Trying to Guide & Decide by 5/1/09

<p>My daughter has been accepted to Purchase, FSU, Cincinnati (CCM), and Point Park for a ballet concentration. She is leaning toward Point Park - they gave her the most money and she also likes the access to musical theater. I know Point Park is great for jazz and modern but would she be better off at one of the other schools for ballet? Feedback would be great - time is running out and a decision must be made by 5/1.</p>

<p>For ballet? Yes.</p>

<p>I am not sure that the ballet at FSU is as strong as the association with Suzanne Farrell might indicate. It is a balanced dance program, but not ballet focused. I don't know the current status at CCM. It use to be quite strong in ballet. But there have been lots of changes since I knew some of the faculty. (Neice was married to the son of a long time ballet faculty member.)</p>

<p>I have a D at FSU, not a dance major. After years of ballet, SI's (ABT, Boston Ballet, Joffrey, etc), and a year away in HS at a ballet conservatory, she gave up the serious pursuit of ballet to pursue physical therapy/dance rehab. The graduates of the BFA program at FSU are well rounded, but they are not exactly entering ballet companies in large numbers. It is a strong dance program, but ballet is not its focus. On the fall schedule there is one pointe class on Wed for 1 1/2 hours and that is it. It is certainly possible that the regular ballet classes for majors put on pointe shoes for those classes. For Majors there is Ballet I, II, or III (by placement) with classes 4 days a week M/T/Th/F for 1 hr 20 min. For nonmajors there is Beginning and Intermediate Ballet.</p>

<p>I can only tell you this. My daughter was accepted to Point Park with a ballet concentration. She was going for a jazz concentration, though she did the otherwise optional pointe audition required of all ballet and maybe the judges assumed she was going for ballet. Now she's had first rate ballet training and is a very good ballet dancer, but she's not really a classical ballet type (she's done several modern ballet numbers at dance intensives, though). Makes me wonder whether Point Park is getting the kind of caliber of students interested in ballet as they would like.</p>

<p>Of the schools you've mentioned, my impression is that Purchase has the strongest ballet program. It appears that your d is looking for a BFA, is that correct? Did Point Park place her in their BFA track following the audition? I ask because that may give you some idea of how she places within the program itself. As I understand it, some students are offered the BFA track immediately, while the rest must be selected for it during their first years at the school (and therefore face the possibility of not being selected for the BFA). This may be one factor to consider, if the BFA is her desired degree. And if this has changed since I was told about the program structure last year, please let us know.</p>

<p>A talented dancer from my d's studio is at Point Park as a ballet major. She's an excellent dancer in all three disciplines, but doesn't have the perfect ballet feet/legs that some programs look for, which probably held her back from being accepted at college ballet programs with bigger names. I think it's a good idea to ask about placement rates into ballet companies - but I have the feeling that, even at the big name programs, this rate is somewhat discouraging. I think it's also a good idea to ask what other resources the program or school itself offers in the fairly likely event that a ballet contract isn't going to materialize.</p>

<p>Ballet14Mom, have you checked out Ballet Talk for Dancers? From your d's impressive acceptances, I imagine you're familiar with it; if not, please google it (we're not supposed to post links to other boards here) for a more detailed take on all of these programs. Good luck to your d in making her decision!</p>

<p>When my D went through this process about 5 years ago, we did lots of research.
She's a ballet girl and auditioned and was accepted at FSU. She found the ballet to be adequate, but other schools she looked at had much more of a ballet focus. Although she did not apply to Purchase, I remember Purchase was definitely the most focused BALLET program at that time of those you mentioned.</p>

<p>I think others have said it already---check with each school re how many go on to dance in a ballet company. I'm guessing Purchase will have the most.</p>

<p>Good luck...it's a stressful time. Trust me when I say it will all feel SO much better once the decision is behind you!</p>

<p>CCM's program is still a strong ballet program. They do some combined work with a local i pre-pro and occasionally with cincinnati ballet. They have had an increasing number of applicants each year and had all students offered but 2 accept back in the incoming class of 07. Although CCM has a very strong MT department there is very little intermingling of the different programs.
DD also has a friend and dance mate at point park who is really enjoying it. She is classically trained and turned down a trainee position at San Fran ballet. She is enjoying the PP ballet program and keeps encouraging DD to apply.</p>

<p>Hi. we just toured Point Park. If she wants to do MT along with ballet then Point Park would work. But if she is a true bun head (I mean that lovingly) then Cincinnati is the best of all of them. I only hope my daughter has that many to choose from!!</p>