<p>I have a HS Junior daughter that is looking for a well rounded dance program, with MT performance opportunities for dancers. She is a very strong dancer that would like to get experience in voice and drama, with the ultimate goal of working on Broadway. Do the dance majors participate in the MT shows? How many shows are done per year? Can the dance majors take the same voice and drama classes that the MT students do? Or should she be investigating the possibility of a MT major, with the opposite questions for dance classes - are MT majors able to take the higher level dance classes? And how selective is the MT program for acceptance?
And to throw another wrench in, how difficult would it be to get a dual degree in Exercise Science along with either Dance or MT? She will potentially have 6 AP credits going in, and would take extra classes in the summers, etc., to make this happen. She would probably qualify for Honors College, so that may make things easier.</p>
<p>Okay…some (but probably not all) answers…</p>
<p>Dance majors at Ball State have occasionally been cast in MT productions. (The majority of mainstage productions are cast with MT/acting option students, but there has been representation of dance and other majors…depends on production and casting needs.) Ball State mounts a full season with several mainstage musicals and plays, and smaller student-directed works. Dance majors and minors can also participate in Ball State Dance Theatre (auditioned each semester) performances, and Junior and Senior choreography projects. </p>
<p>Many voice and drama classes that the MT and Acting students take are restricted to majors, but there is also an option to be a Theatre Studies major (not BFA) or theatre minor and take some theatre classes. Voice lessons can be secured through the school of music (but won’t be the MT-track voice and master classes). </p>
<p>MT majors are placed in the appropriate level dance classes (yes, can be with the highest level dance classes, if appropriate). The MT program is quite competitive for admission, and seems to be getting more so. Dance, too has recently received BFA status, and competitiveness appears to be rising for admission.</p>
<p>Actually, Honors College admission can be done well with any of the theatre and dance majors and minors, but it doesn’t make things easier on a student – to matriculate from the Honors College, a student needs to do a senior project or thesis, take some different/additional sequences of courses, including indepth colloquia and reading courses. Can be done, and Honors and Theatre “play nice,” but definitely does not make things easier. If your d has a lot of AP credit, she may find that it’s mostly accepted as “elective” credit, and really doesn’t decrease her courseload in the theatre or dance major at all. These are also time-hungry majors. If a student is cast in a production, rehearsals can be scheduled 7 - 11 pm nightly.</p>
<p>If she is serious about the exercise science degree, she could consider a dual exercise science and theatre studies major, or add a theatre minor or dance minor (dance minor is auditioned admittance). </p>
<p>It’s hard when you have a kid with many strengths and interests. Some excellent dance programs don’t have academic programs as strong as Ball State; some of the more academic programs don’t have a strong enough dance program to train a performer. </p>
<p>It is good you (and she) are starting the research now.</p>
<p>Well, Hello Berriecr8v! I know you… I’m trolling around because we scheduled a campus visit next week (after our weekend)… just reading the word on Ball State. We can talk all about this stuff next weekend - and bore poor C & T to death!!</p>
<p>And… while Berriecr8v knows this - I also have a Junior - who’s strength is her voice, with good training in dance (but not as intensive as Berrie’s D), and training in acting as well - looking specifically for MT BFA programs. We live on opposite sides of the same state - and met many years ago through channels that have absolutely nothing to do with the performing arts! Just turns out we both have performing kids!</p>
<p>Excellent, Kate! Looking forward to the weekend and definitely boring the other two to death with our talk of college auditions, etc. </p>
<p>Mommafrog - Thank you so much for the information. Sounds like we will have to explore that one further. I didn’t mean to imply the HC would be easier course work, just that I know most honors programs give an edge in scheduling classes, which would definitely be helpful.</p>
<p>Berrice8v – BSU’s Honors College students do get earlier access to scheduling classes than peers not in Honors College. The BFA curricula are quite restrictive in their sequence and course hours demanded (in fact, freshman theatre/dance majors need to have departmental approval of their schedule from the chair of theatre and dance). So, although they have earlier access to open seats in the academic courses, it can be a challenge to fit them in the available time in a student’s day.</p>
<p>Enjoy your visit to campus! It’s quite possible (if you are there on a weekday) to schedule a meeting w/someone in Honors College (they are awesome people!), with folks in theatre and dance, and even observe a class. Check to see if there is a performance while you are there – a great chance to see the facility and the students in action.</p>