Job Opportunities: Boston

[Guest JoyfulLeaper]

Hello everyone,

 

I haven't posted many times on this forum, but I read the new posts every day and love all the wonderful advice and support given out here.

 

I will be graduating from Boston University in May, with a degree in English. During the school year I take class 6 days per week, and it's what keeps me happy and healthy! The trouble is, when I graduate, I'm almost certain that I won't be able to take class every day like I do now. I'm definitely going to try and take class as often as possible (there are open classes at Boston Ballet, Dance Complex, etc. and at all times of the day in Boston, hurrah) so hopefully it will work out.

 

I would like to make dance a career though- not as a performer or teacher, but in some other way- perhaps working in come capacity to promote/support dance in Boston. In the Boston Ballet offices, or somewhere else, doing... anything! I'm not sure what kind of opportunites exist in the dance world for an English major. I'm just starting to fish around for information, so I thought this might be a good place to ask.

 

If anyone has any ideas about what I could possibly to do keep ballet as the most important part of my life, I would really appreciate it! I'm trying not to panic but life after graduation is seeming pretty overhwhelming!

 

Thanks!!

[Victoria Leigh]

JoyfulLeaper, what about a graduate program in Arts Management? Are you good with business things, fund raising, organizing, etc.? Or would be more inclined toward the design end of things, like sets, costumes, lights? Everything should be available there in Boston!

[Guest balletbarbie]

I know I'm just a young girl but I would just like to say thats so great that you have a good major and you still want to make dance a part of your life. Maybe you could be a choreographer, even though that has nothing to do with english, or some of the other things that Ms. Leigh said were good suggestions as well. Like doing some sort of volunteer work for a local ballet company. Best of luck to you

Edited October 10, 2004 by balletbarbie

[jbtlse]

Look into doing an internship at the Boston Ballet.

[dancersteven]

I have to agree with both Ms Leigh and with jbtlse, some formal education, like in arts management would be a good start, and the idea of an internship with Boston Ballet, or another arts institution in Boston, would be an invaluable step in actually getting a job.

 

I have been a part of many ballet organizations, and so often I have seen jobs go to people whose primary qualification is that they are THERE, in the builiding, a known quantity to the people looking. Of course, if those people do not have secondary qualifications (being competent, for example), they tend not to last very long!

 

Congratulations on your graduation, and goodluck with the next step of your life!

 

S.

[ABT Wannabe]

I loved the idea BalletBarbie gave about volunteering for a local ballet company...and same with some of the other ideas. Good Luck!

[liebs]

English majors, who can write, can do great things with fundraising. I suggest you call Boston Ballet and ask for an informational interview with teh director of development. You might also want to consder an internship with BB or another arts org in Boston.

[pleiades]

Years ago. . . more than I'd care to admit, I was an intern in the arts community in Boston. At the time, the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities was an active umbrella organization for the arts. If they're still around (a state funded agency) they'd probably be a great place to start.

 

Best of luck -- many, many years ago I did an arts-related internship in Boston and loved it.

[Guest balletmom1]

JoyfulLeaper-

First congrats that you will have your degree next spring. I think the suggestions so far have been excellent.

Forgive this slightly off topic question, but I see you are new and not eligible for PM yet. While at BU are you taking class through the school's PE program or do you take class outside the university at a studio? I'm curious, because BU is one of the top schools on my DD's list. She doesn't want to major in dance, but wants to keep dance in her life while in college. I want to be able to afford it all.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Guest Chedva]

If you're at all interested in psychology, Lesley University in Cambridge, MA has a masters' program in Dance Therapy. You can find out more about the field at American Dance Therapy Association.

 

And congratulations on graduation!

[Victoria Leigh]

The intern idea is a very good one. We often have arts management graduate students from AU who intern at Washington Ballet, and they do sometimes end up with a job here!

[musicgal23]

JoyfulLeaper,

 

Could you please let us know where you took class while a student at BU? In addition, were they advanced ballet classes, and how did you fit them into you schedule? My DD also wants to go to college, not major in dance or ballet, but wants to keep dancing seriously while studying and would need daily advanced classes, pehaps with some performance opportunities as well. Thanks for the reply!

[Guest JoyfulLeaper]

Hi everyone, and thanks for your great replies. I'll keep all of this in mind!

 

Balletmom1 and musicgal23: Yes, I take classes through the BU PE program. The upper level ballet classes (intermediate and high-intermediate) are taught by an absolutely wonderful woman named Margot Parsons. She danced with ABT, among others, and is just a fabulous teacher. She's a beautiful performer herself, and it's astonishing to take class with her- her corrections are so helpful and it's just inspiring. I can't believe that she's actually teaching ME! Just type her name into Google and you'll come up with a bio. She teaches at Harvard, BC, and at the Dance Complex in Cambridge as well.

 

The intermediate classes are Tues/Thurs from 2-3:30, and the high intermediate classes are MWF from 2-3:30, with pointe on Fridays from 3:30-4 (which you can either do on pointe, or just in flat shoes, or not do at all!). It seems like most of the girls in high-intermediate went to pre-pro schools but, like your daughters, decided not to pursue a career in ballet but still want to be challenged dance-wise. The intermediate class is a little more mixed ability- but as you know, the effort you put in determines the difficulty of the class. I enjoy it because it's a little bit slower and I can concentrate on specific things I want to work on. I've worked out my schedule so I can take class every day. In college that's such a blessing- to have a planned hour and a half of fun, exercise and stress relief! There is also a repertory class on Saturdays from 10-11:30am. Margot choreographs an original piece for us (about 10 min long, usually) and we perform in the Dance Theatre Group concert (DTG is a student/faculty dance group that choreographs original modern/ballet pieces and performs once a semester). www.bu.edu/search will bring you to a search where you can type in Dance Theatre Group and get more information. There are usually a few ballet pieces in the concert besides the repertory.

 

As you can see, I'm gushing! I absolutely love the dance program here. If you have any questions, please ask! Girls often come to watch ballet classes (and the rest of the dance program... modern, pilates, etc is wonderful too). A woman named Micki Taylor-Pinney is the coordinator of the dance program, so just give her a call with questions or concerns. Or just come visit! I'm bound to be in the studio if you come

 

Thanks again, everyone!

[Guest balletmom1]

Thanks JoyfulLeaper

I've printed out your reply for my DD. If BU is her destiny, you've given us great information!

Best of luck in your job pursuits.

[coffee]

Joyfulleaper- I think you are my hero. I have long been agonizing about how I want to balance my studies and dance next year, as I am a senior in high school this year. I have been seriously considering Boston U, and I am actually visiting there in two weeks. I had no idea that they had such a good dance program! I was really worried about not being able to take classes. I am at a pre-professional stuido right now, and I am still not sure if I want to try and do a dance major at someplace like butler or SUNY purchase. ANyway, if I decide against that, Boston U is one of my first choices. Would you say that the girls in the advanced level would have been good enough to become pros if they had chosen to? I am just trying to get a concept of the level of dancing. I can hopefully drop in to watch a class when I am there if I get a chance. How are the classes at BU compared to the open classes at Boston Ballet? My ideal situation would still be able to take an advanced level class every day, with pointe more than once a week. Anyway, thank you so much for posting here about BU, even though that was not the intent of your post! This has helped me so much!!