Whether you’re already a triple threat or you’re a dancer wanting to branch out, finding a college program that will help you meet your goals is a matter of asking all the right questions.

While the transfer process is a time of uncertainty and adjustment, ultimately it can lead to a program that better meets a dancer’s needs. “There’s something freeing about starting again and doing college on your own terms,” says Paul Matteson,­ associate professor at University of the Arts.

“One of ACDA’s strengths is as a platform for bringing established and rising artists together,” says executive director Diane DeFries. “There’s a richness in convening. Interacting with people, building relationships, seeing where they go—it’s an incredible source of energy.”

Instead of relying on cattle call auditions, dancers starting a professional career are increasingly using online platforms like job board sites and social media to find work in performing, as well as choreographing, teaching and arts management.

Applying for college is an anxiety-ridden rite of passage in America. Prospective dance majors add an additional layer to a process that already breeds feelings uncertainty: auditions.

Winners of the Dance Magazine Awards, from 1954 to the present

For many dancers, college offers a first opportunity to experiment with choreography and produce work for the stage. The availability of dancers, studio space and faculty guidance can give students a safe environment in which to try a new avenue of dance.

The dance industry is tough. Between constant auditioning, rigorous rehearsal schedules, exciting but tiring performance days, and juggling basic human needs, it can be hard to navigate everything by yourself. And for students, graduating into the professional dance world might seem daunting. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone who has the industry experience to […]