UNC-Greensboro Dance

My dd auditioned at UNC-G for their BFA program on Saturday.

There were about 50-60 students (including current UNCG freshmen) auditioning for the BFA program. They were split into 2 groups for the audition, which included a 1.5 hour technique class and then a 1 hour Q&A with current students.

The audition class included ballet barre, improv, and modern combinations. DD reported that there was definitely an urban/African flavor to the modern combo. The ballet barre was very basic (so much so that it feels very important to look at the level of the ballet classes that they offer). Overall there were definitely more students with less experience than my dd has seen at her other auditions, but it’s hard to know which students will actually be admitted to the BFA program. (There is also a BA program, and I am unclear if that program also requires an audition).

Majors take Modern 3x/week and Ballet 2x/week (1:45 classes) plus electives and rep. So on the lower end than other BFA programs she is looking at.

I asked in the Q&A what were the best and the worst things about the program, and the students didn’t have to say much about the worst but here are a few of the best things they mentioned:
-Opportunities to work with graduate MFA students, most of whom have had significant professional careers
-Supportive, caring, available faculty
-The whole program is welcoming and like a family (many said this)
-Faculty have had impressive professional careers (Ailey, Evidence, Bill T. Jones, Camille A. Brown) and are well-connected and help students network
-Many performance opportunities
-Beautiful renovated studios
-Diverse class offerings, as well as varied dance groups on campus (Latin, Indian, HipHop)
-Diverse student body and faculty (men and POC)
-Faculty are not interested in turning out one kind of dancer, but in helping each student figure out their strengths and the kind of dancer/artist they want to be.

Some things my dd likes specifically about the program
-availability of diverse dance styles, especially African (they have 3 levels)
-she could minor in musical theatre (by audition)

Our questions (not concerns exactly, but things she is going to follow-up on):
-The standard course of study for the BFA doesn’t include improv/comp until the second year, with comp coming second semester sophomore year. Since composition is one of my dd’s core interests (and something she already has quite a bit of experience with inside and outside of the classroom), she doesn’t want to wait that long for those classes. She’s trying to figure out if there is flexibility there.
-Just want to be sure about the rigor of the technique classes, although we did attend a student performance while we were there and the dancers were very technically strong.

Planning to visit again to observe classes and talk to the department chair!

Just wanted to post about our follow-up visit. We had the opportunity to observe the Ballet 2 and Ballet 3/4 class and Modern levels 1, 2, and 3/4… There are theoretically 4 levels of each but the Ballet and Modern 3/4 were combined. The Modern 3/4 class was really big and we were told that it would be split in the future.

The Modern classes are by class (Freshmen in 1, Sophs in 2, etc.) so they are together in a cohort. Ballet is placed by technical ability. Per her acceptance, my dd was placed in Modern 1 and Ballet 2, although she was told that they review ballet placements in the fall.

Studios are beautiful and all the classes had outstanding live musicians. It was great to see all the modern levels, because the progression was quite clear. The instruction is clearly very good. Dd liked the teachers and the vibe in the classes. Dd was less sure about the level of the classes. She felt like the 3/4 classes we observed were about at the level of the classes she is currently taking, so not sure that she would be pushed (as she put it) to be the best dancer she could possibly be by the end of her college career.

The department chair was very nice and welcoming. She addressed my dd’s concerns about the choreography sequence–which does start freshman year with Laban and then Dance Production, then with Improv and Choreography 1 sophomore year. So not a perfect fit for my dd, but clearly a well-thought out sequence and not a deal-breaker for us.