What are the strongest ballet departments?
Check out Univ. of Utah which has a strong West Coast program, Indiana University which is also highly regarded and finally consider looking at the "Performing Arts Major's College Book" it will give you additional insight into specific programs related to your area of ballet rathar than a general overview.
The majority of College/University Dance Departments have a strong modern focus or a split focus of modern and ballet (some have two separate departments) or modern and ethnic or jazz, etc. There are relatively few which strongly focus on ballet as their primary dance form with modern, jazz, ethnic, and others as secondary. Among the very strongest and most competitive departments focusing strongly on ballet are Butler University, Indiana University (Ballet Department), University of Utah (Ballet Department), and University of Cincinnati with others including University of Oklahoma, SMU, Point Park University, TCU , Mercyhurst, University of Arizona and a newer program with Alonzo King Lines Ballet/Dominican University. Within a conservatory setting, Juilliard is traditionally considered modern-based but they have an outstanding faculty and training in ballet and are undoubtedly the strongest Dance Department in the country. Other strong conservatory programs that have excellent ballet training are the Hartt School, NCSA, and New World School of the Arts.
The University of Utah has the oldest ballet department west of the Mississippi River. The University of Utah is linked directly to Ballet West, the region's premier dance theatre. You may know that Salt Lake City was recently home to the Olymic Games and because of that, the city is modern and thriving. If you are a snow skier, this is the campus where you can dance, ski, and study and be just 20 minutes from your campus dorm.
Some colleges/universities with strong dance-ballet departments are Indiana University, Butler University, Smith College in Massachusetts, SUNY Purchase, University of Utah, Julliard, Ohio University, Brigham Young University.
American Ballet Center, Joffrey Ballet School Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education Julliard Milwaukee Ballet School Nutmeg Ballet
This question has two answers essentially. The objective answer of what schools are the most difficult to get into each year and what school has the strongest ballet department for you as a student. Use Unigo and other sites to research first, and then we can discuss what schools are the best match for you.
Barnard College/Columbia University, Boston Conservatory, Goucher College,The Julliard School, Hartt School/University of Hartford, Mercyhurst College, NYU/The Tisch School, Point Park UniversitySUNY/Purchase, SUNY/Brockport, University of the Arts, New World School of the Arts, North Carolina School for the Arts, Indiana University, University of Akron, University of Iowa, University of Oklahoma, California Institute of the Arts, Cornish College of the Arts, Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University and University of Arizona to mention a few.
There are many schools for dance throughout the U.S. and abroad. I would like to suggest a website that will provide detailed information to assist you with researching and comparing schools of dance. The directory at www.danceschools.net will enable you to explore programs and careers in the field of Dance.
There are dozens of ballet programs. It is impossible to label any "the strongest" without knowing about the student considering the program. Are they interested in staying in the US or going abroad? Do they want a conservatory or just a ballet major? Are they interested in classical training or a more modern approach? How much training in pointe have they already had? Do they want a tiny program or a larger one? What do they want to do upon graduation? Do they want to be in a city with lots of dance companies or do they need to stay closer to home? These are just some of the criteria to consider. As with any college search, a dancer needs to identify the criteria that are most important and begin shaping a list based on the schools that meet those criteria rather than chasing an elusive "best" program.
Personally, I avoid answering generalized questions that ask "what strongest...etc...department." I don't subscribe to most rankings list because the term "best" can be limiting and varies according to one's experiences and training. Talent and goals differ among students. College dance programs vary greatly depending on the master teachers available and the quality of students attracted each year. And a decision about where one attends a college will depend on many factors, not just the strength of a single department. I've had students say they attended a great program to find, after arrival, that their needs could not be met, for a variety of reasons. So, my answer is, choose five or six colleges with dance programs, majors or minors (although fewer colleges offer the dance minor), contact the dance department and begin a dialogue. [Trust me, they will be happy you did so.] As a student (or parent) you should examine the program's goals and see if these are consistent with the student's aspirations. Also, examine the level of training one needs to be qualified--and prepared for--each program. A program that is "best" for one student may not be so for another.