<p>D is in the process of putting together her college list. Dad and I would like her to include for consideration a wide range of possible experiences, including historically black colleges (D is AA). Are there any HBC's that have good theatre or even MT programs? or D's fallback degree is arts administration. Currently she is thinking her ideal program would be BA in MT?theatre or dance with some arts administration. We have found a few of these on this board, but would like her too look at some HSC also.</p>
<p>Howard University seems to have been good enough for Phylicia Rashad. :) I just looked and they even have MT now ... Theatre</a> Arts at Howard University</p>
<p>Take a look at colleges that don't have high numbers of AA students, such as Muhlenberg. They are actively trying to attract students of diverse backgrounds, and may be generous with scholarship money as a result. Muhlenberg does not offer an arts admin degree per se, there are many theatre or dance majors who double major in business, and there are many opportunities for experience both within the department, and in the local community.</p>
<p>Also- consider Wagner, on Staten island. I remember them having great opportunties for their arts admin students to intern in theatres in the city, as well as offering a degree in MT. </p>
<p>Keepingcalm...I can't believe you are getting ready for the big year. It seems like you have been posting here forever! Enjoy this year, before you know, it will be over and your D will be starting a new chapter!</p>
<p>Howard is your best bet for a Theatre Arts programs at an HBCU. I didn't apply to any HBCU's (I am AA female), frankly, because they simply don't offer the plethora of established, professional faculty and opportunities that the major theatre and musical theatre schools offer. It would be nice to have your cake and eat it too (lol) but in the end, it's about getting the best training that you can get from the Univerisity that fits you the best. </p>
<p>-M.M.M
Syracuse University- B.F.A in Musical Theatre 2011</p>
<p>another mom
I think I have been here for way too long. I started to early even though D has only just really started to take an interest. Technically she will be only be a junior but she is determined to escape from her school. (It's a 4-12 arts school and she has been there since 4th grade).</p>
<p>As for colleges, most of the applications will be to none HBCUs, but because we are a mixed race family we felt that there may be things she would gain from a HBCU that has nothing to do with MT.</p>
<p>Thanks for the Howard tip. One of D's friends is heading there this year. She is on a full-ride and was an amazing stage manager. D is a little intimidated because friend was brilliant and an amazing person. But I think maybe we will try and get there to see it so she can feel what the place is like.</p>
<p>The new department head at Syracuse is AA, and is actively looking for a better ethnic mix in the Theater and MT departments.</p>
<p>Oberlin seems to have great performing arts and diligently looks for URM's. I thing Spelman is among the best HBCU's (and I attended Howard undergrad and medical school) but I'm not sure about their musical theatre. I'm going to try to link the HBCU thread.</p>
<p>This one is not just about HBCU's but check some of the posts around # 146</p>
<p>Tracie Thoms, an alumna from my D's high school, went to Howard and then went on to Juilliard.</p>
<p>My theory= there's a mt/theatre program for everyone. If yours happens to be at Howard, go for it!</p>
<p>Shrinkrap thanks for the links. THey were an interesting read. I guess we will take D to see some HBCU so she can get a feel for them.</p>
<p>Alabama State University has one of the best theater program around the world…so many stars come out to see the school performaces its better then any other hbcu theatre program I know!!!</p>
<p>You should check out our knew website <a href=“http://www.alasu.edu…and%5B/url%5D”>www.alasu.edu…and</a> out dean is the actress from a time to kill and she played in the heat of the night…Dr. Tommie Stewart</p>
<p>Paine College in Augusta, Ga offers a BA in Mass Communications Drama. They offer courses in acting and technical theatre and their students complete drama internships at equity and/or community theatres. Past productions include: The Piano Lesson, For Colored Girls…/When the Rainbow is Enuf, The Colored Museum, Colored People’s Time, and Raisin in the Sun. In the past two years, 57% of their drama majors passed screening auditions at SETC with the priviledge of auditioning before industry professionals at Southeastern Theatre Conferences (that’s a biggy!). So, if you want to attend an HBCU and your interested in theatre as a career, check out Paine College!</p>
<p>Hi I am single mother. My son is in 11th grade. He wants to study dance. We live is a suburb of Philadelphia.</p>
<p>I have raised my son without the help of his father. When I always thought about him attending college, I wanted him to go away to experience life that my limited finances couldn’t afford him. I also wanted him to attend a HBCU and be surrounded by African American males who can mentor him in a way his absentee father didn’t. My son is a strong and determined young male with great morals, and I want him to go to a school where that is nourished.</p>
<p>My son’s dream is to attend NYU or Julliard. He believes if you are in Peforming Arts and not in New York, than you are missing out. I want to keep our options open. We are looking at Howard and UMUC…and still researching. I checked out Muhlenberg because of this thread. It seems like a great school. It is far enough for some freedom and close enough for emergencies.</p>
<p>This thread got me to thinking. Especially the post by anothermom-w-q, my son has been given a few opportunities because he is a male dancer (he adds diversity), such as a free classes and discounts. It never occured to me to use that same concept in thinking about colleges. If I send him to a school where he can also add diversity…maybe we can obtain some scholarships.</p>
<p>So my questions are:</p>
<p>Is my son’s assumptions correct (or somewhat)…should Performing Arts students try to be in New York?</p>
<p>Does anyone else know about Muhlenberg or anyone who went there? How is the dance program? Small town vs New York…are the same options available…ex, auditions?</p>
<p>Can anyone reccommend other schools with dance majors?</p>
<p>Thank you in advance for your advice and opinions?</p>
<p>Hi Dancemom, I don’t know a lot about dance, but I do live live in Philadelphia (hi!) and, reading your post, I remembered meeting a Juilliard acting senior who did a prior undergrad degree at Howard University (in MT) before coming to Juilliard. Not sure how helpful that info is for you. One of my daughters goes to Juilliard and another to Fordham (in theater.) Fordham has the BFA dance program connected with Alvin Alley. I can’t answer your questions about the advantages of being in NYC for a dancer (but both of my daughters, in music and drama, did want to be in NY.) I think at the level of program he’s aiming for, diversity of gender or color is not going to be the kind of advantage it might be for students at the precollege level. But perhaps it would be the case for less competitive colleges. I guess it’s always a statistical advantage to be male vs. female in theater or dance, but it gets pretty crowded at the top.</p>
<p>[edit] That’s not to say he would not receive financial aid or talent grants at top schools, only that diversity might not mean as much at this level.</p>
<p>Dancemom95…being right outside of Philly, unless your S is looking to get away from home, why not look at UArts and Temple University for their Performing Arts programs? Philly has a thriving Cultural and Performing Arts community and both schools have terrific Theatre/MT programs. Muhlenberg has a wonderful non-auditioned program and offers both talent and academic scholarships. It doesn’t, however, meet full financial need, cost of attendance is high as it is a private LAC, and while not an Ivy, is very academically select. Montclair State University in northern NJ has a BFA in MT that is becoming well-known and has a well established Dance major. It is a state school, so you’d pay OOS tuition, but would still be more affordable than a private college. Rider University in South Jersey is another program on the rise, and just changed their MT program to a BFA. They offer terrific scholarships, and are a truly affordable private college. These programs are all looking to increase their class diversity, so are definitely worth looking into.</p>
<p>Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using CC</p>
<p>The University of Louisville has a very strong AA theatre concentration. While not an HBC, it’s worth a look.</p>
<p>It sounds like you are looking for Dance programs, not Theatre or Musical Theatre Programs, right? </p>
<p>I think the advice on what programs to look at for dance may be slightly different than for Theatre or Musical Theatre. </p>
<p>As a male dance major he may have additional scholarship opportunities as well. Quite a few more women than men choose to study Theatre and Musical Theatre in college, but ALOT MORE women than men choose to study Dance. </p>
<p>For example, where I teach in Musical Theatre we are close to 50/ 50 women and men overall in the program… 23 women and 21 men… about 60/40 women/men overall in the Theatre program… and very female skewed in the dance… I am not sure of the exact numbers, but I think most of the dance majors are women, with a few men in the mix :-).</p>
<p>If your S is interested in Dance, have you also posted on the Dance Major forum?</p>
<p>dancemom, I second glassharmonica’s suggestion of Fordham/Alvin Ailey. It’s a wonderful, though terrifically competitive program, and would have everything you’re looking for. And DramaMamaZ is right about Philadelphia too. </p>
<p>I do think your son might be in line for some good scholarship assistance-- male dancers are much harder to come by, and every school wants a diverse student body. There’s a CC board specifically for dance majors that might be more helpful. </p>
<p>It’s exciting to be in New York of course, but it’s also expensive, and honestly, a BFA is so time consuming that if you’re at a good school you’re not likely to have a lot of time left over for enjoying your surroundings. D is an acting major at Hartt and her roommate is a dance major–they have rehearsals nights and weekends and basically crash into bed the minute they’re done with their homework. I’m guessing, too, that you might get better scholarship offers from schools outside the city, who may have a harder time attracting a diverse student body.</p>
<p>Oh my, thank you all for your responses. I feel a bit overwhelmed. Yes my son wants to leave the area, but we are checking out the Open House at UOfArts. I was so excited about the programs offered at Muhlenberg especially their empasis on dual majors, where he can fall back on something when dancing is no longer an option, that I never even looked at the tution cost. I know a big NO NO!!! We will also look at Fordham…I will also post in the dance major forum. Correcrtion…in my original post I meant UMD not UMC</p>