Before your dancer can come up with list of schools that will be a good fit, they need to get clear about what their goals are and how a college program can help them meet those goals. In service of that, here are a list of questions for your dancer to consider.
It’s likely that you and your dancer are already feeling stressed about their future as a dancer and a college student. This list is not about having all of the answers, it’s about starting a conversation about what they want and how to get there. Maybe take them out for coffee or on a walk or otherwise set aside some time so that you can give these questions some time and attention. And be prepared for these answers to change!
- What is your dance goal? Do you want to be a professional dancer? A teacher? A choreographer? A studio owner? Some combination of these? Or is your goal to enjoy dance recreationally while you pursue another career?
- What styles of dance do you want to train in?
- Do you want a program that is mostly dance and dance-related classes, dance most days or the week? Or do you want dance to be part of your academics with room for plenty of other classes or even another major? Or do you want to dance as an extracurricular activity?
- Is it a priority for you to develop as a choreographer and create your own work?
- Are there other areas of the performing arts that you want to pursue in college?
- Are there non-dance considerations that are important to you—location, campus setting, athletics, Greek life, diversity, etc.? How much of a priority are these things?
