<p>Start University of Arizona dance major discussions here!</p>
<p>I am bumping up this thread as no one has given any info on this program yet.<br>
Beautiful dance theatre, highly regarded program. Equal emphasis on Modern-Jazz-Ballet.
It is very difficult to get into the program, however. Auditions are on campus 2-3 times a year for formal auditions, also by special arrangement if you are unable to attend. There is a major jazz convention in the fall. Many successful graduates in all areas of dance.</p>
<p>My dd auditioned for U of Arizona dance major in January 09. We were very impressed with the program and the facilities. The Tucson campus is lovely, and felt safe and healthy. Unfortunately, we got the letter today that she didn’t get in. 25-30 students were accepted out of 450 that auditioned. That is only about 6%. She has been accepted at another university as a dance major through auditions, but this would have been her first choice.</p>
<p>My dd will be attending as a BFA Dance major in the fall '09. She is ecstatic and feels so fortunate to have been accepted! She attended the September audition and received an acceptance phone call in early November, followed by a letter. It was by far her first choice, as she has trained extensively in all dance forms and loves that there is equal emphasis on ballet, modern and jazz. A very nice scholarship was an added bonus! Everything about this program is top notch and professional, from the faculty to the multi-million dollar facilities overlooking the mountains. DD also loves that there are over 30 performances a year.</p>
<p>For anyone interested in this program, I highly recommend attending that first audition, even though it comes up quickly! DD had also gone to see their Premium Blend performance in Spring '08, and took a couple of classes at that time. When she came to audition in September they remembered her, and when you’re auditioning in a room with 100 talented dancers, recognition certainly doesn’t hurt! She went a day early so she could take classes again the day before the audition. Again, highly recommended.</p>
<p>Happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability. Best of luck to everyone during this exciting time in their lives! Get started early and enjoy the process, trusting that everything works out like it’s supposed to.</p>
<p>Front Row Seat…I see this is an older post, but would love to know more about the audition…as my dd is auditioning there this weekend. We have been told the process is extremely selective, so I don’t want her to get up her hopes…but certainly want to give her the most encouragement a dance mom can bring! We live in a small city where dance opportunities have been limited, but she has trained at what I think is the highest level available. Any suggestions on the day itself - the class itself? Just curious, what kind of training did your daughter have…more ballet, modern? What other schools was she interested in? Regardless of the outcome, it seems the audition process is a great experience. Thanks.
I hope your dd is doing well…and congratulations again!</p>
<p>Hi Meginski, BEST of luck (merde) to your daughter this weekend! How exciting for her, and yes, it will be a wonderful experience! So she is auditioning during Jazz Showcase weekend, which means there will be a large group of very talented auditioners. She will also get to see first-hand just how absolutely amazing the program is! Are you able to get her there a day early or so to take classes? If not, it’s ok, but I can’t emphasize enough how helpful I think this is. In my dd’s audition, there were about 100. The audition is a fairly long process, which is good since they get a number of opportunities to watch each dancer. If I remember correctly from what dd said, they start with a ballet class/barre/center/across the floor then have them do combinations in groups of a few dancers each. Make sure she wears pink tights and her most flattering leo (black is fine or a bright color!) Bring pointe shoes. Hair in a perfect bun. Then they do a jazz (learn and perform combinations) followed by modern (learn and perform combinations. It was dd’s first audition and she remembers feeling very intimidated by the high caliber of dancers. Tell your dd to stay focused and confident of her abilities, dance with her heart (give them something special showing how much she loves it) and just have fun! This is not the time to be the shy girl in the back, so whenever she can position herself so the judges can see her (without being obnoxious about it haha) do so! I know several amazing dancers that probably just got overlooked in a group so big. THANK the teachers afterwards with a big smile, and write thank-you notes to them afterwards! They also videotape everything, so if they need to go back and look at someone, they can. After the audition, they call all the parents in for a Q&A with the dancers. If she has a question, ask it! Again, the more they can see her, the better. The whole experience was very professional, exciting, and wonderful. DD left knowing it was the school she wanted, and she was so very fortunate to be accepted. Another tip… plan ahead, be organized, get there early, bring extras (tights, bobby pins, etc.), and a big water bottle!!</p>
<p>About the program… dd absolutely could not be happier. LOVES everything about it, everything!! The faculty/mentoring, the breathtaking facilities, the performance opportunities (even as a freshman!!), the other dancers (all her best friends, they are like family), and of course, the beautiful U of A campus! She is a sophomore now, and the other day I got a text from her saying “I just don’t ever want to leave here” which pretty much said it all! (Even though when it is time, that will be just another exciting chapter to look forward to!) And I don’t know where you live, but we have cold winters so visiting Tucson during those cold winter months is wonderful!</p>
<p>I could go on and on, and if you have any questions now or in the future please let me know. And it’s important to know, too, that things all seem to work out they way they’re supposed to, and most of dd’s dancing friends from home are very happy wherever they ended up. Interestingly, one girl we know didn’t make it her first try, but she wanted it so badly she went back to the spring audition, and that time she was accepted! A good example of someone just being overlooked the first time. Again, all the best to your daughter, the most important thing is to have fun!!</p>
<p>I just re-read your post and realized I didn’t answer all your questions. My dd danced her whole life at a studio that emphasized ballet, jazz and tap, no modern. Her main focus was/is ballet, and she attended several summer intensives through the years. She was worried about the modern part of the audition, but said they really just want to see if you have “potential” by watching you move. I think as long as a dancer is strong in at least two of the genres (ballet, jazz, modern) they’ll be fine. Once she found out she was accepted here, she didn’t apply to all her “back-ups” and only auditioned at two top programs in NYC. The programs didn’t compare to U of A for what she was looking for (triple-track/all genres all the way through, lots of performing opportunities, etc. etc.) so there was really no contest, which is interesting, because she had always thought she’d want to go to college in NYC. There’s a good chance she’ll end up there after college, as she thinks of it as her “home away from home.” But she loves the fact that she can go to ballet, pointe, rep, modern and jazz all in one day, then have rehearsals all night! (She is also minoring in business/communications so she has to juggle the academics as well). Another suggestion… have your dd bring a few snacks (granola bar, pretzels, dried fruit, etc.) because the audition is long! And have her eat a light breakfast so she’s not dancing on an empty stomach. Finally, tell her to PERFORM, not just dance. Everyone there has beautiful technique, they are looking for someone who is fun to watch. Merde!!!</p>
<p>Front Row Seat, many thanks for your thoughtful and detailed insight. I’m sure other dance moms will appreciate this advice. The college/dance track is tricky and there is nothing like recent experience to help guide the way. We leave for UA today, and I am taking all your thoughts & advice with us! Your dd is very lucky to have such a supportive mom - and regardless of where these kids end up - we know it didn’t happen alone! I agree, they need a dance program/college that wants them…not just a place they think they belong. Just like any college track - fit is so important. I’ll drop an update upon our return.</p>
<p>Well, we’re back fron U of A auditions, and it was a tremendous experience. This was the third time my dd had attended, and she thought all the classes were excellent - although larger. I guess that is a reflection of reputation and the general growth in popularity of dance. Anyway, your suggestions were helpful, no real surprises during the audition process, although she felt the jazz portion to be the toughest combination - which was interesting as this is her strength. She is not expecting an acceptance, which is fine as she was more interested in the process, but it is always great to expose yourself to that caliber of dance. If there was any disappointment, it was her observation that several scholarships (given at the end of the weekend) were given to dancers from a particular studio that did not attend the scholarship class on Friday. That seems a little weird and a bit unprofessional - as we spent extra time and money to get down there early for that class! Oh well - rule number one, life isn’t always fair!
Thanks again for your help - and best of luck to your dd - what an amazing group of young talented people. I hope these posts help others looking to take the BFA path.</p>
<p>Meginski,
Glad your DD had a great experience at Jazz Showcase. This is, by far, the largest audition since it is in conjunction with the Showcase, so many are there “killing two birds…” if you will. I asked my daughter about the scholarship situation you mentioned, and she said (from her understanding) that the scholarships given out are primarily based on the actual audition and that the scholarship class just gives the prospective students yet another opportunity to be “seen” by the faculty. I’m sure your dd will love wherever she ends up, UA or otherwise, and I wish you both the best!</p>