University of Virginia

[charlotte1755]

Anyone know a dancer who is a member of the Virginia Dance Company which is part of University of Virginia? I am trying to find out more about the company and how much they are part of the University??

[Pierrette]

Some really simple googling and web surfing gives you everything you need to reach these dancers. Here is the site for the Virginia Dance Company. The club then lists all of the dancers' names, which you can then put into the search box on the University of Virginia main page, select "People", and - voila! - they give you email addresses, phone numbers, the works.

 

On learning that this dance company is merely a club, a bit more browsing confirmed the fact that this university doesn't have so much as a modern program, much less a ballet program:

 

<<Currently there are two beginning level dance courses taught at the University of Virginia. While these courses are taught by a dance professional, they can hardly accommodate the overwhelming demand that exists among students.>> [from The Campaign for Dance]

 

So, perhaps a moderator should move this topic to "Higher Education General Discussion."

[LaMusicienne]

While UVA is an excellent school, I assure you that nobody comes here to dance UVA has no dance department to speak of (though I hear rumors that they're debating on creating a dance minor sometime in the future), and Virginia Dance Company and other dance ensembles are all student-formed clubs. If you want a college with any semblance of a dance program, don't go to UVA

[dancemaven]

I believe 'jsn' accidently hit the wrong button when trying to post the following, so I have 'pasted' it in here:

 

jsn May 15, 2006 03:29 PM

 

Group: New Member

Posts: 2

Member No.: 10,062

Joined: 15-May 06

 

I graduated from UVa many moons ago and now have a daughter there as well. My second daughter is a junior in highschool and a ballet dancer. She loves the school so we have been checking out the dance program. Per the head of the Drama Dept. which oversees dance, next year there will be a dance minor offered. They have just hired a new instructor. They will offer modern, ballet and jazz (I think) but all at the beginning to mid-level. There will not be any pointe and they do not have the facilities to develop this level of dance at this time. They are working to develop their performing arts but it will take time. My daughter and I went to the ballet club's performance and you could tell that some of the girl's have had higher level training, but they are totally self sustaining and they do not have any outside input (training, choreography, etc.) Basically, you can have an outlet for your dance passion at this school, but it is not a development program.

[Mocha.Bubble]

Hello, I know this thread has been inactive for a while, but I was hoping I could get some updated information on how the UVa dance program was coming along. Any information will be greatly appreciated! Also if the dance department is not as strong, does anyone know if there are any good ballet studios in close proximity to the school? Thanks!

[jessicanicole42191]

I don't know much about the dance department, but I used to live in Charlottesville for 19 years so I can tell you about the dance schools.

 

There is a school in Crozet, called Albemarle Ballet Theatre that I would suggest. They are a bit out of the way, so without a car you may not be able to make it there without car pooling. These classes are more academic. Here is their website: http://www.aballet.org/

 

There is another school/company that I would highly suggest. Charlottesville Ballet has open company classes at the Dance Barn in Stanarsville, VA. A lot of the company members live around the UVA area, and some even go to UVA. If you contact them I am sure that you can carpool to classes - they are huge on carpooling. These classes are of a higher level (most of the members have been in other professional companies such as Richmond Ballet). They are very welcoming and fun to take class with. Here is their website: http://www.charlottesvilleballet.org/ Their class schedule is under the performances & events link

 

Other than those two school, I would not suggest any of the other dance schools in Charlottesville.