Emphasis of Training at OCU

College Majors Musical Theater Major
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<p>(Helping tracyvp spread these questions . . . most know that OCU has a great music dept., but the questions about styles are valid.)</p>

<p>We are starting to understand that most BFA Musical Theatre programs try very hard to train “triple threat” performers, but in the end, one of the three disciplines tends to emerge as slightly more prominent or emphasized than the others, and there is usually a second, then third.</p>

<p>For current OCU students (or parents, if you know), what would you say is the primary emphasis of your training at OCU?</p>

<p>Also, can you describe the type of training you get in each of the three disciplines? For example, in music, how much time and what sort of training in voice, theory, repertoire, piano, etc. Do you learn both “classical” MT styles as well as contemporary pop styles? When and how?</p>

<p>For acting, do you explore the different approaches, and in what depth? Do you train with the acting BFA’s or separately? Do you get a lot of straight acting training, or is most of the acting training in the context of “acting the song?”</p>

<p>In dance, can more advanced dancers take classes with the Dance majors? How much time is devoted to “specialty” dance like tap, partnering, hip hop, etc?</p>

<p>Sometimes different students have different experiences, so it would be awesome to hear from several!!</p>

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<p>My D graduated in 09 so some things may have changed. I know there is now a separate theater department, so please verify this info. </p>

<p>The emphasis is definitely on voice. They award a BM degree, after all. </p>

<p>When my D was there, she had separate acting classes (not acting the song) for 3 or 4 semesters. I know she studied Meisner technique, but that may have changed. </p>

<p>All dance classes are through the dance department (or they used to be), so advanced dancers can and do dance with the dance majors. There are many “levels” of dance training (basic, beyond basic and up). There are specialized dance classes (tap only, ballet only, MT dance, etc) and my D actually learned to tap there as she had very little tap training before. The dance department there is well-known in its own right.</p>