Musical Theatre and Dance

Parents Forum
1

My oldest daughter is 13. She is going into the 8th grade so I know we have a little bit of time before we really have to make any decisions about anything. I have told her she needs to be thinking about what she would like to do maybe after high school. I would like her to choose some classes in high school that may to apply to what she wants to do in college. She is a honor student and a very smart girl. She came back to me and told me she wants to do musical theatre and dance. She is on the competition dance team at her dance studio. She dreams of working for Disney in some sort.

Needless to say as a parent I am so unsure of her decision. I know that it can change and let me say I hope it does change. I just see her getting into a load of debt with no job to pay for it and in the end working 17 hour days like her father to pay her student loans. I do not want that for my child, but I do not want to dash her dreams either. Has anyone child majored in musical theatre and actually succeeded? I keep telling her that wanting to pursue dance/theatre is great, but she needs a backup plan.

2

There is a great musical theatre section on CC…maybe post there?

But really…as an 8th grader, this isn’t a bad EC to pursue. It sounds like she loves it.

3

I will do…Thank You!

4

Has anyone’s child majored in musical theater and actually succeeded? Sure. One girl who used to be in ballet classes with my daughter (or, rather, with whom my daughter was briefly in the same ballet classes before my daughter quit ballet) went to the MT program at Michigan and, at 30, has a real career on and off Broadway. She did lots of regional theater, spent a couple of years as the understudy for the lead in a Big Successful Broadway Musical, and performed in the role twice a week, and since then she has been cast as the lead in smaller productions. She was the absolute star dancer of our ballet school, spent many summers dancing in Russia, and had a beautiful singing voice. As she got older, she was less interested in ballet and more interested in musical theater and singing. It was clear she had real star quality.

I would have said the same thing about her predecessor as star ballerina princess at that school. She went to the dance program at Indiana, but never quite got traction in the dance world. She later went back to school and got a master’s in something, and has a responsible government job. A boy who was often her dance partner in high school also went to Indiana, got hired by a prestigious company after his freshman year, and danced professionally as a lead dancer for a decade. Then he finished college (at an Ivy), and he got a PhD in linguistics.

Life takes turns.

The daughter of a co-worker was completely obsessed with music theater and especially Disney. She won contests, she always got the lead in school productions. She auditioned repeatedly for Disney jobs, and even got an offer at one point, but too late to withdraw from college that semester without losing her tuition. When she was applying to college, she made the rounds of MT auditions, and was accepted at a couple, but wound up deciding to go to a local public university that she wouldn’t have to borrow as much to attend, and not to pursue a BFA. The audition process for MT programs, and all those Disney auditions, taught her a lot about herself. She’s a year away from graduating with an accounting degree, and she’s very happy and excited about life.

5

Pursuing a passion in the performing arts, and striving for excellence in academics at the same time will keep her options wide open when college decision time comes around. She may find new interests or combine things. No need to pin herself down to a career choice yet, no need to close doors that are currently standing open.

Performing arts impart skills that transfer to many other disciplines…collaboration, public speaking, time management, etc. so a fantastic EC!

6

There are forums here for both dance, and for musical theater.

One of my kids is a dancer. She did not do competitions during her middle and high school years, but instead focused on training. If your daughter is serious, that is one thing to think about. Would she consider doing ballet training at a really good school? Dance can be entertainment, or it can be art, and sometimes both, just as with music. As she heads into high school, think about these things. Get Dance Magazine, an excellent resource. Consider summer programs.

A student can major in dance at a conservatory, or at a college. Again, Dance Magazine publishes a great guide to dance programs at the conservatory and college level. There will be choices as to whether she pursues a BFA or BA or even BS (Skidmore as an example). There will be choices as to what type of dance program, ballet-focused, jazz, or modern. There will be choice as to how many liberal arts courses will be involved in the degree. And other options such as double major, major/minor, and double degree. Some schools have dance in a dance and theater major, some have a program specifically for dance. Musical theater is a whole 'nother ball game.

Some dancers just go ahead and dance after high school or even during high school (my own daughter got her GED). I know of ballet companies that encourage dancers to take one class at college while they are dancing, so that when they are done, they have some college already under their belts.

Eighth grade is way too early to be thinking about college choices let alone career choices. Just let her explore her interests and work hard. The lessons learned from dance apply to a wide range of life challenges. It is up to you to guide her toward the hard work of entertainment dance, competitions, camaraderie and fun, or a longer term training that has fewer short term gratifications, but sometimes better longer term outcome. Music theater candidates generally do dance, singing and acting- it is a lot!

If she does end up wanting to do dance, as a major, she can do it in a liberal arts college environment, or at a conservatory. Either way, whether BFA or BA, it is a bachelor’s and gives the same access to jobs, grad schools, med or law school, as any other bachelor’s. I personally know a dancer in med school right now, and know of another one who just finished law school. I would not worry about career at this point.

Life zigs and zags and it is good to let it do that naturally as much as possible, even more so with young people :slight_smile:

And check out those forums…look for the list of college majors when you go to “forum home.”

7

Your daughter is way too young for you to do anything more than support her interests. You have no idea what she will want to do by the end of high school. I wouldn’t be surprised if you posted again in four years asking which schools are best for astronomy.

8

I agree high school is a time for exploration (I have written this probably thousands of times myself!), but for dancers, schools often talk about the future (sometimes inappropriately, sometimes not) and there are decisions during early high school that can determine the path, much as with music, so it is a bit different if the daughter seriously loves dance. It may fade, yes, as it often does.

The main point I wanted to address is the mistaken notion that majoring in dance or musical theater leads ONLY to dance/musical theater work. This is a misconception often discusses on the music forum. It is sad that so many see the college years in vocational terms, and even sadder that many have to think that way due to costs and loans.

But it IS still true that a major in dance or musical theater, whether at a college for a BA or conservatory for a BFA, is a legitimate way to earn a bachelor’s and opens doors that may or may not have to do with dance, including many professions.

That point is intended to let the parent relax a little, even though it is premature to think about college let alone career. Dance and music are a little different in this regard because there is so much training that happens in high school (and earlier).

Again, I think it is good for a parent to educate herself about the dance world (Dance Magazine, attend performances, and read books). Competition schools are sometimes looked down upon as poor training: it depends, and you can decide whether rightly or wrongly.

9

I think of dance/MT as akin to music; it’s something you will have/use for many years whether or not you work at it full time. If a young person loves it, I would absolutely encourage him/her to pursue it to excellence…but perhaps have a plan B (double major? major u/g, but something else in grad school?).

I didn’t start dancing until I graduated HS. I was a MT dance major for two years, but ran out of money, and had to change colleges to one that didn’t even have a dance major at the time, and so graduated with a Communicative Disorders degree, and eventually was a deaf ed teacher.

Still, I began a very part time professional dance "career’ at the ripe old age of 29 and got paid for performing, choreographing and teaching for over 20 years. I had to step out at age 50 due to severe hip injuries leading to doctors recommending double hip replacements. (Hasn’t happened yet! Lots of PT has been helpful)

Early on, I fell in love with jazz dance over MT, and I feel so blessed to have done what I did. I was able to raise a family, homeschool and work part time in the business. No, I was never even close to “the best”. Never made it to braodway; never did an MTV video (one of my goals, believe it or not! LOL), but I had a blast and I’m so thankful to God for all the wonderful opportunities that came my way. I worked with the Beach Boys and performed for Bill Gates. Fun stuff. :slight_smile:

Both my older sons are musicians, classically trained for many years. While neither is bent towards music as a profession, their training and love of music will be with them for a lifetime. And quite frankly, I can see the oldest going into music production/engineering, and the middle one definitely could be a professional musician if he decided to change directions in college.

OP, keep doing what you’re doing in giving your daughter the freedom to pursue classes in HS and ECs that relate to MT. As long as she keeps her grades up and is strong academically, she might well earn scholarships for her pursuits and have less debt than you think.

BTW, yes, I do have several friends who were dancers in college with me who have succeeded. A number of them are dance professors at local colleges and universities. One ran his own dance studio and has done hundreds of productions as a producer. Two are professional dancers/choreographers (one is running his own dance company in NYC). One is the head of a well known ballet company here in town. I don’t know that any of them are making a lucrative living; I’ve never asked about that. They are all doing what they love and felt called to do.

10

If your student is hard working and talented then MT is not only a great EC but a wonderful pursuit in itself. But there is nothing wrong with the statement: " I just see her getting into a load of debt with no job to pay for it and in the end working 17 hour days like her father to pay her student loans. " This is not advisable in most fields, but especially the performing arts. Ultimately debt can and will waylay the best intentions . And so many parents are afraid of not incurring debt because they don’t want to step on what they perceive as their kid;'s “dream.” I would banish what in my family we call the “D” word. Work on reality. If the reality is that she is hard working and extraordinarily talented she can get through this without debt. Mine did. (in vocal performance in grad and undergrad and now a professional singer)

11

I know quite a few MT grads who are now doing nothing in MT. Some are still hoping to be actors and area doing the waiting tables or bartending and auditioning thing in their early 20s. Others have moved into some kind of business careers or in theater management. One is now a teacher.

At 13, many kids have dreams of being on Broadway or playing their sport professionally. Pursuing it in HS can show the difficulty when the kid does not get the desired part or joins a summer program and sees how talented other kids are. I wouldn’t discourage her at this point. Actually, I would only be talking about what she wants to do in HS, not in college at this point.

That being said, if she continues on this path limiting the amount she (or you) are willing to borrow for whatever degree she wants to pursue is essential. And have that conversation early and often.

12

But the skills learned in theater or dance can transfer to other areas. Working in groups, public speaking, design, marketing, time management, writing (scripts or plays), music. People actually said to me “How can you let her major in theater?” and my response was ‘she’s learning a lot.’ She’s now changed majors, but sticking with a theater minor. Her roommate is a dance major, but in the Honors college so still has a core set of classes she needs to graduate.

13

My daughter takes ballet at a professional company-affiliated school, so yes, we know many company members who majored in dance or MT in college who have jobs (including two folks at Disney). I also know many people who started college as dance or MT majors and changed their minds after a semester or two. That being said, my rising 9th grader is required to have fine arts classes in high school and will take a MT class this next year. High school is the time to explore outside interests to discover who you are. And BTW, I have a childhood friend who was a dancer at Disney World part time who majored in civil engineering.