How COVID Has Changed College Dance Departments

University dance programs have undergone some remarkable changes since March 2020. From shutting down completely and sending students home to mandating masks and social distancing, there are plenty of pandemic-era adjustments that students and faculty will be happy to leave behind. However, there are also some transformations that many dance departments plan to carry forward […]

The Plight of the Adjunct: When Will Colleges Truly Value the Working Artists Who Teach Their Students?

Before March 2020, my relationship to teaching within higher education was as a part-time freelancer. Mostly, I held master classes, creative exchanges, intensive workshops or the very occasional “technique” class. I never thought of myself as a teacher as much as someone who was excited to share information and experience, and then witness its transformation […]

More Than Just a Studio

There’s a special connection between dancers and the studios where they spend countless hours—even years—developing their craft. That’s why colleges that want to attract and nurture the very best talent invest in the very best resources—like top-quality flooring from a trusted manufacturer like Harlequin—to inspire and support their students both mentally and physically. Check out […]

This New Online-Only Dance Degree Program Is Designed With Professional Dancers’ Schedules in Mind

When university dance classes were forced to shift online in the middle of 2020’s spring semester, dance professors struggled to reinvent their lessons for the virtual environment. But Sandra Parks, assistant teaching professor at Drexel University, was prepared. She had spent the previous three years developing an online-only dance degree for Drexel’s Westphal College of […]

6 College Dance Majors Share How COVID-19 Changed Their Postgraduation Plans

For most students, the last year of college is bittersweet—saying goodbye to friends, professors and campus grounds while eagerly awaiting the next stage of life: financial independence, a different city, new connections and more. This year, however, seniors are preparing to graduate into a labor force facing historic levels of unemployment, competing for limited opportunities […]

How to Choose a College Dance Program When You Can't Visit Campus

With all education happening virtually for the foreseeable future, high school seniors find themselves in a difficult position. Not only have their senior-year milestone events—prom, last recitals, graduation—been canceled or postponed, but they also have to choose which college to attend next year without making any more in-person visits. For dancers in particular, this presents […]

Ohio University Develops the Country’s First MA in Community Dance

If you’re spending some of your time pondering life post-quarantine, you may have entertained the possibility of returning to school. The landscape of graduate studies in dance is pretty diverse, from MFA to MA programs and concentrations like dance education, performance studies and arts administration. Now, there’s another option: studying the budding field of community […]

How to Feel Confident When Committing to a College Dance Program

You might think that applying to colleges is the most stressful part of the application process. But some students find that the pressure is heightened once acceptance letters start rolling in. Making a decision about which program to choose doesn’t have to feel daunting—you just need to follow a few practical steps. Important Factors to […]