Dance majors?

[Anonymous]

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

What makes you stay this? UMD is DD’s first choice.

The lack of audition process means that only the worst dancers go there. The faculty is incredibly weak and has little to work with. Not only do they have trouble getting hired but we won't hire anyone that was taught by a UMD grad.

Even students that enter with some skill will not keep pace with peers elsewhere. I sit on the otherside if the table and toss the resumes. Too many have underperformed to even bither.

Are you hiring for teaching or performing roles? Doesn’t UMD have a scholarship awarded to talented dancers by audition? If you’re hiring for performing roles, wouldn’t the audition speak louder than the school?

bother.

Both. Haven't had a competent audition in 5 years. The really strong local schools don't hire them to teach.

I’m sorry I’m not trying to out you but to understand more from your perspective. DD is planning to audition for several dance programs next year - including the local ones mentioned here - but UMD has a much stronger academic program and she wants to double major. Her goal is to dance in college at a fairly high (but not top) level and hopefully in a company someday, but doesn’t plan to make her living through dance. Is UMD’s program strong enough to provide those kinds of opportunities?

Not likely employable for a dance company.

How about strong schools that offer dance minors and/or strong companies - Princeton, W&M, Wesleyan, Vassar? Or other schools offering BA dance degrees like GW, AU, or Connecticut College?

Pretty solid options. Even Harvard has a dance major. The current group of GW and AU students are doing well in the working world.

Are you the PP who says UMD grads are unemployable? Because some of these programs don’t audition either. How are these grads more employable than UMD’s - in dance?

Maybe they have better recruiting or a better faculty.

[Anonymous]

If considering Temple- look at Drexel. They just absorbed the dance college in philly

[Anonymous]

My cousin was a performing arts major with a focus on dance. She graduated and worked as a yoga instructor past time. Then she sold chocolate (don't ask). Now she's 37 and getting her masters to become a therapist who guides people with PTSD through doing ayahuasca or something like that. She went to Interlochen Center for the Arts for HS and then I forget where for college.

My other cousin went to Cornell and majored in theatre and minored in dance. She was a traveling yogi to stars for a while. Then she would lead huge yoga classes in Central Park and stuff like that. Now she has her own yoga studio.

I am friends with a professional dancer but he didn't go to college for it. He steadily works as a dancer, and has his entire life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If considering Temple- look at Drexel. They just absorbed the dance college in philly

They took in some of the UArts students. So did Temple-my internet friend’s daughter is somewhat local and chose Temple as they had BFA (Drexel didn’t). Lots of other schools also offered admission. At least one of the accepted UArts dancers wound up at Dean with my daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She graduated from Towson and runs a dance studio in Jersey and is very successful.

Thanks for posting what does now. That is biggest worry— the what to do to pay rent.

[Anonymous]

OP have you / your DD considered Emory?
They have a very strong dance program.

[Anonymous]

High ranked schools with great dance programs -Hopkins, USC, Northwestern, Emory, Duke, Michigan, NYU, OSU, UC-Irvine (this one is good for ballet), Rutgers

I have heard excellent things about the dance instruction at Princeton and Wake Forest , though not an academic major

I think WashU, as well, but not talked about as much.

Vandy and Stanford have companies that are very good

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Muhlenberg College in PA is worth a look. Strong arts, including dance. Students can major or minor in dance and it’s a liberal arts school so many other majors to choose from.

This is a big favorite on the Dance Parent Board.

The most difficult to please child on that board finally landed there and stayed to finish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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

What makes you stay this? UMD is DD’s first choice.

The lack of audition process means that only the worst dancers go there. The faculty is incredibly weak and has little to work with. Not only do they have trouble getting hired but we won't hire anyone that was taught by a UMD grad.

Even students that enter with some skill will not keep pace with peers elsewhere. I sit on the otherside if the table and toss the resumes. Too many have underperformed to even bither.

Are you hiring for teaching or performing roles? Doesn’t UMD have a scholarship awarded to talented dancers by audition? If you’re hiring for performing roles, wouldn’t the audition speak louder than the school?

bother.

Both. Haven't had a competent audition in 5 years. The really strong local schools don't hire them to teach.

I’m sorry I’m not trying to out you but to understand more from your perspective. DD is planning to audition for several dance programs next year - including the local ones mentioned here - but UMD has a much stronger academic program and she wants to double major. Her goal is to dance in college at a fairly high (but not top) level and hopefully in a company someday, but doesn’t plan to make her living through dance. Is UMD’s program strong enough to provide those kinds of opportunities?

Not likely employable for a dance company.

How about strong schools that offer dance minors and/or strong companies - Princeton, W&M, Wesleyan, Vassar? Or other schools offering BA dance degrees like GW, AU, or Connecticut College?

Pretty solid options. Even Harvard has a dance major. The current group of GW and AU students are doing well in the working world.

Harvard really doesn’t have a dance major. It does have a lot of dance opportunities, but not credit classes

[Anonymous]

Friend’s daughter is at Oklahoma. She really likes that they stressed having a broad education ( not just dance) and the daughter is very happy and learning a lot. They also can choose between 3 areas of dance for a focus. She is probably choosing pedagogy with a greater focus on running a dance studio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Related question for those whose kids majored in dance and graduated, where are they now? What are they doing?

Barely dancing.

[Anonymous]

What do dance majors do for work when they graduate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High ranked schools with great dance programs -Hopkins, USC, Northwestern, Emory, Duke, Michigan, NYU, OSU, UC-Irvine (this one is good for ballet), Rutgers

I have heard excellent things about the dance instruction at Princeton and Wake Forest , though not an academic major

I think WashU, as well, but not talked about as much.

Vandy and Stanford have companies that are very good

Unless the family is rich, you'd be a little crazy to pay Princeton ot Northwestern prices for a dance degree.

What about Indiana or GMU?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Related question for those whose kids majored in dance and graduated, where are they now? What are they doing?

Barely dancing.

or Vice versa

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do dance majors do for work when they graduate?

My sister has a BFA in dance. She’s the director of community outreach for a ballet studio in a midsize city, and also teaches and choreographs.