Tag: dance major

Jennifer Backhaus sitting at the front of the studio watching students perform barre exercises

How to Make the Most of Summer Breaks as a Dance Major

Even after the whirlwind of Nutcracker season and finals dies down, summer break can feel very far away. Still, because appli­cations for intensives, internships, and jobs open in winter, now is the time to start planning for the warmer months. Find Your Focus In her Intro to Dance Studies course at Chapman University, Jennifer Backhaus encourages dancers […]

Happy asian female tourist traveller with backpack walks in old city. Woman against backdrop of Hadrian's gate - popular attraction in old city of Antalya

A Day in the Life of 4 College Dance Majors

Despite all the hours young dancers spend in the studio, for many coming out of high school, the idea of dance as an academic discipline—an intellectual as much as a physical pursuit—can be unfamiliar, even mysterious. What do college dance programs actually require? What do students’ days look like? A college’s faculty, size, location, and […]

Ailey/Fordham BFA students. Photo by Nir Arieli, Courtesy The Ailey School.

The Ailey/Fordham Dance BFA Turns 25

The story took flight with a chance encounter at the 60th Street post office in Manhattan. It was the mid-’90s and Denise Jefferson, then head of The Ailey School, and Edward Bristow, then dean of Fordham College at Lincoln Center, would often bump into each other in the neighborhood. At that point, both schools were […]

The Truth About Grades as a Dance Major

You may know what it means to earn a silver, gold, or platinum award for your performance—but probably not an A, B, or C grade. Often, dancers don’t encounter the idea of grading in dance until they enter collegiate dance programs. When you’re evaluating an inherently subjective art form, what distinguishes an A student from […]

This TikTok Duet Perfectly Sums Up the Struggle of Virtual Classes as a Dance Major

It’s a scenario that only 2020 could create. Butler University student and popular TikTok user Chinyelu Mwaafrika (@chinforshort) posted this TikTok narrating his struggles of living under a “pod of dance majors” shortly after Butler University announced that all classes would be held virtually for the first two weeks of the semester. Ballet TikToker and […]

How to Prep for Your Freshman Year as a Dance Major

We grilled a dance professor and a rising sophomore for their best tips on how to make the most of freshman year—starting on day 1. Get Your Head—and Body—In the Game According to Michelle Nance, director of dance at Texas State University in San Marcos, TX, the challenges incoming dance majors struggle with most can […]

A Week in the Life of a Dance Major

Making future college plans can seem daunting. What is life as a dance major really going to be like? Catie Robinson, a sophomore at California State University, Fullerton, gave us an inside peek at her life on campus. Originally from Round Rock, TX, Robinson trained in a variety of styles growing up, including ballet, jazz, […]