Approaches to College Dance Engagement
Different Ways to Dance in College—and Why Your “Why” Matters
There is no single right way to dance in college.
Some dancers arrive on campus knowing exactly what they want from their training. Others are carrying dance with them into a new environment—unsure how it fits yet, but knowing it will always be a part of their life. All of these approaches are valid.
What matters most is not which path you choose—but that you understand why you’re choosing it, and how that choice supports who you are right now.
Below are several common ways dancers engage with dance in college. You may see yourself clearly in one, or you may move between them over time.
Dance as a Pathway to College
For some dancers, dance is what makes college possible.
This might look like:
Using dance auditions as part of the admissions process
Accessing scholarships, special programs, or recruitment opportunities
Finding schools where dance strengthens an application rather than competes with academics
In this case, dance functions as a bridge—a way into higher education that might otherwise feel out of reach.
This is a valid and strategic use of your training.
The key question to ask yourself:
Once I’m admitted, how do I want dance to function in my life day to day?
Dance can open the door—but it doesn’t have to define your entire college identity unless you want it to.
Dance as a Deep Mode of Study
Some dancers are drawn to dance not only as a practice, but as a field of inquiry.
This path often includes:
Majoring in dance (BA or BFA)
Studying choreography, history, pedagogy, somatics, or theory
Engaging critically with movement, culture, and the body
Here, dance is not just something you do—it’s something you study deeply.
This approach asks for:
Curiosity
Intellectual engagement
Willingness to question assumptions about technique, aesthetics, and value
The key question:
Am I interested in asking hard questions about dance, not just training harder?
Loving dance is important. Being curious about it is essential for this path.
College as a Step Toward a Professional Dance Career
For some dancers, college is a deliberate step toward dancing professionally.
This often includes:
Intensive dance majors
Clear performance goals
A desire to dance on stage as a career
College becomes:
A structured training environment
A place to mature physically and artistically
A launchpad into the professional world
This path requires clarity about:
Physical demands and sustainability
Competition and comparison
What “success” actually means to you
A crucial reflection:
Do I want the daily reality of professional training—not just the outcome?
Loving performance is different from wanting the life that supports it.
Dance as a Way to Stay Connected in College
For many dancers, college is a major transition—and dance becomes an anchor.
This often looks like:
Minoring in dance
Joining campus ensembles or student-run dance clubs
Auditioning for dance teams or non-major performance groups
In these cases, dance offers:
Built-in community
A sense of familiarity in a new environment
Physical and emotional regulation during stressful periods
This approach is not “less than.” It’s relational.
Dance becomes a comfort zone, a support system, and a place of belonging—which can be incredibly important, especially in the first year.
The important reflection:
How do I articulate my relationship to dance now? How do I contribute to this dance community?
There’s no wrong answer—but honesty matters.
You Can Change Paths—and That’s Normal
Many dancers move between these approaches during college.
You might:
Enter as a major and later shift to a minor
Arrive planning to go pro and discover a love for research or teaching
Start with dance as community and decide to study it more deeply
Changing direction does not mean you failed.
It means you learned more about yourself.
The Most Important Question
No matter which path you’re on, ask yourself this regularly:
Why am I choosing this version of dance right now—and how does it support the life I’m building?
When your choices are intentional, dance becomes a resource—not a source of pressure or confusion.
And that is what allows it to stay meaningful, sustainable, and yours.