ROLE CALL: College Admissions for Dancers™

University of Illinois - Champaign/Urbana

Description of Program: The Department of Dance at the University of Illinois is an epicenter for the development of dance artist/leaders. Our dynamic program offers dancers the opportunity to study with extraordinary dance artists in a small, intimate setting, within a large, world-class university. Our motto, “Locate center and go from there,” encourages students to find and follow their interests, giving them the opportunities and resources to shape their own dance careers. Students receive rigorous training within a diverse curriculum featuring many genres and styles, becoming well-rounded and versatile dance artists. Once called “a hotbed of choreographic innovation” by The New York Times, our program features a 4:1 student-faculty ratio, allowing for individualized teaching and mentoring from award-winning performers, choreographers, scholars, and educators. All faculty are active in the field, producing their work, performing, teaching, and presenting at conferences across the United States and abroad. Our program has a rich history and tradition of guest artists and residencies where contemporary artists work closely with students in classes and performances. Students are provided with a range of the skills necessary to cultivate a sustainable artistic life. We invite students to take charge of their education, immerse in the creative process and technical study, and contribute to the ongoing innovation of the art form.

We have an Alumni Mentoring Project (AMP) where senior undergraduate students are paired up with an alumni working in the field. Our graduates typically go on to teach in various institutions, perform, choreograph, and continue their studies in Graduate School.