Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op are you local?
What grade is your daughter?
Where is she studying now?
Is she doing the Suzanne Farrell program? Is she with Washington ballet? Is she at Kirov?

Yes, I'm in Burtonsville. My daughter is a senior and she attends a dance studio in Silver Spring. She has done summer intensives in New York for the last two summers.

Ok. Cool, I assume Towson due to in state tuition? I definitely see the wisdom in not graduating with debt. What kind of dancer does she want to be? Commercial jobbing dancer/actor? Does she specifically want to be with a company? If she wants to be with a company I would save college later in life. Those are precious years in dance. It's a short career for most.

She wants to be a professional dancer with a company plus she wants to teach dance classes for kids and teens part time.

Yes, but what kind?

Ballet.

She needs to look into IU then. I always read the bios of the dancers when I go to ballet performances, and Indiana is the school I see listed most frequently. Also, many of the dancers will note in their bios that they majored in ballet and another major, so they have something else for after their ballet years.

Anonymous wrote:OP, visit the college forum on dancemom.com

You will get great information there, from parents whose kids are working professional dancers or in university programs.

There is much more to dance than just NYC classical ballet.

Thanks! I will look into this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op are you local?
What grade is your daughter?
Where is she studying now?
Is she doing the Suzanne Farrell program? Is she with Washington ballet? Is she at Kirov?

Yes, I'm in Burtonsville. My daughter is a senior and she attends a dance studio in Silver Spring. She has done summer intensives in New York for the last two summers.

Ok. Cool, I assume Towson due to in state tuition? I definitely see the wisdom in not graduating with debt. What kind of dancer does she want to be? Commercial jobbing dancer/actor? Does she specifically want to be with a company? If she wants to be with a company I would save college later in life. Those are precious years in dance. It's a short career for most.

She wants to be a professional dancer with a company plus she wants to teach dance classes for kids and teens part time.

Yes, but what kind?

Ballet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My college roommate was a dance major (modern dance). Ended up getting masters in dance therapy, and seems happy with her life.

OP here, so what exactly is she doing now?

She is working full time as a dance-movement therapist.

Roommate poster again, she lives in Chicago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My college roommate was a dance major (modern dance). Ended up getting masters in dance therapy, and seems happy with her life.

OP here, so what exactly is she doing now?

She is working full time as a dance-movement therapist.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If she wants to do ballet, she should look into Indiana University's ballet program. It is within the music school there. It is a very selective program: they only accept 9-10% of those who audition. Many of their grads are dancing in professional ballet companies, check out bios and you'll find IU grads.

I'm the above poster working with a bunch of ballerinas. There was definitely an Indiana grad in the bunch.
Would also add Butler and CCM.

The dancer I wrote about above who is friends with my child also went to IU. They originally met at a selective summer program. I think a kid who gets accepted to the IU program has what it takes.

Agreed, and it will let them know if they truly want the ballet life, while pursuing a degree. Kind of an ideal scenario. I'm working with an interesting mix right now. Some did the aforementioned programs, a few went straight to companies ( and worked their way up to soloist). I will say they all have one Thing in common, they all have regrets and second thoughts on their personal journey. Almost all of them. They question if they took the right track, and they are all as successful as you can realistically be, unless you are Misty Copland. That's a whole other thing.
As far as contemporary/ modern dance companies, you can't make a living doing that. End of story.

Actually, you can. Try Chicago or St. Louis.

Also look towards LA for commercial dance.

La commercial scene and small contemporary dance companies not the same. Define making a living. The ballerinas in Washington ballet aren't really making a living. Contempary is a career in teaching.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If she wants to do ballet, she should look into Indiana University's ballet program. It is within the music school there. It is a very selective program: they only accept 9-10% of those who audition. Many of their grads are dancing in professional ballet companies, check out bios and you'll find IU grads.

I'm the above poster working with a bunch of ballerinas. There was definitely an Indiana grad in the bunch.
Would also add Butler and CCM.

The dancer I wrote about above who is friends with my child also went to IU. They originally met at a selective summer program. I think a kid who gets accepted to the IU program has what it takes.

Agreed, and it will let them know if they truly want the ballet life, while pursuing a degree. Kind of an ideal scenario. I'm working with an interesting mix right now. Some did the aforementioned programs, a few went straight to companies ( and worked their way up to soloist). I will say they all have one Thing in common, they all have regrets and second thoughts on their personal journey. Almost all of them. They question if they took the right track, and they are all as successful as you can realistically be, unless you are Misty Copland. That's a whole other thing.
As far as contemporary/ modern dance companies, you can't make a living doing that. End of story.

Actually, you can. Try Chicago or St. Louis.

Also look towards LA for commercial dance.

OP, visit the college forum on dancemom.com

You will get great information there, from parents whose kids are working professional dancers or in university programs.

There is much more to dance than just NYC classical ballet.

SIL and her dance major friends - mostly work in PT-type or OT-type of occupation, become either school PE or dance teachers or things like yoga instructors (or studio owners etc). Most of them were passionate about dance & don't 'regret' it necessarily - but if you aren't selected to a troupe instead of college, you are probably already off a serious dance career already.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, I would not allow it. Some choices are allowed to be made by my children. Some are not. They are not allowed to pursue any career that puts their life on the line (military, police, firefighter) and not allowed to pursue a career that burns out their body (sports). If they had chosen to do that, they would not have my support.. You are free to disagree and parent your children the way you think is best. But you will not change my mind. I have four, two of whom have graduated from college. So I'm comfortable with the track I'm on in regards to this.

Good thing other parents are not like you.

Just couldn't hold back from being nasty, could you? Of course it's good that some people are firefighters. Someone has to be. It's just not going to be my kids. Luckily none of the forbidden professions are their dream, so it all works out well in our family. Hopefully the people who want to go into the military come from households that are supportive of that.

She pipes in all the time in any thread about military or first respondeds.

Who knew her nastiness extended into the performing arts?

I feel so glad that my older kids (also out of college) were mature enough at 18 that they knew their own minds and could be trusted, like the adults they were, to make their own decisions about their directions in life. It's too bad that PP still needed to make decisions for her grown children. Isn't the goal to have them take responsibility for themselves?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If she wants to do ballet, she should look into Indiana University's ballet program. It is within the music school there. It is a very selective program: they only accept 9-10% of those who audition. Many of their grads are dancing in professional ballet companies, check out bios and you'll find IU grads.

I'm the above poster working with a bunch of ballerinas. There was definitely an Indiana grad in the bunch.
Would also add Butler and CCM.

The dancer I wrote about above who is friends with my child also went to IU. They originally met at a selective summer program. I think a kid who gets accepted to the IU program has what it takes.

Agreed, and it will let them know if they truly want the ballet life, while pursuing a degree. Kind of an ideal scenario. I'm working with an interesting mix right now. Some did the aforementioned programs, a few went straight to companies ( and worked their way up to soloist). I will say they all have one Thing in common, they all have regrets and second thoughts on their personal journey. Almost all of them. They question if they took the right track, and they are all as successful as you can realistically be, unless you are Misty Copland. That's a whole other thing.
As far as contemporary/ modern dance companies, you can't make a living doing that. End of story.

Yeah, well, ballet dancers are probably about the most self-critical group around. Nothing they do is good enough for them, they're always trying for perfection. You can watch one dance beautifully, but she'll tell you everything she did wrong.

So true. Interestingly of the ones who went to the few select degree programs, most said they did that because they were not accepted into companies after high school. They basically said they weren't ready, and weren't developed enough. They are an interesting bunch. I have a very young daughter, and I'm not sure I would want this for her. I wouldn't discourage if it were obviously her gift and her dream, but it's not for sissies. These kids have unique spirits.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If she wants to do ballet, she should look into Indiana University's ballet program. It is within the music school there. It is a very selective program: they only accept 9-10% of those who audition. Many of their grads are dancing in professional ballet companies, check out bios and you'll find IU grads.

I'm the above poster working with a bunch of ballerinas. There was definitely an Indiana grad in the bunch.
Would also add Butler and CCM.

The dancer I wrote about above who is friends with my child also went to IU. They originally met at a selective summer program. I think a kid who gets accepted to the IU program has what it takes.

Agreed, and it will let them know if they truly want the ballet life, while pursuing a degree. Kind of an ideal scenario. I'm working with an interesting mix right now. Some did the aforementioned programs, a few went straight to companies ( and worked their way up to soloist). I will say they all have one Thing in common, they all have regrets and second thoughts on their personal journey. Almost all of them. They question if they took the right track, and they are all as successful as you can realistically be, unless you are Misty Copland. That's a whole other thing.
As far as contemporary/ modern dance companies, you can't make a living doing that. End of story.

Yeah, well, ballet dancers are probably about the most self-critical group around. Nothing they do is good enough for them, they're always trying for perfection. You can watch one dance beautifully, but she'll tell you everything she did wrong.

Anonymous wrote:My SIL's little sister majored in dance in college. She then moved to NYC and tried to be an actress.

Now she's a yoga teacher in LA.

What school? When was this? What kind of dance?

My SIL's little sister majored in dance in college. She then moved to NYC and tried to be an actress.

Now she's a yoga teacher in LA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If she wants to do ballet, she should look into Indiana University's ballet program. It is within the music school there. It is a very selective program: they only accept 9-10% of those who audition. Many of their grads are dancing in professional ballet companies, check out bios and you'll find IU grads.

I'm the above poster working with a bunch of ballerinas. There was definitely an Indiana grad in the bunch.
Would also add Butler and CCM.

The dancer I wrote about above who is friends with my child also went to IU. They originally met at a selective summer program. I think a kid who gets accepted to the IU program has what it takes.

Agreed, and it will let them know if they truly want the ballet life, while pursuing a degree. Kind of an ideal scenario. I'm working with an interesting mix right now. Some did the aforementioned programs, a few went straight to companies ( and worked their way up to soloist). I will say they all have one Thing in common, they all have regrets and second thoughts on their personal journey. Almost all of them. They question if they took the right track, and they are all as successful as you can realistically be, unless you are Misty Copland. That's a whole other thing.
As far as contemporary/ modern dance companies, you can't make a living doing that. End of story.