hello,
I am interested in attended an academic, selective university with a good dance program. Nothing conservatory-style. The school doesn’t HAVE to have a dance major, but the program needs to be able to produce dancers who can get in to companies.
Here are some I know to be good:
-duke
-barnard/columbia
-usc
here are some I am hoping you know more about:
-northwestern
-university of north carolina at chapel hill (I know UNC has a separate school of the arts, but what is dance like at Chapel Hill?)
-emory
-georgetown
Anything else?
I prefer schools in the northeast!!!
-also, no small liberal arts colleges.
When you look at a school with a Dance major you need to see if non-majors can participate in programs and classes, sometimes they are not allowed to or can only register after dance majors have registered which often closes out most of the dance classes.
I believe Cornell has an excellent Dance program and might only offer it as a minor which might work better for you.
Fordham-Lincoln Center is a separate branch. Students apply to one campus or the other. It is best known for its performing arts programs, given its location, but it has a full liberal arts curriculum. The Dance BFA is an intensive conservatory program, which distinguishes it from their Theater Performance BA. Fordham-LC has under 2000 undergraduates. It’s a great place, but it would not seem to be suitable for someone who stated that she did not want a small LAC or a conservatory. Barnard (my alma mater) seems perfect. Although it is technically a small LAC, it is affiliated with a large university. Anyone can take classes, at any level, regardless of major. In paleolithic times, they had the “Program In The Arts” major, with concentrations in different disciplines. I majored in Russian, but took Dance classes most semesters. Barnard had a state-mandated PE requirement, which dance classes fulfilled, and I took some additional classes. You also have the opportunity, whenever feasible, to catch a subway downtown and take some walk-in classes in any dance genre you like. I think that Fordham probably has some movement classes available, but the Dance majors take their classes at Ailey, and those classes would not be open to students who aren’t in the BFA program. Fordham-LC doesn’t even offer a Musical Theater major or concentration, and so there aren’t many classes available on-campus. American University has good Theater and Musical Theater programs, and so I imagine they have decent Dance, as well. They are not a conservatory BFA. Students do not have to declare a major until sophomore year; they are admitted into the regular liberal arts college, and may audition for the major at any time before the end of sophomore year. Given that, I imagine that many Dance classes are open to non-majors.
I don’t think that UNC Chapel Hill offers dance classes other than through the PE department. I think if you want good dance you have to go to UNC Greensboro or UNC Charlotte.
University of Michigan seems to have a very good dance program that allows for a double major, and is obviously a very good school.
S has applied to Emory and Northwestern; if he gets in to either we will definitely visit and report back.
University of Alabama has an excellent dance program that is aimed at helping you to a professional career, but I don’t know if it fits into your “prestigious school” criteria - not really sure where your prestigious line falls.
By USC do you mean University of South Carolina or University of Southern California? Don’t know anything about Southern Cal, but I do know that S. Carolina is really working hard to move their dance program to new heights. They are definitely a ballet-focused school (and audition), so that might make a difference depending on what you are looking for.
S applied to Tulane because it is a good school that offers dance and Musical Theater. They have an active dance department that puts on performances and offers both a BA and a BFA. I am not sure about whether a lot of their graduates go on to dance careers - definitely something to ask about!
I have a friend at Princeton majoring in some sort of science while also pursuing their dance certificate program. I hear it’s fantastic, might be worth looking into
