Even after the whirlwind nutcracker With the season and finals now over, summer break may feel far away. Nonetheless, since applications for intensive classes, practicum classes, and job placements are open during the winter, now is the time to start planning for the warmer months.
find your focus
Jennifer Backhaus encourages dancers in Chapman University’s introductory dance studies course to use their college summers wisely. “In the beginning, a lot of students wanted to stay close to home, and they would go back to the studio where they grew up training,” she said. “As they go through the program, we try to get them to tailor their choices to possible future outcomes.”
Backhouse recommends students try a new city during the summer, especially if they think they might want to move for their dance career. “Wherever you think it’s for you, you can find something there and see what the dance culture is like in that area and online,” she said. While it may be tempting to stay home during the summer, consider using your free time to try something new in a different dance genre or venue.
Aubrey Mailloux is pursuing a double major in dance and arts management at Purchase College, the State University of New York, and each college summer has a different focus. Between her freshman and sophomore years, she interned at the American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina, working in the archives to fulfill the internship requirement for her Arts Management major. “I’m a dance history nerd, and it’s fun to be in a place where I can help document the festival and work with old footage,” they said. She also chose the internship so that she could be surrounded by dance throughout the summer. “I get a dance class every day and a master class or two,” Melux said. “It’s very important for me to train and stay in shape throughout the summer.” ADF interns earn enough to cover room and board, but not enough to add to their savings.
The next summer, Mailloux returned to ADF to take intensive classes and participate in a work-study program that worked 10 hours a week in exchange for 50 percent of tuition. Now, Meloux is preparing for her last summer as a college student, with the goal of taking dance intensive classes with companies they hope to dance with after graduation and applying for internships. “This is my chance to really get my foot in the door.”
Plan ahead
Backhaus recommends that students start thinking about summer plans in December or early January. Researching your options ahead of time can prevent missing deadlines or needing to rush audition material.
Mailloux recalled that they began researching summer internship options during the fall semester, applied and interviewed in late January, and secured housing in April. “It feels a little late to me, like I’m kind of scrambling,” they said. Applications for internships and dance intensive courses may have different deadlines: for example, applications for participants in the ADF open as early as November.
University of Houston dance department chair Teresa Chapman released summer options for students at the start of the spring semester. Then, in the vocational skills course, one of the lectures is dedicated to reviewing and studying internships and intensive courses. “Many companies have one- to two-week intensive courses, which are more feasible for students who are working at the same time,” she said.
consider cost
Summer dance training can be expensive, especially when travel and lodging are involved. However, planning ahead and researching financial aid options can reduce costs. For those who need to prioritize work and savings over the summer, there are ways to continue your dance training.
Chapman recalls a time when one of her students turned down a scholarship to study dance in Paris for fear of losing her dance studio job. “This was a difficult conversation for me,” she said. “Sometimes students don’t know what an opportunity is until they get there. But my students are very committed [to their jobs]”. She estimates that about 75 percent of students need to work at least part of the summer. Melux returns to Wyoming for at least part of each summer, where she lives at home, cleans the house, and teaches dance to save money for the next semester.
If intensive summer travel isn’t possible, consider looking for local companies and studios that may offer student discounts or work-study opportunities. Backhouse hires a number of Chapman students each year as chaperones and assistants for her company, Backhouse Dance Company. “We’re giving them an option to spend the summer locally,” Backhouse said. “We can provide job opportunities for Chapman students, and they can continue their training.” She sees the arrangement as good for the students, her company and the partnership between her company and the university.
“Your summer is different at every stage of your college life,” Backhouse said. “Sometimes you have family obligations, sometimes you know it’s your graduation summer, and sometimes you know you have to work a lot because you have to pay for school. You have to know what’s important to you and what you want to accomplish over the summer. .
Remember, the best time to prepare is now.
