<p>How hard is it to take part in dance productions/shows at Columbia if you're only a beginner in dance? Can anyone comment on the quality of the dance instructors? (I'm especially interested in ballet.)</p>
<p>You take dance at Barnard. Check out info through that board and at their website. Their dance instruction is excellent and is offered at six different levels, from absolute beginner through pre-professional and in ballet and modern. They also offer other dance "styles", but only ballet and modern are offered at six levels.</p>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>
<p>i've only researched this topic since i have a son who is interested in dance and I wanted to figure out what is happening. I found that Columbia (barnard) is the only ivy that has a dance major. But dance is very strong at Brown and Princeton. If you look through the course catalog, there is an impressive assortment of classes that you can take.</p>
<p>i just started taking dance this year (i'm a barnard freshman), and while i havent tried, i would say that it probably is pretty hard to be in dance performances on campus if you've never danced before. there are a ton of nearly professional level dancers at barnard (and columbia too) and they would take all the spots. now, if you've done modern all your life and never ballet, that might be a different story. i also know people who have started israeli dance or swing dancing and now do competitions here.</p>