balletbooster Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Welcome to the Colleges and Universities with Ballet Programs forum! Here are a few rules to keep the forum on track: 1. When filling out the college questionnaire that follows - First-hand experience only please! Students and their parents who have either made a college visit to the school or who attend a program can post a questionnaire for that program. Questionnaires from other than the parents and students who visit a school will be deleted. (Teachers are welcome to post if there is a question posed about a program, at which they teach, that needs clarification.) 2. Anyone can post anecdotal information they have about a college program, as long as they state it as such. Their comments should NOT be in the form of the questionnaire, but rather in a normal post. They should be strictly about the experiences of their friend, niece, cousin, student, etc. Those who have not done a college visit should NOT post admissions information or other school-data that may be incorrect or out of date, as such information often is, when heard 'through the grapevine.' 3. Please be judicious and courteous in your feedback. While negative experiences do occur at programs and they can cause some very strong emotions, please make every effort to be fair when recounting problems that you or your dancer encountered at a program. We want to know about both the good and the bad aspects of a program, but we do not want this forum to become a college program "bashing board." 4. You can post your own questions about programs in which you are interested, on the existing thread for that specific program. But again, answers to ALL questions should be limited to those with first-hand experience. If someone with other than first-hand experience answers a question, they need to make it VERY clear where/how they came by the information they are sharing. Any post containing gossip or innuendo or goes too far afield in posting second and third-hand information will be deleted. Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge and experience about various programs. This can be a very helpful and informative forum if everyone follows these simple rules and encourages others to do so, as well. Tell your friends about this forum and help us generate a wealth of information! Here is a template to use for feedback. Cut and paste this section into your post. Answer as many questions as possible, but we realize you may not have answers to all these questions. The more specifics, the better! ------------------------------------------------ ADMISSION Describe the audition/application process. How many dance majors? How many dance minors? How many applicants to the dance program annually? How many Freshman are accepted? Of those, how many are 1st year post high school Freshman? (separating those from ‘older’ freshman) How many men in the program? Must students be accepted to the college or university before applying to the dance program, or vice versa? If admission to the school is not required before applying to the dance program, must ANY paperwork be in process, before auditioning? Are the entrance requirements for dancers the same as all other applicants to the school? Does the program seem to have stringent body type requirements? Are there scholarship/financial aid opportunities specifically for dancers? GENERAL Describe the studio/performance facilities. What is the approximate number of performance opportunities each year? Who choreographs/directs the above performances? What ratio of ballet, modern, jazz or other forms of dance are included in these performances? How is casting done? What is the climate of this program (supportive/friendly or highly competitive)? Is there an elite upper division touring/performing company within the department? Are there choreography projects available for students? What opportunities are there to see dance performances or teachers from outside the school on a regular basis? What nutrition/health counseling is available? What medical facilities/physical therapy is available? Describe the culture at this program (warm, cold, competitive, nurturing, professional, etc.) Is there anything unique or that might be helpful regarding the audition process or the audition itself? PROGRAM OF STUDY List ballet faculty members. How often does each teacher actually teach class? How many hours of ballet classes per week are required? How many ballet classes a week are offered? How many technique classes are required of those in other forms of dance (such as modern)? What style of dance is the focus of this program (modern, ballet, other)? What dance requirements are there other than technique classes? What degrees are offered within the Dance program? Is there a separate Dance department? If not, from what department are the dance classes offered? Is Pilates certification available through your program for dance majors? ACADEMIC ISSUES How rigorous are the academics in dance-related, non-technique classes? How rigorous are the academic courses? What is the ratio of academic requirements to studio hours? Are double majors allowed for a dance major? If so, is it practical to double-major? Can a student double major in one program in the dance department and another from a different department? Is there a dance minor? If yes, please complete these questions: Are minors allowed to take major classes? What is the ratio of first time or beginning dancers in the minor classes? Are the minor classes significant enough that a minor can still dance after college? Are non-majors allowed to take technique classes? As a practical matter, can non-majors get into technique classes (or are they filled with dance majors by the time non-majors can register)? JOB PLACEMENT Is career counseling/job placement assistance offered? If yes, at what year does that counseling start? What does the counseling include? How often do company director's visit the school for viewings? How common is it for students to leave the school to join companies prior to graduation? Do any dancers from this program go on to professional performing careers? Teaching careers? Who are recent guest artists or companies who have been in residence at the school? For students graduating from this program who do not go on to dance professionally, what kind of jobs/careers do they go into? Link to comment
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