Juilliard

[ddm3]

I do not have any exact numbers on the graduating dancers from Juilliard, but of the dancers in recent years I have heard about, the great majority started earning a living wage upon graduation. Some left before graduating to take paying jobs. I know of a few dancers who joined Hubbard Street 2 before eventually joining the main company. Many have taken paying jobs abroad. Several recent grads took jobs in Les Grands Ballet Canadien de Montreal, Les Grands Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Lyon Opera Ballet, Compania Nacional de Danza, Aterballeto, Cedar Lake Ensemble, etc and of course there are the modern companies, Paul Taylor, Mark Morris, Martha Graham, etc. The list is quite impressive.

 

The tuition at Juilliard isn't as high as NYU! I was told that everyone at the school is on some kind of scholarship. My daughter has a merit scholarship. If the school wants you, they will find the way to make it financially possible. They do not select students based on their financial portfolio.

 

My daughter chose to go the college route even though she was offered a paying apprenticeship in a ballet company during her Senior year of high school. She has not regretted this choice as she has grown so much as a dancer. She is also learning many very valuable tools for the future which will keep her employed long after her dancing days are over.

 

Best of luck.

[Redy]

My DD will be auditioning next month and IF she is lucky enough to make it through to the phase of the audition where she is to present a solo, she is planning to do a classical ballet piece. However, IF she is again fortunate enough to be able to perform a 2nd solo, should she do a modern piece or a contrasting classical ballet solo. She is classically trained and has also done some modern, but not to the extent of her ballet training. Perhaps ddm3 could share her daughter's experience with us??

[avril]

Does your DD whants to be a ballet dancer or a modern dancer ? Because Juilliard is not the right place to go if your DD whants to improve her classical ballet skill and dance for a major classical ballet company.

( That is almost the first thing they tell you at parent'S meeting when your DD or your DS is doing the audition. )

My DD did succesfully the audition and did not attempted the program when she found out that the focus of the program was not classical ballet training. She had left to Europe to pursue her classical ballet training . She made the right decision for her and was honest with them.

[ddm3]

Redy, I would suggest that your daughter have a modern/contemporary piece rather than a second classical variation. They may not ask to see a 2nd variation, but just in case, I would prepare a contrasting piece. The committee will want to see how your daughter moves. Movement and musicality are really important qualities that the committee will be looking for. Best of luck.

[Redy]

ddm3, thank you for your reply, your input is very much appreciated.

[ddm3]

I think that some dancers have habits which might be considered difficult to correct. Some dancers have a way of moving that is somewhat awkward and perhaps "jerky" and appear slightly uncoordinated.

 

There is a soloist a Pennsylvania Ballet who trained at Juillliard and 3 dancers in San Francisco Ballet (1 is a soloist). I think that it is an exaggeration to say that one will not improve their classical ballet skill at Juilliard. My daughter has improved quite a bit. The ballet teachers are top notch at the school. The training focus in not on classical ballet technique, but the opportunity for a dancer to improve is certainly there.

[ballaurena]

I got the call today saying that I got in! Is anyone else from Ballet Talk going to be in the class of 2012?

[Memo]

Congratulations

[NutsaboutBallet]

ballaurena, Congratulations!! Keep us informed on your experiences at Juilliard!

[ddm3]

Congratulations! I remember so clearly the day my daughter received her phone call. We were in the car. It was an emotional moment. Best of luck to you!

[ddm3]

A litttle tidbit of news regarding Juilliard grads getting jobs...My daughters friend, class of '08 was just offered 2 company contracts. One company is a ballet company and the other is a company with a theatrical/modern bent. Dancers are ballet trained. Both companies are in the U.S. Other class of '08 dancers have already secured jobs. Recently found out that one of my dds classmates in the class of '07 is in the main company of Hubbard Street Dance. So far things are looking pretty good.

[ondine88]

That is interesting.......at a parents info session at the Juilliard auditions some parents were asking about pointe. The moderator emphasized Juilliard's "fushion" style dance program and said that although many of their male graduates get jobs in ballet companies not so with the women. They said that because the women are not on pointe every day, by the time they graduate they are not really competitive with other ballet dancers for ballet companies. The woman then added that if a dancer wants to be in a ballet company they should try to train at a school associated with that company.

 

I see that you are the parent of a Juilliard student and have a different view - I'd like to hear more about it.

 

Thank you!

[frii0002]

Just to clarify what was said at the Juilliard parent info session: female graduates do not frequently seek/secure jobs with CLASSICAL ballet companies - they tend to dance with contemporary ballet or modern companies.

[ddm3]

If you have entered the school with advanced ballet training, it is more likely that you will be able to secure a job with a ballet company. If you have entered the school with limited ballet training and have not previously been trained in advanced pointe work, this would seem less likely. My daughter trained at a high level ballet program and was already at a level where she was offered traineeships and an apprenticeship with ballet companies. The fusion training at Juilliard has helped her to further develop as a dancer. I believe her marketability has increased. At her last company audition (a classical ballet company), she was one that was kept to the very end of the audition. This was a very competitive audition with dancers who trained at SAB, Joffrey, etc.

[yoplait]

Hi ballaurena...

 

I'll be joining you at Juilliard! JUILLIARD!! I got the call on Monday (of course while I was in pointe class) and returned the call first thing Tuesday morning. I don't think my eyes were dry the entire day. DDM3 is right...what an emotional moment. I'm still floating on cloud nine.

 

My life forever changed with that phone call!!

 

yoplait