Academic Ballet year

[Dance_Scholar_London]

As there were recently so many discussions about American and European ballet training, I would like to know how many weeks of ballet (and hours) has a typical academic year - studio and university based.

 

In the UK, a college dance degree has usually 3 term of 12-15 weeks per academic year, however, one week is usually for assignments so one cannot really count it.

 

Is it the same amount in the US or more or less?

[Mel Johnson]

The high school/university relationship in the US versus much of Europe (if not all) is such that a comparison here is very difficult. Suffice it to say that a Baccalaureate is 8 semesters, or at least 120 semester hours. A semester is 18 weeks. One week each semester is considered for examinations. A Bachelor's of Fine Arts can take up to 150 semester hours.

[Dance_Scholar_London]

The reason why I was asking is that dance training in Europe is said to be more intensive than in the US. I was wondering if this is in terms of actual teaching hours or the training (method itself). Some colleges here in London have started working with semesters as well now (18 weeks).

[Victoria Leigh]

Some colleges here work with quarters, but I'm not sure how many weeks in a quarter. Probably about 9, since 18 per semester is pretty standard.

 

As for ballet schools, most work relatively close to the school system for the regular school year, which is early Sept. to mid June. Generally about 36 weeks, with a break of a week or two around Christmas, and a Spring Break of a week. Then there are the Summer Intensive programs during June/July or July/August.

[Mel Johnson]

Right, quarters can be really nerve-wracking, as you have to fit the same amount of training into 9 weeks as 18, or drastically modify the curriculum and syllabi. I attended a university that kept vacillating between the two, and the students and teachers were both entirely frazzled, all the time. The Administration and the Board seemed happy, though

[Guest dancer04]

Although, it really depends where you are located in the US. In the midwest schooling is on the semester (18 weeks) system, but we begin in early-mid August and finish in early May. That does make it difficult for some summer programs as some of them are still going on while we are beginning school.

[Dance_Scholar_London]

As far as I know, Summer Intensives are not as popular in Europe as it is in the US. Does that mean that US dancers have more ballet training (including the SI)? When I was in full-time ballet training (10 years ago in Germany), we had a Easter Intensive week and maybe a 2 week SI. This might have changed now in Germany. However, students in London usually go to the big dance studios such as Pineapple during the summer break.

[Mel Johnson]

I can't speak for Europe, not having been there in over 30 years, but in the US, we have quite a time on the Young Dancers' forums telling people, "take some time off, for heaven's sake!"

[Guest beckster]

I don't think summer schools are as popular in the UK as in the US, and this is probably partly due to the fact that school summer holidays are only 6 weeks in length. By the time you've had a family holliday and spent some time with friends or relatives, there isn't much time left over for summer schools, which is why most are only two weeks in length. The school year here runs from early september, with a break of around 2-3 weeks at Christmas, two weeks at Easter, and finishes in July. I believe it works out at something like a 40-week school year, because schools also have "half-terms" which are 1 week holiday midway through each term.

 

UK Universities and colleges usually have three ten-week terms with exams in June and sometimes January as well. But I think dance degrees are less widelly taught here - I know that none of the four universities I have experience of actually run a dance degree. Performing Arts of any kind tends to get taught at specialist colleges (like London Studio Centre), often finishing with a diploma or degree from an affiliated university.

[Dance_Scholar_London]

UK Universities and colleges usually have three ten-week terms with exams in June and sometimes January as well.  But I think dance degrees are less widelly taught here - I know that none of the four universities I have experience of actually run a dance degree.  Performing Arts of any kind tends to get taught at specialist colleges (like London Studio Centre), often finishing with a diploma or degree from an affiliated university.

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The terms of UK dance degrees are at least 12 weeks long, some of them are even 15 weeks. However, most other degree programs run over 10 weeks terms (non performance based). Still, there is a big gap in the summer of at least 2 months for dance degree students. IMO, this is far too long.