<p>I know that Wellesley is centered on academics, but I'm very involved in dance at an advanced level and desperately want to take it in some form at Wellesley if I end up going there. I'm interested in the student group, the Wellesley College Dancers. Anyone know enough about this to tell me if I should audition? I thought the yoga, ballet, jazz classes, etc. sounded interesting but the course listing says they're targeted more toward beginners.</p>
<p>WCD, along with all the other dance groups on campus, has open auditions in the fall so you can just come out and audition. Most groups don’t require any previous experience. If you’re coming to Spring Open Campus, all the groups will be at the activities fair, so you can stop by and ask them more specific questions about the genres of dance that they dance to, practice times, etc. </p>
<p>Yes, the physical education classes are geared towards beginners, though there is an intermediate ballet class that is also offered.</p>
<p>Link to Wellesley College Dancers:
[WELLESLEY</a> COLLEGE DANCERS: Spring Show May 5 & 6!!!](<a href=“http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/dancers/index.html]WELLESLEY”>http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/dancers/index.html)</p>
<p>There is also:
Ascendance – Ballet group
Ballroom Dance Team – Both Wellesley and MIT
Cielito Lindo – Latino Folklore dance group
Dance Collective – modern dance group [Welcome</a> To Dance Collective](<a href=“http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/dancecollective/Introduction/Opening.html]Welcome”>http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/dancecollective/Introduction/Opening.html)
Freestyle – Hip hop [Wellesley</a> College FreeStyle](<a href=“http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/freestyle/documents/]Wellesley”>http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/freestyle/documents/)
Yanvalou – African dance [Yanvalou</a> Drum and Dance Ensemble](<a href=“http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/yanvalou/index.html]Yanvalou”>http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/yanvalou/index.html)</p>
<p>A step team is also being started this semester.</p>
<p>Ok thank you! This is very helpful.</p>
<p>My roommate who was an avid dancer found opportunities through MIT, and local dance classes within reach of the exchange bus. I believe she was a novice when it came to some of the stuff she did, but was quite good because she found ways to go dancing every week.</p>
<p>There haven’t historically been many dance options at Wellesley in the past, but it’s true that there is currently an intermediate/advanced level ballet class being taught once per week, and there is now a ballet/contemporary group “ascenDance ballet company” on campus. [ [ascenDance</a> | Facebook](<a href=“http://www.facebook.com/pages/ascenDance/15312175258]ascenDance”>Redirecting...) ]</p>
<p>Many of the dancers at Wellesley choose to take dance classes at Harvard Dance Center or other local dance studios. Classes at HDC are inexpensive and are usually taught by former professional dancers. Overall, these are great to keep up with your dance technique. There are also fantastic beginners dance classes taught at HDC, which friends have taken and thoroughly enjoyed.</p>
<p>Since nothing has really been said in other posts about ascenDance ballet yet, I’ll describe it here:
ascenDance teaches technique classes at least once/week, and features student and classical choreography in performances. Anyone is allowed to join the company, and the people who dance in ascenDance range in ability levels from beginners to pre-professionally trained dancers. It is a highly supportive group that helps beginners to develop better technique and performance skills, but it also allows for more advanced dancers to choreograph, perform variations, and continue dancing at whatever level they choose. Pointe is also an option for those dancers who have already been trained and wish to continue with it. The time commitment is whatever you want it to be. In terms of choreography, ascenDance has less of a dance team aesthetic than some of the other dance groups on campus and roots its choreography in various ballet and modern techniques. ascenDance’s most recent performance was “Where the Wild Things Are…” an original ballet featuring original student choreography from 4 dance groups, Petipa variations, and a theater student who played “Max”. ascenDance performs in the fall and spring. For more information, email “<a href=“mailto:ascenDanceMail@wellesley.edu”>ascenDanceMail@wellesley.edu</a>” There will also be an informational meeting in the fall, so stay tuned!</p>
<p>Hope this helps a bit! Best of luck in your decision.</p>
<p>classes at harvard look good to me, even though it might hurt my wallet. Thanks everyone.</p>
<p>Ooh actually I just reviewed Wellesley’s course description handout of their dance program and dance at the Cambridge Dance Complex sounds pretty sweet to me. According to what I’ve seen on youtube and facebook of the student dance groups thus far, I think the dance complex would better suit me. My thanks to welles, wendymouse, and swellesley!! 
wow lots of w’s there…</p>