Dance majors work hard to make it all look effortless

There is a stigma against dance majors—it is thought of as an easy, unacademic major, somehow less serious than other fields of study. Needless to say, dance majors and their advisors would beg to differ.

According to Mary Cochran, dance professor and chair of the dance department at Barnard, Columbia's dance program, which is housed at Barnard, is “one of strongest dance programs in the country,” and one of only two dance majors in the Ivy League. (Cornell has the other.)

It is certainly a substantial program, with over 2,000 students and more than 116 courses offered every year. Its majors benefit from the opportunities and networking connections available to them from the greater dance world of New York City. Cochran said that dance majors benefit from the breadth of the program, as it gives them the most input and choice possible in their program selection. She believes that it provides dancers with a “more invested, active role in their major.”

In addition to multiple hours of rehearsal and performance a week as well as membership in dance organizations like Orchesis , CoLAB , and Columbia Ballet Collaborative, dance majors also often maintain a second major. These span a broad range of subjects, from applied physics to American studies to art history. Colleen Thomas, a dance professor at Barnard, has noticed that “dance majors here have a thirst for knowledge that is inspiring.” Though Thomas has taught all over the world, she said that Barnard and Columbia students in particular are curious, committed, and driven.

Marie Janicek , BC ‘12, dances because she “can’t imagine life without it.” She hopes to one day become a choreographer, and to embark on a professional dance career.

She shares this goal with Caroline Walthall , BC ‘11, who hopes to dance in a modern or contemporary dance company after graduating. Walthall decided to double major in dance and American studies at Barnard in order to balance her intellectual and creative sides.

Though most dance majors aspire to professional dance careers in some capacity, they also share realistic foresight into the need for other options. Alexandra Duffey BC '10, majors in art history in addition to dance. She has worked for several dance companies and presenters, and would also like to work in arts administration, so that she is never far from dance.

Despite opportunities offered by the department, majors have legitimate ideas for improvement—specifically, active university efforts to perpetuate community and networking within the major pool as well as professional career development services specifically to help students interested in pursuing dance. Ideally such a service would give students help in writing a performance resume and getting headshots, while also offering advice for the auditioning process, which varies greatly from Broadway dance calls to modern and contemporary company auditions.

Professor Cochran stressed that dance is a career field that is always struggling, so the current economic climate is nothing new to dance majors. Fortunately, they have a support team of accomplished dance professionals who are committed to cultivating a new generation of accomplished dancers.