Have you ever wondered what dancing in college looks like? I know I did. Coming to college, although certain that I wanted dance to continue being a major part of my life, I was less certain on what that would actually look like. I remember spending countless hours researching what it is like to dance in college and at Anderson University (AU) specifically; however, there was only so much information I could glean. As a result, I came to college with some false expectations, so to the prospective student interested in dance, here is the reality of dancing at Anderson University.

EXPECTATION 1: You have to major in Dance in order to be involved.

REALITY: Although Dance majors are extended the most opportunities, there are still SO many opportunities open to non-majors! During my senior year of high school, I decided to major in English and went back and forth between majoring in Dance as well or minoring. When I came to the decision to minor, I worried that I would not be able to dance as much as I had hoped, but the opposite proved to be true! During the fall semester of my freshman year, I got to take ballet, pointe, and tap technique classes. I was able to audition for Fall Dance Concert and was casted as an educational understudy in one of the dance ensembles. I was even more involved my spring semester, having the opportunity to take ballet, jazz, and modern technique classes, a dance improvisation class, and I got to perform in the Spring Dance Concert! Dance majors and minors alike also have the opportunity to choreograph pieces for Student Showcase and can choose to have their pieces considered for that semester’s dance concert. This fall, I am participating in two student pieces and choreographing my own as well! There have been many times where someone has mistaken me for a Dance major because of how involved I am, and I have made the same mistake with other minors. Even those who decide to neither major nor minor in Dance have the opportunity to enroll in certain dance courses. Regardless if you are a Dance major, minor, or just taking dance classes for fun, everyone is poured into and treated equally, which is something I love about AU’s dance program.

EXPECTATION 2: If you are involved in dance, you won’t have time for much else.

REALITY: Being a part of the Department of Theatre and Dance is a time commitment for sure;  however, it is definitely possible to pursue other interests while still being involved in dance. The majority of Dance majors I know are double majors, and a lot of them are also involved in communities such as the Honors College, Student Government Association (SGA), campus ministries, and Residence Life. For me personally, along with my involvement in dance, I have been able to write blogs (like this one!) and other content for AU’s Social Team, attend Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM), frequent my church’s small group, and go to social events with friends. Although it can be initially hard to find balance, it is definitely possible; you just have to know your personal limits, and while saying “no” when presented with an opportunity can be hard, it is a skill the Department of Theatre and Dance encourages, which I appreciate.

EXPECTATION 3: Certain dance genres are prioritized over others.

REALITY: Despite many college dance programs being either ballet focused or modern focused, AU’s dance program is quite versatile, offering courses in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, and tap. With so many offerings, I expected there to be different levels of attention and excellence given to each genre, but AU’s dance program has quality teaching across all four and encourages its dancers to branch out. When I first arrived at AU, I thought I would mostly stick to ballet classes since I had grown up at a ballet focused studio and potentially modern classes since I expected modern to most closely resemble the other dance genre I was greatly familiar with, contemporary. However, during the fall semester of my freshman year, I was put in a tap class. Tap was a dance genre completely out of my comfort zone, and I hated it at first; however, as the semester went on, and I started to pick up the technique, I began to find tap more enjoyable, which helped me gain the courage to enroll in a jazz class my spring semester. I quickly realized that jazz shares many similarities with ballet’s technique and contemporary’s freedom of movement, so, to my surprise, jazz ended up being one of my favorite classes that semester! I never would have made these discoveries if it weren’t for the versatility of AU’s dance program, and this versatility has attracted a wide range of talent across all four genres, strengthening the dance program as a whole.

EXPECTATION 4: The grading process in dance classes is stressful.

REALITY: Although being graded on one’s dancing feels foreign and scary, it really is just a more structured version of receiving corrections during class. However, the word “grade” often comes with negative associations, and the Department of Theatre and Dance knows this; therefore, the department strives to create an uplifting rather than judgmental atmosphere in all of its classes. I immediately felt this walking into my first dance class my freshman year. My teachers were encouraging, and I could tell they genuinely cared about me and wanted to see me grow, which helped alleviate some of the stress I felt about the grading system. Each dance technique class includes a benchmark, which is performed twice, and a midterm and final, which are each performed once. Having these different performance exams guarantees personalized feedback throughout the semester, allowing you to see your growth and set goals for improvement. Still, being graded on my dancing took awhile to adjust to, and I still think I will always be a bit nervous before a performance exam; however, with each exam, I grow calmer and more appreciative of the gift AU’s dance program truly is.

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So, if you are currently considering dancing at AU, I would encourage you to say yes in whatever capacity. Don’t let your expectations about what dancing in college looks like hold you back. It may just end up being one of the biggest blessings of your college experience. I know it has been for me.