportunities for students to develop their artistic voices.

Enter Dancers at Work, or DAW, the department of dance’s biannual showcase of student choreography and performance. Held in the college’s Great Hall, one of the largest studios in Manhattan, DAW consists of two separate weekend programs and features both BA and BFA dancers and choreographers.

Choreographing for DAW is a semester-long endeavor grounded in collaboration, creativity, and practical application. In creating their own pieces, students learn firsthand what it takes to be a professional choreographer, from leading a rehearsal room to coming up with costume designs, and everything in between. Mounting a five-to-eight-minute piece can be overwhelming, which is why the first weekend of DAW performances is designed to support first-time choreographers. Pieces in the second program have added technical elements including lighting and costume design, adding other elements of challenge.

Guidance Along the Way

Each DAW choreographer is assigned both a faculty and a music mentor who can assist with anything from creative roadblocks to securing music rights. “Early on, my mentors helped me by solving problems like how to use everybody effectively, or account for the orientation of the audience,” says Gabe Katz, a 2018 graduate with a BFA in dance (choreography concentration) and a minor in studio art. “As my compositional skill set grew, they were more interested in challenging my perspective, and pushing my work to a place where it felt the most authentic to me.”

Throughout the semester, DAW assignments offer choreographers structure and a chance to refine their vision. “We all start with so many ideas that we want to bring to life,” says Melissa Guerra, a BFA dance major (choreography concentration) who’s also pursuing a BA in communication and media arts and a minor in business management. “The assignments for costuming, music editing, and more make sure we’re checking off every task at the proper time.”

After submitting initial project proposals, student choreographers refine their ideas with their mentors. According to Bella Mittenthal, a recent BFA graduate with concentrations in choreography and modern and a minor in graphic design, “I’m now applying to present at different shows and showcases and the process is very similar, so I don’t get overwhelmed when I need to write out my ideas or explain what I’m trying to create.”

Seeing the Big Picture

DAW isn’t just about choreography—students are tasked with orchestrating every aspect of their work, from costuming to set design. Thus, dance students are required to take a course in stagecraft their freshman year that gives them a glimpse into several of these fields. “I’ve ended up working with my stagecraft professor twice now postgrad, which is a credit to Marymount recruiting teachers who are active professionals,” says Katz. “I might not be an expert in lighting or sound, but thanks to stagecraft, whatever venue I’m working in, I know the right terminology to communicate with professionals.”

Choreographers are also encouraged to collaborate with other Marymount students outside of the department of dance. In her latest DAW program, Guerra says she “was able to work with a student who knew a lot about lighting and directing—he came to a few of my rehearsals, and we talked about different lighting choices and what messages I could convey,” she says. “Because of that collaborative experience, I feel a lot more comfortable articulating myself.”

As students experience Marymount’s liberal arts curriculum in tandem with their technique classes, they investigate the social, political, and cultural aspects of the performing arts, discovering the impact their own work can make on the world around them. “On top of compositional tools, in Dance Comp II, I explored how I can make my dancers feel comfortable and seen as a choreographer, which I believe is so important in today’s industry,” says Bella Luttrell, a dance major with concentrations in choreography and jazz. “During my last DAW semester, a course called Ethics/Aesthetics/Gender in the Performing Arts gave me so much knowledge and material to use for my piece, which was about reclaiming femininity,” Guerra says.

New York City as Your Campus

Showing completed pieces at DAW’s biannual performances is an achievement in itself but, due to the school’s location in the dance capital of New York City, this is often just the beginning of what students can accomplish. “In my senior year, one of my professors invited me to restage my DAW piece on her trainees at the Joffrey Ballet School, where I’ve since taught and choreographed several different pieces,” Katz shares.

Similarly, Mittenthal was able to present a work from DAW at the American Heart Association’s 2022 Go Red for Women fundraiser and the New York State Dance Education Association thanks to connections from her faculty mentor.

Discovering Process Over Product

As students progress through their choreography concentration and experiences with Dancers at Work, they discover the value of process over product. “When I first started choreographing, I was concerned about perfection and people executing exactly what I needed them to do,” Katz says. “By my senior year, I was much more excited by the potential for real-time collaboration and choice-making, and allowing my dancers to shine as individuals.” Mittenthal reflects on a similar learning curve: “At first, my process was very careful and planned, but not necessarily in a way that benefited my creative practice. By the last piece I made, I had so much more confidence running the room and not second-guessing my ideas, so I could be more flexible in my approach.”

Through the intersection of engaging courses, rigorous training, and ample artistic freedom, the faculty at Marymount equip dancers with confidence and a broad vision of what they can achieve as professionals. Luttrell’s goal is to choreograph for Broadway or a movie musical. “To prepare for that, I’m focusing on the storytelling aspect of my choreography, which has definitely come through in my DAW pieces,” she says. Guerra, meanwhile, has been taking film courses to explore choreography on camera, but she’s open to possibilities. “I came into Marymount freshman year thinking I had a clear idea of what my aspirations were,” she says. “But my time here has expanded my perspective of what dance could be so greatly that I know I’ll always want to keep learning and growing long after I graduate.”

The post How Tomorrow’s Choreographers Are Cultivated at Marymount Manhattan College appeared first on Dance Magazine.

This fall, the celebrated collaboration that grew out of that conversation, the joint Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, marks its 25th anniversary. Two and a half decades ago, the two institutions opened their doors to the first cohort of students that would receive conservatory-level dance training paired with a robust liberal arts education.

“It was pretty radical to create a program that was both serious about dance and serious about academics,” says Ana Marie Forsythe, a longtime Ailey School teacher who helped launch the program and led it briefly after Jefferson’s death in 2010. If anything, its immense success has proven the notion Jefferson championed, says Forsythe, that “dancers are smart enough, they can do two things at the same time.”

Expanding Potential

When Fordham College at Lincoln Center started welcoming students in 1968, the campus “opened in the center of the arts world,” Bristow says—or, more accurately, the new center of the performing arts that was still taking shape. Fordham was adjacent to New York City Ballet’s new home and surrounded by other leading arts organizations. By the time Bristow became­ dean in 1991, Ailey had moved into its headquarters half a block away on 61st Street.

Despite its location, there was a sense among Fordham faculty that “the university really hadn’t taken advantage of its potential to expand in all of the arts,” Bristow says. “There was virtually no music program, and there was no dance program.” NYCB dancers had been showing up to take evening courses for years, and Fordham had extended a similar arrangement to Ailey company members. Professors understood that dancers were “terrific to teach in academic subjects,” says Bristow. “They knew how to learn.”

On the Ailey side, “we discovered that sometimes dancers would stop dancing because they or their parents wanted them to go to college,” Forsythe says. Or, after years of performing, dancers would have to find a place to start over as freshmen. A partnership between the two institutions would mean young artists wouldn’t have to choose between college and a dance career.

It didn’t hurt that the university’s president at the time, Joseph O’Hare, was a dance fan who admired Judith Jamison, the former Ailey superstar who’d taken the reins as the company’s artistic director. When Bristow and Jefferson brought the idea to their respective leadership, they found support on both sides. It took about two years of planning with a team—working out a financial structure, applying for accreditation, setting up a curriculum and admissions criteria—to make it happen.

“When the first class arrived, it was the realization of a dream for Denise and me,” says Bristow.

Developing Dancers and Global Citizens

Students in the BFA program have always trained across multiple genres and techniques, such as ballet, pointe, Horton, Graham-based modern, Limón, West African dance, jazz, and partnering. They take courses in dance composition, dance history, music, and anatomy and kinesiology, and keep up a full academic load that spans English, social science, philosophy, history, and foreign language. “We’re not only training dancers,” says Melanie Person, co-director of The Ailey School and head of the BFA program since 2011. “At the core of it, we’re developing who a dancer is,” she says. “Not only as an artist—as a person, a critical thinker, a global citizen of the world.”

The central challenges of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program have long been balancing hectic schedules, managing the cost of tuition for a private university degree, continuing to strive for diversity in the student body, and keeping up with an ever-evolving dance landscape. To that end, Person says, they’re always thinking about how to introduce students to contemporary forms, movement languages, and choreographic voices. The program’s enormous breadth “gave me such a sense of versatility as a dancer,” says Danelle Morgan, who became a Radio City Rockette even before she graduated in 2007 and has since returned to teach workshops at Ailey in partnership with the Rockettes. It was important to Morgan to be part of a diverse community while getting a college degree. “Not only did I feel accepted,” she says, “but I also felt that I could lean into learning more about other people and about other cultures. It opened up my world.”

Students have plenty of performance opportunities and regular exposure to Ailey’s main and second companies. Ricardo Zayas, a 2005 graduate who apprenticed with Complexions Contemporary Ballet as a junior and joined Ailey II as a senior, says the program allowed him “to test the waters of what it was like to become a working professional.” Zayas has gone on to dance with companies like Alonzo King LINES Ballet as well as in TV and movies (Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story) and on Broadway (most recently Moulin Rouge!). “My resumé had begun building itself well before my graduation,” he says, “and I’m so thankful for that.”

Celebrating Alums

Jacquelin Harris recalls being starstruck as a student seeing Ailey company dancers in the elevator. “I remember them always taking a moment to say hi to us and be so kind and human,” says Harris, who graduated with her BFA in 2014 and pursued a second major in math. She joined Ailey II and then the main company, where she continues to shine today. “I love being able to be on the other side and hopefully give them a little bit of what I received when I was in school.”

The BFA program’s success can be measured by the success of its graduates, who are thriving as attorneys and professors—and, of course, as dancers. It’s hard to go anywhere without running into a former student or seeing their name in a program, Person says. Or as Harris puts it: “It feels like everywhere I go, I see my family.”

The festivities in the works to mark the 25th anniversary coalesce around the idea of bringing alums back home. Person is putting together a special performance for the spring and plans to arrange for alums to teach master classes, offer choreographic workshops, and participate in panels. “My hope is that they realize that the doors are always open, not just for this 25th anniversary,” she says. The celebration of this milestone, she says, is ultimately about “realizing the full potential of this program and the artists in it—those who’ve come before and those who will come after.”

The post The Ailey/Fordham Dance BFA Turns 25 appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Located just a short trip from the cultural hub of Washington, DC, Mason frequently hosts artists—from Mark Morris to Robert Battle—who rehearse their work or teach master classes while their companies are in town, performing at the Kennedy Center or the Center for the Arts. Over time, the School of Dance faculty’s vast network, coupled with the program’s growing reputation, has secured artists for longer, more intimate learning experiences. “We’ve all had these wonderful careers and have utilized our own relationships to bring in colleagues from the field who will inspire both ourselves and the students,” says Karen Reedy, current director of the School of Dance. “It’s taken time to build up Mason’s reputation with these major companies and artists, but once they see the caliber of our dancers, they want to come back; nowadays, we’re one of the only student groups that choreographers trust to perform certain works.” 

Artists on Site

While the School of Dance offers all the hallmark performance opportunities of a BFA program, like choreography showcases and a spring gala at Mason’s 1,900-seat Center for the Arts, its residency program uniquely bridges the gap between students and professionals. Every semester, professional artists visit the school to audition and cast Mason students in their pieces, some of which are being staged on students for the very first time. Past artists have included Doug Varone and Bill T. Jones, and this school year, Rena Butler, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, and the Martha Graham Dance Company will be returning.

Residencies are more than just rehearsals; they’re a chance for students to get a taste of company life and get on a first-name basis with some of modern and contemporary dance’s biggest choreographers. Spanning around 8 to 10 days, residencies usually occur during natural lulls in the school calendar, like long weekends and fall or winter breaks, so students can experience the rigor of artistic immersion. 

Learning More Than Just Choreography

During a winter break residency, current Mason senior Morgan Olschewske had the opportunity to work with Rena Butler on the very first restaging of Black & White, a duet originally performed by Butler alongside choreographer Manuel Vignoulle.

“I never thought we would restage this piece, let alone on students, but they were so eager to learn,” recounts Butler, who is returning to work with students again this season, this time staging her own choreography. “Originally we had understudies, but we ended up divvying up the performances amongst all the dancers, because they were all able to adapt so readily to the material and borrow details intelligently from each other.”

For Olschewske, who’s pursuing a BFA in dance and a minor in film and media studies, working so closely with Butler was a lesson in both vulnerability and professionalism. “Seeing an industry giant like Butler also be so transparent about the narratives and emotions in the piece was unexpected at first,” she says. “I learned to take accountability for my work like a professional, but also that everyone is human, and it’s okay to have fun in the room.”

Another senior, Nicholas Elizondo, was cast along with Olschewske in Doug Varone’s Double Octet. The large-scale piece gave 24 students—16 performers and 8 understudies—the chance to work up-close with Varone and his company members.

“The residency period taught me how to work smarter, because if I’m going to be using my body for eight hours a day, I also need to know how to recover properly,” Elizondo explains. “Being in rooms with experienced professionals, I’ve been inspired to show up at my best and to embrace the challenges that come with the demanding schedule.”

Beyond the Studio

Oftentimes, completing a residency lines dancers up for even bigger off-campus opportunities. Elizondo and seven other students were invited to perform Double Octet alongside Varone’s company members before presenting it at Mason’s spring gala. Varone later invited Elizondo to work and perform professionally with his company that upcoming summer. 

Similarly, Olschewske and other students had the chance to perform a piece by Mason faculty member Christopher d’Amboise at the iconic New York City Center in honor of the late Jacques d’Amboise. Mason students even performed at New York City’s Joyce Theater after Lar Lubovitch himself watched a restaging of his work A Brahms Symphony; he personally invited the students to take part in the final performance of Lar Lubovitch Dance Company’s 50th-anniversary celebration.

A Nurturing Yet Authentic Dance Experience

The School of Dance’s intimate size—the program roughly consists of 80 dancers—means students receive plentiful one-on-one attention from faculty while also being exposed to the realities of professional life. “When guest artists come in, all of our students put on a number and audition for them without any faculty input,” says Susan Shields, School of Dance professor and former director. “There’s disappointment at times, but we as faculty know each of our students well enough to guide them in handling the successes and losses that come with this career.”

As Olschewske nears graduation, she’s excited for whatever comes next. “Being able to ‘try on’ various styles of movement and work through those long days has given my career trajectory a much clearer focus,” she says. “I’ve gotten much more out of my Mason residency experiences than any workshop, because the artists I worked with truly got to know me. I felt what it’s like to have that bit of added pressure from a professional environment.”

Looking to start your own career while still in college? For aspiring George Mason University dancers, Shields shares this audition advice: “The entire faculty is present at our auditions, and aside from talent, we’re watching to see how dancers interact with us. We’re all so generous with our knowledge, and we want to make sure that dancers are eager to learn and open to expanding their ideas of what dance can be.”

The post How George Mason University Became a Draw for the Biggest Names in Contemporary Dance appeared first on Dance Magazine.

“There’s a real stigma of ‘If you’re going to do something else, you can’t dance’ or ‘If you’re going to dance, you can’t do anything else,’ ” says Alia Carponter-Walker, who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and trained at The Ailey School. But Carponter-Walker chose to do both: She attended Skidmore College, graduating in 2016 with a double major in dance and international affairs, plus a minor in Spanish. “I love dancing, and I’m not giving up dancing. But there’s also so much more of who I am,” she says.

For many dancers, the right college path is a mixed one, where dance is one component in a combination of majors and minors. It’s a choice that allows them to explore diverse interests, discover unexpected intersections, and deepen their engagement and mastery on multiple fronts.

“They don’t want to just do one thing, and I love that atti­tude,” says Jennifer Salk, an associate professor and former chair of the dance department at the University of Washington, where about 80 percent of dance majors graduate with an additional major. Salk relishes seeing students synthesize what they’re learning in different arenas and become good citizens who will, each in their own way, contribute to society and the arts. “I love watching our students graduate with a bigger view of the world,” she says.

Double Life

Like Carponter-Walker, Sidney Ramsey knew from the outset that she wanted to double-major in college. She was drawn to the University of Southern California for its nascent BFA program and equally excellent academics. In 2021, she became the first graduate from the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance to double up, earning a BA in health and human sciences (and a minor in psychology).

“It’s very easy when you’re in this conservatory-style program to feel like you’re in a bit of a vacuum,” Ramsey says. “Sometimes your whole identity feels wrapped into just dance.” With the mix, “there was a busyness to it and a balance to it,” she says, which helped her maintain her sense of self, perspective, and well-being.

But the path isn’t always immediately obvious. Mikaela Mallin, an aspiring research scientist, missed dance too much after stopping her first semester, and ended up graduating from the University of Iowa with a dual degree in dance and biomedical sciences in 2019. Swetha Prabakaran, a classically trained bharatanatyam dancer, thought she might, at best, join a club or take class once a week at University of California, Berkeley, but ultimately majored in both computer science and dance and performance studies.

Every student who opts into multiple courses of study has their own experience, but common among them are long days and packed schedules—sometimes quite literally requiring them to run from one end of campus to another, as Prabakaran did. There are logistical conundrums to solve when classes conflict. There are extracurriculars, jobs, social lives, and sleep to consider. And there are priorities to juggle and tradeoffs to make, like when Ramsey realized she couldn’t take her foundational psych class and repertory one semester.

Although students do it all while adjusting to a new environment and independence, Carponter-Walker points out that the rest isn’t entirely new for students who were devoted to dance before college. If you’ve balanced a full high school course load with a busy studio schedule, you’ve already had a taste of the life of a double major.

Intersections and Influences

Students often bring concepts and ideas from other areas of study to their choreography, says Nancy Lushington, associate professor and chair of the dance department at Marymount Manhattan College, which encourages additional majors and minors. And dance and other fields can end up overlapping and informing students’ experiences in unexpected ways.

Maurice Ivy joked with friends that “I majored in extracurriculars, and I minored in everything else.” In reality, he graduated from Duke University in 2016 with a major in global cultural studies, a minor in dance, and a certificate in film, all while performing and choreographing with a multicultural dance group, interning at the American Dance Festival, and more.

Dance gave him an identity on campus. His goal was always to dance professionally after school, but he found he thrived in inter­disciplinary spaces, and began thinking about dance more expan­sively. “My classes started to inform my choreography,” he says, and the content and themes he wanted to explore. One solo he made drew on an Indian cinema course, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and other influences. “It all started bleeding together,” he says, and “felt like one major instead of three different little things.”

Though her two majors at first felt disparate and disconnected, Prabakaran found that the tactical approach she honed for computer science projects helped her bring her choreographic visions to life. On the flip side, the diverse perspectives and critical lens she got from dance and performance studies made her a more effective, ethical, and empathetic technologist.

When Mallin had science-related breakthroughs, it was often right after modern class. The movement, she says, “would allow for some memory processing or reorganization or restructuring of my biology principles that I was learning, or a question I was working on in the lab.” Her dual degree helped dispel false assumptions about the type of work that requires creativity versus the type of work that requires logic and order. And two interdisciplinary projects she was involved in—using dance to explore climate change and autonomous vehicles—helped her realize that dance is a powerful way to communicate about science.

Postgrad

Students who choose a mix of majors and minors become alums poised to navigate careers that combine multiple interests and skill sets. They “tend to have a different engagement with what they’re studying,” Lushington says, and it “makes them more hireable in whatever field they end up going into, makes their choices broader, just opens their eyes.”

They might dance professionally first, like Ramsey, who is currently with a ballet company in Saarbrücken, Germany, but eyeing grad school in the future. Or mix performance with administration and production, like Ivy, who earned a master’s in live-experience design after undergrad. He works as a programming associate at Harlem Stage, is a part-time video jockey, and has danced with Seán Curran Company and in Hypnotique at The McKittrick Hotel.

Maybe they’ll continue down an academic path while taking class recreationally, like Mallin, a PhD candidate doing cancer research at Johns Hopkins. She collaborated with a psychiatrist filmmaker on Facing Shadows, a dance film about depression, and hopes to continue developing dance as a means of scientific communication. (You can bet she’ll submit to the Dance Your Ph.D. contest.)

Or they might infuse dance into their day-to-day work, like Carponter-Walker, now the director of equity and community life at The Hewitt School. She hopes to use music, dance, and culture to educate students about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and has coached student dance teams, all while dancing herself with choreographers including Fredrick Earl Mosley.

As all of these artists have realized, even postgrad, it still doesn’t have to be either/or. “The way my brain works, I really need both,” says Prabakaran, a technical product manager by day who’s danced and choreographed on the side since graduating in 2021, including assisting with a UC Berkeley project probing the intersections between choreography and technology. “I have to scratch the itch in both ways to be happy.”

The post Majors and Minors That Enrich a Dance Degree appeared first on Dance Magazine.

“It was a stealth operation that barely worked,” says professor and dance department chair Julianne O’Brien. They had to sneak Rhoden into the balcony to watch the performance and then dodge stragglers en route to the stage where they’d told the students to gather afterward. But it was worth it. “People were shocked,” O’Brien says. “There’s this great picture of all the students’ mouths, like—”she says, demonstrating the unchoreographed moment of jaws dropping in tandem.

“It was a wonderful way to be welcomed in,” says Rhoden,­ founding artistic director and resident choreographer of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. The choreographer’s first visit to the school in Orange, California, as part of a Dance Masters at Chapman concert and intensive in 2018, was so successful he came back with his company the next year in a pair of pre-pandemic prologues that set the stage for something more permanent. Rhoden and O’Brien—who met through their colleague Ido Tadmor—felt it couldn’t be a better fit for both sides.

“I just kind of fell in love with the program,” says Rhoden,­ who has a long history teaching and choreographing in higher ed settings, including at New York University, The Juilliard School, University of California Irvine, Skidmore College, and the University of Mississippi. At Chapman, he says, there was “a great vibe in the studio and in the program and the people.” He was inspired by the faculty’s openness and commitment to the progress of their charges, and eager to help support, mentor, and shape the next generation of dancers he’d so enjoyed working with.

The stars aligned at a time when Rhoden was looking for a new challenge and Chapman’s dance department was seeing a swell of interest and investment—including the new Sandi Simon Center for Dance, a large, light-filled building with spacious studios that opened in 2023. “I felt like I could make a difference there,” he says. “That there was something that I could offer the program that they did not have.”

What he could offer, for one, was contemporary ballet. Chapman hadn’t been providing the kind of variety in ballet that O’Brien was proud to have in modern and jazz. “​​In terms of pedagogy, he filled a gap that we’ve been needing for years,” she says. “It’s been wonderful for our students—the shifts of weight, the musicality, the coordination—not just for their bodies but for their brains.”

Anyone who’s ever seen Rhoden’s choreography would under­stand why O’Brien considers him a great example of what she calls the “and” approach Chapman believes in: You don’t pick one genre or another and train in isolation. Not only does Rhoden want to “disarm any kind of uncomfortability with classical technique,” but he also wants to equip students to work at the intersections. “Look at the world,” Rhoden says. “They’re going to be more prepared because we are not moving only in pure forms. Most people are making works that are fusion.”

When he first arrived, he sensed some nerves, unease, and even fear. “The first semester was a little challenging. I mean, we found our way for sure, but I had to get to know them,” Rhoden says. “I love young people and I love to see them understand or even help them through a hard moment, like where they don’t think they can do it,” he says. It’s a nurturing environment, and “you have to do it with love, but you really do sometimes have to push them.”

In addition to contemporary ballet classes in his first year on campus, Rhoden co-taught a pedagogy course with O’Brien and Wilson Mendieta, choreographed a new work on students, and led repertory classes—where he set phrases of material and coached students to find their unique voices. That’s one of his favorite things, he says, “taking the movement and helping the artists make it speak.”

Students and faculty feel the impact. “I can see a change in the students’ bodies and how they approach movement. It’s quite beautiful,” Mendieta says. Ande Godwin, a junior BFA dance major, says that “working with Dwight has been an eye-opening experience to the capabilities of the human body.” He also helped her find her voice. “He is teaching our generation to feel and be heard through dance. He cares about what we have to say as a dancer, which is what makes him so loved.”

As a current artistic leader of a well-known company, Rhoden is also giving the students a view into the professional dance world. Last February, those college and company spheres collided when Complexions came back to campus for a weeklong residency. The immersion gave both sides perspective, Rhoden says. For the students, it “really delivered a message that the work is never done—and I think that’s positive. I mean, the day I retired or left the stage, I was still working on something,” he says. “And for the professionals, I think they look back and see: ‘Wow, I’ve come a long way. I remember being not sure or having more missing pieces.’ ”

Balancing his many obligations between Chapman on one coast and Complexions on the other hasn’t always been easy. But the university has been flexible to accommodate occasional mid-semester travel. When he returned from one such trip last spring, Rhoden was astonished to see how much his repertory students had absorbed and grown. “They had stepped into the movement, fully put it on, and it was theirs,” he says. “They were killing it. I mean, we were dancing to everything from Kendrick Lamar and Lil Wayne to Bach and Chopin,” he added. And “they were achieving it. So much talent in that class. I want them all back again.”

But he also wants to keep getting to know every student in the program and to help the school continue diversifying its dance cohorts, from artistic and demographic perspectives. This year, he’s teaching ballet, contemporary pointe, and repertory classes and choreographing new works. He was already part of a retreat last spring where faculty discussed the curriculum, and O’Brien is looking forward to his continued involvement in the conversations that are shaping the future of the department.

“He brings so much to the table,” O’Brien says. And he’s only just getting started.

The post Dwight Rhoden Brings Contemporary Ballet and Professional Connections to Chapman University appeared first on Dance Magazine.

We caught up with students, faculty, and staff from Arizona State University and the University of Utah—just two of numerous higher ed dance programs whose facilities are outfitted with industry-leading Harlequin floors. Read on to learn how their Harlequin floors provide the strong and stable foundation students need to build a sustainable dance career. 

University of Utah School of Dance (Salt Lake City, UT)

“The University of Utah School of Dance chose to install Harlequin floors after a period of in-depth research many years ago, and doing so has only enhanced our overall student experience. The sprung flooring and marley have proven more than appropriate and safe for all styles of dance. From classical ballet technique and pointe work to sock and bare feet contemporary dance, Harlequin flooring continues to support the development of well-rounded artists.” —Maggie Wright Tesch, Professor (Lecturer)

“High quality dance flooring in our studios and on our stage is a priority for the safety of our dancers and a must for the level of dance training we offer. Harlequin professionals are the best in the business—partnering with us to offer consultation, assessment, and maintenance support.” —Melonie B. Murray, Director

“The Marriott Center for Dance’s Harlequin floors hold a special place in my heart. Spreading out in a big ‘X’ on marley floors is one of my favorite feelings in the world. The perfect blend of smooth and sticky provides just the right balance for a satisfying class with or without socks. The added cushion in the sprung floors truly makes a difference when I am dancing all day. The durability of these floors is incredible, and it is so special to know that so many generations of dance students have cherished these floors as much as I do. I am grateful that they have supported the longevity of my dancing throughout my undergraduate career.” —Allison Schuh, Modern Dance BFA, Class of 2023

“I care deeply about my students. Watching them work on Harlequin floors gives me peace of mind as an instructor. While dancing on tour as a professional, the quality of flooring can be dangerously unpredictable from theater to theater. These inconsistencies can be an ever-present source of stress for entire companies. However, when my students work on Harlequin floors, we can all work without fear, and what greater gift can we give our students than the confidence to practice freely every day in pursuit of their craft? That is the confidence that can make a true artist.” —Melissa Bobick, Assistant Professor

“I vividly remember how much fun I had jumping at my audition for the University of Utah School of Dance, with the sprung floor being a welcome contrast to years of a solid floor and a few stress fractures along the way. The sprung floors have been a reliable support over the years as both a student and teacher. I feel that I can safely challenge my students and also continue to demonstrate full-out in my ballet, pointe, and character dance classes.”—Justine Sheedy-Kramer, Adjunct Associate Professor

Arizona State University School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Tempe, AZ)

“It’s a smooth floor with a good feeling for turns. One of my favorite things about the floor is the ease you have lying down or falling into it. The transitions onto and out of the floor make freestyle and improvisation a breeze. Concepts can be more fully explored when the ground feels like a comfortable best friend. I’m always happy to have the opportunity to share space with other dancers on the Harlequin floor.”—Tom Bullard, third-year dance major

“The ASU dance program features coursework in hip hop, Afro-Latin, Caribbean dance, and authentic jazz dance, as well as in contemporary modern, contemporary ballet, and contact improvisation. We needed flooring that could handle this wide variety of styles, and we knew that Harlequin was the best choice.” —Keith Thompson, Dance Program Assistant Director and Associate Professor

“The subfloors and marley floors in our studios provide the students and faculty with the support and safety to ensure a long career and minimize the chance of injury. We have Harlequin Studio, Studio B, Standfast, and Fiesta floors installed, which are perfect for our industry leaders to teach their unique styles of movement.” —Carolyn Koch, Production Manager and Clinical Associate Professor

“Harlequin floors are a dream for all of our educational needs here at ASU. It was difficult to find flooring that would be secure and durable for all types of footwear. Harlequin floors are a welcome addition to our classes and performances at Arizona State University.” —Carley Conder, Clinical Assistant Professor

The post On Campus With Harlequin Floors: Inside 2 Universities’ Dance Facilities appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Maintaining Momentum

Summer can be a great time to infuse variety into your training and to carve out time to allow your body and mind to recharge. While rest is essential, it’s also important to keep moving during at least part of the three-month school break. According to Tamara Dyke-Compton, associate director of the University of Arizona School of Dance and director of graduate studies, not exercising over the summer can lead to a rocky start to the semester. “I see dancers take a long break, come into the first week, which is full of auditions, and get injured,” she says. “Even if you are not focused on conditioning all summer long, it is very important to continue training, especially those few weeks before school begins.”

Sarah Barry, the associate chair of dance at the University of Alabama’s Department of Theatre and Dance and director of the dance MFA program, adds that while summer dance intensives are a wonderful way to keep physically prepared for the school year ahead, she realizes they are not accessible to everyone. Instead, she encourages dancers to use the time to focus on cross-training. “Swimming, yoga, lifting weights, taking walks—these are all ways dancers can engage in bodily preparation,” she says.

Mindset Matters

Spending some time thinking about the upcoming year and making plans during the summer can help dancers sail more effectively through the school year. “Think about your personal goals—whether they are for the semester or simply a daily class goal—set those intentions and action steps,” says Dyke-Compton. “They might shift and change as the semester goes. I always tell students to approach the year with mindfulness and a plan to see the good and savor each moment so it can be reflected on throughout the semester.”

On a practical level, dancers should begin setting a daily routine well before the first day back. “Obviously, if you have been sleeping until 2 pm every day, you want to readjust to mimic the year ahead so it is not a major shock to your system,” says Barry. Maria Caprio, a rising senior in the University of Alabama’s dance program, adds that adjusting routines in August can help dancers prepare mentally for school-year challenges. “I usually have a little anxiety before a new semester starts, but getting in the swing of things early helps the new year feel more natural,” she says. “The first few days are always a little overwhelming, but some of the more overwhelming days are the ones that become great memories if you have already fixed your focus on the right things.”

Setting a Schedule

Taking time during the summer to parse through dance and academic schedules can help set you up for a balanced, successful semester. Once you know them, “note all the important dates in a calendar ahead of time—include all show dates, dress-rehearsal schedules, and auditions, then compare that to the syllabi of other classes,” says Barry. “Notice when big tests and projects take place, and especially look at places where it will become important to balance those with the unique demands of a dance major so you know when you might need to work ahead a little to avoid becoming overwhelmed.”

Caprio reviews the syllabus for each class before the semester starts and makes a color-coded spreadsheet that incorporates assignments, important dates, and study time. She emphasizes the importance of dancers building time into their schedules for rest, self-care, fun, and even meals. “Finding time to fuel and rest is so important,” Caprio says, “and so is continuing to prioritize taking care of your body and mind with cross-training and time with friends. It can be hard to justify taking time for self-care breaks once the year gets busy, so I highly recommend adding it into your schedule regularly.”

A Solid Start

Before starting as freshmen or transfer students, dancers should familiarize themselves with campus resources and how to access academic assistance programs, join extracurricular activities, and utilize mental health support. Barry cautions dancers not to feel pressured to do everything right away. “You have your entire college experience to try new things—pace yourself,” she advises.

During the first weeks of college, it can be highly bene­ficial for freshmen to dedicate time to getting to know their professors. “Take advantage of office hours and do not be shy about finding specific faculty members who will be good advisors for you,” says Barry. Establishing solid relationships with professors early on can lead to the potential of them becoming invaluable mentors. “It is never too early to seek out career advisement or get help handling your schedule,” she says.

Ultimately, Barry believes dance majors should start each new academic year with a holistic approach. “Do not just prepare for the intellectual side of being in college—especially as a dancer,” she says. “Make sure you have a plan to take care of your physical, social, and emotional needs.”

The post 4 Pre-Semester Steps to Starting This Year of College Strong appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Why Choose College?

College programs offer dancers the opportunity to invest in themselves as movers and thinkers through dance training and academic coursework, says Lanteri, who suggests that the college experience provides students with a more nuanced understanding of dance—and the world. “When dancers are coming right out of the convention circuit, their awareness of the scope of the dance world is often very limited,” he says. “College is an opportunity to broaden horizons and be exposed to a fuller picture of what the dance world has to offer.”

College can also offer opportunities for dancers to build a strong community of artists and a professional network, says Lanteri, who notes that the friendships dancers naturally make in conventions can ease the transition to college. “Dancers often already know people in college programs that they have met at events like ours, so they have a connection wherever they choose to go,” he says. “BA and BFA programs provide the means to continue building those connections—they make new friends, meet new teachers, and have new experiences that will bolster their professional networks.”

A Bridge to Higher Ed

Helping dancers fulfill their dreams of pursuing higher education while advancing their dance training was Lanteri’s goal when he founded the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation in 2010. “The intent was to help dancers take money raised by the program and apply it to the college dance program of their choice,” he says. “Funding is often an obstacle when dancers want to attend college, and I wanted to help them overcome that hurdle.”

Every summer at NYCDA Nationals, Lanteri holds a college audition that’s grown to be more than just a recruiting opportunity. “Colleges are only able to attend if they have funds allocated to offer scholarships on the spot,” he says. The event offers rising seniors the opportunity to audition for some of the top U.S. dance programs, months ahead of the schools’ individual audition dates. Additionally, students who have just graduated from high school can receive additional scholarship money from the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation, which can be used for any college dance program.

Christian Clark, co-owner and general manager of REVEL Dance Convention, has added college and university programs to thePANEL, an audition event held at that company’s national finals. “Our goal was to create an experience under one roof where we could provide access to university programs, casting agencies, dance teams, and professional companies,” he says. “We wanted something that offers the college component but also focuses on dancers who do not have that destination in mind.” Dancers participating in thePANEL are evaluated for tuition-based scholarships and conditional college acceptance opportunities, as well as agency representation, casting projects, and other training opportunities. “As a partner in the training process, we believe it is important to lend resources to those pathways,” says Clark.

Dancing Through College

Clark and Lanteri both anticipate that more and more dancers from conventions will consider college as a viable next step. “A lot of dancers are going to college—without majoring in dance—who still want to continue dancing,” says Clark. “Dance teams have become a huge part of that, and schools that offer other ways to be involved with dance programs have too.” Lanteri suggests that the benefits of college can extend far beyond the years spent on campus. “College helps dancers begin to shape a career, not just get a job,” he says. “Any dancer can book a job, but how you transition that into a career, taking your talents and all you have been exposed to and translating that into something with longevity—that is something college helps many dancers achieve.”

Convention Work-Study for College Students

When Christian Clark, co-owner and general manager of REVEL Dance Convention, noticed that college-age dancers were continuing to attend conventions, looking for the connectedness of the intensive experience, he set up a program for students. REVEL now has a work-study program that allows University of Alabama dance majors to attend regional events. “We pay for their travel and lodging, and they have the opportunity to learn about business programs, management, and software systems, while taking class for half the weekend,” he says. Students are exposed to the business and customer service side of the convention, while also reconnecting with dance friends and continuing to build their professional networks.

The post How Conventions Have Become a Stepping Stone to College Dance Programs appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Dancers have an advantage going into physical therapy because of the amount of bodily knowledge they already possess. “Every hour they’ve ever spent building their dance technique is a step along the path toward becoming amazing physical therapists,” says Jennifer Morley, associate teaching professor at Drexel University.

“When you work with a PT who knows dance, there’s an increased level of trust,” says Lauren Kearns, director of dance science at Elon University. Kearns sees a need in the field for more physical therapists with dance backgrounds. For college-age dancers, choosing a course load with the necessary prerequisites to apply to advanced degree programs in physical therapy is the next step toward filling that need.

There are many pathways to becoming a physical therapist—students can pursue dance science degrees, attend dance programs that offer specialized concentrations in physical therapy, double-major in dance and pre-PT, or focus on exercise science.

Research Prerequisites

Check to see if the program requires the necessary courses for applying to get a doctorate in physical therapy (DPT). Some schools have students take classes in dance, biology and exercise science to get an interdisciplinary education. When programs don’t require all of the prerequisites—Elon University’s dance science major doesn’t require physics, for example—students may be able to take them as electives. Kearns recommends students take a look at the physical therapist assistant centralized application service online (apta.org/cas/ptacas) to learn which courses are required for each grad school.

Look for Practical Experience

Seek out a school that offers opportunities for research and clinical experience at the undergraduate level, as this will help boost your application for advanced PT programs. Drexel University’s bachelor of science degree in dance offers a concentrated co-op experience in physical therapy, in which juniors spend six months working with professionals in their field of interest to gain hands-on experience and clinical hours. Students have worked with companies in the area, such as Philadelphia Ballet, Philadanco and BalletX. At Elon, students can participate in undergraduate research, and some have worked with graduate students and faculty in the affiliated DPT program, studying subjects like the effects of dance on Parkinson’s disease.

Get Certified

“If there’s any type of movement certification at your school, like Pilates, get certified as early as possible,” says Sinha. She found that this helped her gain the ability to teach movement prior to PT school, and she now incorporates Pilates into her practice. Drexel offers Pilates certification with fully equipped studios for its undergrad dancers.

Investigate Alumni Career Paths

“Don’t just Google, but call and get more information,” says Blanca Huertas-Agnew, interim dance director at Drexel. Talk to faculty to find out where alumni from the school got their DPTs and where they’re working postgrad.

One Dance PT’s Story

After dealing with numerous injuries, Dr. Bridget Kelly Sinha decided to switch from pursuing a BFA degree to physical therapy, becoming Elon’s first dance science major­ and helping create the curriculum for future students. Upon graduation in 2011, she worked as the director of dance medicine and conditioning at a physical therapy practice, to help dancers prevent injuries. “I realized that physical therapy was that great line of prevention and there’s so much you can do moving forward to get them back stronger,” says Sinha, who pursued her DPT at the University of Kentucky. Now Sinha helps dancers grow stronger in a well-rounded approach at her practice, Balanced Physical Therapy and Dance Wellness. “I wanted to start a practice where I could see people one on one, spend a full hour with them and really dive into the why and their goals,” she says.

The post How Dancers Can Draw Upon Their Kinesthetic Knowledge to Become Physical Therapists appeared first on Dance Magazine.

How Rigorous Is the Dance Training?

At Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, students pursuing a BFA in musical theater take dance five mornings a week. At the Chicago College of Performing Arts, musical theater BFA candidates can do a concentration in dance, which program director Tammy Mader says is “nearly a dance major, up to 12 dance classes a week.” But even in these dance-heavy departments, dance won’t be the only focus. Studying musical theater also means taking voice lessons, acting workshops, music theory and more.

When researching programs, look into not only how much dance is involved, but also whether dancers, actors and singers are placed in classes based on skill. Consider the prospect of studying in dance classes alongside peers who have far less dance experience. It’s not always a drawback: Briggs says she benefited from being in dance classes with singers and actors. “It taught me about being a team player,” she says. “In an ensemble, you’ll have members with different levels and skills.” Also, remember that theater dance is about more than technique. You must learn to move in a way that tells a story.

For more of a challenge, think about a double major, or a major in musical theater and a minor in dance (or vice versa). Ask about enrolling in an advanced class with the dance majors or taking open classes off-campus. At some schools, you may even be able to perform in dance concerts as well as musical theater productions.

The opportunity to shape his own course of study attracted­ Tommy Gedrich to Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. At Muhlenberg, Gedrich double-majored in theater (with an acting concentration) and dance (with concentrations in performance and choreography); Gedrich later added courses in women’s and gender studies. “I did look at going the conservatory route,” they say, “but in the end, I wanted to focus on each discipline without having to sacrifice one or the other.”

How Much Singing and Acting Experience Is Required?

“If you want to get into a top musical theater program, you have to be able to sing,” says Lyn Cramer, a professor of dance at the University of Oklahoma’s Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre. This doesn’t mean you must already be highly trained, however. “Can you carry a tune? Do you have a nice quality?” Cramer asks. “There has to be potential.”

OU’s BFA in Musical Theatre Performance program is small by design, with only 50 majors at a time. Other programs are much larger—but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re less selective. Mader recommends booking a few sessions with a vocal coach before the audition. “They can help you pick songs, set the tempo, cut and mark your material—all things that will make your audition go more smoothly,” she says. Plus, “dancers are notoriously terrible at breathing. Getting some exercises and experience with that is vital.”

As for acting, again, the audition requires applicants to demonstrate potential. “When someone comes to us, they might not be the strongest storyteller…yet,” says Emily Clark, an assistant professor at MMC. “But if we ask why they made a choice, can they explain it? If we ask them to make an adjustment, can they take the note? It matters that a student is willing to learn and grow.”

Are Graduates Working in the Field?

“I believe that musical theater majors work more quickly and climb the ladder faster” than dance majors, Cramer says. “At graduation, our students are ready to get out there and hustle. It’s not all Broadway, or even regional theater, but they work.”
One reason for the jumpstart? “A musical theater degree makes you versatile,” says Mader. “You can dance in the chorus or get supporting or even leading roles. You can do print work, modeling, film and TV, voiceover, choreography and, of course, teaching. You can speak with poise in interviews. Theater makes you a better performer and a better communicator.”

Briggs is an example of someone who hit the ground running. While finishing the academic portion of her BFA at The New School (the AMDA NYC musical theater program where she started is a two-year certificate), Briggs did regional theater and danced in Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular, before making her Broadway debut in CATS. Gedrich, currently on the national tour of Moulin Rouge!, has also been working since graduating from Muhlenberg in 2021. Other recent credits include performing in The REV Theatre Company’s production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s State Fair, in The Kennedy Center’s production of Guys and Dolls, and for NBC at Radio City Music Hall. They also walked in New York Fashion Week in a show that cast dancers.

In some cases, students land their first gigs as undergrads. Although MMC students must receive permission to audition and then discuss their educational paths with faculty, Clark notes one student who went on tour with Mean Girls after their sophomore year, and another who is completing his degree while on tour with The Book of Mormon. “We encourage students to audition while they’re with us,” Clark says. “We want to support them in school and as they become professionals.”

What Else Do You Want From College?

Do you want to be in a bustling city or in a more traditional college environment? Do you want to pursue an academic major in addition to musical theater? Do you play sports or participate in other extracurriculars? As you look at degree programs and their dance offerings, don’t forget to factor in other aspects of college life that will affect your time on campus.

And don’t fret if you don’t get into the most prestigious program—or if you visit your dream school and it feels like a poor fit. “In high school, I thought the only way to pursue musical theater was to actually get a degree that says ‘musical theater’ on it, and that’s really not the case,” Gedrich says. “In auditions, they’re not looking at your diploma. They’re looking at your skills.” Choose a program that will enhance your talents and broaden your horizons, and you’ll be on your way.

The post Training Triple Threats: What Dancers Need to Know About Studying Musical Theater in College appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Deciding to Switch

After completing her freshman year at Point Park University, Ashleigh McGown attended a summer intensive at the American Dance Festival. One thing in particular stood out for her: how differently other students felt about their college programs. “I was around so many people who were in love with their school and their college experience,” says McGown, “and I had a realization that I wasn’t feeling that.” Some of those students were from University of the Arts in Philadelphia. McGown’s mentor Catie Leasca, a UArts alum, suggested she look into that school’s dance program. McGown conferred with faculty and quickly completed the audition process. She submitted application materials by the beginning of August, was accepted into UArts the week before the semester started and decided to transfer.

McGown was drawn to UArts because she says the dance program better aligned with her learning style. “For studio practice classes, you go through cycles of teachers instead of having one teacher for the entire semester,” she says. Her first semester, McGown danced with 12 different faculty in ballet, jazz, modern and hip-hop courses, an experience that she credits with greatly improving her skills as a dancer.

For Alli Tomsik, transferring made it possible to attend what had originally been her first-choice school, the University of Hartford, where she is now a junior. After completing one semester at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Tomsik knew the modern-focused dance program wasn’t right for her and that she wanted more ballet-based training. “It was hard to leave my friends and the school,” she says, “but I knew in the long run I wasn’t going to be happy at UMass and that it wasn’t going to satisfy my career needs.” Tomsik decided to take a semester off and reaudition for Hartford.

Taking Credit(s)

Because each school has different rules and procedures, transferring credits from one university to another can be a complex process, sometimes propelling students forward and other times setting them back. For Tomsik, it was the latter. While her academic and general education courses transferred, the dance technique classes she took at UMass did not, as Hartford requires students to take four years of ballet and modern specifically at their institution. Because of this rule, Tomsik will graduate a year later than she had originally planned, a change that was only possible because she received extra scholarships.

In contrast, McGown will graduate early because of her transfer credits. All of McGown’s credits transferred from Point Park to UArts, including her technique classes. The 18-credit semesters she took her freshman year at Point Park translated to one and a half years of credits at UArts, meaning she can graduate a semester early. Although finances were a concern for McGown during the transfer process, scholarships, plus cutting a semester, helped her feel confident in her decision.

Looking back, both McGown and Tomsik­ wished they had worried less about the decision and been more patient with themselves while adjusting to a new program. “If you do transfer, it might not be perfect right away, and you have to give it time to settle in your body and into a new routine,” says McGown. Even though the process was challenging at times, both dancers are glad they transferred and feel they are now at the right place. “It’s a hard choice, and there’s an uncertainty to it,” says Matteson. “The challenge is to recognize how brave your choice is to transfer.”

Transfer Tips

From University of the Arts associate professor Paul Matteson

• Visit the school and take classes to feel out the program. While you’re there, talk with other transfer students about their experiences.
• Look into important details, such as how financial aid and housing (and finding a roommate) work, and how they’re similar to or different from your current school.
• Talk with a faculty member or administrator about which credits will transfer and which will not.

The post What to Consider Before Transferring Colleges as a Dance Major appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Since that first gathering, the organization­ has grown to encompass 13 geographical regions, each able to offer a spring conference that can host 300 to 500 dancers. Every other year, there’s also a national festival (first held in 1981) that highlights the “best of the best”: exceptional dances selected via adjudication from the regional events. More than 300 colleges and universities participate in ACDA conferences annually. Over the past five decades, ACDA’s conferences have welcomed more than 150,000 students, many of whom have gone on to enter the professional dance world as performers, choreographers and educators,­ as well as in other vital roles.

“One of ACDA’s strengths is as a platform for bringing established and rising artists together,” says executive director Diane DeFries. “There’s a richness in convening. Interacting with people, building relationships, seeing where they go—it’s an incredible source of energy.”

This month, 11 of the 13 regions will hold in-person conferences. Each event will include 50th-anniversary festivities, such as the showing of a film about ACDA; roundtable discussions about the organization’s past and future; and a
TikTok dance that students can learn and share. The anniversary celebration will culminate at the National College Dance Festival in May. (For more on what to expect, see “Making New Strides,” below.) Meanwhile, ACDA’s third annual Screendance Festival, an initiative launched during ACDA’s “Virtual Year” (2020–21), is planned for the fall.

ACDA’s aim has always been to support and affirm dance in higher education. This is particularly important at a moment when dance programs across the country are facing budget cuts—or are being cut entirely. “Having faculty from different schools be able to be resources for each other and share knowledge and experiences is invaluable,” DeFries says.

The idea of building networks has been a throughline from ACDA’s inception to its present, and it is integral to its leaders’ vision of what’s next. Beyond fostering community, “how can we be active in advocating for and instigating change in our field?” asks current board president Elizabeth Ahearn, a professor of dance at Goucher College in Baltimore. To that end, in 2022, ACDA adopted a set of core values, touching on themes of service, education, inclusion, respect and equity. “The core values will be a guide for all of our work going forward, from the programming we offer to our interactions with our members,” Ahearn says. “They will help us facilitate creative and physical experiences that can be life-changing. We can be visionary in imagining the future of college and university dance.”

Making New Strides

This year’s National College Dance Festival will go above and beyond.

ACDA’s biennial National College Dance Festival has long been a showcase for what board president Elizabeth Ahearn describes as “truly stunning choreographic and performative work from the upcoming generation of leaders in dance.” This year’s edition, to be held May 26–28, will have even more to offer.

For the first time, the festival will take place on the West Coast. (Most prior festivals have been held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.) A new host means new possibilities: California State University, Long Beach, boasts a venue spacious enough to allow for classes, workshops, auditions and roundtables during the day, with evening performances at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center.

Classes will cover an array of disciplines, including ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, composition, improvisation and—in a nod to ACDA’s 50th anniversary—dance in the 1970s. The festival will also spotlight commercial dance. “Being in Southern California, we wanted to take advantage of the wealth of artists working in that field,” says Diane DeFries, ACDA’s executive director. “So many students are interested in commercial dance as a career path.”

Festival registration is capped at 500 participants. The Carpenter Center’s house seats 1,100. That creates room to broaden the audience beyond the performers’ teachers and peers. “We want to bring in alumni and people who’ve been important in devel­oping ACDA over the decades,” DeFries says. “We’ll also be making tickets available to the public.” In addition to the three gala concerts, the national festival will feature a screendance presentation and an informal performance, along with the presentation of the ACDA/Dance Magazine awards for Outstanding Student Choreography and Outstanding Student Performance.

ACDA hasn’t been able to host a national festival since 2018, due to COVID-19 disruptions, and the organization’s leaders are excited to be back. “Having this extraordinary work and these talented dancers together in one place is really inspirational,” Ahearn says. “We’ve never had the opportunity to do this much, at this scope, and it’s going to be a wonderful celebration.”

The post The American College Dance Association Celebrates 50 Years by Reflecting on Its Past and Looking to the Future appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Where to Find Work

Payton Millis, a freelance performer and an Oklahoma City University dance performance alum, primarily finds work through Backstage.com and Playbill.com. Since graduating in 2020, she has performed at places such as Six Flags Over Texas and Silver Dollar City. While Backstage does require a subscription, Millis appreciates how it allows performers to apply for jobs directly through the site. “It’s nice because you can upload all your videos, your resumé and your headshot to have them ready when you see a job you want to apply for,” she says.

Sarah Farnsley, a freelance dancer with credits across Europe and the U.S., danced with English National Ballet, Ballet Memphis and other companies before receiving her MA in dance politics and sociology from the University of Roehampton. She now resides in Indianapolis, where she is focusing on choreography and dancer advocacy. Farnsley finds that proactively seeking out opportunities has helped her book gigs. “I’ve found the websites that are most useful, I bookmark them, and I look daily,” she says. For performing opportunities in the U.K. and U.S., she uses au-di-tions.com and dancingopportunities.com, and has recently used Dance/USA for work outside of performing.

While some sites post opportunities from various countries, there are others that are central to one geographical area. For instance, dancersgroup.org shares performance and job opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Knudson cites Dancers’ Group as the “online hub critical for finding out what’s going on and who’s providing work.” Platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed may be helpful for dancers looking for work outside of performing, such as in teaching or arts administration positions. “Indeed is also great for finding survival jobs in between gigs,” says Millis, who has used the site for booking retail work.

Stay Social

“Being present on social media is important when you’re a freelancer,” says Ballet22 co-founder and executive director Theresa Knudson. Ballet22 highlights men, transgender and nonbinary dancers on pointe, and the company has recruited dancers via social media by looking at relevant hashtags. She has found that many people use social media and DMs to share opportunities and encourages dancers to post their skills online. “Create a portfolio for yourself so that people can find you and, when you do reach out to people, you have a portfolio to send to show your work,” says Knudson.

Oklahoma City University offers a course in which dancers learn how to cultivate their online presences and build the portfolios they’ll need after graduation. Payton Millis, an OKCU alum, found that having an Instagram profile with her website linked on it helped her make connections and land a recent role.­ Freelance dancer Sarah Farnsley says that following the right groups on Facebook and joining newsletters and mailing lists can lead to commercial and modeling gigs.

Just Connect

If there’s a company or organization you’re interested in that doesn’t have auditions or job listings posted, send an email with your resumé and reel. Ask them to tell you more about the company and find out if you can take class. Both Sarah Farnsley and Theresa Knudson have found that reaching out and connecting with people online has led to work down the road. “Build that relationship,” says Farnsley, “and when opportunities come up, you’re on their mind.”

The post How to Use Job Boards and Social Media to Find Work appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Do Your Research

The audition process starts with your application, and registering for dance auditions often starts in late summer or early fall. In your essays, demonstrate your familiarity with the program and explain why you want to attend. “Professors can tell in your application if you’re really passionate about the school, and it’ll show when you have done your research,” says Mia Snape, a first-year student at the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.

Once you’re registered for an audition, make a list of all you’ll need to bring, from what type of resumé to the dimensions of your headshot to the format of any music you need for a solo, as well as what to wear and where and when the audition will be held. If you’ll need to send in a prescreening video, you’ll want to get that filmed during the summer or early in the fall.

You’re Interviewing the School, Too

Many college auditions include a technique class along with an interview, which was intimidating for Snape. “To prepare, I wrote down things I liked about the school and was curious about, which helped me feel less nervous about the process,” she says. For the interview, audition panelists asked questions about her future aspirations and career goals, as well as how she could see herself fitting in and contributing to the school’s environment. “The questions they asked were really helpful in giving me perspective as to if this was an institution I was interested in pursuing,” says Snape.

During the interview, you will be given the opportunity to ask the faculty questions. “If you’re really interested in our program, then you should have questions,” says Lushington. When preparing for your audition, make a list of things you want to ask. Kyla Marcus, a current trainee at Ballet Idaho, asked schools she auditioned for about what they were looking for in dancers and what opportunities they have to choreograph.

For additional insights into the school, reach out to current students and faculty members at schools you’re interested in. “You’ll get information from teachers, but from students it’s a totally different experience,” says Snape. If the opportunity isn’t offered, ask faculty if you can view a rehearsal or performance. “At Butler University, I watched Serenade and some original pieces, which was nice because I could really see the caliber of the program,” says Marcus.

Prepare for Unexpected Obstacles

Each audition is different, and because last-minute changes can happen (particularly during a pandemic), it’s important to stay flexible (and keep a sense of humor!). When Snape and Marcus auditioned for USC Kaufman, an in-person audition had to be moved to Zoom because of COVID-19. Instead of a full day of technique classes, the audition included a Zoom interview and an improv section. Marcus struggled with her Wi-Fi connection (dropping out of the meeting twice as a result) and had trouble hearing the music during the class.

When Marcus auditioned for Indiana University, Bloomington, she battled an intense snowstorm to make it to the audition. “I got snowed in and couldn’t get an Uber or taxi and had to walk to the audition through the snow,” she says. Because many dancers were unable to get to campus, the school moved her time slot an hour earlier, giving her less time to prepare and warm up.

Connect to Calm Your Nerves

Auditions are naturally stressful, but you don’t have to let your nerves get the best of you. “What really helped was speaking to other dancers,” says Snape. “When you realize you’re in the same boat as all of these other people, it gives perspective.” Marymount Manhattan College faculty tries to calm dancers’ nerves using humor—they smile, talk to students, even tell some jokes. “We find students do much better when they’re not so stressed out,” says Lushington.

Don’t Hold Back

Remember that colleges want to enroll students who are as eager to learn as they are strong technicians. Lushington says that Marymount Manhattan looks for dancers who are curious and willing to dive right in during the audition, which consists of ballet, modern, improvisation and jazz, followed by an interview. “They don’t need to be perfect in any of the four styles,” she says, “but they need to approach them all with equal vitality and energy and not pull back because it’s something they don’t know yet.

Narrow Down Your Options

Students can feel pressure to apply to as many schools as possible, but sometimes more is not better. Take time to thoroughly research schools so you know the ones you apply to are worth working towards. “It’s time-consuming and difficult during senior year, so make a short list of places to go,” says Kyla Marcus, who postponed college for Ballet Idaho’s trainee

The post How to Ace Your College Auditions appeared first on Dance Magazine.

2022

Kyle Abraham

Lucinda Childs

Herman Cornejo

Brenda Dixon-Gottschild

Dianne McIntyre

Chairman’s Award: Jim Herbert

Harkness Promise Awards: Johnnie Cruise Mercer and Kayla Farrish

2021

Robert Battle

Andy Blankenbuehler

Dormeshia

Akram Khan

Tamara Rojo

Chairman’s Award: Works & Process

Special Citation: Dr. Wendy Ziecheck

Harkness Promise Awards: Alethea Pace and Yin Yue

2020

Carlos Acosta

Debbie Allen

Camille A. Brown

Alonzo King

Laurieann Gibson

Chairman’s Award: Darren Walker

Harkness Promise Awards: Marjani Forté-Saunders and Kyle Marshall

2019

Masazumi Chaya

Angel Corella

David Gordon and Valda Setterfield

Sara Mearns

Chairman’s Award: Linda Shelton

Harkness Promise Awards: Bobbi Jene Smith and Caleb Teicher

2018

Ronald K. Brown

Lourdes Lopez

Crystal Pite

Michael Trusnovec

Leadership Award: Nigel Redden

Harkness Promise Awards: Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie and Raja Feather Kelly

2017

Rennie Harris

Marika Molnar

Linda Celeste Sims

Diana Vishneva

2016

Carolyn Adams

Lynn Garafola

Lar Lubovitch

Tiler Peck

2015

Soledad Barrio

Marcelo Gomes

Karen Kain

David Vaughan

Jawole Willa Jo Zollar

2014

Brenda Bufalino and Tony Waag

Misty Copeland

Luigi

Wayne McGregor

Larissa Saveliev

2013

Martha Clarke

Mats Ek

Philip Glass

Yuan Yuan Tan

Patricia Wilde

2012

Julie Kent

Anna Kisselgoff

Renee Robinson

Dianne Walker

2011

Dr. William Hamilton

Alexei Ratmansky

Kathleen Marshall

Yvonne Rainer

Jenifer Ringer

2010

Deborah Jowitt

Pilobolus Dance Theatre

Irina Kolpakova

Matthew Rushing

2009

Allegra Kent

Ohad Naharin

Sara Rudner

Jason Samuels Smith

2008

Pina Bausch

Lawrence Rhodes

Ethan Stiefel

Sylvia Waters

2007

Bettie de Jong

Bebe Neuwirth

Desmond Richardson

Wendy Whelan

2006

Todd Bolender

Eiko & Koma

David Howard

Gelsey Kirkland

Joan Myers Brown

2005

Clive Barnes

Alessandra Ferri

Donald McKayle

Jimmy Slyde

Christopher Wheeldon

2004

Jose Manuel Carreño

Chuck Davis

Anna Halprin

Chita Rivera

2003

William Forsythe

Susan Jaffe

Jock Soto

Charles and Stephanie Reinhart

2002

Nina Ananiashvili

Frank Andersen

Jack Mitchell

Tina Ramirez

2001

Terese Capucilli

Michael M. Kaiser

Susan Stroman

Damian Woetzel

2000

David Parsons

Ann Reinking

Ben Stevenson

1999

Barbara Horgan for the Balanchine Trust

Al Pischl for Dance Horizons

Jacques d’Amboise

Martin Fredmann

Kevin McKenzie

1998

Jeraldyne Blunden

Julio Bocca

Suki Schorer

Dame Ninette de Valois

1997

Claude Bessy

Anna-Marie Holmes and Bruce Marks

Dudley Williams

Hernando Cortez & Dancers Responding to AIDS

1996

Peter Boal

Savion Glover

Francia Russell and Kent Stowell

Ann Barzel*

1995

Susan Marshall

Carla Maxwell

Fayard and Harold Nicholas

1994

Christine Dakin

Kate Johnson

Jirí Kylián

1993

Bill T. Jones

Pierre Dulaine and Yvonne Marceau

Beatriz Rodriguez

1992

Darci Kistler

Meredith Monk

Helgi Tomasson

1991

Virginia Johnson

Mark Morris

Jennifer Tipton

1990

Garth Fagan

Eliot Feld

Hanya Holm

1988

“Dancing for Life”

Moscelyne Larkin and Roman Jasinski

P. W. Manchester

Kyra Nichols

1987

Merrill Ashley

Trisha Brown

Liz Thompson

David White

Doris Hering*

1985

Charles “Honi” Coles

Richard Cragun

Frederic Franklin

Heather Watts

Walter Sorell*

1984

Alexandra Danilova

Robert Irving

Donald Saddler

Tommy Tune

Dance Masters of America, Inc.*

1983

Jeannot Cerrone

John Neumeier

Michael Smuin

Martine van Hamel

1982

Fernando Bujones

Laura Dean

Arnold Spohr

Lee Theodore

1981

Selma Jeanne Cohen

Sir Anton Dolin

Twyla Tharp

Stanley Williams

1980

Patricia McBride

Ruth Page

Paul Taylor

Herbert Ross and Nora Kaye*

1979

Aaron Copland

Jorge Donn

Erick Hawkins

1978

Mikhail Baryshnikov

Raoul Gelabert

Bella Lewitzky

1977

Murray Louis

Natalia Makarova

Peter Martins

1976

Michael Bennett

Suzanne Farrell

E. Virginia Williams

1975

Alvin Ailey

Cynthia Gregory

Arthur Mitchell

1974

Gerald Arpino

Maurice Béjart

Antony Tudor

1973

The Christensen Brothers (Lew, Harold, Willam)

Rudolf Nureyev

1972

Anthony Dowell

Judith Jamison

1970

Sir Frederick Ashton

Carolyn Brown

Ted Shawn

1969

Erik Bruhn

Katherine Dunham

Carla Fracci

1968

Eugene Loring

Alwin Nikolais

Violette Verdy

1967

Carmen de Lavallade

Sol Hurok

Wesleyan University Press

1966

Edwin Denby

Margaret H’Doubler

Maya Plisetskaya

1965

John Butler

Peter Gennaro

Edward Villella

1964

Gower Champion

Robert Joffrey

Pauline Koner

1963

Isadora Bennett

Margot Fonteyn

Bob Fosse

1962

Melissa Hayden

Anna Sokolow

Gwen Verdon

1960

Merce Cunningham

Igor Moiseyev

Maria Tallchief

1959

Dorothy Alexander

Fred Astaire

George Balanchine

1958

Alicia Alonso

Doris Humphrey

Gene Kelly

Igor Youskevitch

1957

Lucia Chase

José Limón

Alicia Markova

Jerome Robbins

1956

Agnes de Mille

Martha Graham

1955

Jack Cole

Gene Nelson

Moira Shearer

1954

Dance on TV: Adventure (CBS)

Tony Charmoli (NBC)

Max Liebman (NBC)

Omnibus (CBS)

*Special award

The post Dance Magazine Award Recipients appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Casting and Rehearsals

Attempting to schedule a group of busy dancers to meet at one particular time can be a challenge. “Go into the audition process knowing your schedule and rehearsal times,” says Breyonna Milton, a senior dance major at the University of Houston. Aim to cast dancers with similar availability to make scheduling as easy as possible.

Depending on the school, you may need to make casting choices based on both seniority and availability. Although you may not get your desired group, there may be unexpected benefits. “Sometimes when you’re denied the cast you want and have to troubleshoot working with a different group, that is when really interesting creativity happens,” says Stokes, who has noticed that limitations and boundaries actually push students to create more interesting works. Brian Golden, a 2021 Chapman University graduate, agrees: “Some of the pieces I liked the most I didn’t have my first pick of dancers,” he says.

Respect the time your peers are devoting to your work and come to rehearsals with ideas in mind. “I always came in prepared with movement and ideas to explore,” says Golden, who aims to make sure every dancer in the room is always working on something. As choreographer, it’s your job to keep everyone engaged. Whether that means prepared phrases, lifts to try or concepts to experiment with, beginning rehearsals with an agenda shows respect for your cast.

Production Decisions

As the show approaches, you’ll need to make a number of production decisions. When selecting costumes, keep in mind the type of movement your dancers will be doing, advises Milton.­ She envisioned a silk dress for the first piece she choreographed, but realized her dancers’ range would be restricted in that type of material, so she asked the costume designer to cut slits into the sides of the dress. “Always have a backup costume ready and keep a sewing kit close,” says Milton.

Because of the technical complexity involved in lighting dance for the stage, the idea of communicating your vision with a lighting designer can be daunting. Golden suggests telling the designer what the piece is about, then letting them guide you through the process. “If you walk into a room with a collaborator and know exactly what you want, then it’s not a collaboration,” says Golden. Send the lighting designer a video of your work and notes about the mood and colors you envision before you meet.

Take advantage of opportunities your school offers to learn about the production elements of a show. Dance majors at Chapman University take a dance productions course their junior year, which gives an overview of lighting, costuming, show structure and collaborating with composers. The University of Houston holds a choreography showcase every fall that is solely produced by students—they handle everything from lighting design to selling tickets.

There’s an enormous sense of accomplishment when seeing a work you created performed onstage, and experimenting with choreography in college may even expand your career goals. “I enjoy it so much that I switched from wanting to be a dance therapist or teacher to now wanting to be a choreographer,” says Milton. Brian Golden knew he wanted to be a choreographer and used his time in college to sharpen his skills. “I wasn’t the best dancer, but I told myself I could be the best choreographer,” he says. Golden focused on submitting to festivals and applying to grants while at Chapman, and postgraduation he has presented work with Battery Dance, the Martha Graham Dance Company and Doug Varone.

The post Interested in Choreographing During College? Read These Tips Before Stepping Into the Directing Role appeared first on Dance Magazine.

We caught up with three alumni to hear about their postgrad roles at AMDA, their growing list of professional credits and how the school helped prepare them for success.

Riley Groot

Graduate of AMDA’s Dance Theatre Conservatory Program, Spring 2015

Industry credits: Riley Groot has been booked and busy since graduating from AMDA’s Dance Theatre Conservatory Program. Her postgrad performance credits include “American Horror Story,” the Billboard Music Awards, J Balvin’s Live Album Concert, iHeart Radio’s “Can’t Cancel Pride,” the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, CNN’s New Year’s Eve Special 2021, the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, and the feature films Heartbeats and Summertime. She is currently dancing in her fourth Las Vegas residency, Katy Perry’s PLAY.

Notable gig: In 2019, Groot traveled to Taiwan to dance in Jolin Tsai’s 2020 Ugly Beauty World Tour. “All around, that job was everything you could ask for. And as soon as we started rehearsals, I knew that my AMDA training had prepared me well for that moment,” she says.

The schedule was intense, but she was prepared. “We were in rehearsal six days a week, eight hours a day, for two months before the tour had even started. It was super-challenging and intense, but it was very similar to the AMDA atmosphere,” says Groot. “I also loved that job because of the cast of dancers. We became like a quick family—not much different than what happens at AMDA.”

Back at AMDA: Groot is now on faculty at AMDA’s Los Angeles campus, teaching jazz classes to dance majors. She went through the program herself, so she understands the impact that teachers have on their students. “I know that the role and influence a teacher has on the development of a young artist is so, so sacred. To be able to motivate, support and mentor these students to reach their full potential is something that I take seriously and hold in the highest regard.”

In class, she shares her industry experience, covering topics like auditions and agents, even giving her students examples of job scenarios that they might encounter and how to respond. “My goal is not only to help them become better dancers, but to relay everything that I’ve learned since I graduated and help prepare them as best as I can as they take their first steps out into the industry.”

Jamal Wade

Graduate of AMDA’s Dance Theatre BFA Program, Spring 2016

Industry credits: Performer, choreographer and director Jamal Wade has gathered numerous credits since graduating from AMDA’s Dance Theatre BFA Program. He’s performed in music videos for artists including Beyoncé, P!nk and Ingrid Michaelson, and appeared in various commercial and print spots for companies like Toyota, Sprite, Adidas and Google. As a choreographer, he’s worked with artists including Josh Dean, Ari Lennox and Ambre and has directed music videos for Lady London, Willie Jones and Tinashe.

Notable gig: Recently, Wade directed Gryffin and Tinashe’s music video for “Scandalous” and brought in some familiar faces, hiring one of his teachers from AMDA, DJ Smart, as the choreographer. “On top of that, I got to hire one of the students that I worked with back when I was a camp counselor for AMDA’s high school summer program after she graduated from AMDA’s college program,” he says. Along with working with fellow AMDA colleagues, the project was extra-special for Wade, as it incorporated his first love: ballet. “Tinashe wanted to incorporate pointe into the music video, and getting to work with so many talented ballerinas was so cool.”

The AMDA advantage: Wade credits his readiness for the ever-changing dance industry to his time at AMDA: “My experience at AMDA prepared me to direct by throwing me into all kinds of things that I never thought I would be doing. I had to sing, I had to act, and I had to write for my screenwriting class,” he says. “We also had a Dance for Camera class where I had the chance to direct a few of my friends’ pieces.”

Wade also loved his Industry and Networking class, taught by Tara Nicole Hughes. The class covered everything from resumés and headshots to learning about unions and agencies. Walking out of that class, in conjunction with all of the other classes like senior-year audition technique, senior showcase, I felt so prepared for pretty much anything,” he says.

The next generation: When he’s not in rehearsals for a project or auditioning for his next gig, Wade works as part of AMDA’s traveling team as an admissions representative, talking to prospective students and their parents about his college experience and his transition into the industry. “Our love for the craft and the art shows in all the representatives, faculty and staff,” Wade reflects. “And I think that’s what attracts prospective students and makes them want to go to AMDA even more.”

Cassidy Ratliff

Graduate of AMDA’s Dance Theatre BFA Program, Summer 2018

Industry credits: “When I graduated from AMDA, I had the best foundation for the industry that I possibly could,” says choreographer and dancer Cassidy Ratliff. Over the last few years, she’s performed with FINNEAS, Sam Fischer, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Meghan Trainor, and has made TV appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” and NBC’s “Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting,” just to name a few. Her choreographer and assistant choreographer credits include MTV’s “Becoming a Popstar” finale, NBC’s “The Good Place,” AIDA: The Musical at AMDA L.A., and work with Lil Baby, Ava Max and Kendrick Lamar.

Notable gig: Out of all her performing credits, she says that the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent was, “hands-down,” her favorite. “It was in L.A. The Rams won. There were six iconic artists, and we were right there immersed with all of them,” says Ratliff. “The artists were with us throughout production rehearsals, all the way onto the stage. And it was like a family mentality, they were wanting to be great with us, and we wanted to elevate towards what they were doing.”

For TV and music video jobs, she says that AMDA’s Dance for Camera class was extremely helpful. “Having those classes to hone in on what it’s like on a live stage versus on camera was a huge deal for me because a lot of my huge goals are in the camera and TV and film world.”

Back at AMDA: In between appearing in music videos with Meghan Trainor, working as an assistant choreographer for artists like Kendrick Lamar, and teaching classes at Millennium Dance Complex, Ratliff choreographs and substitute-teaches classes at AMDA Los Angeles. Being back in those studios reminds her of how much she’s grown since her first day at AMDA. “Now being an alum, I have tools that I can give these students that they don’t see yet,” says Ratliff, mentioning that her goal is to make them feel more at ease as they work through the demanding curriculum. “Mentally it’s tough. And as a dancer, physically, it’s tough.”

Thanks to its recent accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, AMDA is now poised to prepare more students to thrive in the dance industry. In addition to AMDA’s longtime membership with the National Association of Schools of Theatre, since 1984, this new accreditation makes it even easier for transfer students to enroll, and AMDA credits are now accepted by a larger range of schools, strengthening its place in the larger arts education community.

To learn more about AMDA Los Angeles’ Dance Theatre programs and to see upcoming audition dates, check out its website.

The post Meet 3 Industry Insiders—and They’re All AMDA Grads appeared first on Dance Magazine.

THE PROS

Financial Benefits

“I chose to commute because it was going to save me a ton of money in the long run,” says Maya Stokes, who earned her BFA in dance from Point Park University in Pittsburgh in April. Based on Point Park’s estimated room-and-board cost, living at home may have saved Stokes more than $7,000 per year. Even if living at home isn’t an option, commuting can still be cost-effective: Claire Swanson, a senior dance performance and psychology major at the University of Central Oklahoma, found that renting an apartment with roommates was cheaper than living on campus.

Better Food

It’s no secret that dorm food can be unappetizing and lacking in healthy options. As a commuter, you’ll have access to either home-cooked meals or a kitchen of your own. “I started eating better when I moved off campus because I gained the ability to cook,” says Swanson.

Peace and Quiet

“Some students prefer a quieter home environment, so being able to have a retreat away from school, and feel a sense of separation, can be beneficial,” says Colleen­ Hooper, associate professor of dance at Point Park. Both Stokes and Swanson enjoyed getting out of the school bubble and having their own space to unwind.

THE CONS

Scheduling Challenges

At Point Park, classes begin at 8 am and rehearsals go as late as 10 pm, making for long days and tight schedules. Commuters sometimes don’t have enough time to get home between commitments to study and rest—plus there is the travel time at the beginning and end of each day. Not having a residence on campus can make it difficult to find the downtime you need.

Inclement Weather

Pennsylvania has harsh winters, so weather was a frequent challenge for Stokes. “Sometimes it snows really badly, and the city doesn’t plow roads, so you have to drive through snowstorms,” she says. Commuters have to make sure they have reliable transportation and convenient parking, rain or shine.

FOMO

Commuters are distanced from life on campus, which can help them separate their personal time from school but can also lead to fear of missing out. Your residential friends are around each other 24/7, with access to spontaneous outings, study sessions, parties and performances. While a busy social life is possible as a commuter, it can take more effort to connect with friends on campus.

Try Both

“It’s good for students to live on campus their first year, and once they become more familiar, consider moving off campus,” says Colleen Hooper, associate professor of dance at Point Park University. Dancers Maya Stokes and Claire Swanson lived on campus before making the switch—they both enjoyed having the traditional college experience­ and making close friends before­ finding the freedom that comes with living off campus.

Tips for Easy Commuting

Prep Your Meals

“Whether bringing food from home or planning where to go out, don’t just wing it,” says Colleen Hooper, associate professor of dance at Point Park University. Maya Stokes, a 2022 Point Park graduate, would meal-prep dishes for dinner and bring many snacks to sustain her throughout the day.

Bring Your Gear

As a dance major, you need clothes for class and rehearsal,­ food for a full day, plus your books and laptop for classes. “I would bring a bag of anything I could possibly need for the day,” says Stokes. “I felt better knowing I was prepared.”

Find Storage

Most schools have lockers or a lounge that commuters can use to store their belongings for the day. Swanson found it easiest to keep things in her car and return to it between classes and rehearsals.

Build a Community

“Make friends with people on campus who you can stay with on particularly late nights,” says Hooper. Having friends on campus also gives you somewhere to hang out between classes.

The post The Pros and Cons of Commuting During College appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Cameron McKinney, Artistic director of New York City–based Kizuna Dance

The deal: In 2017, when planning tour stops for Kizuna in the UK and California, McKinney cold-emailed nearby colleges in California, asking if the company could offer a master class or short residency during a weeklong gap between performance stops. He didn’t get many responses—“Of the 30 I sent, I got a couple of replies, plus some people who said, ‘This might be a cool idea’ and never got back to me,” he says—but he did learn some valuable best practices for setting up residency stops for future touring.

DO start with the network you have. “Where did the dancers you work with go to college?” McKinney asks. “Nothing works better than a recommendation.”

DON’T go into negotiations without a fee in mind. “They’ll ask you on the spot: ‘How much does this cost?’ Before you reach out, make a budget: ‘I need to pay all of these people’—and add a contingency fee on top of that.”

DO inquire far in advance. Colleges generally plan their schedules months, and even years, ahead. McKinney, for example, has been adjuncting at Montclair State University this fall, but he was contacted about the position back in 2021.

Hindsight is 20/20: “If I could go back in time, before I’d reach out to a college, I would build up a program or series of programs that would make us more marketable,” he says. McKinney also wishes he’d had better video clips of the company. “Words are great, but they’ve got to see the work,” he says.

Charlie Maybee, Artistic director of the Polymath Performance Project

The deal: As an auxiliary adjunct at Shenandoah University in Virginia through July 2022, Charlie Maybee was, as he puts it, “as full-time as I can be, without being full-time.” While adjuncting comes with its own set of challenges—“I’ve had to split my time between different institutions, different online systems and multiple email accounts,” Maybee says—the flexibility of the role has been invaluable. “I have responsibilities, but I’m not as tethered to the university as a full-time position would be,” he says. “That gives me space to work on my choreography and writing.”

DO highlight your specialties. Maybee’s focus is tap dance, which is a unique asset when he’s applying for adjunct positions, including his current role at the College of Charleston. “I’ve found it helpful to define for myself and the people I work for that I have a particular skill set that is not as present in every dance curriculum,” he says.

DON’T do too much too soon. With each adjunct position he took on—past gigs have included the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and American University—Maybee says, “I started by doing very little, so I could test my bandwidth.” In his first semester with Shenandoah, for example, he taught only two tap classes and staged a work on students. “That allowed me to feel out which schools I could grow inside of.”

Hindsight is 20/20: Maybee notes that his ability to enact real change is limited as a part-time employee. “It’s not that you have zero input—you have the capacity to insert your two cents when you can,” he says. “But opportunities to do more change on a curricular or cultural level can be hard to do outside of your immediate classroom.”

Silas Riener, Creates work with Rashaun Mitchell

The deal: After dancing with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company from 2007–11, Riener began staging Cunningham repertory at colleges; he also began to create and stage his work with Rashaun Mitchell on students. Each college visit functions a little differently, Riener says: a one-day workshop, a two- or three-week process, or a semester-long stay. “That kind of puzzle-piece, Lego-building-block, moving-the-schedule-around-for-how-to-make-it-work is its own choreography,” he says.

DO work to be invited back. “It is to your advantage to be nice,” says Riener. “I remind people that this is a field built from relationships, and maintaining those relationships is how I work.”

DON’T assume that what works for one school will work for another. “If I have three weeks and rehearsal every day, that’s one thing—but if I have two weeks and I get to teach technique class, that’s another,” he says. “To ensure that you, the students and the university have a good experience, you have to work inside that container.”

DO start small. “If, say, you’re on tour in Boston, ask if you can do a master class at Boston Conservatory and if you can get them free tickets to your dress rehearsal,” Riener says. “It gives teachers a break, and they can usually scrounge up $150 for you.” He also suggests asking if a school is looking for a choreographer for a senior showcase solo. “That’s a way for the school to see that you do a good job, and you can work one-on-one with a student,” he says. Be sure to invite other faculty and staff to your performances. “They’re the ones in the meetings, doing the recommending,” Riener points out.

Hindsight is 20/20: “Because most of my gigs came from my Cunningham affiliation, I’m on the more privileged end of this conversation,” Riener says. “Universities respond to heritage and lineage, and that has given me a leg up.”

The post The Dos and Don’ts of Breaking Into Adjuncting appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Freshman Year

Embrace the New

“One of the biggest revelations for me freshman year was how different people’s dance backgrounds were,” says Maia Sauer, who graduated from Middlebury College in spring of 2022. Jessica Ziegler, a 2021 graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, agrees. “In my small cohort, we all were so different from the get-go. I came from a classical ballet background, so I showed up in my tights and leotard, with my hair in a bun. Other people were wearing shorts and T-shirts,” she says.

It’s not just about dress code—through your new peers and faculty, you’ll be exposed to ideas about dance you’ve never encountered before. “It’s both beautiful and painful.­ You get to college and you realize that it’s not going to be more of the same. Dance begins­ to spill out all around you, and you find new ways to step into it,” says Donna Faye Burchfield, dean of the School of Dance at University of the Arts.

Take advantage of this by trying forms that are new to you. “So few pre-college programs­ have African forms. If you’re at a college that offers that opportunity, take advantage­ of it. If you haven’t encountered improvisation, especially contact improvisation, try that out. It teaches you a way to be in the body which will inform your dancing forever,” says Heidi Henderson, chair of the Department of Dance at Connecticut College.

Connect With Your Classmates

Get to know the other students in your cohort. Chances are, you’ll be spending a lot of time with them over the next few years, and if you can build a sense of community rather than competitiveness, you’ll all have a more positive experience. “Our program had a student board, with representatives from each class. I did that freshman through junior year, and it really helped me dive deeper into the department,” says Ziegler.

The extent to which you share classes with upperclassmen will vary depending on your program, but take full advantage of any chances to connect with older students. Their recommendations and advice can help you figure out what direction to take your studies in. For example, Sauer says she took an improvisation class at the suggestion of some upperclassmen. “It was something I hadn’t had any exposure to in high school, and it was really influential for me,” she says.

Sophomore Year

Getting to the Guts

“In your first year, you’ve done the skin. Sophomore and junior year are when you really get into the guts of a program,” says Henderson. Even in conservatory programs—which tend to have a more prescribed schedule than liberal arts programs—most students begin to have more choice over what courses they take starting in their second year. This is the time, Henderson says, to dig deeper into things you found exciting in your freshman year: “If you are interested in choreography, you need to take that class as soon as possible so you can then take other levels. If you got really excited about a new technique, take the next levels of that class so you can get more experience in a direction you think you might want to head.”

Navigating the Sophomore Slump

The “sophomore slump” is a bit of a stereotype, but Ziegler says that for her and many of her classmates, it rang true. “I felt good going in. I had more confidence with one year under my belt,” she says. “But in the first part of second semester, I had too much on my plate. I burned out.” Many positive experiences still came out of that year—Ziegler started taking composition classes, an important part of her college experience, and working with visiting artists, including Nia Love, whom she continues to work with professionally. This is where leaning on the relationships you’ve built with classmates can be helpful. “It was comforting that my class as a whole went through these phases,” Ziegler says.

Junior Year

Moving Beyond the Foundations

At University of the Arts, faculty refer to the first two years of the program as “foundation years,” and the second two as “research years.” “Think of it like a house,” says Burchfield. “The first two years, you are building your base. The second two years, you’re building those sides of the roof that grow toward each other.” By this point in college, you’ve learned where your strengths are and what you’re interested in. If your program includes a thesis or final project, now is a good time to start thinking about what you might like that project to be.

Ziegler says junior year was her favorite year of college, because she was pursuing fulfilling creative work on her own, with guest artists and with grad students, and she’d learned to manage her schedule to prevent burnout. “That friction from sophomore year subsided,” she says.

Look Ahead, but Not Too Far

Junior year is also a good time to start thinking about your postgraduation aspirations. “If your dream is to dance with a company, or if you want to do more commercial dance, there are certain things you need to home in on,” says Burchfield. Be mindful in selecting your classes, but try not to stress over your future too much yet. “I do remember feeling like graduation was looming,” says Sauer. “But my professors reminded me to stay present. You really want to take advantage of the time you have to be in a college dance department.”

Don’t Be Afraid to Take Time Off From Dance

“In our program, many students go abroad junior year, and dance—or not,” says Henderson. “I tell my students, and I don’t think they believe me until they come back, that they don’t lose anything by not taking technique class for a semester. In fact, they’re often better dancers when they go abroad and open themselves as human beings and learn different things. Something gets into your body from being in a new place.”

Senior Year

Dig Deep

Many dance programs, including an increasing number of conservatory programs, involve some kind of senior project. “In my opinion, senior year should be about pursuing a personal interest in a deep way,” says Henderson. “Even if your senior year is not a special project, think about who you are and what you’ve learned about yourself. It’s about taking everything you’ve learned in those previous three years and making it your own.”

Ease Into the Future

Take advantage of any opportunities your program provides to learn skills you’ll need in your professional life. “I remember being in the thick of it and feeling like, Really? You’re going to make me do a mock budget for my thesis? I felt resistant to it then, but now I realize how helpful that was,” says Sauer. Connecting with alumni can also be a helpful way to envision your own future, and many programs will help facilitate those connections. Some programs also offer credit to students who are performing or apprenticing professionally, a good option for those looking for a bridge between college and professional life.

Appreciate Your Accomplishments

Try not to go through your last year with one foot out the door. Instead, focus on how far you’ve come. “I was so anxious about the future,” says Ziegler, “but my advisor reminded me that worrying about things doesn’t actually do anything productive.” That advice helped her embrace the experience of being a senior. “Senior year felt the most creative,” she says. “It was like wrapping up all my college experiences and tying them in a bow. By that point, I really felt like an artist.”

The post How to Make the Most of Each Phase of Your College Career appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Oz Shoshan, Israel

After performing in musicals and with Batsheva Dance Company in Tel Aviv, Shoshan wanted to pursue musical theater in the U.S. Extensively trained in ballet and modern, he decided to strengthen his singing and acting abilities, as well as his professional network, at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. “There’s a diversity in the dance community in the U.S., and the knowledge they have to give is endless,” he says. “You get to be exposed to some of the biggest names and work with them.”

He graduated in 2018, but along the way he endured financial hardships and had to adjust to managing life in English. After school, he faced a legal battle to obtain an artist visa. Now living in Chicago, he’s added national tours of Bandstand and Elf: The Musical to his resumé, and “one of my goals is to create this community for people to come in and ask questions to those who have gone through it before,” he says.

Ryan Wong, Malaysia

Wong had no plans to go to college until his parents insisted­ he study overseas. Messiah University’s modern-based dance program appealed to him; however, he came from a hip-hop and commercial dance background and had never done a pirouette in his life. Despite Wong’s lack of modern and ballet training, Messiah’s faculty accepted him into the undergraduate major and emphasized that he’d need to be open to learning new dance styles.

“The U.S. gave me the opportunity to explore the world of theater and dance in a bigger, broader aspect,” says Wong, who earned his degree in 2021. The exposure to a more robust arts community than that in Malaysia helped him move from commercial dance to musical theater, where he’s performed in a national tour of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and after five years he feels at home in the U.S. “I found people with the same mindset here, which helped me change my mindset for the better,” he says. “I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.”

Fangfei Miao, China

The dance scene in China, particularly Beijing and Shanghai, is quite vibrant with many opportunities, so dancers move to the U.S. for reasons beyond training. “For Chinese dancers, coming to the U.S. is less about gaining dance knowledge and more about the cultural experience and stepping out of their comfort zones to see the outside world,” says Miao.
Having already received her BA and MFA in dance history, theory and choreography from the Beijing Dance Academy, she earned a PhD in culture and performance at UCLA in 2019. Since 2020 she’s been an assistant professor of dance at the University of Michigan, where she helps international students adjust to life in a new country.

Culture shock was one of the hardest parts of immigrating for Miao, but the administration at UCLA and Michigan provided orientations and helped her make connections with other students. Sticking it out through the challenges paid off, she says. “Coming to the U.S. really changed my life in many ways and made me a bilingual, bicultural person.”

Finding the Right Fit

A few things to consider when choosing a school:

Scholarships: “Look for schools that offer international scholarships,” says Oz Shoshan. “As immigrants, we don’t qualify for student loans, and you have to keep that in mind because college is so expensive here.”

Community: “For international students, locate a place where you can find a community,” says Fangfei Miao. “For example, L.A. has a huge community of Asian people.”

Ambition: “If you’re flying this far to a different country, you might as well go for your dream school,” says Ryan Wong. “What do you have to lose?”

Worldly Wisdom

“When you’re studying abroad, make the most out of it. Take in the culture, study well, make good friends and work on your art.” —Ryan Wong, 2021 Messiah University graduate

“Find people who have done it before you, so you have support in this journey. Reach out, ask questions and truly get a better idea of what you’re stepping into.” —Oz Shoshan, 2018 American Musical and Dramatic Academy graduate

“Follow your heart. Quite often, people look forward to fortune and being wealthy, but money isn’t the most important thing in life.” —Fangfei Miao, 2019 UCLA PhD graduate

The post The Benefits and Challenges of Being an Immigrant Dancer appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Find Maturity and Confidence

Not every high school graduate is ready to go straight into dancing professionally at 18, which makes college the natural next step for those looking to discover who they are in a safe environment. “This extra time in college and maturing has really strengthened me as a person,” says Bethany Armistead, a senior dance major at Towson University. “I feel so much more ready to go into the professional world and to be able to stand my ground on things that are important to me.”

Learn to Work With Others

No matter what career path dancer majors end up pursuing, the collaborative and interdisciplinary opportunities presented by projects, classes and extracurricular activities teach them to work well with others postgraduation. “Learning how to be creative and vulnerable in an interdisciplinary environment is critical for anyone,” says Mann.

Accept Constructive Criticism

Feedback is an unavoidable aspect of any job, and dancers are experts at accepting corrections and criticism. “Dancers are so used to applying corrections and making improvements on the spot,” says Jin Lee Hanley, chair of the dance department at Palm Beach Atlantic University. “This is applied in life, and it is really rewarding to see.”

Develop Leadership Skills

Choreographing in college has helped Armistead build a network and grow her organizational and leadership skills. “Even if you’re going outside the realm of dance, there’s so many skills, like networking, leadership and confidence, that I found in my own journey as a dance major that will carry into any other profession,” she says.

Proudly Present Yourself

“When you study dance, you also learn about how to present yourself in public, and it’s a very important skill,” Mann says. College helps students confidently demonstrate their skills physically, orally and in writing. Both Mann and Hanley require oral presentations for certain courses to teach dancers how to verbalize their ideas—not just dance them.

Defending Your Dance Major

Susan Mann, professor of dance at Towson University, has had many dancers come into her office and say their parents want them to double-major because being a dance major isn’t enough. But she encourages students to use their time in college to pursue their passions and turn them into a career. “This is the beginning of their dream, and I always advise them to follow their dreams,” she says.

At Palm Beach Atlantic University, dance department chair Jin Lee Hanley encourages students to use the presentation skills they have learned through studying dance to inspire others to see the benefits of a dance major. “All the things that you have learned, share and verbalize with your parents,” she says. “And you have to believe in yourself. You have to believe in dance first.”

A Versatile Foundation

A dance major is about much more than just technique and choreography. Coming into college, performing may be your number-one passion, but there are many routes to discover that you might not expect. Because of the versatile skill set dancers have, they can become fitness instructors, studio owners, company founders, dance psychologists, physical therapists—other dance majors have gone into medicine, business and finance. “Open yourself up to as many opportunities as you can and see where you end up at the end of four years, because it could be somewhere very different from where you start,” advises Bethany Armistead, a senior in dance at Towson University.

The post 5 Soft Skills Dance Majors Learn appeared first on Dance Magazine.

We asked students and faculty to share what their studios mean to them—and how Harlequin Floors have become a hallmark of helping them dance their best.

Southern Methodist University

“Harlequin Floor systems are essential to the pre-professional development process. SMU has a triple-track program of ballet, modern, and jazz. The floors need to provide the appropriate spring, traction, and durability to support proper training in these diverse movement modalities. When students are working on a well-sprung floor, their joints are allowed the necessary buffer to support lengthy rehearsals without wearing down the muscles that support the key weight-bearing joints of the hips, knees, and ankles.” —Christopher Dolder, Chair and Associate Professor, Division of Dance, Meadows School of the Arts

DeSales University

“The purchase and installation of our Harlequin Floors was a valuable investment in our program and the well-being of our dancers. The quality of service we received was excellent.” —Julia Mayo, Chair of Dance

“The new Harlequin floor in our studio has helped me jump higher and dance fuller, knowing that my body will be safe dancing on this floor.” —Elena Andriopoulos, BA in Dance, ’23

“The floor allows for ease of moving in socks, ballet shoes, tap shoes, and bare feet. It is ideal for floorwork, allowing flowing movement with enough grip to stay grounded.” —Lauren Linder, BA in Dance, ’23

George Mason University

“We proudly offers our diverse student body an exceptional dance experience that broadens their physical and creative practice, scholarly research, and service to our field. The bright and spacious studios we call home are paramount to accomplishing this endeavor. From our Harlequin Floors, that provide a safe and supportive foundation, to our state-of-the-art video and sound systems, our studios enable us to educate and inspire tomorrow’s leading dance artists.” —Shaun Boyle D’Arcy, Assistant Professor of Dance

“The studios’ expansive layouts and beautifully sprung floors make George Mason’s facility one of the most inviting environments I have experienced throughout my training. The spaces themselves and their amenities invite all dancers to take the space with such confidence and fervor, and I think that this shows in our dancing as a school!” —Morgan Olschewske, BFA in Dance, ’24

Kennesaw State University

“Our Harlequin Liberty LatchLoc sprung flooring with Harlequin Cascade protects students from injury while providing the requisite setting to train, learn, create, rehearse, and grow. Students who enter this space immediately admire and cherish the studio and recognize its outstanding state-of-the-art characteristics. The KSU dance studios serve as my sanctuary.” —Marsha Barsky, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Dance

Montclair State University

“MSU offers spaces that invite the imagination to run free. There is a sense of vast space with silky sprung floors that encourage low floor flight and high-impact, velocity-based phrasing and partnering.” —Stefanie Batten Bland, Assistant Professor

“The studios offer my peers and me a massive space where we can dance together while still having ample room to individually explore. The safety and security of sprung floors decrease the risk of injuries and modifications needed. Especially after trying to take classes virtually from the dorms’ cement and tile-covered floors, I am immensely grateful that our campus has multiple studios, all of which have marley with sprung floors.” —Nicole Arakaki, BA in Dance, ’23

“The studio is where I find community and where I get to honestly express myself. It feels like a safe space to explore my passion, and because of this, I often discover new elements of myself and my movement on the dance floor!” —Isa Segall, BFA in Dance, ’23

Slippery Rock University

“Our dance studios are environments for learning, artistic exploration, and building community. Having a variety of spaces that are equipped with excellent flooring provides greater access and flexibility for our students and faculty to work independently and collectively on achieving artistic, educational, and professional goals.” —Ursula Payne, Professor of Dance

“Recently, we received beautiful renovated dance spaces that make me feel valued and cared for. I can focus on the process of creation, trial and error, composition, and performance quality to allow me to reach my maximum potential.” —Auriana Carrington, BFA in Dance with a Concentration in Studio Ownership and Entrepreneurship, ’23

“Having both Harlequin hardwood and Harlequin vinyl floors gives me maximum flexibility for scheduling classes. The hardwood floor is a dream for allowing the body to slide on the floor for contemporary floorwork or contact improvisation, but it’s not too slippery to also hold ballet classes.” —Jennifer Keller, Chairperson, Department of Dance

The post The Harlequin Difference: 6 University Dance Programs Share What Makes Their Studios Special appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Know Your Faculty 

Faculty at smaller schools have more time to get to know each student. “It can be a more personal environment for students who feel they may need a high support situation in college,” says Meredith Sims, associate professor of dance at Coker University. With a more concentrated student-to-faculty ratio, students have more opportunities for focused attention.

Make Connections

Dance classes at Bennington can range from two to 20 students, maximum. With a more condensed class size, students can develop strong, supportive relationships with peers. “The small size really helps them feel comfortable and confident in class when you sometimes have to be vulnerable,” says Sims. 

Explore Other Interests 

If exploring passions outside of dance is important to you, a small school may let you pursue more opportunities with teaching, working backstage or in administrative work. “There’s just a lot more to do because we have less people to do those things,” says Sims. Bennington offers students the ability to pair multiple concentrations with dance—2021 graduate Louisa Parker, for example, concentrated in dance, sculpture and garment design. “When the group is small, there’s more freedom to further your individual experience or expression,” says Mina Nishimura, a faculty member at Bennington. 

Embrace Community 

Closer relationships with faculty, smaller class sizes and more opportunities to explore various interests are all contributors to developing a close-knit community of dancers. Oftentimes, students have a variety of interests within dance and beyond, which leads to more opportunities for collaboration. “The sense of competition is less because the person standing next to you in class has a different goal from you,” says Sims. 

Safer During COVID-19

An unfortunate reality dancers must now consider when choosing a college program is how it might be affected by the coronavirus. In many cases, smaller programs have been able to offer more opportunities during the pandemic than larger, more densely populated schools. Bennington College and Coker University, for example, have had looser restrictions because of their small class sizes and remote locations. While following CDC guidelines, these schools have been able to continue with in-person classes and performances. “We did see it as an advantage, and I think our students did too,” says Meredith Sims, associate professor of dance at Coker. “It allowed them to still feel a sense of community because we were able to be on campus and attend class.”

Is It Right for You? 

Small dance programs are for students who want to…

• Choose their own paths. “You can cultivate the ability of navigating your own journey as a dance artist, which I think is the most important skill after college,” says Mina Nishimura, a faculty member at Bennington College. 

• Ask questions. “I would recommend it for curious, open-minded people who have a lot of questions and are open to different mediums of exploration,” says Bennington graduate David Guzman. 

• Branch out. “People who dip their toes out of dance make their dance practice stronger and more interesting,” says Bennington graduate Louisa Parker. 

• Create new projects. “We really encourage our students to work on their artistic voice and choreographic tools and try to give them lots of opportunities to do that,” says Coker University associate professor Meredith Sims.   

The post Is a Smaller College Dance Program Right for You? appeared first on Dance Magazine.

One of the biggest benefits of working across disciplines is that it requires the collaborators to stretch beyond their habitual methods of creating, which can lead to a richer perspective. “Sometimes we fall into this traditional view of concert dance as just movement onstage, but collaborating pushed me to challenge what I view as dance,” says Nana Otaka, a dance and psychology major at the University of Michigan, who has worked with students in the music, visual arts, musical theater and filmmaking departments.

Finding common ground with collaborators is often the most challenging, and most rewarding, part of a project. Jennifer McQuiston Lott, assistant professor at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, believes “being forced to communicate with someone else who doesn’t have the same language around their artwork that you do” is invaluable. For example, when collaborating with film, Cardone says, “dancers need to understand film language, and the filmmakers need to understand the language of dance so they can find a common language.”

Lott also sees cross-departmental collaboration as preparing dancers for a “yes, and” career. There’s no need to limit yourself to dance performance—you can pair dance with nearly any other interest you have, no matter how broad, to discover possible career paths. Consider exploring fields like dance science, dance journalism or dance filmmaking.

Interdisciplinary Inspiration

Virtual Reality

Alissa Cardone co-leads a dance and technology lab at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where dancers have the opportunity to create choreography for a virtual-reality experience. “Our students are choreographing, filming, motion-capturing and processing visuals into video imagery,” she says. For an ongoing project called “Dream Machine,” students in multiple disciplines combine dance, electronic music production, 3-D modeling and game design, among other practices, building on research into coding, Afrofuturism and the development of virtual-reality experiences. 

Visual Art

In a student collaboration at the University of Michigan amongst visual art, film and dance, Nana Otaka experimented with using acrylic paint, charcoal and olive oil on her body while performing, and the team played with lighting and sound distortion to create a unique kinesthetic experience. “It felt like discovering a new realm or mode of movement,” she says. 

Spoken Word 

Otaka’s favorite collaborative project was a work with all Japanese dancers focusing on the Atlanta shootings targeting Asian women, created for an annual student showcase. She reached out to a Japanese musical theater major to create a spoken-word recording, to which she then choreographed movement. “The dance was made more impactful and powerful by the spoken word,” says Otaka. 

The Options Are Endless

During their senior year, dance majors at USC Glorya Kaufman must collaborate with two fields outside of dance. Students have partnered with marketing, nutrition, exercise science, filmmaking and more. One who double-majored in dance and architecture designed a performance space. Another wrote a book to teach institutions how to make their spaces more inviting for transgender dancers. “They look for mentorship outside their own program,” says Jennifer McQuiston Lott, noting this has turned into job oppor­tunities for some students. 

Getting Started

Be Vocal

First, figure out who you need to contact in the other departments. “Talk about it ad nauseam,” says Alissa Cardone. The more people you tell your ideas to, the easier it will be to make connections. Cardone says that “bringing in other voices and perspectives is so key to cultivating the mind frame of interdisciplinary thinking.”

Be Bold

“Reach out to whoever, regardless if you think they’d want to work with you,” recommends student Nana Otaka. Be bold and email or message that department. “There’s always someone who wants to work with a dancer and explore that aspect of their own art,” says Otaka.

Be Resourceful

Many schools offer funding opportunities to support independent student projects. “Educate yourself about what kinds of opportunities might be available,” says Jennifer McQuiston Lott. 

The post Why College Dance Students Should Pursue Cross-Departmental Collaborations appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Build Your Confidence

Beyond making extra money and gaining professional experience, teaching can help validate your direction. “Not that you ever need to prove yourself to the ‘real world,’ ” says Makayla Garrett, who graduated from Messiah University in 2019, “but when you have that experience and a job that pays, in a way, it legitimizes your career as a dancer.” 

Learn Communication and Leadership Skills

Teaching in a studio can help you develop skills necessary in the professional world, from directing company class to leading rehearsal. Holley Farmer, the BFA program director at CalArts, has found that “being able to communicate clearly to dancers and address their specific needs” is crucial for becoming a strong leader in the dance field. 

Determine Whether Teaching Is Right for You

Some dancers are more natural teachers, while others need practice to get the hang of it; getting experience early on will help you decide if you enjoy teaching and want to pursue it. Garrett, for example, was able to develop her own teaching style while in college, which helped her succeed in professional gigs postgraduation. After Garrett led a rhythmic-gymnastics class, her boss said, “I feel confident asking you to teach any class.”

Apply Your Pedagogy Courses

College courses in dance pedagogy provide useful learning tools, and teaching at a local studio allows you to apply the techniques and theories you learn in the classroom. Madison Moser, a mentee of Farmer’s at CalArts, appreciates teaching because it is “learning from a body not my own.” Many dancers find that teaching students a technique or skill helps them understand it better themselves.

Land Your First Teaching Job

Network and make personal connections

Getting a personal recommendation from someone already working at a studio is the most straightforward way in. Talk to other students in your university’s program to see where they are working and if they can connect you with the owner. Ask faculty members if they can recommend studios that would be a good fit for you. 

Apply early 

“Email early in the year, not a few weeks before the semester starts,” says Kristin Peterson Iovino, owner of MotionArts Dance Academy in Bloomington, Indiana, who hires students from the Indiana University Contemporary Dance Program. College students should apply as early as March, because studios begin preparing up to six months before the season begins. Iovino also encourages students to send a reminder email to ask about openings if they haven’t heard back after a few months.

Cast a wide net  

Send a cover letter and your resumé to multiple studios. If one studio can’t use a teacher in your style, they’ll often refer you to another one nearby. 

Prep for the interview 

Iovino wants to know what students are good at and what they want to teach. Be prepared to tell the interviewer about your training and your strengths, and don’t be afraid to say which styles are your expertise and which ones you are less experienced in. Studio owners will often ask interviewees to demonstrate their knowledge during the application process, so be ready to lead an exercise in the style you’re hoping to teach.

Be professional

Know the studio’s expectations. Iovino looks for teachers who are “organized, stay on task, relate well with the kids, are dressed appropriately and have a means of transportation.” She expects her teachers to wear professional, tight-fitting dance attire that is appropriate for their genre. 

Start by subbing 

Subbing lets you observe the studio environment and gives the studio a chance to see your teaching style. It’s often the easiest way to start getting connected to local studios. 

Choosing the Right Studio

Look for a place you can impact. 

Makayla Garrett advises searching for a studio that needs a teacher in your area of expertise. When she was still in college, she approached DanceVibe, a competition studio in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, that she knew could use more classical training and technique. “I knew that they needed some really great ballet training,” Garrett says, “and I wanted to bring it to them and see the results.”

The post Should You Teach at a Local Studio While You’re Still in College? appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Watch What Happens

Taking charge of your finances starts with understanding and tracking the way money moves in and out of your possession. Jessica Scheitler, the owner of Financial Groove, a Las Vegas accounting firm that serves arts and entertainment professionals, recommends dancers track their variable spending (i.e., not bills or other fixed costs) on a weekly basis, rather than monthly. “It’s easier to wrap your head around a week’s time,” she says. “If you look at your bank statement or credit card statement, you can quickly add that up and see how you did.” Tracking can be done on paper, in an Excel spreadsheet or with apps like Mint and Truebill.

Beyond the Safety Number

Scheitler says some dancers manage their spending by relying on a “safety number” that they don’t let their bank account fall beneath. But she warns that this tactic doesn’t allow a dancer’s financial situation to evolve over time—you’re always falling back to the same number, regardless of changes to your circumstances. Instead, being diligent and honest about your expenses can help you reduce your spending and start saving.

Enlist a Friend

Mathew Heggem, a former dancer with Nicholas Leichter Dance and ClancyWorks Dance Company and the founder of 10kCreators LLC, a social enterprise designed to help artists achieve financial freedom, recommends having a financial-accountability friend. Meet up with them for regular “money buddy” sessions, where you set aside time to tackle each of your financial to-dos, like transferring money to your savings account, paying bills or tracking your spending.
In times of need, don’t be afraid to lean on the support system provided by your college. If you run into an unexpected cost or your financial aid isn’t covering enough, reach out to your program director. Some colleges have emergency relief funds available to students, or other scholarships.

Pay Yourself

Once your budget is in check and your bills are covered, do your future self the favor of saving up an emergency fund to serve as a safety net for unexpected expenses. Scheitler and Heggem suggest starting out with apps and online banking options that automatically transfer change or small dollar amounts to your savings account. As your savings grow, you build the habit of investing in your financial future.

Make Your Money Matter

As important as saving is, the way you spend money has power too, and Heggem­ recommends putting money back into the arts when possible. “If you’re not participating in the economics of art yourself, then you’re not helping,” he says. “Even if it’s your friend’s $20 painting, that still counts. Getting into the practice of contributing to the arts community is awesome.”

Searching for a Side Gig

If you’ve limited your expenses and you’re sticking to a mindful budget, but your money still isn’t stretching far enough for tuition or supplies, it may be time to consider the other side of the equation—increasing your income. Selecting the right side gig to fit your needs and schedule as a college dancer takes creativity and strategy.

Invest in Yourself

Mathew Heggem recommends seeking side jobs that help you develop skills you can use for your career. Performance and choreographic side gigs are great for a dance student, but he sees social media, administrative work and website building as other skills that can benefit you down the road.

Use Your Time Wisely

Jessica Scheitler emphasizes that all side gigs are not created equal. Dance students have busy schedules filled with classes and rehearsals, so she suggests thinking creatively about income opportunities that are truly profitable for the time they require. Good side gigs may include judging dance competitions or selling online dance training packages. Scheitler’s own financial firm began with her providing bookkeeping for additional income. “Be mindful of where you’re investing your time and energy,” she says. “Do the math and make sure you’re actually going to make money.”

Be Tax Proactive

If you are making money from freelance work, you may not have taxes withheld by your employer. In these instances, Scheitler recommends setting 25 to 35 percent of your earnings aside for taxes.

What About Student Loans?

Many dancers leave college with a large sum of student debt. Mathew Heggem recommends approaching the debt realistically, but not with fear.

“Avoidance is not a strategy, or at least not one that’s going to work in the long haul,” he says. He advises dancers to stay in communication with their loan providers and be honest and proactive about needing income-based repayment or periods of forbearance.

Once you are consistently putting money towards loans each month, Jessica Scheitler suggests tackling the loans with higher interest first, to reduce the amount of interest you’ll pay overall. This hierarchy should be applied to all forms of debt you may have—not just student loans.

The post Building Toward Financial Success in College appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Few dancers, however, apply the same strategy to their mental well-being, says Dr. Lucie Clements, a dance psychologist in the UK. “But if we think about our psychological well-being ahead of the pressure that we’re putting on it, we can also prevent those difficult experiences from arising.” Taking proactive measures to care for your mental health is especially important during the college years, when young adults are often going through a slew of transitions. Dance Magazine spoke with a few experts to find out how you can nurture your emotional well-being amidst the daily grind of being a dance major.

Daily Mental Health Practices

• Do a morning body scan. Dancers often push their bodies so hard they never take a moment to stop and listen to them, says Erica Hornthal, a dance/movement therapist. “If we’re not paying attention to how the mind is showing up through the body, it’s very easy for us to reach those breaking points and then question how we got here,” Hornthal says. Before getting out of bed, take an inventory of how you’re feeling from head to toe—including your mental state. Then, let your answers inform how hard you push yourself during the day.

• Incorporate non-movement recuperation tools. Your mind needs time to rest and repair itself the same way that tired muscles do. Find activities that aren’t movement-based that bring you joy, such as watercolor painting, reading or even sitting at your favorite café and people-watching. Not only does this give your body a break, but it builds up your identity outside of dance.

• Keep a daily journal. It’s so easy to focus on the things that go wrong during class—falling out of your turns, getting the same correction over and over again—so Clements suggests keeping a journal of all the things that went right during the day. Spend 10 to 15 minutes writing down the moments when you were proud of yourself. This helps keep our minds focused on the good.

• Strive for excellence, not perfection. Abandon the impossible standard of perfection. Instead, aim for excellence in your dancing, Clements says. Creating this margin for error relieves some of the mental pressure.

Rethink “Productivity”

Dancers can be quick to neglect rest and mental self-care because it doesn’t feel “productive.” But Hornthal reminds us that when our minds are clear and calm, our dancing reaps the benefits. “All these things that we think aren’t productive because they don’t have to do with dance or bettering our craft are actually a way for us to decompress, to unwind, to unplug and recuperate,” she says. “If we don’t, then we don’t even see the red flags that could lead us to those crises.”

Breaking Point

Although mental crises can take many different forms, some common warning signs include having a hard time managing your mood, withdrawing from activities that used to bring you joy, and changes in your relationship with dance. If you find yourself struggling, here are three steps Hornthal suggests to get your mind back on track:

1. Acknowledge and accept your feelings without judgment. Resist the urge to beat yourself up about the way you feel.
2. Tap into your network. Reach out to a trusted mentor or friend to share what’s going on. “Healing and help is best managed in community,” Hornthal says.
3. Seek out help. It’s never a bad idea to connect with a licensed mental health professional. Most universities have on-campus counseling resources available, and a Google search can provide off-campus options.

The post Proactive Practices For Mental Health Care in College appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Why consider it?

You want a women-focused education.

The Gold Program within The Women’s College at Brenau University creates space to understand the contributions of women thought leaders. “Many of our classes are dedicated to focusing more on the history of women,” says Madia Cooper-Ashirifi, chair of Brenau’s department of dance. “So focusing on women authors, women leaders, women historians.”

You’ll enjoy an intimate cohort.

Since women’s colleges are typically smaller than other schools, students often enjoy a low student-to-faculty ratio, meaning more one-on-one interactions with professors. “There is generally a more close-knit sisterhood and communal solidarity in an all-women’s college,” says Wesleyan University’s dance department chair Hari Krishnan, who earned his doctorate from Texas Woman’s University.

You want female mentors.

The faculty at women’s colleges is stacked with female industry leaders who are eager to share their knowledge with young women. Not only can they impart general wisdom about the field, they can offer advice specific to being a woman in the arts.

You’ll push yourself physically.

At a women’s college, artistic works originally choreographed for men and women are reconstructed for an all-female cast, giving women the opportunity to dance roles traditionally done by men. “The expectations of what women can do in dance are broader,” says Mady Cantor, director of the dance program at Bryn Mawr College.

You want to embrace your body.

Dancers often enjoy a curriculum designed to help women embrace and harness the power of their bodies. At Bryn Mawr, the program is body-positive. “All bodies are welcome, and there is no specific ‘dancer body,’ ” Cantor says. “A ‘dancer body’ says something about the male gaze, and we are free of that.”

Best of Both Worlds

If you can’t decide between a coed or all-women’s college, some schools let you experience both. While Brenau University is coed, students can choose to enroll in The Women’s College of Brenau University at the Gainesville, Georgia, campus. Barnard College, which exists within the larger, coed Columbia University, is another example. So although you can still experience the campus life of a mixed-gender institution, you can enjoy the academic benefits of a women’s college, including classes exclusively for women, an alumnae networking system, all-women study-abroad programs and professional preparation specifically tailored to women.

What If I Identify as Nonbinary?

More and more women’s colleges are changing their admissions policies to welcome nonbinary students. If you’re considering a women’s college as a nonbinary dancer, speak with the faculty about how the department is actively creating an inclusive environment, and, if you’re able, take a tour to see for yourself.

The post Considering Women’s College? Here’s What You Need to Know appeared first on Dance Magazine.

College rankings are controversial in general: Critics say they’ve made top-ranking programs more expensive and encouraged schools to prioritize acceptance of people from privileged backgrounds, who have historically achieved success more easily. What’s more, most ranking systems are focused on academics; they aren’t designed to reflect the quality of artistic education. So do dance program rankings matter at all? 

How are rankings made?

U.S. News & World Report has been publishing annual college rankings for the last 37 years. These are the most widely referenced rankings. They take into account factors including acceptance rate, graduation rate and faculty resources. However, U.S. News does not rank highly specialized arts programs. You can search for colleges with a dance major on the U.S. News website and see where schools sit on other lists, but standalone conservatories, such as The Juilliard School or Cornish College of the Arts, have no rankings.

Do a quick Google search, though, and you’ll find plenty of lists that rank college dance programs. Though none of these sites responded to Dance Magazine’s inquiries, some do publish information about their methodology. According to the College Gazette­ website, some of their lists are based on an “average” of rankings from “other publications,” using a formula they don’t disclose. Others are based on “researched, informed opinion.” This results in discrepancies: For example, on the College Gazette list of “10 Best Colleges for Dance Performance in the U.S.,”  Juilliard is ranked number one, followed by NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts at number two. However, on “The 10 Best Dance Schools in New York City,”  Tisch is ranked at number four, behind Juilliard, Fordham University and The New School.

Another website, College Transitions, also looks at the number of students studying a particular major, and whether they represent a large share of all the students studying that same major across the country. Their list of the “best” dance programs includes 31 schools that are not presented in numerical order and is a bit more diverse, featuring more small liberal arts colleges and public universities. 

However, none of these sites appear to solicit opinions from experts in the dance field, and some of them may be financially motivated. Donna Faye Burchfield, dean of the School of Dance at University of the Arts, says that on more than one occasion publications that use college rankings have reached out about ranking her program—and that these same publications have also pushed for her school to advertise with them. “In short, they are saying, ‘Advertise with us and we rank you better.’ ”

How do rankings affect dance departments and students?

Colleges are always working to keep enrollment up, says Burchfield, and they know that rankings help drive interest. This can result in pressure on program directors to improve their standing, though the path to do so is far from clear. “One word is heard in almost every meeting I go to as dean: metrics,” says Burchfield. “We’re always talking about how we can measure our success.”

What’s tricky is how subjective metrics can be. “Whenever anything is called the ‘best,’ I think we should question it,” says Jessica Zeller, an associate professor at Texas Christian University’s School for Classical and Contemporary Dance. “The question we should be asking is ‘Best for whom?’ ”

Rankings may do students a disservice by directing them toward those few programs at the top, and away from ones that might be a better fit. “There are hundreds of dance departments, and we all do different things well,” says Zeller. Burchfield agrees. “We have graduates who’ve danced for Ailey, Hubbard Street and Kyle Abraham, but also for Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion,” she says. “They never would have gotten into Juilliard, and at the end of the day, I’m glad for that.”

Conservatory programs—which tend to claim the top spots on any ranking—may not have other options for students who want to transition into other tracks, like arts administration or teaching. “Even if you can only see yourself being a performer,” says Zeller, “there are still distinct differences between conservatory programs that may not be reflected in rankings.” For example, one school may have a great concert-dance program, but might not be the best choice if you want to pursue musical theater.

Also, rankings almost exclusively feature four-year schools, which leaves out a lot of good options. “They’re doing students a huge disservice by not considering two-year schools,” Zeller says. 

What’s more, Zeller says rankings can also hurt morale among students already enrolled­ in a program. “Any time a list comes out, I see students get disgruntled when their school isn’t labeled the ‘best,’ ” she says. “It’s a program that fits really well for them, and supports their interests, but that isn’t reflected in the ranking.”

What should students actually look for?

If rankings don’t mean much, how can you know if a dance department will be a good fit? First, think about your interests: Do you want to perform? Choreograph? Pursue academic dance studies? Then research programs to find out if their offerings match your intere­sts. You can search for these in the Dance Magazine College Guide, then look directly at department websites. “Look at the actual classes you’d be taking. What are the backgrounds of the faculty? Are they from performing backgrounds, scholarly backgrounds or a mix?” says Jessica Zeller, associate professor of dance at Texas Christian University. “And don’t be afraid to ask questions, like ‘What are your graduates doing? How many of your students receive scholarships and financial aid?’ ”

The post Do College Dance Department Rankings Matter? appeared first on Dance Magazine.

In the midst of a turbulent political­ climate, racial injustices and a global pandemic, a lot of dancers might find themselves asking the same questions. But rather than abandoning the arts, college dancers are discovering ways to marry their schoolwork with activism, using movement to respond to the world around them. “Dance has always been a radical act, even if it was covered in gauze and tulle,” Simpson says. 

Arts & Activism 101

There are many ways to start diving into activism as a college dancer. 

Check the course catalog. Some universities have started incorporating classes that merge arts and advocacy into their curriculums. Bard College created its The Artist as Citizen course, the University of San Francisco offers a Performing Arts and Social Justice major, and Marymount Manhattan College has a dance studies concentration specifically for students who want to be artist activists.

Focus your schoolwork. If your program requires you to complete a senior project, use it to respond to a social issue through research and movement. Or use student choreography opportunities to highlight a topic that’s meaningful to you. 

Use internships strategically. Search for organizations that are tackling social justice topics through the performing arts, and reach out to see if they hire interns.

Join a student-led club. At Loyola University Chicago, students formed a dance honor society to engage with their community. From preparing food for local women’s shelters to starting a fund that supports Loyola dancers in need of supplies, the group gives students a channel for merging their craft with social justice, says Sandra Kaufmann, founding director of Loyola’s dance program.

Mobilize your peers. Invite other dancers who are passionate about the same issues to be part of a flash mob, or reserve studio space to start your own choreography incubator. Activism doesn’t have to be formal to be meaningful. “It’s finding the margins of the place that you’re at and bringing light to those places,” Simpson says.

Know Before You Go

If you’re a high school student and you already know you’d like to incorporate activism into your art form, look for colleges that embed this into the curriculum. Read their mission statements. Ask what kind of coursework and special concentrations or clubs are offered. Research the faculty members to see if they’ve done any social justice work that interests you.

Finding Meaning in the Movement

For years, Leslie Morales danced for the pure joy of it. The Bard College senior relished the way that dance made her feel—happy, powerful, understood—until the pandemic upended her life. At the height of COVID-19, Morales and her whole family in the Bronx were infected­ with the virus and having hard conversations about vaccine hesitancy. “It just made me think, Why do some people question this stuff?” she says. The experience prompted her to investigate medical ethics and moments in history that have made marginalized groups wary of medical treatment, particularly the way impoverished Puerto Rican women were used to test birth control pills in the 1950s. Now, Morales is using her senior project to research unethical medical practices and then express her findings through dance. “A mixture of my own experiences and what’s happening around the world led me to put more activism into my performance work,” she says.

The post How College Dancers Can Marry Their Passion to Activism appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Prep to Impress

The last thing you want to do is walk into a guest artist’s class with no idea about what you’re in for. Here are a few ways you can prepare to set yourself up for success: 

Know your learning style. Before there’s even a guest artist on the schedule, start reflecting on how you pick up choreography in your everyday technique classes, says Catherine Horta-Hayden, chair of the department of dance at Towson University. “You have to figure out early in your journey how you pick up information best, because that’s your go-to when you have something that is unfamiliar.” 

Research. Spend time perusing the artist’s website, their background and their current projects, and watch a few videos of their work online. This will help you get acquainted with their movement style, and come up with some smart questions if there’s a Q&A or even just some informal time to talk after class.

Take strategic classes. If you’ve never tried a guest’s movement style before, look for an instructor at your college or a nearby studio who teaches in a similar style, or search online for videos of the guest teaching, says Christopher­ Dolder, chair of dance at Southern Methodist University. 

Embrace the unknown. “Enjoy the ride,” says Horta-Hayden. “There’s beauty that comes out of being in a situation where you’re uncomfortable and then all of a sudden, your body starts moving, and you have these moments of excellence and these revelations.” Don’t be tentative—have the guts to take risks. 

Don’t Be Intimidated

While it’s tempting to put guest artists on a pedestal considering they’ve usually got a laundry list of accolades, viewing them as just another creative human being can help you walk into the experience with assurance. “Have the confidence to communicate what you want and ideas you have,” SMU chair of dance Christopher Dolder says.

Follow-Up and Follow-Through

The best guest-artist experiences don’t end when the class is over. If they’re someone you might want to learn more from, or work with down the line, stay connected after the music stops.

1. Send a thank-you.
Don’t be afraid to ask for the artist’s email or Instagram handle to keep in touch. Then, shoot them a thank-you note the day after the master class to let them know how much you enjoyed the experience. Be specific about what you learned. 

2. Take another class.
Consider making a visit to their home studio or company to take a class. If you can’t swing a trip, take advantage of the rise of Zoom classes and reconnect with them virtually through an online master class, Horta-Hayden suggests. 

3. Share your work.
If you’ve reached out and they’re receptive to having a dialogue, keep it up by sending short clips of or links to your most recent projects, Dolder says. This keeps them up to date on your movement style, your growth and how you might fit into their work in the future. 

The post How to Wow Your College’s Next Guest Artist appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Dance Team: Fact or Fiction?

Fact: It requires intense time commitments. At the University of Minnesota, BFA dance majors take two to three technique classes a day, says Carl Flink, director of the school’s dance program. Members of the University of Minnesota dance team practice three to five days a week, depending on the season, says head coach Amanda Gaines. Dancers who do both must be capable of handling the physically demanding schedule.

Fiction: It’s impossible to do both. Plenty of dancers successfully balance their dance major requirements with dance team commitments, but your university must be willing to help you accommodate both. Communicate with dance faculty about why joining the team is important to you.

Fact: It’s not for everyone. Most dance teams feature highly athletic performers with strong hip-hop technique and acrobatic skills. The focus is typically on clean lines and stunts more than individual artistry. Teams perform at football and basketball games, campus events, their own concerts and at competitions.

Fiction: Joining the dance team is counterproductive to a dance major. Some believe that the emphasis on unison and competition among dance teams is at odds with the nature of concert-dance programs, but Flink pushes back on that idea. “I’m not convinced that precision and the intensity of a team is somehow in tension with what an aspiring dance artist would want to have,” he says. Joining the team can infuse your movement with more sharpness and energy, making you a multifaceted dancer.

Dance Team Dazzle

In addition to the opportunity to perform at major sports events and compete on a national stage, dance team members enjoy advantages in and out of the studio. Rigorous conditioning gives their movement a special kind of physicality that not all dance majors have, says the Ohio State University’s Susan Van Pelt Petry. “All the people I can think of who have done dance team are all really shiny personalities,” she adds. Being on a team often shapes dancers into exceptional leaders and collaborators.

Nail Your Double Dance Demands

Juggling the dance team with a dance major is not for the faint of heart. Those who excel at both are strong time managers and prepared to make sacrifices.

• Prioritize rest. Make time for restorative practices, otherwise you run the risk of injury and burnout. Figure out how your body recovers best, whether it’s yoga, meditation, massage or just extra hours of sleep.

• Manage your expectations. Be prepared to make sacrifices in your social life and your dance major. “You have to know that you’re not going to be able to do all the experiences that are possible in the dance major,” says Susan Van Pelt Petry, interim chair of the dance department at the Ohio State University. This might mean forgoing optional performances, missing master classes or not participating in student works.

• Find your support system. On the days where your body and mind are exhausted, know who to turn to. Develop strong relationships with dance faculty, your teammates and fellow dance majors who can encourage you through difficult moments.

• Consider a BA instead of a BFA. A Bachelor of Fine Arts requires more dance credits than a Bachelor of Arts will. Students who are interested in joining the dance team may want to enroll in a BA dance program because it’s less credit intensive.

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Find Your Topic

Dancers are often most intimidated by homing in on an idea for their independent study. Here are a few tips for brainstorming a subject:

Find inspiration in other classes. Be on the lookout for topics in your coursework that pique your interest. They can serve as the springboard for an independent study project.

Read faculty bios. Find out what sort of research members of the dance faculty are doing or have done in the past. Not only can this spark an idea, but it can also point you to a mentor.

Consider your passions. The best topics are those you’re authentically interested in. Are you invested in helping people with disabilities? You could explore dance as a form of movement therapy. Love to play piano? Learn how to accompany a dance class.

Ask for advice. Don’t shy away from an independent study just because you haven’t completely fleshed out your idea, says Jan Erkert, head of the dance department at the University of Illinois. “Those big ideas are where students should start,” she says. Advisors and faculty can help you narrow down a topic.

Curiosity-Driven Coursework

When Emily Pierce first enrolled in the Honors Tutorial Program in Dance at Ohio University, she was a little intimidated by the endless topics she could explore. Then a lecture about media literacy in her introduction to women’s, gender and sexuality studies course sparked an unknown passion of hers: the intersection of dance and surveillance. What began as a nagging curiosity snowballed into several semesters’ worth of independent studies centered on dance in new media, including motion-capture technology and drone art. Now a junior in the program, Pierce says that the key to being successful in an independent study is staying curious: “What keeps learning really exciting for me is that I never know what I’m going to find.”

Is It for Me?

While independent study can be a great opportunity to explore your interests, it isn’t right for everyone. Dancers who pursue this should be self-starters, comfortable working alone, strong time managers and resilient. If the research project hits a dead end, students need to be able to go back to their main question and try again, says Tresa Randall, director of studies for the Honors Tutorial Program in Dance at Ohio University.

Consider the Benefits

You’ll forge strong relationships. In the Honors Tutorial Program in Dance at Ohio University, students are paired with a faculty member, known as a tutor, for each course. Not only does this give dancers the chance to soak in their expertise, but it also cultivates strong connections that could come in handy after graduation.

You could get clarity about your career. Nowadays, a dance degree can unlock countless career paths, and solo research projects can be a useful tool to help you suss out what you might want to do professionally.

You’ll own your education. “Education, ideally, is meant to empower the student to be their own teacher, to shape their own learning,” Erkert says. One-on-one research equips dancers with the tools they need to be lifelong learners.

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This concept is the throughline of the curriculum at American Musical and Dramatic Academy, where dance students spend all four years honing their audition skills.

“You’re always auditioning,” says Santana Trujillo, AMDA’s dance outreach manager and a graduate of its BFA program. On campus in Los Angeles and New York City, students have access to dozens of audition opportunities every semester.

For advice on how dancers can put their best foot forward at professional auditions, Dance Magazine recently spoke with Trujillo, as well as AMDA faculty members Michelle Elkin and Genevieve Carson. Catch the whole conversation below, and read on for highlights.

1. Do Your Research

Every audition, no matter the style, should start with research. Elkin, who works professionally as a choreographer and a dancer for film, television and theater, tells her students to focus on the big picture. Ask yourself: “What character am I auditioning for?” Once you’ve found your storyline, look behind the scenes: Who is choreographing? What kind of artists have they hired before, and what will you highlight in yourself to show them you’re up to the task?

Carson, who served as artistic director of the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company from 2016–20, says the preparation looks similar even if you’re working in concert dance. “The only way you’re going to understand the ethos of the company you’re auditioning for is by putting in the time,” she says. Just like you’d research the specific character of a commercial role, look at the artistic director’s bio. Study the movement vocabulary of the company you’re interested in and reflect on how you can demonstrate that you’re prepared to take on its rep.

​2. Know the Expectations

That said, there are still differences between commercial and concert auditions, so being familiar with each will help make the process less overwhelming. Television and film move faster than theater or concert auditions, says Elkin, “especially if you’re a union member,” because the panel may only have an hour to see people. Build your skills in learning choreography quickly, and be ready to dance at a moment’s notice. In theater, there’s “a little bit more time to see people dance longer, sing and read sides,” says Elkin. At AMDA, she teaches her students to be prepared for both situations: The more flexible you are, the more opportunities will come your way.

Auditioning for a concert-dance company will be a longer process, says Carson. “There’s a lot more than the technical prowess of a dancer that an artistic director looks for,” she says. When she directed the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, Carson was drawn to auditionees who were versatile, open-minded and had a collaborative spirit. When you’re hoping to join a company, she says, you’ll want to demonstrate that you’re interested in the whole creative process—not just the final result. At AMDA, concepts like these are built into the curriculum: Carson leads classes that expose students to a range of different choreographers and working methods every semester.

​3. Use Technology to Your Benefit

Elkin, who has worked in the commercial-dance industry since childhood, continues to watch the ways that technology transforms the audition process, especially as we move through the pandemic. “A lot of the first initial calls are going through self-tapes,” she says. “The big pivot to being online created this wonderful experience to figure out how to shoot, how to be on camera, and how to slate and submit that information.”

Elkin thinks that most first-round auditions will continue to be online, even post-pandemic, but the change isn’t necessarily for the worse—dancers can save time and money by eliminating the need to travel and wait in long lines before they’re seen. Right now, she works to make sure her students at AMDA feel comfortable and confident presenting their best selves on camera.

4. Look Past the Binary

“There’s cross-pollination happening between the commercial and concert dance worlds,” says Carson. At AMDA, students are taught to “dive into each world without hesitation.” The result creates an environment where students are able to change or vary their career paths, leading to more artists who are increasingly open-minded in how they approach dance.

Trujillo, for example, started at AMDA wanting to be a Broadway-style singer, but the mentorship she found in the dance department guided her toward hip-hop and heels dancing instead. “I’m honored to be on faculty at AMDA because of the forward thinking that goes into the programs we create,” says Carson. “I feel like we’re constantly innovating.”

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In many ways, it was a profound lifeline. It got me out of the house; exposed me to a young, hungry generation of pre-professionals who taught me how to teach; reconnected me to my body as a moving entity; and helped me remember the value of our art form, which I had begun to seriously question. I also knew I was a lifeline for the students, who deeply craved the in-person contact and level of professional knowledge I held.

Sören Wacker, Courtesy Singh

Chris Cameron, Courtesy O’Connor

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Dance Magazine caught up with five recent grads to see where they’ve landed and how USC Kaufman and its career services department prepared them for their future in the dance industry.

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Mary Mallaney, Courtesy USC

Courtesy SUNY Purchase

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Online Opportunity

Courtesy Etienne

Don’t overlook the value of virtual semesters. Danie Etienne, a second-year choreography and performance MFA candidate at FSU, didn’t think she’d be able to participate in the ARTS in NYC program due to the demands of her graduate degree and financial constraints—until it went virtual. Instead of boarding a plane to the Big Apple last spring, FSU students completed remote internships with New York City organizations. For Etienne, this meant she got to intern with lauded choreographer Camille A. Brown, where she gained firsthand experience with fundraising, writing grants and attending company meetings with Brown herself. “I was able to be in this room and hear about all of the great things that are happening for people of color. It was just very special,” Etienne says.

The post Should You Spend a Semester in New York City or Los Angeles? appeared first on Dance Magazine.

Igor Burlak, Courtesy Boston Ballet School

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But Sandra Parks, assistant teaching professor at Drexel University, was prepared. She had spent the previous three years developing an online-only dance degree for Drexel’s Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. The program, which will admit its first class this fall, is intended for late-career and retired dance professionals who didn’t earn an undergraduate degree during their performing days.

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Students in the program train in popping, locking, hip hop, breaking and house as well as bharatanatyam, capoeira, dancehall, and contemporary African and European dance styles. By discovering the music, lifestyles and urban spaces that bring these practices to life, dancers learn through moving, acquiring technical knowledge and sometimes even firsthand experiences of the clubs and communities that breathe life into the East London landscape where the course is based.

Program head Carla Trim-Vamben recently spoke to Dance Magazine about bringing urban dance into academia, and how her teaching approach challenges a new generation of dancers to reimagine where and how dance is learned and performed.

Donae Willis, Courtesy Trim-Vamben

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Now you can have a chance to hear more about Ryan’s training and career path, ask for her advice, and much more in our exclusive virtual conversation! Click here to register for free with your questions. Then join us for Q&A with Sarah Gabrielle-Ryan on Thursday, April 22, at 4 pm Eastern/1 pm Pacific.

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Just because you got into a great dance program does not mean you are getting everything you possibly can out of your college education. Whether you’re online or on campus this semester, there’s an abundance of resources available. All you need to do is figure out how best to take advantage of them.

Work With Your Professors

Your professors are there for you, and not just during class time. Meet—or set up a video chat—with them during office hours to let them know your goals and interests. They may be able to work with you independently. “It can lead to great things,” says Rider University associate professor Kimberly Chandler Vaccaro. “One faculty member was able to offer dance education internships. I just presented on the Dance and Sustainability Project, which uses dance to bring awareness to climate change, with senior Gabriella A. Boes at the National Dance Education Organization. We’ve had other students volunteer with our kinesiology professors and get involved in published studies.”

Kristin Deiss, commercial dance chair at Hussian College Los Angeles (formerly Studio School), suggests offering yourself as a resource: “Offer to intern. Offer to shadow for a day. Offer to take on tasks they need help with,” she says. “You can learn so much by watching experts.” In addition to your full-time professors and adjuncts, consider reaching out to guest choreographers, too.

Take Advantage of Tutoring Services

Tutoring is one of the best ways to boost your academic skills outside the studio. “A lot of kids feel like it’s failure to use these services, but they can use them to great effect,” says Vaccaro. “I mean, you’re paying for them already.” What do you have to lose?

This can be especially helpful with written work. See if your school has a writing center (spoiler alert: most do!). Getting feedback on your research papers and essays today will serve you well in the future. “I love to remind students that writing skills are essential as artists,” says Mila Thigpen, chair of dance at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. “As professionals, they will be writing resumés, completing grant applications and writing artist statements. Text has just as much importance in the world.”

Consider a Campus Job

Conroy-Voza values her time working on campus as a community assistant, in which she supervised students living in one of the residence halls. “I learned how to talk to people and navigate difficult situations,” she says. “People skills are definitely something a dancer needs.”

Visit the Career Center

If your dance program doesn’t offer a career prep course on how to create a resumé, website and portfolio, and how to market yourself, the career center will be able to advise you on almost all of those topics.

Ask a Librarian

Most every student has used the campus library, but not all realize just how valuable a resource the actual librarians are. Thigpen encourages her students to make friends with them. “The way they think about research isn’t just limited to books. They can help find vintage film or other creative resources,” she says. If you’re choreographing about a moment in history, for instance, libra­rians can help you find ample material on your topic. “Our artist selves and our scholar selves can inform each other,” says Thigpen. And that mode of thinking can last long past graduation.

Visit the Wellness Center

Health and wellness resources are some of the fastest growing programs at colleges today, offering appointments with physical therapists, athletic trainers, counselors and other experts. “Destigmatize stress and anxiety,” says Vaccaro. “If you have a strained emotional state, why wouldn’t you go see someone?”

Sophia Bonacorso, a recent University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduate, appre­ciated being able to have an ice bath after technique classes at her wellness center and found it helpful to talk with a nutritionist. “Don’t be afraid to use the resources around you,” she says. “It’s a rigorous program. You will hurt. You will be sore.” Learn what kind of self-care works best for you while you have easy access to these kinds of services.

Join a Club

Conroy-Voza enjoyed being a part of Rider’s dance team, a green activist group and a student film advisory board, among other organizations, while she was in school. “There’s so much to do and I’m paying so much money,” she says. “Why would I not do as much as I can?”

Being a part of a dance team or club that isn’t part of your required curriculum can provide extra performance and choreographic opportunities. It’s also a chance to delve into styles you’re not taking class in, and possibly dip your toes in arts administration or other behind-the-scenes work.

Branch Out

Taking classes outside of your dance curriculum can help you develop valuable life skills that will serve you in the long run. Thigpen suggests looking into a double major or a minor that can support a dance career, like business, technology or film. “I also encourage learning a second language as we become increasingly globally connected,” she says.

Collaborate With Peers

One of the best ways to network, build your resumé and expand your interests is to work with peers in other departments. Choreograph a dance to a student’s composed music. Offer to be an extra in a student film. Bonacorso recalls having a blast participating in a musical theater production. “Surround yourself with as many artists as you can,” she encourages.

And go see what students in other departments are producing. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre artistic director Susan Jaffe, who served as the dean of dance at UNCSA for eight years, says, “Go see what the other schools are doing so that you get a wider experience.”

See Every Interaction as a Networking Opportunity

One of the greatest opportunities you can have as a dance major is working with guest choreographers. Rather than looking at these as one-off experiences, see them as potential career boosters, or “mini internships,” as Thigpen likes to call them. Jaffe recalls bringing in Ballet Nuremberg director Goyo Montero to work with UNCSA students. One student who fell in love with his work asked Jaffe to connect the two of them. That student was later hired by Montero.

Don’t overlook your fellow students. “These people are the ones that you’ll be working next to when you graduate,” says Deiss. “Be someone people like to be around. Don’t be afraid to talk about your aspirations. You’ll be surprised after graduation who remembers what and who is going to call you.”

But Don’t Forget to Pace Yourself

Taking advantage of the myriad opportunities that come your way makes for a richer college experience, but don’t try to do too much too fast. Former UNCSA dean of dance Susan Jaffe encourages students to take some time to get acclimated to university life before diving headfirst into extracurriculars. “I usually don’t recommend electives at first,” she says. “You’re getting to know people and the culture, and you need time to digest and process. Then, as you go through the years, electives can be incredibly fun.”

Boston Conservatory at Berklee chair of dance Mila Thigpen agrees: “You can do anything, but you can’t do everything,” she says. “Start small. Be kind and patient with yourself. Start with one goal that you’re going to explore.”

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This holds especially true for college dance majors, who are applying to jobs that are even more scarce because of rapid downsizing and the closure of dance companies and organizations. Never before have dance students had to navigate the job search almost entirely online in an industry that depends on in-person collaboration.

Although many companies have adapted with digital programming, most final-year college dance majors are unsure of their future. Dance Magazine spoke to six soon-to-be graduates about how the pandemic has impacted their career plans.

Jordan Wynn, 20, New York University

Before the pandemic began, NYU Tisch School of the Arts student Jordan Wynn had built extensive professional experience that included off-Broadway shows and sold-out concerts. She had also developed a robust network: In her last year of high school, she auditioned for the Broadway cast of Cats and went through to the final round. Although she wasn’t selected, casting agents told her that they would keep in touch.

“Going into college, I felt secure in my connections and my ability to get jobs,” she says.

Wynn had only wanted to audition for dance jobs after graduation, but the pandemic persuaded her to consider other options more seriously. In addition to her dance major, Wynn minors in social and cultural analysis and works at the nonprofit You Can Too, a mentorship program for minority youth. Wynn says her passion for diversity and inclusion work has persuaded her to also apply to college advising and mentorship jobs.

Wynn’s dedication to diversity also extends to the dance industry. “I think that with the resurgence of Black Lives Matter and COVID-19, a lot of dancers have realized that the dance world is problematic in so many ways. There’s a really focused anti-Blackness,” she says. As she continues applying for both dance and mentoring jobs alike, Wynn hopes dance majors stay encouraged. “Art deserves to have a real resurgence after the pandemic, and we’re a critical part of making that happen.”

Jane Krause, 21, Agnes Scott College

Jane Krause loved dance from a young age because of its ability to boost her confidence and reduce her anxiety. When she joined Agnes Scott College in Georgia, she decided to major in dance because of the welcoming community that the college dance company Studio Dance Theater provided.

Last year when Krause entered her junior year and began interning at Core Dance, she made plans to pursue stage management or something similar after graduation. Then the pandemic hit and Krause was sent back home, which was when she started considering other careers. “It’s made me want to find something that’s a little bit more stable,” Krause says.

She began applying for elementary-school teaching jobs, hoping to one day earn a teaching degree and become a dance teacher. Although the pandemic altered her plans, she is confident that dance will still be an integral part of her life. “Your experience as a dancer is really valuable no matter what you go into.”

Samantha Chapa, 21, New York University

Growing up on the border of Texas and Mexico, Samantha Chapa started formal dance training at 13 and knew she wanted to pursue it, but had to convince her family first. “It took a while to convince my parents that I wanted to major in dance, because the general consensus in Mexican-American culture is that you can’t make a living out of the arts and that it’s more of a hobby than a career,” she says.

After graduating, Chapa says, she wants to be a freelance choreographer and teach university classes. However, she applied to acting schools in the New York City area and was accepted to a two-year associate program at New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts on a scholarship. She cites this as her backup plan if she doesn’t secure enough choreographic work in a few months.

What worries Chapa the most about her future as a choreographer is the financial component. However, she says the changing dance industry is the main reason why she is pushing through. “What I see for the future of the dance world is that it will be more forgiving. I think people are going to be more sensitive and more reflective in our generation.”

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These nagging negative thoughts are often the hallmark of what’s commonly referred to as “impostor syndrome,” a phenomenon where someone often doubts their talents and attributes any success to luck. “You’re always afraid that you’re going to be found out as a fraud,” says Brooke Ewert, a sports counselor at Rocky Mountain Sports Counseling Center in Colorado. Even dancers who’ve never battled impostor syndrome before might find it sneaking up on them as they enter a college dance program, where the pressure to go professional ramps up. But you don’t have to be a slave to these anxious thoughts.

All You Need Is One Yes

Lee Gumbs, Courtesy Williams

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