Becoming a dance major?!?

Question

I love to dance. People try influence me to be a judge, a doctor or a teacher because i am very smart.However, mysister, who is in college now told me my major should be something i have a passion for and that is dance.

What should i do? How to look for universites that offer a good dance program? Also,in reality, i may be doing something i love but i also will have bills as i become an adult, so how much do dancers make? And what jobs are available?

Answer 1

I suggest you major in dance, but also get an education in something else. The life of a professional dancer is short. Very short. So, be a dancer if you want. That will last about 10 years at the most if you are a ballet, or pointe dancer. So then, when your dance career is over, you can get started in your other career. It will keep life interesting. Remember to continue dancing for fun and exercise after your professional career, if you have a strong passion for it.

Or, you don't have to go pro at all. It's your choice. Have a nice day!!

Answer 2

I was in the exact same situation as you. I'm very intelligent, and when I went to college I decided to make dance my major. There are a lot of options for you.

First of all, as a professional dancer your career may be short, but its really about what you want to get out of it. You don't have to dance with ABT or with Justin Timberlake, there are plenty of companies with people dancing well into their 50's (look up Liz Lerman Dance Exchange) and you may eventually start your own company.

Also, there are lots of jobs that are dance related that will allow you to dance professionally on the side AND earn the money you need. I personally am studying to be a certified Dance Therapist (close to a physical therapist), and there are other jobs related to teaching or the business aspects of dance. Double majoring is an option, depending on what you choose to do. The major doesn't have to be dance related either (I know someone who has a dance and bio degree!) So look around on the internet about some potential careers!

Meanwhile, find a dance program best suited for your skill level, and how structured you want your experience to be (what forms you want to study, how strict you want the program to be, etc.) You should be proud that you're following your passion, work hard and everything will work out!

Answer 3

Thumbs up to ballerina and hyperfresh for good answers. I'm going to address the part of your question about how to look for universities that offer good dance programs.

As with looking for universities that are good for any subject area, there is no set answer, because what is good for one student may not be good at all for another. In fact, this is even more true when it comes to dance where approval of you as a dancer by your teachers is very subjective and every place has a "pecking order" of favorites and least-liked students. Therefore, you'll need to put a lot of work into finding a dance program that is the right fit FOR YOU.

Start off by buying the print edition of the Dance Magazine College Guide:

http://dancemedia.k-online.biz/cgi-bin/B...

Just some of the many factors to consider in evaluating what's right for you are:

1) Styles of dance offered and emphasized: how many classes and levels are offered? What styles of dance are performed in shows?

2) Quality and caliber of the students who are accepted into the program and reputation of the faculty and alumni.

3) Quality of facilities and performance venues.

4) Performance opportunities, politics of castings, access to guest artists and access to faculty outside of classes.

5) Size of dance classes and degree of personal attention.

6) Location and campus setting.

7) Access to other subjects of study that you're interested in.

8) Access to good summer training and auditions.

The more you visit college dance programs - ANY college dance programs - the better you'll get in evaluating them. Sometimes it even takes attending one for a year before you realize that you may need to transfer. That's how tough it is to find the right fit. So start now to attend as many college dance shows as you can, talk to dance majors, and eventually make arrangements to observe classes and talk to the teachers.

Best of luck to you.

Answer 4

That's great that you are keeping your options open!

The jobs that people are trying to push on you are ones that pay well.  In terms of how much dancers make, it depends on what company you are part of, what your ranking is in the company, whether you become famous or not, etc.  Overall, sadly, dancers do not make much.

Most dancers take on several extra jobs to help pay for what they need. (If you own and run your own successful studio, then your income will be different.  I'm speaking in terms of a standard company dancer).  So, what you need to consider, is where do you rest your happiness?  Do you want to be miserable at your job, but able to pay the bills?  Or, do you want to love what you do, but have to take on extra jobs to help fulfill financial needs?

Dance is an interesting field.  I know several people who started out as dancers, but realized that it's not the job they want (prone to injury, extreme stress and competition, shorter careers).

However, there are countless dancers who wake up every day as motivated, determined dancers.  There are dancers who would never think of being anything else in life.  So, I say that if you are up to it, follow your dreams!  It's your life, and you can do whatever you desire!  Don't let others push you away from what will bring you happiness.  If you have a passion for dance, then nourish that passion.  If your wish is to become a dance major, then go for it!

Good luck.