<p>My sister is currently a freshman at the Univeristy of Akron in the Dance program and does not like it there at all. She isn't in the dorms but is sharing a house with two other girls and feels that her living situation and where she lives is too "hood." (Outside of the university isn't the greatest neighboorhood)</p>
<p>She also says that her dance classes are not challenging enough. She "tested" into level 3 I think and they moved her up again already. I'm not exaclty sure, but something like that.</p>
<p>So now she is talking about commuting to school (we live like 25-30 minutes away) or just going to the local community college for a semester or so. </p>
<p>What she really wants to do is to get into a dance academy (I guess academy is the word) and has always been interested in one in Cali. Now that's very expensive and very far away. My parents are already paying for my OOS tuition at Michigan and do not want to pay the same price for dance classes, and I don't blame them.</p>
<p>Basically I'm trying to get some advice for her on what to do. Does anyone know of any dance academies closer to Ohio (or in Ohio) that would work for her? </p>
<p>I basically told her college isn't all fun and games like it seems and you won't always enjoy every minute of it. She was a social butterfly (for lack of a better word) in high school and I think this situation has been a little bit of a shock to her system (for example, not always going out). She also told me she has all As right now so that is good. I mean, they are just basic introductory clases but I am happy. She is one of those kids that should be a B student with some As but just doesn't really try or apply herself to subjects she isn't that interested in.</p>
<p>Is she looking at a ballet academy? What about Point Park in Pennsylvania, their program is much more rigourous then Akron’s. There is a professional company in Columbus that also has a school with it called BalletMet. Is she ready to head to more of the professional arena? There are also internships at Broadway Dance Centre in New York, you work and take a certain amount of classes, the instructors are terrific and extremely well qualified. My dgt danced with a few girls who went that route. PM me if you want more info.</p>
<p>My D1 is also majoring in dance and auditioned at Akron and was put in higher levels but chose to go elsewhere.</p>
<p>It does depend on the kind of dance she is doing and what her background is but there are several dance programs in Ohio.
OSU has a modern based program with an emphasis on choreography
OU is a modern program with some ballet - DD did not find this to be very challenging but had 9 years of ballet (daily) and 4 years of modern.
Wright state has a strong modern program attached or with options with a company in Dayton
UC/CCM is a ballet program with some modern and other local opportunities - Planet Dance is a strong Jazz company in Cincinnati
NKU (Northen Kentucky) has a broad based progam with significant jazz</p>
<p>My DD is at Point Park and loves it. It has very strong ballet, modern and jazz programs so it covers the needs of most dancer.</p>
<p>Well here’s an update. She said she’s set on leaving Akron after this semester and has already found someone to take over her lease</p>
<p>The place in Cali is called The Edge and I guess it has more of a focus on hip hop which is what I think her “style” is. At least when I had to go to her final dance recital her senior solo was hip hop (every other girl did the normal lyrical sad song deal, she wanted to be different). </p>
<p>I told her to look into taking an official academic leave, so if she wanted to come back it would be easier. </p>
<p>Well I’m home this weekend so i’ll get a better idea of what’s going on.</p>
<p>Also… I know way to much about dance. I need to go to play football or something.</p>
<p>You know if she wants a career in dance, just taking hip hop wont do it. To get an agent you need to be able to do everything. You also would have had to have danced professionally before an agent will even look at you. I think she is making a big mistake going to a place like Edge where she will be lost in the shuffle. That place is a money factory for the owners and not much else. She needs lots of ballet even if she want hip hop as a career. That is what the competition for the jobs she wants does. They take 15 or more hours of technique classes a week. Only 10% of the best trained dancers get work and only 10% of them can make a living at it. Commercial dancers need to know how to do it all and do it better than the next dancer. Hopefully you can convince her to stay in school or the only dance jobs she will end up with will be a gogo dancer in a club.</p>
<p>I have worked (toured) in dance in Cali, Colombia so I imagine I know the ballet school she is speaking of as i doubt there is more than one. The standards in terms of facilities are not what we have in the U.S. nor the training so I am wondering why she focused on that.<br>
In Ohio, Cincinnati has a strong program and Butler and IU Ballet Department are very strong and close. But you may want to have her look in the Dance Magazine College Guide and on the schools’ websites as well as visit. As a transfer student, she may be limited in her choices and/or need to repeat some credits in dance which may not transfer. Does she have particular goals to aim for professionally? That will inform the choices as well.</p>