Blog Post: College Ballet Programs: The Pros And Cons

This is an age-old question: “Which path sets my student up to get a job as a professional ballet dancer – college or straight into a post-graduate training program?” It can be a tough decision for a lot of students, especially with the proliferation of post-graduate programs that often have large numbers of dancers all vying for a limited number of jobs.

We interviewed the heads of a number of top college and university dance programs and learned a lot! There are some interesting advantages and disadvantages that go along with choosing the college ballet route.

College And University Dance Programs

We interviewed directors of leading college dance programs to outline the key advantages and challenges of the college ballet path.

Podcast: Sarah Wroth, Indiana University

Podcast: Larry Attaway, Butler University

Podcast: Susan Stowe, Point Park University

Podcast: Melonie Buchanan Murray, University of Utah

Podcast: Alicia Graf-Mack, Juilliard

Podcast: Jackie Kopcsak, USC-Kaufman School of Dance

Podcast: Michael Bearden, University of Oklahoma School of Dance

Podcast: Elizabeth Gillaspy and Jessica Zeller, Texas Christian University

dancers who chose college first

Check out our interviews with dancers who chose college before career

Podcast: Why Allison Debona Chose College Before Going Pro

Podcast: Jaya Dhand’s Journey To Ballet West

Podcast: Jayda Hazelett: on the College Route to Pro Dancer

College Fairs and Workshops

Podcast: Cindy Surman, Boca Ballet Theater College Dance Fair

Podcast: Dan Guin, Boca Ballet Theater Advanced Summer Workshop