<p>My DD is a junior and we are in the process of looking for the ideal college for her. She's looking for a well rounded program that includes tap and musical theater, that will allow her to dual major in dance and health science (physical therapy). Dancing on Broadway is her ideal career. She knows that she doesn't have the true triple threat experience to be a star, but would love to be in an ensemble. The ideal college program would also include some musical theater opportunities. </p>
<p>She has excellent stats, so I am also looking for the school that will give her the best scholarship/financial aid package. We have visited Pace and SUNY Buffalo and really like both of those schools. We are also going to look at Northwestern. She has her eye on NYC. </p>
<p>She got to participate in a couple dance classes at Pace and knows it would be a good fit there for the dance portion, but we aren't sure about the dual major/academic factor. We also toured Buffalo, but were unfortunately not able to meet up with anyone in the dance department. I think Buffalo is going to be a better fit academically.</p>
<p>Her stats:
GPA 3.89
ACT 33
PSAT 216 (in Michigan, so pretty sure that she will be NM semi finalist)
She will have completed AP classes - Calc, Bio, Chem, Comp, Spanish</p>
<p>Extra curriculars - she has been heavily involved in competition dance since she was very young. She is on her high school dance team and also is in the school musical. </p>
<p>Any thoughts? Any great, well rounded dance programs at reputable schools that I'm missing?</p>
<p>Muhlenberg is supposed to have a great musical theater program. Physical therapy will require a graduate degree, so you really don’t have to worry about where to go until after she finishes her first four years. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks, danceclass. Muhlenberg was on the outer edge of the radar, but I think we need to take a closer look at that one. They have a Co-op program with Thomas Jefferson University that would allow her to get a B.A. in dance performance major and a masters in physical therapy within 6 years. I’m just not certain she would be able to get the financial help we would need at Muhlenberg, but we should at least explore the possibility.</p>
<p>Be sure to explore the requirements for merit aid at Muhlenberg, for which your d would probably be a strong candidate. It used to be that an on-campus visit and interview were required, though this may have changed. It’s a school that needs to be visited to be appreciated, IMO. Muhlenberg does consider demonstrated interest rather strongly.</p>
<p>Thanks, frazzled. I did see that an interview is required. I didn’t see anywhere on the website that there was an audition required for the dance department. Does anyone know if that is the case? She would definitely want to check out the campus and see a class or two to determine if it would be a good fit.</p>
<p>My d loved Muhlenberg, although she wound up at her ED school. She did not want a dance major or career, but had danced at a very good private studio before college and wanted a challenging program to pursue as a minor in college. She felt that Muhlenberg would have fit the bill - took a pointe class there and thought it was at a very good level. The Theatre complex is beautiful, and the entire campus is really a gem.</p>
<p>James Madison in VA may fit the bill. Although the Dance program is more modern and choreography focused there is the opportunity to take Tap, Jazz, Musical Theatre. Many ofthe dance students are double majors. </p>
<p>Many (if not most) of the dancers in Broadway shows are triple threats (or at least “double threats” singing/ dancing)… It is a VERY competitive to be cast in a Broadway ensemble. Most are in national tours, regional theatre, dancing on cruise ships, etc… </p>
<p>If dancing in musicals is her goal she may also want to look at Musical Theatre programs with strong dance… or schools with commercial dance programs… </p>
<p>some to look at in addition to Muhlenberg, Pace, Buffalo, JMU include:</p>
<p>OCU
Otterbein
Point Park
Syracuse
Elon
Shenandoah
Florida State</p>
<p>There are others as well… just off the top of my head. These are programs with Musical Theatre and Dance. Depending on the school she will find whether the dual major is possible, and if dance or musical theatre may be the better fit program.</p>
<p>Thanks so much KatMT! I’ll check all those out as well. I do know that while OCU gives some full ride scholarships to NMF students, they do not allow a double major. Bummer. We have a friend that is a freshman dancer there this year and she is loving it.</p>
<p>I thought OCU did allow double majors I thought I remembered dancing with some women who were there pursuing them… but maybe it was a minor or something else… this was also YEARS ago, so I maybe completely misremembering. </p>
<p>PS. Some of the schools I listed are actually Musical Theatre with strong dance. at some of them a double major may be difficult. I think it really varies from school to school.</p>
<p>Hi. My dd is a BFA dance major at Shenandoah. You can double major in dance and something else if you do the BA dance major. Their Health related majors are very good and I think they have a pre-PT major. Good Luck. Just remember that no matter what your daughter does I believe that she will have to get her doctorate in PT if she wants to practice in most states. Most are at the Masters level At least in PA. Good Luck.</p>
<p>If she wants PT, or pre med for that matter, it is not necessary to major in something outside her art, just to complete the requirements for admission to the program. Has she looked at Rutgers? My daughter is doing a dual major in dance and chemistry at NYU, but I wouldn’t recommend it.</p>
<p>So we’ve been exploring the possibility of a MT major instead of a dance major. But the problem is that we know that the good MT programs are very competitive. And while she does have excellent dance training, her vocal and drama experience is very limited. Most of the MT auditions consist of Song, then reading and THEN if you make it through those, they will see you dance. How is a girl like her to get through? We are fitting all extra vocal and acting opportunities in that we can, but the busy dance schedule does not allow for much. And will trying to cram that into Jr/Sr year be enough? She could cut way back on the dance performance commitments for next year and concentrate on the singing/acting, but will it be too little, too late? Or should we still look at a dance major at a school with MT performance opportunities for dancers? This is so hard.</p>
<p>My dd is a BFA in dance at Shenandoah. Their MT is one of the hardest to get into. If you cant sing then they wont look at you. You are even pre-screened before the audition. I do know that some of the dancers will audition for the musicals when there is a heavy dance load and you can get in that way. The MT kids have spent years singing so I would look at schools for dance that will allow you to be in the musicals. Now my dd had a friend who graduated from OCU and they had to take voice lessons and they have a very well rounded program that includes tap. But the academics are not the best. You cant double major. I think your dd will have to decide which is more important the dance or academics. They usually dont go hand in hand.</p>
<p>^^ I would suggest looking at combination of schools… there are some MT programs that allow students to have an emphasis in dance, (ex. MT- Dance… I believe that Otterbein is like that, and on the MT forum I think I just read that another school is starting that option… I can’t remember off the top of my head) Some schools will except strong dancers who are weaker in singing and acting (I teach at James Madison, and we have done that when a student is an exceptional dancer and shows significant potential for growth in singing and acting). I believe that Pace has a program in Commercial Dance that is worth looking into. I believe that Point Park, Syracuse, and Elon have strong dance training as part of the MT program. Shenandoah is also a good school to look at, as mentioned above. </p>
<p>Look more for the schools and programs that will offer your D the training and experiences she wants… she may find that she ends up with a combination of dance and MT programs. </p>
<p>If you have not already done so, post over on the Musical Theatre forum. You should get more suggestions of schools to look at. </p>
<p>My DD also loves tap and muscial theatre and that can be hard to find in college programs as most focus on modern and ballet. When looking we found some colleges that had a few tap classes. University of Akron had many tap classes but when she auditioned she was put in such a high level that she knew she would not be taking that many. So, she thought about it, and felt that she should actually pursue a curriculum that was more modern/ballet based to really try and excell in those genres. She felt she has good skills in tap and musical theatre and should work more on the others. She attends Slippery Rock University which has a 3+3 program for Physical Therapy, 3 years of undergrad and 3 years of a master’s program. I know you can dbl major in a variety of majors but not sure with the PT program being so intense if that is possible or not.</p>
<p>Take. Look at TCU! My daughter turned down many UC’s for TCU because they offered her terrific merit aid (similar stats as your daughter) and would allow her to double major in dance and business. She is a freshman now, LOVES this school, and as it turns out has changed from business into their direct admit BSN program for Nursing. Musical Theater is a strong major here as are the health science programs. Good luck!</p>
I thought I remembered dancing with some women who were there pursuing them… but maybe it was a minor or something else… this was also YEARS ago, so I maybe completely misremembering. </p>