<p>My daughter is interested in attending a Liberal Arts college that also has a strong Dance department. She is not interested in majoring in Dance but would like to take classes and join a Dance club for the fun. We were recently at St Olaf which has a good dance program for non-majors as well as Franklin & Marshall. Can anyone recommend an LAC that also has a dance program? Thank you</p>
<p>Depends on if you’re looking for a ballet- or modern-focused program, of which most LACs focus more on modern. But here are some LACs to consider that have quality ballet and/or modern faculty, classes & facilities:</p>
<p>Bard, Sarah Lawrence, Conn College, Mt Holyoke, Skidmore, Goucher<em>, Barnard</em></p>
<p>*Esp. strong in ballet and modern</p>
<p>Also, consider LACs with close access to quality pre/pro dance (ballet) conservatories in which you can simply take open classes, such as any LAC in NYC and Boston, as well as Macalester and others.</p>
<p>Muhlenberg College in PA has a strong dance department, including the opportunity for non-majors to take classes and to perform. It was the ONLY option that we could find with a decent tap program, in case your D is interested in that.</p>
<p>We visited Macalester two years ago, after acceptance, and were favorably impressed by the Dance prof–modern, U. of Utah, former pro, warm and friendly–and the studios and theater. Dance is part of the Dept. of Theater and Dance. Theater is strong at Macalester and in the Twin Cities in general (the Guthrie). Ballet and world dance forms are taught by visiting faculty, from the U of Minnesota and elsewhere. Jazz and tap were not offered. </p>
<p>The dance concert we saw was run smoothly by students–the prof. spent the hour before the concert showing us around–and was very well-attended by members of the community as well as students. The performers varied in ability from first-year beginners (competent and well-rehearsed) to dancers at upper intermediate levels. We did not see advanced/professional dancers, but were told there were good connections with the dance community in the Twin Cities and a couple of former students were currently dancing in companies in the area.</p>
<p>DD ultimately decided on a BFA dance program, but we’d both recommend Macalester to a dancer who wants an excellent liberal arts college, where he or she would be able to dance, perform, and improve, especially for a scholarly student with an interest in modern and world dance and theater arts. Dance classes are predominantly female, but not exclusively. That’s partly because Macalester attracts international students, including a number from African countries–the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is an alumnus. We also noted that Macalester has a strong, traditional art department, an architecture program with Washington U. in St. Louis, and an exchange arrangement with the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.</p>
<p>bobbyct, when you check out the individual LACs, make sure you specifically ask them about opportunities for NON-MAJORS, because it’s been our experience that the strongest programs are usually the most restrictive and closed to non-majors. For example, some schools may have only a limited number of classes available to your daughter – if any, and they would be primarily intro classes – because enrollment in most dance classes is limited to dance majors (so they can keep the classes small).</p>