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Pursuing a BFA
Congratulations on your decision to pursue your dream. I know it can be daunting to find the right B.F.A. program for you, especially if you feel you are at a disadvantage because of your grades. Nevertheless, I would advise you to start by putting such worries aside, and instead focus on what it is that you want in your undergraduate training. After all, you are looking for the program that will give you your one-and-only launch onto your chosen career path, and presumably you will be paying plenty for the experience. So instead of thinking along the lines of "What program might accept me?" you should be thinking "Here is what I'm looking for in a program. What universities or colleges have that to offer?" In other words, to start with, you should be auditioning THEM! When considering what you desire in a B.F.A. program, give yourself the luxury of being very, very specific. Later in the selection process you may find that not all of your ideals may be met, but because you will have considered what is most important to you, you will be in a much stronger position. Questions you may want to consider may include: What kind of technical training do you want? Is ballet more important to you than modern dance? Then you might want to find a program that is more known for their classical department, or pay closer attention to who is on the teaching staff for ballet and what their qualifications are. If you want your training to include styles that may be more unusual (jazz? tap? African dance? Contact Improv?), make sure they are offered and that the teachers are first-rate. Do you want to study dance theory or history? Scenic or costume design? Make sure coursework is offered on an undergraduate level. Are you interested in choreography? Find out how many student productions get put up in a year, whether your work will get presented on a stage or just in a studio, how much studio time you can count on for rehearsals, and who dances in student productions and how much say you get in the casting process. Do you have a keen interest in some other field that might intersect with dance in interesting ways (drama, music composition, architecture, biology)? You might want a college or university that is equally strong in that area so that you can pursue the appropriate minor or even double major. Is there a Pilates studio? A dance video library? Any kind of exchange with the music department that might encourage collaborations with student composers? In short, think seriously about the kinds of experiences you would most value in your B.F.A. studies. Here are two great places to start: - Dance/USA's excellent introduction to choosing a college has many helpful hints: www.danceusa.org/advice/college_choose.htm - Dance Magazine's 'College Guide' is indispensable. It contains descriptions of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as many other features and resources. If your career counseling office does not have this, insist that they get it! Or you can check it out online at: www.dancemagazine.com Once you are clear about your own priorities, you can balance your research into specific B.F.A. programs with your own qualifications. Campus visits to those programs that particularly catch your eye are indispensable when it comes to studying dance in academia; often, you can take or watch class (try to target the less popular teachers as well as the favorites, if possible, to give yourself some perspective), tour the facilities, talk to professors, and talk to students. When talking to students encourage them to be as frank as possible, especially about the quality of the teaching. I have found instances in some academic settings of dancers with stellar professional credentials being hired to teach on the assumption that if they can dance well, they can teach well -- when of course teaching dance is a specialized skill that requires both teacher training and that special knack in order to do well. Because it is the teachers that will make or break your academic experience, it is good to be extra thorough in your research on this point. If you utterly fall in love with a program, even if your G.P.A. doesn't quite pass muster, I would encourage you to try to arrange a campus visit and interview. Be frank about your career goals, why you are passionate about that particular program, and your own strengths and weaknesses; feel free to ask "Is there a way that I may be considered for this program despite my current G.P.A.?" It is possible that certain programs may weigh the audition more than your academic record to date, or you may be advised to wait another year and raise your grades before reapplying. Even if that particular program doesn't pan out for you, you have nothing to lose in trying. And eventually you will find the right match for you. Good luck in your search! Nicole
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