Dance majors?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As long as she stays away from UMD she should be ok. UMD grads are unemployable.

Nonsense. I’m a local choreographer and I’ve hired several UMD dance grads over the years. True, these were the top dancers (scholarship recipients) and they were well trained and smart movers.

Are you hiring for ballet positions? UMD is a modern program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as she stays away from UMD she should be ok. UMD grads are unemployable.

Nonsense. I’m a local choreographer and I’ve hired several UMD dance grads over the years. True, these were the top dancers (scholarship recipients) and they were well trained and smart movers.

Are you hiring for ballet positions? UMD is a modern program.

Agree that that was a weird statement. I'm in theatre, and one of the biggest triple threats in the area came out of UMD (Journalism, even). She just finished a Bway run and a National tour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Applying as a dance major can be a great strategy for a great dancer with less than stellar stats. At many schools it's easy to change your major once you're there.

It's not a "great strategy' because "great dancers" get nothing out of colllege. They are too old. They should be in dance companies by then.

You’re showing your age and I hope you’re not in any position to advise dancers coming up now. This may have been true for ballet dancers 20 years ago, but even ballet companies these days are partnering with colleges to train their recruits and some companies have started their own undergrad programs to hone talent that won’t flame out early. In modern dance the options are even more plentiful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as she stays away from UMD she should be ok. UMD grads are unemployable.

Nonsense. I’m a local choreographer and I’ve hired several UMD dance grads over the years. True, these were the top dancers (scholarship recipients) and they were well trained and smart movers.

Are you hiring for ballet positions? UMD is a modern program.

Not a ballet program. You said it yourself, not top notch dancers, and a local program. This is not the scale I am looking for, nor the studios I assist in hiring require. The scholarship dancers probably have their home studios to thank for the training and UMD did no harm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As long as she stays away from UMD she should be ok. UMD grads are unemployable.

Nonsense. I’m a local choreographer and I’ve hired several UMD dance grads over the years. True, these were the top dancers (scholarship recipients) and they were well trained and smart movers.

Are you hiring for ballet positions? UMD is a modern program.

Agree that that was a weird statement. I'm in theatre, and one of the biggest triple threats in the area came out of UMD (Journalism, even). She just finished a Bway run and a National tour.

1 out of how many? Compare that to any other program.

[Anonymous]

As a studio owner, I love when my competitors hire out of UMD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Applying as a dance major can be a great strategy for a great dancer with less than stellar stats. At many schools it's easy to change your major once you're there.

It's not a "great strategy' because "great dancers" get nothing out of colllege. They are too old. They should be in dance companies by then.

You’re showing your age and I hope you’re not in any position to advise dancers coming up now. This may have been true for ballet dancers 20 years ago, but even ballet companies these days are partnering with colleges to train their recruits and some companies have started their own undergrad programs to hone talent that won’t flame out early. In modern dance the options are even more plentiful.

So this explains why young ballet dancers who seek year round conservatories only to attend and never get picked up. If they are truly partnering with colleges, a lot of families should stop uprooting and separating their families for an empty and expensive dream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a studio owner, I love when my competitors hire out of UMD.

and yet I know a Towson dance major who is waiting on tables. Think this decision through very carefully - you are significantly reducing your options for employment doing this. Do dance as a minor and or as a side interest, as I did. and i say this as a former professional dancer now a lawyer. You need to ensure that your daughter can take care if herself

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand why dance is a major. If dance can be a major, why can’t football or baseball be a major? Cheerleading?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why dance is a major. If dance can be a major, why can’t football or baseball be a major? Cheerleading?

wow, what an incredibly helpful post

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why dance is a major. If dance can be a major, why can’t football or baseball be a major? Cheerleading?

Honestly my thoughts also. College athletes at least have a proper major to fall back on. Dancer majors don’t. It’s a disservice to the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why dance is a major. If dance can be a major, why can’t football or baseball be a major? Cheerleading?

Honestly my thoughts also. College athletes at least have a proper major to fall back on. Dancer majors don’t. It’s a disservice to the students.

Dance is sn art. Football is a game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why dance is a major. If dance can be a major, why can’t football or baseball be a major? Cheerleading?

Honestly my thoughts also. College athletes at least have a proper major to fall back on. Dancer majors don’t. It’s a disservice to the students.

Dance is sn art. Football is a game.

Except not really. Dancers are at risk of the same injuries as college athletes and have shortened career prospects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why dance is a major. If dance can be a major, why can’t football or baseball be a major? Cheerleading?

Honestly my thoughts also. College athletes at least have a proper major to fall back on. Dancer majors don’t. It’s a disservice to the students.

Dance is sn art. Football is a game.

Except not really. Dancers are at risk of the same injuries as college athletes and have shortened career prospects.

Which is why the schools with trainers and therapists on staff for their performing artists are in demand.

That is what my child is aiming to do with her dance/exercise science combo

[Anonymous]

Even when opinions on it aren’t sought in the post, without fail, every single thread about the performing arts inevitably devolves into whether it’s a worthwhile degree (and warnings about waiting tables). So tiresome!