After years of dance study you’re enrolled on a dance programme! Your goal may to become a professional dancer, to teach or study dance further, so make sure you work hard and dedicate yourself to your studies.
Keep an open mind and be willing to try something new. Your teachers will come with years of higher education teaching experience in addition to their work as dancers and choreographers, and they will use those skills to challenge your perceptions: think about the body, technique, and even what dance is in a totally different way. Let yourself be pushed to becoming the best possible student you can be. There are lots of different ideas out there!
Make sure you take care of your body, and this can be challenging to ensure you stay healthy. If you’re using food services on campus, try to choose nutritious options whenever possible, or even better, teach yourself how to cook! Depending on your previous training, this may be the most dancing you’ve ever had to do, so now is not the time to deprive your body of the nutrition and fuel it needs to perform at a high level. Get enough sleep to avoid injury, illness and anxiety.
Remember all the different options available: a dance career requires years of hard work and your college experience may confirm your commitment to dance, or it may transform your dream in other ways. You might find an interest in choreography, stage production, writing, or even dance therapy. Explore lots of interests and be open to learning how dance can impact other areas of your life.
And don’t forget to plan for your future! It can be easy to forget that there is an outside world you’ll have to re-enter after you graduate. Your teachers may even be able recommend summer programmes or internships to help you meet your goals, and they might be able to connect you with professionals in the field.
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