College Advice

[Guest hesterlover1]

Hi everyone,

 

I haven't been here in ages, and I'm sure half the people here don't even remember me! But it's good to be back.

 

Anyway... I'm a senior this year, and I'm going to college in the fall. I want to go into journalism, but I really want to keep dancing--it'd be impossible to give it up.

 

I'm either going to Butler University, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Loyola University, or the University of Michigan in the fall (but that's least likely of the 4).

 

I just learned this weekend that UMass at Amherst is offering me a full ride, plus $500 for books. Obviously, this forces me to consider it really seriously, because financial aid has to be HUGE in my decision. I'm still waiting to hear how much Butler and Loyola will give me as a final offer.

 

So right now, I need help assessing the dance situation at each school.

 

At Butler, I'd double major in ballet and journalism. If anyone goes to Butler, or knows anything else about the program, I'd love to find out more.

 

UMass Amherst has a dance major that is equally focused on ballet, modern, and jazz, which I don't want to do. However, they do offer "Advanced Ballet" and I'd be able to take it (as long as I was advanced enough, which I'm fairly certain I would be) by instructor permission, two days a week, and Intermediate Ballet another two days a week, and after my first semester I could take classes at Smith or Mount Holyoke through the Five College Consortium. Seniors in Smith's dance program do choreographic projects so I could audition for those if I wanted to perform. However, I don't know anything else, and the dance dept. was closed the day I visited so I couldn't take or observe any ballet classes to see how the teachers and dancers were, or get a sense of the style and level of technique. If anyone has any information about the faculty at UMass, or the dance program in general, please let me know!!

 

If I were to go to Loyola, I'd need to find a dance studio in Chicago somewhere to dance--preferably somewhere nearby the school--that would offer advanced enough classes but allow me to take 3-5 days a week, not 2 classes per day every day, to be in an advanced level. I know that's difficult, because many schools require a certain number of classes from advanced dancers and programs are tailored for high schoolers, not college students.

 

So, any info. about Butler, dance at UMass Amherst, and dance schools near Loyola U of Chicago, would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

 

Thank you so much!

~Katie~

 

PS-If this may draw a better response on the parents board, may I post it there too? Thanks.

[DaNcErKeL86]

Hello! I am a senior in high school and am also trying to decide where to go to school next year. Out of the schools you mentioned, Butler is the only one I know anything about. I auditioned there earlier this year and was accepted. I know they have a really strong dance program with lots of different degree options in order to satisfy everyone. The amount of classes you take depends on which degree you choose. I was a little disappointed in the level of technique of the dancers there. They were well trained, but just not what I expected. I am also looking into University of Utah, Indiana, and Oklahoma University. Do you know anything about these schools?

[Dolphingirl]

There are several good studios in Chicago, with varying degrees of advancement. I don't believe that any, with the possible exception of Ballet Chicago, require a certain number of classes for upper levels. At Ruth Page, I know that you can only take a few of the classes at a given level, because I've done it before. They are a very good school. There is also the Lou Conte dance studio, which offers walk in classes at all different levels. I've never taken a class there but friends that have taken there love it. There is also Joel Hall's, but I believe that there are a lot more Jazz/hiphop type thigns offered, though I know there is ballet too. My school, the Hyde Park School of Ballet, is definitely not super advanced, but you can buy an 8 class card that never expires. A lot of U of C college students take at our studio. Other possibilities include finding out if Columbia College would allow you to take classes. They have a good dance program, I believe. I know that HPSB has a website, as does ballet Chicago. I'm guessing the rest do too, if you google them.

 

Dolphingirl