Boston Conservatory

[Guest Ballet626]

My daughter is interested in the Boston Conservatory since it seems to not only offer a BFA in dance with a concentration in ballet, but the dancers are also encouraged to develop their acting and voice skills. Since she is a serious ballet student, but also enjoys musical theatre I wondered if this is a program that she should really strongly consider vs. a college ballet program such as Butler, NCSA, IU etc. Any thoughts...?

[Hans]

When I attended Boston Ballet School's SI, some of the teachers were on the permanent faculty at the Boston Conservatory, and they seemed mostly very good to me, but I have no first-hand experience with the program.

 

Another post-high school program that offers acting and voice training (as well as several other types of dance and movement classes) is the Ecole-Atelier Rudra Béjart Lausanne, but they do not offer a degree, and moving to Switzerland is not an easy step to take.

[AmaG520]

ooo if anyone has info on this program i would be so thankful! the webstie doest give me as good a feel as i was hoping for!

[ondine88]

There has been very little on this site re Boston Conservatory. It seems like it should be an ideal location for a strong ballet program - proximity to the Boston Ballet - a culturally rich city - and part of a conservatory ......... yet I haven't found any first hand information regarding their dance program ....... can anyone help with some good in-depth info?

[BalletNutter]

I don't have a lot but I'll tell you what little I know. It appears to be stronger in modern and jazz than classical ballet from what I could tell from reviewing their marketing materials about a year and a half ago. I also understand the students study jazz because many of the dance majors perform in the conservatory's musical theater productions.

 

I have a good friend whose daughter is a senior there and who is a musical theater/voice performance major. The mother of this student told me a week ago that for the 2006-07 school year, Boston Conservatory admitted more dancers than ever before because there is a need for dancers for the musical theater productions. A roommate of my dd's from Boston Ballet SDP is a freshman there this year majoring in dance and I understand she likes it very much.

 

Boston Conservatory is a relatively small program in the heart of the city of Boston. I do know that they have one of the top musical theater programs in the U.S. I do not know how highly regarded the dance program is. I also understand that all students, regardless of major, are evaluated at the end of their sophomore year and either asked to stay on if they have made progress or asked to leave the conservatory if the faculty does not believe they are at the point that they should be at.

 

They have some wonderful performing opportunities in Boston at both school and outside venues. The program is extremely competitive.

[Alina]

This is what I know.

 

The ballet faculty is very strong along with excellence as said previously in modern and jazz. The program has improved immensely in the last 10 years under Yasi Takanaga (sp?). The facilities are a bit challenging but resources such as ability to dance and theater events in Boston often for free are very good. Performances I have seen in the last few years were very good. Challenging reperatory, good original works, and some fine ballet and modern classics. I have known some very intensely ballet focussed students to thrive and grow there. I think it is a program worth consideration.

[b1]

Ahhh, my alma mater! Yippee! I was at Boston Conservatory in the early 80s (sigh...I am old), and loved, loved, loved it. I was a ballet dancer and had wonderful ballet teachers. My struggle was in the jazz area. Modern was actually slightly easier than jazz, for me.

 

The school itself is small, a conservatory. But, it is in the heart of the City. I also continued taking classes at Boston Ballet and dancing in some productions with them while in school. Many, many former Boston Ballet dancers now teach at BCoM. The ballet (in my opinion) has always been top notch, but I am also of the opinion that any class is what YOU make of it. The school does not coddle. I missed a casting list posting, and missed my first rehearsal, and was dropped to the second role. Though this was many years ago, it is exactly what it is now. The real world. They did not hand hold after graduation with finding a job, either, but I can say that they did provide all the materials and avenues in order to look for a job. I know of 2 recent (last 5 year) graduates who have found gainful employment with companies in the Cambridge area and are teaching for schools in the North Shore area. I was there under Ruth Ambrose and had great ballet, but I am sure that it has improved with the years.

 

I found the school very strong in it's performance opportunities. We did a big ballet production every year along with student productions which leaned heavily towards modern and contemporary jazz, etc. They offered pedagogy, labanotation, Sutton notation, kinesiology (sp), anatomy, very challenging studies. This course of study was very, very challenging.

 

I enjoyed NOT having a large number of students in my classes. I found the conservatory avenue a way for me to go. I would encourage you to look at the school. Take a visit. They may even let you take class. check it out!

 

http://www.bostonconservatory.edu/programs/dance.html

 

b1

[yankee]

This year's faculty also includes Adrianna Suarez who formerly danced with Boston Ballet.

[calamitous]

I am glad I decided to read this thread.

My DD who had her first meeting with her HS guidance counselor today. As of last night had decided she didn't want to do music theatre in college but did want to continue in dance. (I am sure in the next 3 years this will change hundreds of times back and forth). BoCo sounds like it might be to her liking. She can continue with ballet some, but work more toward on jazz and MT dance. The possibility of being cast in MT productions as a dancer would REALLY make her happy since she does sing and act.

 

This is a place we will need to look at more carefully, although it may be well out of our financial resources so I will investigate before raising it with her.

[b1]

A very nice article on Boston Conservatory in Dance Magazine Feb edition.

[vagansmom]

I haven't read the article yet, but just wanted to say that MOMIX includes some recent grads of Boston Conservatory. They are beautifully trained and very professional dancers.

[quill]

A friend of my daughter's is a freshman ballet major at Boston Conservatory. She is a lovely dancer and very happy with the program. Her primary teacher is Donna Silva, who was coincidentally my daughter's primary teacher at DanceLab last summer.

[brybread]

does anybody know how many dancers (male and female) they accept as a freshman class each year?

[e'smom]

Another question - my DD looked at this one, and the tuition and especially the housing was really pricy. Anyone know much about how generous they are (or not) with financial aid/scholarships.

[marzipan]

I am not sure about the financial aid/scholarships, but be aware that when my DD looked here last year we were told that they only guarantee housing for one year. This was a bit of a concern for me as Boston is a very expensive city!