<p>Hi- My daughter is looking for an MT program where she can be sure she will be placed according to her ability in dance. She's had years and years of ballet and a number of years recently of tap/jazz/modern. We've heard that some schools often put the first year students in beginner dance classes, and that wouldn't be good. She'd loose ground. I've also heard she can't assume she'll be allowed to take class with the dance majors. Ideas?
Thanks so much.</p>
<p>University of the Arts has a very strong dance program for MT majors. Freshmen are placed in dance classes based on their audition scores and can skip freshman level dance classes. MT dance classes are separate from dance major classes but I believe MT students can take dance department classes as electives provided that there is space. Dance majors are given the first opportunity to fill dance department classes.</p>
<p>Thanks. Will check out Philly!</p>
<p>I would check out Elon University in NC. My D is a freshman MT major there and is having a wonderful experience. She has danced her whole life, loves it, and couldn't have envisioned herself in a program that did not care about dance. This semester she has been able to dance 12 hours per week within the MT program, by adding two extra dance classes. All freshmen take Dance for the Musical Stage and one other dance class, either ballet or modern, during fall semester. Most were placed in level one, however, prior dance training was taken into consideration, and my D was placed in level three for ballet, then added modern and jazz which she was also recommended for level three. She takes these classes with the BFA dance majors, as well as other MT majors. She has loved every minute of every class so far. She not only has dance performance in class, but has had research projects in both ballet and modern, required attendance at master classes and performances by dance groups which have visited Elon, as well as response papers to write about those experiences. This past week, she was required to choregraph and perform a piece for her jazz class. Keeps her very, very busy, yet has taken nothing away from the rest of her BFA training and her academics. Best of both worlds!</p>
<p>I recommend that you look through or search the threads, because this topic has been discussed many times before. I even think it is discussed in the threads under FAQ, if you click into FAQ at the top of the MT page. There are many schools with good dance in the MT programs. I will, of course, agree with nydancemom about Elon, but there are plenty of other good options to look into.</p>
<p>I agree with Ericsmom about looking at the FAQ and searching the forum. You will find discussion about dance within the MT programs. Syracuse is another program which has excellent dance, although there is no dance major at Syracuse, so your daughter would not take classes with dance majors. However, the two main dance teachers are very well regarded. Also, PSU's program has very good dance within the program, from what we've been able to understand, as does Point Park. Otterbein offers a BFA in MT with a concentration in dance. That might be another excellent option. UM also is supposed to have good dance opportunities for MT. For non-BFA programs, my D was quite impressed with Muhlenberg. She took a ballet class while on a visit to the school and felt it was very high quality instruction. We did not research conservatory programs such as CCM and BoCo, so I can't help there. Hope this gives you a place to start your research anyway.</p>
<p>BOCO has a very good dance program with classes offered at all levels every semester if my memory serves me from last year as my D almost went there. A friend of my D's at Hartt says the dance is very good there and OCU has good dance as well, and a BFA iln dance so one can take those classes as an MT. My D is at PSU and although she has to take the beginning sequence of each type of class( ballet, tap, jazz) with her MT class, she can also take other dance. This semester she was placed in and is taking 2 additional advanced dance classes and one intermediate one and she is minoring in dance there. Starting next year, she will be taking 2 classes with the MT class( MT dance styles is added) and 3 advanced classes with the dance minors and some MTs for the next 3 years. She is also in a dance show bc a senior in a choreography class invited her to be his dancer for his class, so she gets credit for that as well. This spring she will be auditioning for the school's dance company bc she has been encouraged/invited to do so. There is no dance major at PSU, only a minor. She is very busy and tired, but has found a way to make it work bc she would never be without dance in her daily life! Hope this helps.</p>
<p>And, of course, Florida State shouldn't be left out. They take their dance very, very seriously. This is an audition where your child may really shine as they look at the dance portion as closely as the acting/singing.</p>
<p>As far as I know, Webster does not have dance requirement for audition, but as freshman, experienced dancers in BFA MT program can start at the more advanced levels in ballet and jazz. The Conservatory has a strong dance program (offers a BFA in dance) and I believe there are several current BFA MT students who minor in dance.</p>
<p>For more info on dance minor, go to following link and click on dance minor (left side of page)</p>
<p>Webster</a> University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts</p>
<p>Head is spinning. Good stuff here. Now I must figure out what all those schools were that were mentioned. I had looked into this on previous threads, but all I saw was where the easy dance auditions were (just about everywhere, it seems). This is also where I made the (surprising) discovery that many schools don't have enough levels of dance for experienced dancers. This discussion group is amazing and overwhelming- Thanks for the links; that's a big help too as I can really get lost in all the wonderful mazes here!</p>
<p>The variety of responses raises a point which I think is important for anyone evaluating schools. It is important to be informed about the balance of a program and how the curriculum is divided between acting, voice and dance. In most BFA programs, much of the curriculum is highly structured with a mandated sequence of courses that leave little room for electives. There are differences between schools as to how they allocate class time between the three areas. Be sure you are comfortable with the mix. Each BFA school's website should have a page that sets out the required curriculum so that you can evaluate the balance of the program.</p>
<p>For example, at UArts, students are required to take 3 - 4.5 hours of structured studio classes a week, depending on the semester, covering ballet, jazz, tap, partnering and other dance areas the student may choose. Students can always "drop in" on other dance classes as time permits and depending on the required course load in a particular semester can also pick up more dance as an elective. The quality of the instruction is excellent and students are placed as freshmen based on their skill and experience. My daughter, who has danced much of her life, placed out of freshman dance and feels that she is being challenged in the intermediate level classes. She spends time outside of class in the studio working on various dance stuff as needed but clearly the balance of the program for MT students is more concentrated on acting and voice.</p>
<p>In contrast, a BA program probably offers more flexibility to structure the balance of the courses taken (provided the school offers what you want, something to look closely at with BA programs). Muhlenberg is a good example of this. Well regarded theater, dance and music departments. A student interested in MT would probably major in acting (theater performance) and then load up on as many dance and voice/music classes as possible (one need not minor in dance or voice, which would add required courses which are not performance based). While there is great flexibility, it is in the context of a BA liberal arts program so that the mandated LA curriculum could limit the overall time available but within the available time there would be great flexibility to choose and schedule dance and voice.</p>
<p>I know this all deviates a bit from the specific issue posed by the OP, but I think it's important if you have a particular interest in dance that you focus not only on the specifics of the dance program but also how it fits into the overall structure of the MT program. Also give some thought to how a student perceives themselves and their future goals and aspirations. Does the student think of themselves primarily as a dancer who can also act or sing, as an actor who can sing and dance, or as a singer who can act or dance. This can also influence one's views on whether the balance of a particular program meets your needs, desires and future goals.</p>
<p>Thanks again- I just figured out how to find those topics and I hit the mother load. Blessings on you all-</p>
<p>Sometimes I think I am silly to be researching this already for a freshman, but all these issues you bring up makes me wish I had started earlier!<br>
I think she is a more gifted singer, going by what her voice teacher says, than a gifted dancer, going by what her dance teacher says. She doesn't have those lovely archy feet dancers so value. But now she spends 3-4 hours per day on average at the dance studio when she isn't doing a show. Any school offering just a few hours per week of dance per week wouldn't work. Having seen Cats and Chorus Line at impressionable ages, she feels the need to do it all at a high level. She could do Phantom and wear those pointe shoes. And sing lovely high notes. If (and such a big If) she is so blessed down the road....she couldn't have chosen a more difficult, "no guarantees" path. That part I know.</p>
<p>Don't worry, if you are starting to seriously investigate now, with your daughter as a freshman in HS, you have plenty of time. Don't over stress it! :) As you research programs, keep in mind that a BFA MT program is often characterized as a double major in acting and voice with a minor in dance. The time commitments to get good balance in all 3 areas are immense. My daughter has 24 hours a week of classes alone ( and it gets heavier next semester) plus studio time, homework (there's a lot of reading and writing), practicing, ushering (and next semester crew) obligations, requirements to attend multiple shows and write reviews each semester, and her days start at 7:30 a.m. and end at 12:30 a.m. And that's without rehearsals and shows yet! As you look at programs, keep in mind that balanced programs are necessary to fully develop the skills one needs to maximize employment opportunities. The Chorus Lines and Cats of the theater world are a very small slice of the work which a MT performer will have to pursue in order to remain (hopefully) employed.</p>
<p>classicalbk -- bet you didn't expect to get so many responses so soon! Not to add to the confusion, but I do want to embellish what nydancemom said about Syracuse. In recent years they have put an increasing emphasis on their dance program, which has always been a strong one. In particular, girls are expected to have a strong dance background. Regarding placement, freshmen are not necessarily put in beginner classes; if they have good basics, they can be put in more advanced groups. And yes, the two main dance teachers are excellent. If you would like more specific info about the dance program, PM me and I will put you in touch with my D who is a student there.</p>
<p>My daughter is a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma. Their MT program is excellent in all 3 areas, plus they have the advantage of having a great relationship with the dance department, which is one of the very top in the country. Students can take the level of ballet, modern, tap, and jazz (as well as other types of dance) in which they fit. The dance school is in charge of the ballet and modern, and the MT department is in charge of the jazz and tap, but many of the courses are listed under both departments. The head dance teacher is Lyn Cramer, who is an amazing teacher and director/choreographer. Email or PM me if you want more info.</p>
<p>As far as I've heard, the MT programs at Point Park, University of Michigan, & Florida State are "extra" strong in dance. And in my opinion, the Syracuse audition last year was the hardest dance audition I went to.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you and your D!</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your input! I'm glad to hear of the glowing reports of the various schools.</p>
<p>Just wanted to add in Montclair State U. as having an EXCELLENT dance program. My D danced competitively for years and is a very advanced dancer, and is THRILLED with what she is experiencing at Montclair in general, and the opportunities she is being offered there in dance in particular. She is in the most advanced jazz/tap with Clay James (director of the program), as a freshman. She is also in an advanced ballet class and just raves about how much she has learned and improved as a dancer. She dances twice a day, and is taking the maximum credits (24 I think) to get in all her dance plus voice, acting, music theory, gen eds, etc. They require freshmen to audition for all productions, and she got one of the leads in a one act play already! </p>
<p>Anyway, check it out. Montclair is still a little under the radar - on top of everything else, you can be in NY City in 20 minutes by bus or train which comes right through campus!</p>