Gap Years for Dancers
Should I Take a Gap Year as a Dancer? What High School Seniors Need to Consider
In senior year, some dancers ask:
“Should I take a gap year before college?”
There’s no universal right answer—but for dancers, the decision carries some financial, training, and timing considerations. Before you commit to a gap year, here are the most important things to think through.
First: Not All Colleges Allow Gap Years
One difference with dance admissions is that while the academic admissions might defer for a year, not every dance department allows students to defer enrollment with guaranteed acceptance.
Some departments allow deferrals easily
Others only approve them for specific reasons
Some don’t allow them at all and you’d need to re-audition the following year.
This can be tricky to navigate because you don’t want to announce to every admissions officer that you’re thinking about taking a gap year. Many students learn this information indirectly—through counselors, current students, or careful research. When our clients are considering a gap year, we do behind the scenes research to find out how a department approaches deferral requests.
If you’re seriously considering a gap year, make sure you understand each school’s deferral policy early.
Gap Years Can Be Great—But Dancers Are a Special Case
Gap years can be incredibly valuable. Students often learn:
How expensive life actually is :/
How to manage money
What it feels like to work full-time
That said, I have more mixed feelings about gap years for dancers than for students in many other fields.
Why? Because dance training is expensive—and another year of pre-professional study doesn’t always offer a strong return if college is your near-term goal.
When a Gap Year Does Make Sense for Dancers
There are situations where a gap year can be a smart, intentional choice:
1. You Need to Work and Save Money
If your primary goal is to earn money for college, that’s a very legitimate reason to take a gap year.
Tips:
Be clear with yourself (and others) that saving money is the goal
Communicate directly with programs you’ve been accepted to. Most dance programs will make you re-audition but you’ll be in a much better position if they know you deferred for financial reasons. Many colleges will defer academic acceptances for year.
Have a clear plan for saving money because it’s harder than it seems
Expect that some friends will be away at college while others are spending freely
If you’re working full-time, continue dancing strategically—taking professional-level classes a few days a week during daytime hours when studios are less crowded.
2. You Have a Structured Service, Cultural, or Religious Year
Examples include:
A formal service year
A cultural or religious year abroad
Living with family in another country
These experiences often provide growth, perspective, and maturity that translate well into college life. Again clear communication with colleges and a plan to continue training is critical.
3. You Have a Professional Dance Opportunity
If you’ve been offered:
A paid contract
A professional apprenticeship
A short-term professional engagement
That can be a valid reason to delay college and gain firsthand experience in the field.
4. You Can Live Rent-Free While Working and Training
Some dancers take gap years that look like:
Living with family
Nannying for relatives
Working while taking professional classes
If you can avoid rent and still train, this can be a very strategic option.
When a Gap Year Is Probably Not the Best Use of Money
If your plan is:
Another year of parent-funded pre-professional training
An expensive full-time dance program that doesn’t offer college credit
And then college within the next 1–2 years
…I’d urge you to pause. Those are great options for dancers who are not college bound, but if your plan is college dance, spending money on a pre-pro program doesn’t make sense.
If college is coming soon anyway, it’s usually wiser to put that money toward college, or toward:
A conservatory-style college program
Strong summer intensives during college
Training integrated into an academic degree
Another year of pure dance study is most useful if you’re not planning to attend college anytime soon, or if you’re pursuing a longer professional track first and anticipate going to college for a totally different course of study..
And a hard truth:
If you’re considering a gap year solely because you didn’t get into one of your top programs and want to try again next year, that’s usually not a wise reason to delay college.
A strong college search should result in multiple solid options, not a single dance or don’t dance outcome.
It’s almost always healthier—and more strategic—to choose a school that is genuinely excited about you rather than putting your life on hold to pursue one that has already said no.
While reapplying can sometimes work, just as often the rejection can be a useful redirection.
Many decisions come down to fit, departmental needs, timing, or aesthetic—not talent.
There are programs where you are exactly what they’re looking for, and those are often the places where dancers grow the most.
We always make sure our clients have a strong range of options that dancers and families are excited about.
Mental and Emotional Readiness Matters Too
A gap year isn’t just a logistical decision but it’s also an emotional one.
Ask yourself:
Do I want structure, or do I need space?
Will I feel grounded watching friends go to college?
Am I clear about my goals, or hoping clarity will magically appear?
Gap years work best when they’re named, intentional, and planned, not when they’re used to avoid a decision.
Final Thought
For dancers, a gap year should be a strategic bridge, not an expensive pause button.
If you:
Need to earn money
Have a meaningful opportunity
Or are stepping into a structured experience
…it can be a powerful choice.
But if college is your next step within a year or two, think carefully about where your time—and money—will serve you best.
And remember: choosing not to take a gap year is also a thoughtful, valid decision.