What are the strongest ballet departments?

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What are the strongest ballet departments?
Ralph BeckerOwner & DirectorIvy College Prep LLC

What are the strongest ballet departments?

A lot of the strongest ballet departments are in NYC: Barnard and Columbia have excellent ballet programs; Julliard is one of the strongest in the country; NYU’s Tisch; Fordham is also reputed to be quite good. Yet, good ballet programs are also found at Butler in Indiana, Indiana University, UC Irvine, Cal State University Long Beach, and the University of Arizona…and I’m just touching the surface. A good website to get updates on ballet departments and ask questions is Ballet Talk for Dancers, http://dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=26346.

Mandy ReillyCounselor

What are the strongest ballet departments?

There are many strong college dance programs. In order to choose the one or ones that are strongest in your eyes, you’ll need to do some research. The following information might be a good start. I suggest you check out the site ” ballet talk for dancers.” The site has a extenive thread and information about college ballet programs based on dancers and families experiences. http://dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php Also, if you are working with a choreographer or dance teacher now, or if you know a professional in the field, please do enlist that person’s opinion and suggestions. From speaking over the years with students who are serious about dance. I know that the the following schools offer advanced ballet classes. You might visit their web pages to find out more. Then narrow them down to a few that you can visit or speak with to gain more information. Dickinson Barnard Butler Smith Mt Holyoke Vassar Duke Skidmore Hobart & William Smith Goucher Point Park University Julliard

I hope this helps!
Samantha GreenwoodUndergraduate Admissions CounselorChatham University

What are the strongest ballet departments?

The strongest ballet departments in rankings can be found at collegeboard.com or by doing a fine arts Google search. However, what makes a ballet department right for you is finding faculty who meet your needs and a program that fits with your style. If you have been in a studio that focuses on classical techniques and the university you are considering has a very modern feel, it is important to determine whether you can be comfortable in this department. Taking a campus tour and sitting in on a class are crucial in determining what the strongest department is for you.

Joe OraveczSenior Student Affairs OfficerLocated in Nebraska

What are the strongest ballet departments?

You need to consider institutions that are near metropolitan areas, e.g. NYU, Julliard, Indiana University, etc. You want to be able to be with, perform with, the best. If you are not in major metropolitan areas that are known to support the Arts, you will struggle in moving forward to “be the best”.

Reecy ArestyCollege Admissions/Financial Aid Expert & AuthorPayless For College, Inc.

What are the strongest ballet departments?

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Fangchen Zhu

What are the strongest ballet departments?

University of Utah, Butler, Dickinson, Indiana University, Skidmore, Dominican, Point Park, among various other colleges and universities.

Danny EllisonCareer CoachELI 360

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Look for faculty who has experience in what you want to do. On most college websites you can find bios for each department’s faculty. Peruse these and find your fit.

hossam

What are the strongest ballet departments?

getting an degree

Kris HintzFounderPosition U 4 College LLC

What are the strongest ballet departments?

I recommend the following resources to find good ballet and dance programs:

The College Finder by Steven Antonoff Creative Colleges: A Guide for Student Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians, and Writers by Elaine Loveland A Guide to College Choices for the Performing and Visual Arts by Ed Schoenberg
CollegeCounselor McSellerson

What are the strongest ballet departments?

test

Melissa Gygax

What are the strongest ballet departments?

five colleges

Claire Law

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Depends on what type of ballet school and teachers a student does best with, however, Juilliard School in NYC stands out as close to the premier ballet department in the US. There are many programs at US colleges that I would recommend as well as overseas programs in the UK and Europe.

Zahir RobbCollege CounselorThe Right Fit College

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Remember that best is a relative term. What is “best” for you, may not be best for someone else. SUNY Purchase, UC Irvine, Smith and Goucher have good reputations, but your best bet would be to review individual schools, visit those you can and really compare them. I am wary of “lists”, but it does help to have a school that has a track record of success within arts/performance fields.

Shelley KrauseCo-Director of College CounselingRutgers Preparatory School

What are the strongest ballet departments?

I facilitate a wiki that includes lots of lists of colleges according to unusual categories. I would always be hesitant to identify one department as being stronger than another – that’s for YOU to decide – but you might find the ballet list over at http://collegelists.pbworks.com a helpful starting point.

Renee Boone

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Colleges with strong Dance programs include Chapman, CA, U Arizona, Cal State Long Beach, UC Irvine, UCLA, NYU, Sarah Lawrence and Southern Methodist. When reviewing Dance departments, read about faculty background, experience and areas of interest and review the specific curriculum of the programs you are considering.

Susan Belangee

What are the strongest ballet departments?

I think the best answer to this question is that each dancer has his/her own perspective on what makes a ballet department strong. Finding the department that best fits one’s goals, body type, dance style, strengths, and growing edges is the key. Imagine trying to fit a square peg in a round hole – you can force it to fit but you may lose some part of yourself in the process which may lead to burnout, injury, unnecessary stress, or other negative outcomes.

Therefore, dancers should thoroughly explore the philosophy of each program, where students typically go after graduation, what the rate of injury is and instructors’ methods for minimizing it, what services are available to address the well-being of students, and other pertinent questions.
Kathleen Regentin

What are the strongest ballet departments?

The answer to this question will, in part, be determined by the type of school that will be the best fit for you. Many of the schools that have been noted by faculty and performers as having strong programs are at small liberal arts schools (Vassar, Butler, Barnard, Smith), but there are also options at larger universities as well (Indiana University, Oklahoma University). What is important is for you to have a sense of what type of school might be a good fit for you and knowing what your objectives are for pursuing ballet at the collegiate level. Do you want to pursue a performance career, teach, or something else?

Kathleen HarringtonOwnerNew Jersey College Consulting

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Adelphi University American University Bard College Barnard Boston Conservatory Brandeis University Butler University Brown University Columbia University Cornell Elon University Indiana University Juilliard Oberlin Ohio State Rutgers University Swarthmore University of South Florida Vanderbilt University

Ryan AldrichDirector of College CounselingThe White Mountain School

What are the strongest ballet departments?

NYU, Goucher, Julliard School, Sarah Lawrence, SMU, Arizona State, UCLA, Florida State Univ.

Aurora BonnerEducational ConsultantBonner Educational Consultants

What are the strongest ballet departments?

There are several very strong ballet departments at the college level. Although I hesitate to name any specifically, those that come to mind immediately are: Barnard College at Columbia University, Goucher College, Indiana University, University of California at Irvine and University of Utah. However, that doesn’t come close to covering the breadth of ballet programs available. To find the strongest program that best fits your needs, you’ll have to do some research and planning.

One of the most important indicator of the a ballet program’s quality is the faculty. With a major so focused, the size of the program is less important than the quality of the program. Look at the faculty, research their backgrounds, affiliations. Also, see where their alumni have been placed. If most of their dance alumni were focusing on modern dance, its possible that their department has a stronger modern program than ballet program. Don’t be afraid to ask if this is the case! Contact them, go to the college and see the facilities. Ask questions. Ask how many hours you will be dancing, if multiple technique levels are offered, whether you are required to study the other disciplines, etc. Visiting a campus will be the best indicator of which program is right for you and that may not be one of the big-hitting names.
Patty Finer

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Here is a list of some schools…. Barnard Butler Dickinson Duke Hobart & William Smith Mt Holyoke Skidmore Smith Vassar Wash Univ St Louis Goucher

Near a cooperative ballet program or company: Columbia (next to Barnard) Fordham Mills Scripps/Claremont Colleges Univ of San Francisco Vanderbilt
Angela ConleyCollege Admission ExpertVentureForth

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Julliard is the most well known, but schools with programs possibly as demanding include Marymount Manhattan, also in NYC, and State University of NY at Purchase. Ballet is offered at other conservatory programs including the Joffrey in New York City.

Evelyn Reid

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Fordham, University of San Francisco, Mills, Vanderbuilt, Columbia,Barnard, Dickinson, Butler, Smith, Vassr, Washington University St Louis, Skidmore, Hobart and William Smith, Goucher

Nina ScullerDirectorCollege Prep

What are the strongest ballet departments?

I am not an expert in performing arts, however my research has uncovered the following list of school (not in any order of strength): Barnard, Butler, Dickinson,Fordham, Goucher, Hobart & Smith, Julliard,Mt. Holyoke, New York U., Point Park, Skidmore, Vanderbilt, Vassar, Washington Universiey, to name a few.

I just returned from visiting Goucher College, who has an excellent dance department. Their facilities for ballet are quite large.
Patricia AviezerPresidentInside Track To College, Inc.

What are the strongest ballet departments?

First Things, FIRST! What are you looking for– Conservatory, BFA, or BA?

Pick up: Peterson’s college guide for Performing Arts Majors Sort through whether you will want a professional ballet career, or an educational foundation that includes some of the finest dance experiences in the world to build on and create broader options for yourself. Explore Your Options at the Finest “Schools for Dance” around the World and close to home: The Joffrey-Chicago, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet School, University of Hartford/Hartt School, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, University of the Arts,Indiana University, Butler University, Boston Conservatory, Towson University, Point Park University, Florida State University, Southern Methodist University, Juilliard, The Paris Opera Ballet School, The Marrinsky Ballet school ( formally known as the Kirov ballet school) Saint Petersburg Russia, The Royal Ballet school in Covent Garden, London, England,The JKO School (American Ballet Theater’s school) NYC, CPYB | Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet,SAB School of American Ballet.
Gregg Murray

What are the strongest ballet departments?

There are a few things to consider when pursuing ballet programs. First, you should focus on the instructor quality. Ask to observe a class and see how the students perform and the instructor conducts class. Second, gauge the program’s intensity, class offerings. Review the course catalog and determine if the program offers enough depth for your aspirations. Find out if there are performance opportunities, quality facilities and of course ask where the alumni are now. Good programs will require an audition. You should contact the department to determine how to schedule an audition and what their expectations are for your performance piece. Lastly, be sure that the program offers support services such as trainers, physicians, nutritionists, etc. They are critical components of a strong dance program.

Yana Geyfman

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Be as creative as you can with your degree. First, think about the type of skills you have learned during your undergraduate years. For example, if you have taken different courses on public speaking, you can tutor college students and adults or get involved with nonprofit work and offer workshops for actors. You can get involved with marketing/advertisement jobs or if you have strong verbal communication skills become a web writer. You just need to know that most of the undergraduate students don’t end up doing what they studied – its really about exploring your interests and skills and matching them with the demands of the professional world.

Dr. Smith

What are the strongest ballet departments?

If a student is seriously seeking trainng to become a dancer, i would suggest seeking admission to a school that trains students to the highest standard. Several schools that come to mind include: The Royal Academy of Dance, The Royal Ballet School, The School of American Ballet/NY, The National Ballet School/Toronto, The School of Ballet/Chicago, and theJoffrey Ballet School.

Bill PrudenHead of Upper School, College CounselorRavenscroft School

What are the strongest ballet departments?

There is no single right answer to this question, for ballet is no different than other areas in that what might be good for one student may not be for another. That being said, certain programs have better reputations and are more established than others, and in this day and age it is not hard to get some of that feedback. Dance Magazine puts out an annual guide to college dance programs and a simple google search of college ballet programs, with an approriate adjective–“best,” “top,” “strong,”, etc.–will also yield an initial list from which further exploratory efforts can be launched. In the end, you are still looking for the best fit for the student and the school—and in this case the more specialized program.

Joyce Vining MorganFounder and college counselorEducational Transitions

What are the strongest ballet departments?

My first response is: for whom? What is the dancer ready for? That said, there are many options for skilled and talented dancers seeking a fine education in ballet. Since the question is about a ballet department, I am assuming that ballet is part of a liberal arts program rather than a stand-alone conservatory education.

It is worth checking whether the program is allied with a professional dance company: Dancers at Boston College and Boston University train with the Boston Ballet; dancers at Barnard and Columbia can train at Juilliard (that program is more oriented toward Modern than Classical). Another alliance for those interested in Modern is Fordham’s with the Alvin Ailey Company. Princeton’s dancers train with the American Repertory in Princeton. And check the visiting faculty: Indiana University has one of the finest programs in the country, and is known for attracting strong visiting faculty from the dance world. The College Issue of Dance Magazine and/or http://dancers.invisionzone.com are solid resources. A short list, with some variety of type of institution (and some programs which require both Classical and Modern): Arizona State U Butler University Connecticut College, allied with the Hartford Ballet Cornish College of the Arts Dominican U. of California George Mason U Goucher Hartt School-U. of Hartford James Madison U LINES Ballet Mills Northwestern Pacific Northwest Ballet-Professional Development School-Seattle U Radford U Rider University affiliated with the Princeton Ballet Company San Francisco State. Southern Methodist University Stanford SUNY Purchase Texas Christian U U. of Cincinnati U. of Oklahoma University of the Arts U. of Utah York U (Toronto)
CollegeCounselor McSellerson

What are the strongest ballet departments?

William Chichester

What are the strongest ballet departments?

I’m no expert on ballet but here’s what I uncovered: Paris Opera Ballet school in Paris France The Marrinsky Ballet school ( formally the Kirov ballet school) Saint Petersburg Russia. La Scalla Opera ballet school in Milan Italy The Royal Ballet school in Covent Garden, London, England School of American Ballet (NYC Lincoln Center) The JKO School (American Ballet Theater’s school), NYC The Stuttgart Ballet school (Germany.) (Arguably) the Bolshoi Ballet school, in Moscow.

Everyone who knows ballet ranks POB as #1 with Mariinsky in Saint Petersburg a close second. Some might include CPYB in PA because they produce more working ballet dancers than almost any other school. * There is no “American Ballet Company” unless they mean American Ballet Theater and Juilliard is a contemporary dance not a ballet conservatory. The Joffrey in NYC is no longer affiliated with the Joffrey ballet and is considered a sub standard school by most. The real Joffrey ballet school is in Chicago now.
Mo NolanOwnerChris Counseling Services

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Great

Arond Schonberg

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Depends on what you see yourseld doing and what type of performing you want to do. Some top ballet schools are Butler University and College-Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati.

Leigh Ball

What are the strongest ballet departments?

With more than 140 higher education institutions offering ballet programs, there are a number of factors to consider when selecting the program which works best for you. This can include the opportunity to work with visiting guest artists, participation in public performances, faculty experience & background, studio workshops, ability to participate in specialized competitions and more.

In addition to rankings, you should also consider: – Size of the overall institution – Faculty-student ratio – Faculty background and experience – Geographic location You might want to begin by reviewing a list of schools with dance – specifically ballet programs. You might want to try one of these lists: http://www.universitydanceprograms.com/ http://danceschoolsintheusa.com/DancePrograms.cfm http://www.pointemagazine.com/guides/higher-education Best of luck!
Patricia YoungIndependent CounselorCollege Advising Services

What are the strongest ballet departments?

There are many strong ballet departments in many colleges. Carnegie Mellon, Barnard, for example, are well known. But there are other options as well., Look into your state colleges and universities to determine which local college has developed a strong dance or theater program. Colleges add and drop programs. You must do the digging to determine the best program for you given your career goals.

Brad Jackson

Rad

Cathy McMeekan

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Some colleges to consider with great dance programs in general include (in NY) are Bard College, Barnard, Fordham, Marymount Manhattan, NYU, SUNY Purchase, Columbia, and Skidmore. In other Eastern and Mid-Atlantic states consider Bennington (VT), Carnegie Mellon, Dickinson and Point Park (all PA schools), Connecticut College, Goucher (MD) or Howard (DC). In the West try Chapman or Loyola Marymount (CA), many of the CSU schools (San Hose, Fullerton, Long Beach), UC Santa Barbara or California Institute of the Arts. In the midwest look at Indiana Bloomington or Butler. There are a number of consortium or schools specific to dance )(like Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Idaho, etc that are workt a look as well).

Richard NaporaCollege ConsultantClarus

What are the strongest ballet departments?

I am assuming that you are excluding conservatories (because you specifically inquired about ballet departments). Are you seeking classical or commercial ballet? Do you intend to seek a BA or a BFA? Do you plan to major in dance? Do you have a strong enough GPA and test scores to be considered for a university that has not only a strong dance department but also that is highly selective in general? All these factors are important to consider, and will change your search considerably. The following list (in no particular order and by no means comprehensive) is a good place to start your research: Indiana University, Butler University, University of South Florida, Mercyhurst, Texas Christian University, Dominican University, Southern Methodist University, University of Arizona, University of Utah, University of Oklahoma.

Richard NaporaCollege ConsultantClarus

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Are you looking for a primarily performing arts schools or for liberal arts schools with a highly regarded ballet major? Reputable ballet programs are all audition only, and if you seek a liberal arts school with ballet my advice is to determine what other factors need yo considered in your decision. For example, if you want to do ballet as a career, schools such as Indiana University or Butler have strong programs…but if you want to have the opportunity to continue your study of ballet while majoring in something else schools like Vassar. Then there are strict conservatories, like Julliard and Boston Conservatory. Ultimately, it depends on what you want…BFA? Dancing with a company? Or are you simply looking for the most competitive ballet programs?

Richard NaporaCollege ConsultantClarus

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Are you looking for primarily performing arts schools or for liberal arts schools with a highly regarded ballet major? Reputable ballet programs are all audition only, and if you seek a liberal arts school with ballet my advice is to determine what other factors need you considered in your decision. For example, if you want to do ballet as a career, schools such as Indiana University or Butler have strong programs…but if you want to have the opportunity to continue your study of ballet while studying other subjects as well you may want to check out schools such as Vassar. There are also strict conservatories, such as Julliard and the Boston Conservatory. Ultimately, it depends on what you want…BFA? Dancing with a company? Or are you simply looking for the most competitive ballet programs?

Halley Shefler

What are the strongest ballet departments?

There is no strongest program. Depends on who you are, what you want, where you belong and what type of dance. There are many terrific programs….Keep open and take my advice…..you don’t have to be in a big city for a great department nor do you need to go to a BFA program

Kamal Johl

What are the strongest ballet departments?

I would suggest to do your research on 4 year University dance programs across the US and Europe. Also, look into summer/winter intensive programs. For any performing Arts New York, San Francisco, or Los Angeles.

Ellen Fitzkee

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Some of the well known and perhaps strongest ballet departments include those in the major cities like New York University in New York. Other schools would be in Boston, like Boston University and Northeastern, Washington, DC like George Washington University and perhaps Georgetown. In Philadelphia you have the University of Pennsylvania and in nearby New Jersey is Princeton University. Some other schools with arts programs include Brown University in RI, Columbia in NY, Harvard in MA, Yale in CT Syracuse in NY, Duke in NC and Carnegie Mellon in PA. I am most familar with the East Coast schools. West Coast schools could be found by putting “ballet” in a search engine that finds majors at different colleges. Calling the school and speaking with someone and also researching performances that the school puts on “in house”, etc. will help you to learn more about each school and their reputation. I also like to ask about past graduates from a university that are currently performing and find out where they are working and what their background specialties are.

Cindy ShermanGuidance Counselor/Crisis CounselorBloomfield High School

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Butler University, Indiana University and Arizona

Nicole McLarenFounder, Test Prep Instructor, College AdvisorAIM Educational Services

What are the strongest ballet departments?

i’ve found that colleges with the best dance programs also have great ballet departments , but it also depends on whether you’re looking for performing arts focused school, or a great overall school with a good dance program me – i’ve listed a mix of specialized and general below cornell, barnard, julliard, nyu/tisch, mercyhurst, southern methodist university, texas christian university, u south florida, butler u, u arizona

Belinda Hirsch

What are the strongest ballet departments?

As I am not an authority on dance, I would encourage you to check out the following website, I understand they offer the best information on the study of ballet in the US.

http://dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php?
Geoff BroomeAssistant Director of AdmissionsWidener University

Dance Programs

There are a lot of schools with dance programs out there. This is so hard to nail down. Julliard of course has a fantastic ballet program. It really depends on where you want to be as a dancer. Do you want to be a triple threat dancer? Oklahoma City University is a great place to start looking. University of Oklahoma is a real and up-and-coming dance department. Arizona University and Point Park both have outstanding programs. Pace in New York has started a new Commercial Dance Program. Dance Magazine annually produces a college issue. I suggest that you pick up a copy.

Klarissa KitchenFinancial Aid Advisor

What are the strongest ballet departments?

The strongest ballot departments include art literature and history, fine arts and design degrees, media arts & animation, and arts administration. Art literature and history majors can land you a career in teaching, at an art museum, or as an art consultant. A degree in fine arts and design can assist you in your goal of film and theatre roles. With media art and animation degrees one can have a fun career as a film and video editor, character animation, motion graphics, or visual effects artist. Art administration elaborates art within a community. A degree in art administration is needed for educating in colleges. Obtaining a degree in art will open many doors for a promising future.

Klarissa KitchenFinancial Aid Advisor

What are the strongest ballet departments?

The strongest ballot departments include art literature and history, fine arts and design degrees, media arts & animation, and arts administration. Art literature and history majors can land you a career in teaching, at an art museum, or as an art consultant. A degree in fine arts and design can assist you in your goal of film and theater roles. With media art and animation degrees one can have a fun career as a film and video editor, character animation, motion graphics, or visual effects artist. Art administration elaborates art within a community. A degree in art administration is needed for educating in colleges. Obtaining a degree in art will open many doors for a promising future.

Tony TsoHeadmasterTerasmanna Oikademy

What are the strongest ballet departments?

I have no idea but a properly worded google should turn up enough names for further study.

Arlene RosenthalHS CounselorEdison HS

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music has a great ballet department from the reseach I have done. University of Utah, Butler, Dickinson, and Skidmore are some others.

John Happs

What are the strongest ballet departments?

This is a loaded question as the word “strongest” pertains to people’s opinions. I will list several as a matter of answering the question. All are considered excellent. The Boston Conservatory Juilliard Butler Indiana University University of Arizona

Megan DorseySAT Prep & College AdvisorCollege Prep LLC

The best departments are where you can pursue your goals.

The answer to this question depends on your goals. Ballet dancers, especially women, have a fairly short window of time to move from training into a company which is why many serious dancers actually delay college and train in a professional company like School of American Ballet (SAB), Joffrey, or Royal Academy of Dance (RAD). Following this type of performance training program isn’t exactly a well-rounded education, but there will always be time for that later. Some students want college programs in a conservatory setting. Schools such as Juilliard or Boston Conservatory are well recognized, but the curriculum will include a lot of modern dance in addition to ballet. Finally, you may want a more well-rounded education found in a liberal arts college or traditional university setting. You will find many well regarded programs; your goal is to match the program to your goals and ability.

Jackson

What are the strongest ballet departments?

In the Southeast Savannah College of Art and Design

Tom ShumskiCounselorAnaheim Union High School District

Top Ballet Programs

Some of the top Ballet programs in the United States are, Butler University, University of Indiana, University of Arizona, and University of Oklahoma. There are also excellent Summer Institute programs offered throughout the U.S. as well as in Europe. Contacting the staff at The American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, and New York School of Ballet may be helpful in directing your University choices either here or Internationally recognized ballet programs.

Linda Videll

Ballet Schools

Butler University Indiana University North Carolina School of the Arts Southern Methodist University SUNY Purchase Texas Christian University University of Arizona University of Oklahoma University of South Florida University of Utah of course…Julliard!! I’ll be honest, I haven’t dealt much with the ballet programs. I have researched and found these schools to be good choices. I would recommend researching these schools to see their job placements and the ballet styles that they focus on! I would hate to sound like an expert in a field where there are much more qualified people for this one! Sorry!

Henry DelAngeloHigh School Counselor 20 + yearsYour Key to College

Shall we dance?

There are many fine ballet departments located in many school across the country. What you will need to figure out is which is the best for you. Taking into consideration how far away from home would you feel most comfortable and will you consider a ballet conservatory? A few to consider would be Butler, University of Utah, NYU/Tisch, Juilliard, University of Michigan, Boston Conservatory, Indiana University, Southern Methodist

Joshua EarsleyStudent Assistance CoordinatorReach Out

Elite Ballet Majors

I haven’t much experience with students wanting to get involved in ballet but I know that there’s a need for this type of post-high school information so I met with other High School Counselors and they recommend Indiana University and Butler. The consensus is that with feedback from their former students and educational status reports, these two are the strongest for ballet. Other options discussed included: Dickinson, Barnard, Smith, Duke, Hobart & William Smith, University of San Francisco, Vanderbilt, Columbia and Scripps (Claremont Colleges).

Carrie Gibbs

Interested in ballet?

Many colleges focus more on modern. In no particular order, here is the current list of colleges that have strong ballet programs: Dickinson, Barnard, Butler, Smith, Mt Holyoke, Vassar, Washington University St Louis, Duke, Skidmore, Hobart & William Smith, Goucher and within reasonable distance of a cooperative ballet program or company are Fordham, University of San Francisco, Mills, Vanderbilt, Columbia, and Scripps/Claremont Colleges.

Chip LawCo-founder Managing Director Educational Avenues

It may be best to take a look before you plie

You need to know a lot about yourself before you can get a meaningful answer to this question. First look at what you want from the world of dance:

* Do you want to be a dance professional/performer? If you want to be a ballet purist you may not necessarily need to go to college. If you are truly excellent, you would want to continue intense training and audition at the highest level possible to join a ballet company or be a part of their (farm team). Just remember this, there are VERY few spots available, ballet careers are often quite short and often accompanied by severe (some life-long) injuries. * Do you want to ONLY consider ballet as your dance specialty? In today’s dance landscape the ability to stay focused solely on traditional ballet is extremely limited. New audiences are looking for more diversity, new material and creativity. In order to keep up with what the public is seeking, big name choreographers are being brought into the major ballet companies and they are using many other dance forms (modern, jazz, and improv for example), as a way to keep ballet alive. It is almost imperative that ballet students also become students of dance in general. They need to strike a balance in terms of continuing a career in dance and staying true to their first love: ballet. Another area where a student should consider investment is in the realm of movement: areas such as kinesiology or for formal training getting certified in Laban techniques, * Do you know what degree you want to earn as an undergrad: BA or BFA? If you choose dance or ballet specifically as a major, you may have a difficult time deciding whether to get a Bachelor of Arts in Dance OR a Bachelor of Fine Arts i Dance or Ballet. There is a dramatic difference in the two degree designations and college curriculum. You need to be very careful when looking at colleges to understand what YOU want vs. what the school offers. A BA gives you lots of options upon graduation because it is a traditional liberal arts degree and you can declare dance as major in your second year. Meanwhile electing to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree locks you in to that major beginning freshman year. It means that you have committed to be prepared to earn your living in the field of dance but your other options are limited. Okay, I’m about to give you some really good schools for your consideration-some have a ballet component, some have ballet majors and some are just blockbuster dance schools in general. You MUST look at these schools in light of the above (and other factors too numerous to mention here). Look at the bio’s of the faculty, how long have they been there, what have their graduates done with their degree, do grad students get preference vs. undergrad instruction etc. Some schools for consideration (not in any particular order or “ranking”). Some have specific ballet majors of which most are B of Fine Arts degrees. U of Oklahoma U of Utah Arizona State Florida State Ohio State Julliard Slippery Rock Ball State Cornish College TCU U of Indiana
Chip LawCo-founder Managing Director Educational Avenues

It may be best to take a look before you plie

You need to know a lot about yourself before you can get a meaningful answer to this question. First look at what you want from the world of dance:

* Do you want to be a dance professional/performer? If you want to be a ballet purist you may not necessarily need to go to college. If you are truly excellent, you would want to continue intense training and audition at the highest level possible to join a ballet company or be a part of their (farm team). Just remember this, there are VERY few spots available, ballet careers are often quite short and often accompanied by severe (some life-long) injuries. * Do you want to ONLY consider ballet as your dance specialty? In today’s dance landscape the ability to stay focused solely on traditional ballet is extremely limited. New audiences are looking for more diversity, new material and creativity. In order to keep up with what the public is seeking, big name choreographers are being brought into the major ballet companies and they are using many other dance forms (modern, jazz, and improv for example), as a way to keep ballet alive. It is almost imperative that ballet students also become students of dance in general. They need to strike a balance in terms of continuing a career in dance and staying true to their first love: ballet. Another area where a student should consider investment is in the realm of movement: areas such as kinesiology or for formal training getting certified in Laban techniques, * Do you know what degree you want to earn as an undergrad: BA or BFA? If you choose dance or ballet specifically as a major, you may have a difficult time deciding whether to get a Bachelor of Arts in Dance OR a Bachelor of Fine Arts i Dance or Ballet. There is a dramatic difference in the two degree designations and college curriculum. You need to be very careful when looking at colleges to understand what YOU want vs. what the school offers. A BA gives you lots of options upon graduation because it is a traditional liberal arts degree and you can declare dance as major in your second year. Meanwhile electing to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree locks you in to that major beginning freshman year. It means that you have committed to be prepared to earn your living in the field of dance but your other options are limited. Okay, I’m about to give you some really good schools for your consideration-some have a ballet component, some have ballet majors and some are just blockbuster dance schools in general. You MUST look at these schools in light of the above (and other factors too numerous to mention here). Look at the bio’s of the faculty, how long have they been there, what have their graduates done with their degree, do grad students get preference vs. undergrad instruction etc. Some schools for consideration (not in any particular order or “ranking”). Some have specific ballet majors of which most are B of Fine Arts degrees. U of Oklahoma U of Utah Arizona State Florida State Ohio State Julliard Slippery Rock Ball State Cornish College TCU U of Indiana
Kathleen Boyd

Dance/Ballet

If you are looking for colleges and universities that are well known for their Dance/Ballet departments/majors here are some to consider: Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas and University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Chasity Lansdell

Ballet Departments

While there are a variety of very strong ballet departments available (Butler University, College Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati, University of Arizona, to name a few), it is important to consider other things you might be looking for in a school. There are searches available online to produce a “starter list” of all schools offering a ballet department. Once you have the list, begin your research, crossing off schools that wouldn’t be a good fit for you. Schools may also concentrate on specific types of ballet, so be sure your potential schools would be a good fit based on what you’re looking for.

Natalie Witucki

Top Ten Schools for Ballet

The Julliard School Indiana University Barnard College/Columbia University Northwestern University Washigton University in St. Louis Cornell Emory NYU UC Berkley University of Michigan

Barbara Gong

Schools with strong ballet programs

University of Arizona in AZ Tisch; New York University in NY State University of New York at Purchase in NY Bellhaven College in MS Friends University in KS Indiana University, Bloomington in IN North Carolina School of the Arts in NC Texas Christian University in TX University of Utah in UT Chapman University in CA

Joshua EarsleyStudent Assistance CoordinatorReach Out

Elite Ballet Majors

I haven’t much experience with students wanting to get involved in ballet but I know that there’s a need for this type of post-high school information so I met with other High School Counselors and they recommend Indiana University and Butler. The consensus is that with feedback from their former students and educational status reports, these two are the strongest for ballet. Other options discussed included: Dickinson, Barnard, Smith, Duke, Hobart & William Smith, University of San Francisco, Vanderbilt, Columbia and Scripps (Claremont Colleges).

Rhonda Manns

Finding the Best Fit

There are many colleges with strong ballet departments. However, there are a few things I would like you consider in addition to the college’s program. First, I would like for you to focus on finding the “best fit” college for you which may or may not be the one with strongest ballet department. Here are some things to consider: does the college provide instruction and learning opportunities in a manner in which you learn best, is the college a good for your level of ability and academic preparation and does it provide a community that feels like home. Based on your answers and research, you could be to identify which program best fits your academic, social and personal needs.

Steve Boyd

What are the strongest ballet departments?

This is an unfamiliar area. I would conduct research before I could offer any advice

Geri Cohen

Studying Ballet

Ballet is not usually a major by itself. Most prima ballerinas study in private companies or arts schools at a young age and are taught through a dance company that recruits them after auditions. or Talent searchs.

Colleges and Universities usually offer majors in Dance where a student can specialize in one form of dance or another. We think of The Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, Julliard, American Ballet Theatre to name a few of the well known ballet schools. There are many universities with strong ballet departments and opportunities to be “discovered” by a major company. Examples are Butler University, Indiana University, Univ. of Arizona, Oklahoma, South Florida, Utah, SUNY Purchase, North Carolina School of the Arts. These schools have earned a reputation for strong ballet programs because their graduates have been the most successful in pursuing their dream of dancing ballet. They have performance components, technique components, history components, safety, and variuos topics necessary for success.
LaVette Bracey

Do Your Homework

You should research a variety of performing arts schools, colleges and universities that offer ballet in their performing arts programs. Then make your comparsions. Also, visit some of the campuses before you make a decision.

Karen CurreriPresident and FounderCurreriCollege Counseling, Inc.

Strongest Ballet Programs, High Level Ballet Programs and Programs within a reasonable distance of a

Julliard University of Arizona University of Oklahoma Indiana University University of Cincinnati University of South Carolina Butler University University of Utah Southern Methodist University Florida State University University of the Arts

High Level Ballet Programs Dickinson College Barnard Smith Mt. Holyoke Vassar Washington University in St. Louis Duke Skidmore Hobart and William Smith Goucher Within a reasonable distance of a cooperative ballet program or company Fordham University of San Francisco Mills Vanderbilt Columbia Scripps-Claremont College Mercyhurst State University of New York-Purchase Texas Christian University
Jessica Rosemberg

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Julliard

Carita Del ValleFounderAcademic Decisions

Not sure

As ballet is not my specialty I would refer you to another consultant for this answer.

Sandy Austin

Look at the Three P’s

In searching out the strongest ballet departments, research the performances, people and places. The best department for you may not be the best for someone else. First when looking at a department attend a few performances. Are they at the level you are aspiring to? Are they true professionals? Do they have the resources (money, costumes, props) to put on the best performances possible? Ask around in the industry about the reputation of the department. The next P stands for people. When visiting the department mingle with the students. Also meet with the leaders and ask lots of questions. Do you feel comfortable? Are they welcoming? Does it seem that people get a long? Do you like the atmosphere? Does it seem like a healthy culture (in terms of relationships)? The final P is place. Do you like the city and surroundings (urban, suburban, rural)? Is it a place you would like to live? Do you feel safe? What are the housing opportunities? Is it the size of community you like? Does it have the opportunities that are important to you? After looking at these three P’s, you will be able to make a wise decision on the department that is right for you.

Nina BerlerFounderunCommon Apps

Ballet Departments

I was delighted to see this question, as I had researched it last year for a student. There are a number of schools with ballet, and the choice of which depends on how important ballet is to you (versus the other things you plan to study). There are wonderful liberal arts schools with ballet programs. Washington University in St. Louis comes to mind, as do Duke and Princeton. Smaller schools such as Vassar, Williams, Wake Forest and Middlebury, also very academically demanding, have ballet programs. There are very strong ballet programs at Florida State, UC Irvine and Indiana University.

Helen H. ChoiOwnerAdmissions Mavens

What are the strongest ballet departments?

There are many types of dance programs out there — some focus on ballet while others include ballet along with modern and other types of dance. In addition, consider what KIND of degree you are looking for. Are you looking for a BA in dance? BFA? Also — think about what kind of college experience you want. Do you want to experience a full college life? Are you more happy in a small liberal arts college setting? Are you looking to dance professionally and therefore want a conservatory experience?

With those questions in mind, here are some schools to consider: Large public universities with strong ballet programs: University of Utah, University of Cincinnati (conservatory), Indiana University Small liberal arts colleges with strong ballet programs: Point Park, Mercyhurst, Muhlenberg, Butler
Helen H. ChoiOwnerAdmissions Mavens

What are the strongest ballet departments?

There are many types of dance programs out there — some focus on ballet while others include ballet along with modern and other types of dance. In addition, consider what KIND of degree you are looking for. Are you looking for a BA in dance? BFA? Also — think about what kind of college experience you want. Do you want to experience a full college life? Are you more happy in a small liberal arts college setting? Are you looking to dance professionally and therefore want a conservatory experience?

With those questions in mind, here are some schools to consider: Large public universities with strong ballet programs: University of Utah, University of Cincinnati (conservatory), Indiana University Small liberal arts colleges with strong ballet programs: Point Park, Mercyhurst, Muhlenberg, Butler
Allie MendelsohnFounderAM Educational Consulting

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Julliard NC Schoool of the Arts NYU/Tisch Butler University Indiana University Univ of Arizona Univ of Oklahoma

Allie MendelsohnFounderAM Educational Consulting

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Julliard NC Schoool of the Arts NYU/Tisch Butler University Indiana University Univ of Arizona Univ of Oklahoma

Joseph FreemanDean and College CounselorRandolph School

Strong Ballet Programs:

You should research each college’s dance program to see how well they might have what you are looking for, but, beyond Julliard, strong programs include: – Florida State University – U. of Cinncinati – University of Indiana (Bloomington) – University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) – University of Utah – Smith College – Eugene Lang College

Jeana RobbinsCounselor

What are the strongest ballet departments?

It depends on the type of ballet, however, to name a few, an aspiring student may consider the following schools: Butler University, Indiana University, University of Arizona, University of Utah, University of South Florida, and University of Oklahoma.

adam baerWriter and Editor for Top National Magazines, Websites, and Newspapers

Best Ballet Departments

As a veteran musician with education from many of the top conservatories, as well as someone with many Juilliard graduates in the family, I would recommend these ballet departments: 1) Julliard 2) Fordham University’s Ailey School 3) Barnard College 4) Bard 5) Hunter 6) University of Michigan 7) NYU 8) Northwestern 9) Scripps 10) Wesleyan

Maura McCulloughClinical Career CounselorMaura McCullough Consulting

Career paths for artists

Every artist needs to consider what other skills they possess or could develop in order to survive while pursuing full-time work in their field. Fluency in a high need language such as Spanish or Arabic is very marketable. Consider teacher certification or translator certification and evaluate options for a minor in graphic design, web design, marketing, business, math or any other area that appeals to you. An artist should always develop additional skills in a secondary area to support their primary area in art. A palette of skills can help you survive without becoming famished and allow you to seek work in what you really want. So ask yourself what kind of minor should I consider?

Robert McClorySchool Counseling Dept. HeadKetchikan High School

Finding the right ballet program for you

Many colleges have dance classes. To find a strong one, think about the nature of dance. A freshman psychology 101 class at a large university may pack a few hundred students into a large lecture hall or have students view classes on monitors. Dance does NOT lend itself to this. Dance classes will be smaller and will fill up—particularly affecting freshmen who register last for class spaces. This means the stronger ballet departments need not be sought at the largest universities where students are competing with many more students for a finite set of classes where large lecture halls will not provide the room for the classes sought. Consider universities located in areas with professional ballet companies to gain that exposure. Remember, classes may be offered directly through the dance departments, but theatre programs will also have dance classes available as well. Because dance classes do fill up, being enrolled in schools with strong theatre programs can give students opportunities to enroll in all the classes they need to complete their program and even double major in programs that may have class sections conflicting with the schedule of available dance classes. Remember also that some dance programs are meant to develop talents as a performer. Others are meant to prepare you to teach dance. Be sure to investigate the emphasis of the program. Also remember that the dance career of a performer may need to include time as a teacher due to a variety of considerations: length of time a student can dance, injury, travel limitations, and many others.

Bridget HotrumPresidentCollege Bound Admissions Academy

Strongest Ballet Departments

Considering the type of dance you would like to study is important to define from the start of the college planning process. Many schools specialize in a variety of dance styles (jazz, modern dance, ballet), while other colleges may only specialize in one training. Be sure that you evaluate the differences between receiving a bachelor of arts (BA) degree versus a bachelor of find arts (BFA) degree. A few colleges specializing in ballet are Point Park University (Pittsburgh, PA), Mercyhurst College (Erie, PA), Butler University (Indianapolis, IN), and University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT). Be sure that you look for a college that offers a lot of performance opportunities and a close faculty to student ratio for more attention.

Francine SchwartzFounder/ PresidentPathfinder Counseling LLC

Dancing your way through college

Schools known for their strong dance programs include: Bard College, NY Barnard College, NY Bennington College, VT Butler University, IN Carnegie Mellon University, PA Chapman University, CA Connecticut College, CT Dickinson College, Pa Fordham University, NY Goucher College, MD Howard University, DC Indiana University, Bloomington, IN Marymount Manhattan College, NY New York University, NY State University of New York, Purchase, NY Point Park University, PA Skidmore College, NY

Francine Schwartz, M.A., LPC, NCC Founder and President Pathfinder Counseling LLC
Steven CrispOwner Crisp College Advising

What are the strongest ballet departments?

I think most would agree that Julliard is the best school for ballet in both reputation and skills. However, it is extremely difficult to get into. However, nothing worth obtaining is easy. Most of the top schools are going to be difficult to get into.

Kathleen GriffinOwnerAmerican College Strategies

Programs that meet the “barre”.

You have to be really clear if you want a conservatory program or a university that has a dance/ballet major along with other opportunities for exploration. If you are looking for a program where you can take many other courses than look at a major university. Some of the universities recognized for their dance programs are SUNY Purchase, Indiana University, University of Arizona, Southern Methodist University. Remember, you will have to audition for these programs during your senior year of high school.

Donna DondoGuidance CounselorDOE

What are the strongest ballet departments?

SUNY Purchase has a great dance and drama department. Smith college for women.

王文君 June ScortinoPresidentIVY Counselors Network

you can search it online but the key is to select the right one for yourself

one of my students in the past had years of training in ballet from Princeton Ballet School, She also has excellent academic records from one of the strong NJ public schools. She is now enrolled at BU with minor in Ballet becuase she decided not to select ballet as her major.

Joan Bress Director and Certified Educational PlannerCollege Resource Associates

Dance Your Way To Ballet Success

The only honest answer here depends on how you define ‘strong.’ Once you know what you are looking for, you will find the answer to your question. Are you looking for a department with connections to a professional company? Perhaps the school’s reputation or how few students it selects each year is most important to you. Do you want a school that casts dancers like you in major roles or a school where you will have fewer performance opportunities but where your classmates will be the future superstars of the ballet world. My advice is to look carefully and critically at your options and remember that you have lots of choices and many ways to feed your love of dance.

michael haleguidance counselorWhiddon-Rogers

What are the strongest ballet departments?

The University of Utah is linked directly to Ballet West, a premier dance theatre in the region. I would also highly recommend blogs/forums on the internet to post your question as well, such as: http://www.dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php? (Ballet Talk)

Finally, do your research and be clear as to what specific areas (jazz, etc.) excite you the most. Remember, when skill levels are similiar and jobs are hard to come by, it’s the passion you have for a particular subject that sets you apart from the rest. Good luck!

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Jay Gopal

What are the strongest ballet departments?

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William PepinDirector of GuidanceNorth Smithfield High School

What are the strongest ballet departments?

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.
Wendy RockSchool CounselorHahnville High School

For the student of ballet…

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre, The School of American Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet School are all excellent programs for the serious ballet student who wants to stay in the United States. There are also many outstanding programs abroad.

Miladys Penalver-Howard

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Two schools in particular: NYU and Juilliard

Mr C CoakleyPresidentAcademic Coaching Services

What are the strongest ballet departments?

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.

Judy ZoddaFounder and PresidentZodda College Services

Strong Ballet Departments

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.

Reena Gold KaminsFounderCollege, Career & Life, LLC.

Strongest program is a subjective decision.

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.

Keicha BarnesSenior CounselorA. C. Flora High School

Ballet School Search Assistance

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.

Karen Ekman-BaurDirector of College CounselingLeysin American School

Strong Ballet Programs

There are many excellent dance programs. One thing you might want to do as you’re conducting your research is check membership in the National Association of Schools of Dance. This should give you a long list to work from.

The following institutions offer outstanding dance programs, but of course, it is not a definitive list. You will want to check them more closely to determine whether the area(s) of dance on which they focus will suit your needs: California – Chapman University Connecticut – Connecticut College Indiana – Indiana University/Bloomington, Butler University Maryland – Goucher College New York – Bard College, Barnard College, Fordham University, Marymount Manhattan College, New York University (NYU), State University of New York (SUNY) in Purchase, Skidmore College Pennsylvania – Carnegie Mellon University, Dickinson College, Point Park University Vermont – Bennington College Washington, D.C. – Howard University Hope that helps!
Ryan JohnSchool CounselorBethlehem High School

What are the strongest ballet departments?

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.

Tracy JacksonCoordinatorVirginia Beach City Public Schools

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Where are the strongest ballet departments? Some of the media says Columbia, Johns Hopkins, UPenn and Duke. Others say Julliard, Butler or Boston Conservatory, Since data, placement and retention rates change annually, I would suggest looking for those BFA programs with high placement rates after graduation. When searching, look to see how large programs are? How many did they accept? How many stay in the program? Lastly, what are the ballet company placement rates post graduation? If you cannot find this information on the internet…call, call, call!

Allen HillSchool CounselorAntelope Union High School

Best Ballet Departments

After some research I have found the following schools to have very strong ballet departments and programs. Dickinson Barnard Butler Smith Mt Holyoke Vassar Wash Univ St Louis Duke Skidmore Hobart & William Smith Goucher Utah Indiana Oklahoma South Florida South Carolina Cinninati Mercyhurst.

within reasonable distance of a cooperative ballet program or company: Fordham Univ of San Francisco Mills Vanderbilt Columbia (next to Barnard) Scripps/Claremont Colleges You might want to sit down and look at your CV first and compare that to what the expected curriculum is at each school. How many years of tap, modern, and jazz training do you have in addition to ballet? Some schools will be looking for a certain amount and this will be part of the audition process.
Lauren CarterDirector of College CounselingLouisville Collegiate School

Find the right ballet program for you.

When you are investigating ballet programs, make sure to consider various criteria. You should identify programs that match your talents, interests, and philosophies. Do you want a classical ballet based program or a modern ballet program or both? Utilize the admissions counselors at different schools to answer some specific questions you may have about curriculum and entrance requirements. In addition, research the expertise of the faculty at the schools you are considering and see if their backgrounds would be a good match for you. Lastly, spend some time on that campus in the ballet department. This could be done by attending a summer dance program on campus or shadowing a ballet student to get a “feeling” for what it would be like to be attending that school. You will blossom in the program that is the best suited for you!

John DeLorey

Strongest Ballet Departments in Alpha Order

American Ballet Center, Joffrey Ballet School Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education Julliard Milwaukee Ballet School Nutmeg Ballet

CollegeCounselor McSellerson

What are the strongest ballet departments?

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Joseph RomanoCollege CounselorBellarmine College Preparatory

Ballet Majors

University of Western Washington, Manhattan, Mercyhurst to name a few

Michael PuccioPresident/Advisor/Life CoachFuture First Advisors, LLC

What are the strongest ballet departments?

For someone who wishes to study ballet, you have a lot of research ahead. Why? Ballet is a very specific art offered at about 150 colleges and conservatories in the US. Just like any other college applicant, you will have to take the tours, search the internet, etc. and find the schools that are right for YOU.

To get you started, try to look for programs that offer a BFA (Bachelors of Fine Arts). Email the professors who teach the courses. Try to find online message boards where individuals talk about their experiences as students studying ballet in college. Believe me – those message boards are VERY easy to find. But, to give you a quick answer, I hear that Butler, Barnard, Indiana University, Julliard, and Boston Conservatory are among the best!
Lisa BlakeHead School CounselorPhoenix Christian Unified Sch

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Barnard College, Northwestern University, Washington University in St. Louis, Cornell and Emory University all have fantastic dance programs and were ranked by US News and World Reports in 2010.

Aaron Ashford

Strong ballet departments

Schools of note are: Indiana University, Smith College, Mount Holyoke, Amherst, Hampshire, and the University of Massachusetts. These should offer you what you are seeking.

JoAnne Ellsworth

Go West!

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.

. .

Julliard

I don’t know a ton about this topic, but I do know Julliard is one of the top performing arts schools in the world. Here is the website to their dance department:

http://www.julliard.edu/degrees-programs/dance/index.php Sincerely, Mike Chapman, Owner Chapman College Admission Consulting www.chapmancac.com
Annie ReznikCounselor/CEOCollege Guidance Coach

Ballet Programs With Great College Atmospheres

Mercyhurst College

With a beautiful campus in Erie, PA, Mercyhurst has nurtured its dance program for several decades and the result is an outstanding – and highly competitive – program focusing on classical ballet. With the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center as the schools cultural center, dancers have ample opportunity to display their skills. And Mercyhurst is small enough (about 2,000 undergraduates) that dance students are fully involved in the school’s active campus life. University of Oklahoma Most of us know Oklahoma for its legendary football team, but OU’s School of Dance is a source of cultural excellence that rivals the storied athletic program. As part of the university’s Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts, the dance program awards degrees in classical ballet and contemporary dance with emphasis on preparing students for careers in performing arts. Butler University In recent seasons Butler’s been famous for it’s outstanding men’s basketball program with great success in the NCAA tournament. But Butler University, located just outside of Indianapolis, also has a great dance program. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance – offered through Butler’s Jordan College of Fine Arts – is among an elite corps of accredited programs in the US. The dance program is ballet intensive with offerings on modern, jazz and improv. And, Butler’s Jordan College of Fine Arts features performances throughout the US.
Laura O’Brien GatzionisFounderEducational Advisory Services

Which is the best ballet department for you?

Just like other questions about the best colleges, you need to determine what your requirements are in deciding which are the best programs for you personally. Look at the faculty (training, teaching styles and affiliations). Where are the alumni working? Are they dancing professionally? Are they teaching and if so, where? Research and learn about performance opportunities. What are the audition requirements for the ballet program? Who were the guest artists in recent years? Look at the course offerings and become familiar with the requirements. Finally, visit the campus. Can you arrange to participate in a ballet class or at least observe one? Connect with and speak to current dance majors.

Diane Coburn Bruningchoreographer/counselor in performing artsCollege Match, Inc, Performing Arts Specialist

Excellent ballet dance departments in Universities or Colleges

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.
Jonathan DunnDirectorCreative College Counseling, LLC

What are the strongest ballet departments?

University of Hartford/Hartt School, Indiana University, Butler University, Boston Conservatory, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Southern Methodist University, and Juilliard. These are certainly not the only ballet programs, but these are some of the strongest. Gaining admission to these programs is difficult!

kathy hicks-freemanGuidance CounselorGreensboro High School

Ballet Departments

This is an unfamiliar area. I would conduct research before I could offer any advice.

CollegeCounselor McSellerson

What are the strongest ballet departments?

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Pamela Hampton-GarlandOwnerScholar Bound

Ballet Departments with UMPH!!!!!

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.

Laura Owen

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Well that depends on what you are looking for. There are many groups (US News and World Report, Princeton Review, Forbes) that will give you rankings, but it is important to look at the indicators for the rankings. For instance the following schools get high rankings but for different reasons:

Presitige – The Julliard School, New York City One of the oldest performing programs- Texas Women’s University, Denton, Texas Highly ranked by Choreographers – Oklahoma City University What are you looking for? Size of school, location (urban, suburban, distance from home), commitment to major field, college values, demographics of student body, college clubs and activities available, selectivity, financial support, etc. Have you visited the school and talked with faculty and students about the program? All of these things are important considerations when choosing an institution of study.
Barbara Cohen

Ballet

Ballet programs in the New York metropolitan area will provide an added bonus of New York, the mecca for theater and dance. Eugene Lang of the New School, Julliard, and Marymount Manhattan all offer the dual consideration of being in Nw York and all of its opportunities as well as ballet programs in schools athat have strong support by having gnereal dance, music and theater programs- all ancillary programs that will enhance one’s education.

For a more taditional campus life while still achieving the excellence in ballet, dance and music, schools such as Indiana University and SUNY Purchase shoudl be considered. As always the school is only as good as the student who is happy there. Selecting an excellent ballet program with no other redeeming qualities to the student will not be a good choice. OF course a strong major offering is of paramount improtance but our students must find that they will be happy living the life that school offers.
Joseph FrickCollege Guidance Counselor

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Very few schools have a “ballet department,” even though there are plenty that offer Dance as a major and probably have ballet classes. Indiana University offers it as a major and is supposed to have a good program, but if you’re really interested in ballet, it would be best to go to a performing arts school such as Julliard or The Joffrey. In general, though, the best schools tend to be where the most talent and performance opportunities are, and that’s generally going to be the ones in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Frank DonPartnerEast West College Counseling LLP

If not a conservatory…

Having known students who have studied at the Royal Ballet, the Paris Conservatoire and in St. Petersburg, I would suggest in the US the consideration of the following schools: University of Utah, Butler, Dickinson, Indiana University, Skidmore, Dominican, Point Park, among various other colleges and universities.

Zulema WascherCounselorRio Rico High School

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Many online websites offer different suggestions. The strongest would always depend on the student, where do you want to go? Look into the Fine Arts departments of each school, check out collegeboard.com for different suggestions.

Joseph II

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Going to school to get a degree in arts is one of those subjects that we dont like to talk about to much around the dinner table these days. I personally think that the preforming arts world still needs young, fresh minded individuals to go forth into the world. The funny things is there are plenty of jobs that you can get working in the performing arts field, provided you have done enough work to find those opportunitites. Television and radio stations are always looking for people to help build the creative brand of thier companies as well as other media and entertainment related business. I recieved my degree in Film Studies from the UNiversity of Missouri and find myself working in my field but more on the music side than actually working film. Although, my minor is in music. However, if you plan on seriously considering a career of uncertainity at times but the chacnes of great income incites then a major in arts is for you. But condisering the safe choice like med or law school is always an option when considering the monies paid out during college versus the monies recieved after.

Reecy ArestyCollege Admissions/Financial Aid Expert & AuthorPayless For College, Inc.

What are the strongest ballet departments?

Of some 140 programs, here are a few of the “best”:

Butler University Indiana University University of Arizona University of Oklahoma University of South Florida University of Utah
IRMA TORRES

What are the strongest ballet departments?

JULLIARD, JOFFREY, BATES, WESLAYEN AND NEW YORK CONSERVATORY OF DANCE.

Erin Corso

What are the strongest ballet departments?

“From wikilists” : Not all offer a major in dance, while some offer both a major and a minor in dance.

Arizona State University (AZ) Bard College (NY) Barnard College (Columbia University) (NY) Bates (ME) Beloit College (WI) Bennington College (VT) Boston Conservatory of Music (MA) Bucknell University (PA) – http://www.orgs.bucknell.edu/dance_company/ Butler University (IN) Chapman (CA) – http://www.chapman.edu/CoPA/ College of St. Benedict (MN) Connecticut College – http://dance.conncoll.edu/ (also options with Hartford Ballet?) Cornish College of the Arts (WA) Dean College (MA) Dominican University of California – (CA) – BA & BFA – in association with Lines Ballet Drexel University (PA) Duke University (NC) – minor in dance Eastern Michigan University (MI) – BA ballet/contemporary The Five College program (MA) – (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and the U Mass Amherst have pooled resources, faculty, & classes) – http://www.fivecolleges.edu/sites/dance/ Florida State University (FL) Fordham University at Lincoln Center (NYC) -in association with Alvin Ailey George Mason University (VA) George Washington Univ (DC) – BA dance Goucher College (MD) Hollins College (MD) – women’s college Hunter College – CUNY (NY) Indiana University (IN) Jacksonville University (FL) James Madison University (VA) Lewis and Clark (OR) Loyola Marymount University (CA) Marymount Manhattan University (NY) Michigan State University (MI) Mills College (CA) – women’s college Muhlenberg (PA) New School for Liberal Arts- Eugene Lang College (NY) New York University (NY) Northern Illinois University (IL) Northwestern University (IL) Oberlin College (OH) Pine Manor College (MA) – women’s college Point Park University (PA) Pomona College (CA) Radford University (VA) – BFA, BA, & BS dance education Randolph College (VA) Rutgers Univ (NJ) – modern Sam Houston State Univ (TX) – modern, ballet & jazz Sarah Lawrence College (NY) Seattle University (WA)- in association with Pacific Northwest Ballet Southern Methodist University (TX) – ballet, modern & jazz Stanford University (CA) Stephens College (MO) – women’s college SUNY Purchase – BFA ballet or modern, choregraphy & dance production Swarthmore College (PA) Texas Christian U (TX) University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) University of Cincinnati (OH) University of Florida (FL) – BFA University of Georgia (GA) University of Hartford (CT) University of Idaho (ID) University of Kansas (KS) University of Michigan (MI) – BFA dance – modern & choreography University of Minnesota (MN) University of North Carolina School of the Arts (NC) University of Oklahoma (OK) – ballet & modern University of Richmond (VA) University of South Carolina (SC) – modern & ballet University of South Florida (FL) – BFA & BA University of Texas (TX) – BFA & theatre/dance combo University of the Arts (PA) University of Utah (UT) University of Washington (WA) University of Wisconsin Madison (WI) Vassar College (NY) Wells College (NY) Western Michigan University (MI) Williams College (CT) Wilkes University (PA)