@hardchoices19 Feel free to PM me…my daughter is a four year dancer at a different school (Loomis Chaffee) but I could certainly provide some info. And congrats!!
Long fime PEA parent here. No dancers in our family though. Happy to answer any specific questions you might have about PEA- feel free to PM me. We are making hard choice ourselves now as our youngest is graduating in a few months and has been lucky enough to have some amazing college choices to pick from.
Prepx3, definitely interested in a pm but not sure how to start one! Could you send to me? And vegas1, thanks! I will keep you posted as we get closer to the end of Sunday… I want us to be pretty settled by then!
My daughter is going to PEA and she’s a dancer. She currently dances 3-4 hours a day 4-5 days a week. We knew when she applied that going would mean cutting back a bit but we still aren’t sure how that’s going to look. Have you been able to see a dance show at either school? Or talked to the head of dance? My daughter corresponded with the one at PEA and she was lovely — open to my daughter participating in the class, etc. We have been to several PEA dance shows as we are local. Feel free to PM me for more info.
ProudDramaMama, I can’t figure out how to send a PM! Could you send one to me and I will respond? I would love to chat. We have NOT seen any shows.
@hardchoices19, I believe you can only initiate a PM after 15 posts, however, @ProudDramaMama could send you a PM and you can chat with her through that PM.
Where were all you dance parents when I needed you last year?
FWIW, our family found it very interesting to explore the different dance programs through the NE schools and one mid-Atlantic school. Of all the schools we looked at over an 18 month period, the most serious pre-professional type of training in a BS dance company was at SPS. Although we accepted another offer, we do believe kiddo would have had the best dance training combined with academic rigor in their program. There were, however, other schools that offered more performance opportunities in venues away from school (NYC and Europe). So, just before the decision had to be submitted, we had to consider other factors
With the intention of being helpful and not focusing on individual schools, here are some questions to ask yourself and others who may be in programs (feel free to add to this list).
- Do you have to commit to the school Dance Company to be in dance performances?
- Do only Company dancers get solo parts, or can other dancers audition?
- How many hours a day is the commitment to Dance Company?
- What other classes or options are there to dance besides Dance Company?
- Are there classes offered in jazz, modern, partnering, Hip-Hop, step/stomp?
- What ar the rules/policies regarding rehearsals - do you have to sit there and watch others without being able to do your homework? (Sometimes this could be a few hours).
- How do you manage homework and dance rehearsal schedules?
- How many performances each year?
- What opportunities are there to perform off campus with your Dance Company?
- Any opportunity for student choreography?
- Where are the Seniors going to after graduation?
- What is the philosophy of the Director about training?
- Where you able to observe a class during your visit?
- Are you able to take a semester or trimester off to pursue another performing art or a sport?
- Do you fulfill your athletic obligation and/or co-curricular by being a dancer? (The schools we visited -yes)
- What support or help will you get creating a video portfolio for college or future company auditions?
- What are your personal goals for dancing in BS?
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I’m an Exeter alum (decades ago), and I just have to say, the new Goel Center for Theater and Dance looks AMAZING! I haven’t been back to campus since it was built, but it’s one of the things I’m really looking forward to seeing when we head up to New England to look at schools for my oldest this fall. It feels like PEA is really stepping up its commitment to dance. https://www.exeter.edu/news/behind-curtain
Congratulations hardchoices19 and there is great advice on this thread. Beyond Exeter, Deerfield and SPS, can someone suggest boarding schools where my child could continue with pointe? Thanks!
Walnut Hill, but it is primarily a school for the arts so dance is very central
Hi all, thanks for all the supportive feedback! My son has settled in Deerfield Academy and we are excited! It was with a very heavy heart to let Exeter go because we truly loved it in so many ways. There were just a handful of things, including the dance, that pushed it over the line to DA. What a roller coaster we never imagined we would be fortunate enough to be riding. Good luck to everyone else!
@parentofnicekid Look into Emma Willard.
Congratulations @hardchoices19 ! Best wishes to your dancer.
Congrats! I hope he has an amazing time at DA!
@parentofnicekid take a look at Westover, too. They have a great dance program there.
@Golfgr8 Would you be able to list or PM your list of Dance Schools? Thank you for the suggestion for Walnut Hill, EM and Westover!
@parenofnicekid I can PM you wth more information. To help others lurking on this thread…We loked at professional schools including Rock. Also did a summer intensive @ Saratoga. Boarding schools we looked at for dance included Emma Willard, Miss Porters, SPS, DA, SGS, Choate and Andover. Talk to the directors and dancers.
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@Golfgr8 (or others – feel free to comment)-- Did you find that any of the schools offered a pre-pro level of dance training? Particularly in ballet? Did you visit SPS this past year? I’m curious how close the new ballet curriculum is to ABT-level training now that Kate Lydon is in charge? For instance, do their ballet dancers typically do solid summer intensives? Or is it more of a recreational-plus type program? Did you find any BS near a pre-pro program, or do you think that the decision to attend BS is pretty much a decision to leave the pre-pro track? (unless going to less academic options like Harid, etc…) Last question (I think!): how much did the audition play in the admissions decision do you think? My dancer isn’t the strongest tester, although I am confident she could keep up with the academics if she could get in.
Have you checked out Walnut Hill?
Hi @Calliemomofgirls ! Sorry for the delay in responding. When we auditioned for SPS it was very professionally organized and so very welcoming from the dancers. I think that director may now be gone. The year we auditioned and the year before, there were one or two dancers that went onto professional programs - I think one young man went to Boston’s Company. Of all the traditional NE BS schools we visited, SPS had the most pre-professional type program. At the time, we were just amazed at the level of talent in their Company. The audition (started on a cold morning) lasted 2 hours, as it was with the Company dancers. Luckily, my DD had taken ballet/modern/jazz for 10 years and had been in a company program (she would dance after school, after sports in the evening, and/or before sports on weekends). We also sent highlight videos of performances. A few schools (Emma, SPS, and MPS) gave kiddo the opportunity to dance with their dancers. I think MPS has an event in January or February - but if you call and talk to the AO, they can arrange for this type of experience. Emma and MPS both offer fantastic opportunities for performing off campus and in impressive venues. Also, ask about choreography opportunities when you visit school programs - if this is something your dancer may seek later in high school.
The amount of commitment and level of professionalism depends on the school. A few schools offer very serious and rigid programs that demand a full-time commitment after school-evenings. This means, no sports and no orchestra. Also means that you sit in the audience and watch older dancer rehearse for hours, sometimes - cutting into homework time. Other schools are more flexible and allow you to dance in a class each day, without having the commitment of Company. Some schools are also flexible with allowing you to miss a trimester for a sport. We went through this with our old school where they didn’t let kiddo have a principal role because she took off a season for her team sport. Programs we looked at also included Miss Porters, Emma Willard, Deerfield Academy, and Andover - also some others we looked at but not too seriously. Our kiddo ultimately wanted - after auditions and acceptances, as well as revisits - the chance to experience BS at its fullest. So Kiddo decided to not commit to a Dance Company so that new sports and new interests could be explored - along with dancing for a class and for fun. So, she ultimately decided on the program that afforded her the chance to be in Company when desired, opportunities to choreograph, and to explore different forms of dance. It was a personal decision and it’s very difficult to give up dance after so many years.
Your last question is a tricky one. It shouldn’t matter if your dancer “isn’t the strongest” for the audition, it’s really about how much she/he/they love it. The love of the dance and the musicality will come out in the audition.
Feel free to PM for more information. Golfing is also a form of dance IMHO? (LOL)!
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