There are multiple routes you can take to pursue dance at the collegiate level. We will highlight three of the most popular in this blog. Taking a dance class as an elective, just to keep up with your passion. Majoring in dance to become a dance teacher or possibly opening a dance studio of your own. Or auditioning to be on a college dance team.
Colleges usually offer dance as an elective. Most of the time it is bundled with multiple styles of dance in a semester. Every few weeks a new style of dance is introduced. What’s unique about taking a college course in dance is that you are able to focus more on the history of each style you are being educated on. For example, most colleges study the art form of modern dance. While learning technique and skills for your body, you will also learn about the pioneers of modern dance. One of them being Martha Graham, an American modern dancer and choreographer. Graham’s style, the Graham Technique, shaped modern dance and is still taught today. Two unique facts about Martha are that she danced and taught for over seventy years and her school, the Martha Graham school, is the oldest school of dance in the United States.
Dance majors will most likely learn a lot about Martha Graham during their studies too. As well as many other famous dancers like jazz dancer, Bob Fosse. Tap dancers, like Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and George Balanchine, who choreographed the most known version of the holiday classic, The Nutcracker. If choosing to major in dance, students can envision collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the performing arts. All colleges are not the same and there are programs geared towards whatever someone could be interested in. Like mentioned earlier there are many options for students who have completed their degrees in dance. Becoming a studio owner, running a dance company, dance competition owner, dance teacher at a private studio or a school or even a dance teacher or professor at a college or university. The possibilities are endless.
Let’s talk about participating on a college dance team. That track is on a whole other level compared to what was mentioned previously. Dance team is a full year commitment, if your team is involved at the competitive level. Auditions are usually held in the spring and summer for the following dance season. Dancers are put through multiple rounds of auditions until the right team is formed for that year. There are all kinds of teams. Small, medium and large. Different divisions when entering competitions. And whether or not teams, dance at football and/or basketball games. Dance team is quite the commitment. However, it teaches you so many things, like discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship. Just to name a few. A lot of dance team members are not on the dance major track. CFDC dancers who were on their college dance teams majored in accounting, nursing, psychology just to name a few and were able to move onto full time jobs at the completion of their college education.
After leaving your home dance studio, students are able to take their passion of dance with them when choosing to go to college. It is so rewarding to see our dancers join their school dance team, major in dance or just continuing their dance education in college. We'd love you to choose CFDC as the place to start your journey! Get in touch with us today to get started!