How great is the dance program at Vassar?

beebeex86 · 06-13-2009, 10:03 PM

I was just wondering if it is a good program for advanced dancers (in ballet, jazz, modern etc.)

SEGA · 06-14-2009, 02:12 PM

The head of the Dance Department is a ballet dancer who teaches a challenging Intermediate class with a separate point class. John Meehan will join the faculty this year to head VRDT. He was the former Director of the ABT Studio Company and Hong Kong Ballet. This past year VRDT did Paul Taylor's Airs and pieces by Peter Pucci and Tom Gold.

dc89 · 06-14-2009, 08:49 PM

Yes, it is!

The Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre (VRDT) is the faculty-run dance company that specializes in modern and ballet (for the record, the Taylor piece we did this year was Aureole, not Airs) but also encompasses other dance forms. This year I did ballet, jazz, modern, Eastern European folk dance, and an improvised piece set to text. VRDT requires a commitment of at least 4-5 hours a week, plus other rehearsals as needed. It's pretty intense but it's AMAZING. There are opportunities for students to choreograph, but not all pieces make it to the final gala at the Bardavon Opera House that's held every year in February. All student pieces do perform at the Final Showings in November held at Vassar.

FlyPeople is Vassar's student-run dance group. The minimum commitment is a Sunday rehearsal from 12-3, but most people commit to more pieces. All the pieces are choreographed by students in the group. It's an incredibly fun group and allows a lot of growth in different styles. This year I did jazz, tap, modern, hip-hop, musical theatre dance, and lyrical. FlyPeople also performs in the Vassar dance theatre.

The studios and theatre are absolutely gorgeous, top-notch facilities. The dance faculty is fantastic and the guest choreographers that they get are GREAT. Please let me know if you have any further questions as I'm pretty involved in the dance department and can probably answer!

astromom · 09-13-2009, 02:37 PM

DC89--could you say more about the time commitment for VRDT and Flypeople? My daughter is seriously considering applying ED to Vassar (plans to call tomorrow to set up an overnight) and would like to continue to dance, but as a nonmajor. She would like to perform and VRDT sounds great, but doesn't want it to prevent her from pursuing other interests (like it does now). I ask because on another thread you described your schedule and it sounded like long hours. (Couldn't seem to PM you.)

dc89 · 09-14-2009, 10:53 PM

Caveat: I am hideously overcommitted and nobody who wants to remain a sane person should ever follow my example. :-) But here is an example of my schedule for dance this semester. For the record - no dance major is offered at Vassar (which is actually wonderful; this way there's no divide between majors and nonmajors and we have a fabulously diverse dance population).

This semester in VRDT, I'm in the company piece (rehearsal 3:30-5:30 on Wednesdays), a modern piece (4-6 on Mondays), a jazz piece (11-1 on Saturdays), a student-choreographed jazz piece (7:30-9 on Thursdays), a Doris Humphrey modern rep piece (which will rehearse over the weeklong October break), and understudy for a Balanchine ballet rep piece (also rehearsing over October break). I might also be cast in a ballet piece that will rehearse Fridays 3-5. So my VRDT this semester is about 8-10 hours per week. This is more pieces than many people are in, but I'm one of the few modern-ballet crossover types so I kind of end up in a lot.

I also take ballet five days a week, pointe two days a week, and a modern class on Tuesdays (it's also offered Thursdays, but I have a seminar then). So that's about 9-10 hours there. VRDT dancers are required to take a technique class (for credit or not for credit, their choice).

Because I'm in the drama department's production of Rent this semester (rehearsals Monday-Thursday from 7-11 at night), I'm not doing as much in FlyPeople this semester - three dances, which equals out to about three hours per week. Normally, I would do 7-8 dances.

It IS long hours - but I find that being occupied actually helps me organize my schedule much more efficiently than having lots of free time! And it's so, so worth it. Not only am I getting these fantastic academics, but I'm doing dance stuff I NEVER would have gotten to do elsewhere. I can't recommend it more highly. It's absolutely worth it. I pass a door in my hall that has a poster that says "Who ever wished they slept more in college?" It's definitely true. (Okay, that poster probably was not referring to dance rehearsals, but that's how I interpret it.)

I feel like I just rambled about myself a lot... oops! Let me know if you have more questions. I come on here fairly often because despite all my talk about efficiency, I am a terrible procrastinator ;-)

astromom · 09-15-2009, 10:00 AM

dc89--not rambling at all. It was very helpful to see the breakdown in your schedule between classes and rehearsals.

PM me if you're open to talking to a prospective student. My daughter has requested an overnight visit on October 5th (still waiting for confirmation). Thanks.

lillykiahming · 10-04-2009, 01:34 AM

Hi,

You sound like just the person to help my daughter! She is applying to Vassar
in November and is ready to prepare her audition piece. She does modern and ballet
and is strong in both but feels better about her ability in modern. She would like to do her audition, which is 3-5 minutes long, in modern.

Can you first tell us if it matters if she does modern or ballet?

Also, what should the audition focus on? She plans to have a teacher choreograph
it.

How much weight is put on the audition tape when it comes to admissions. What I
mean is do they look first at grades and test scores AND THEN at the audtion piece,
OR do they consider both equally?

Thanks for your help,
Sirena

dc89 · 10-04-2009, 10:18 PM

Hi!

I think you're somewhat misunderstanding the video submission for dance. It's not an audition, because there's no admission to the department, per se. I don't even know if it would have bearing on her admission to the college, although I do know that the department grades submissions and keeps the grades on record. Classes in the department are open to everyone. Admission to Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre, which is the residential company, is by audition at the beginning of each year. Students are accepted based on their performance at September auditions, not by any video submission, although that might help the department remember you! Ballet or modern, it doesn't matter, do whatever she's stronger in.

Parliament · 10-06-2009, 11:58 PM

OH MY GOD. NO WAY. SERIOUSLY.
Balanchine?!?
HOW ON EARTH did you get permission from the Trust to perform that???

dc89 · 10-08-2009, 12:02 AM

Our company director has worked with NYCB and we had two NYCB alums choreograph for us last year... we have enough of a relationship with them by now, I guess. It's pretty sweet. Merrill Ashley is coming over October break to set it!