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What are the top 10 dance school
OVERVIEW AND METHODOLOGY
There are many potential ways to quantify the "best" ten dance schools. For the purpose of this request, we decided to use the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking system for universities. The QS ranking system evaluates universities in individual subject areas, across 46 different categories. For performing arts, universities are ranked according to academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact.
Below is a short list of the top ten dance schools according to their QS ranking, followed by a more detailed analysis of what each school has to offer.
1. The Julliard School (United States)
2. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (Great Britain)
3. Indiana University Bloomington (United States)
4. Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris (France)
5. Harvard University - Theater, Dance and Media (United States)
6. New York University Tisch Institute of Performing Arts (United States)
7. Royal Holloway University of London (Great Britain)
8. University of California, Berkeley (United States)
9. Yale Theater Studies (United States)
10. University of Rochester (United States)
TOP TEN DANCE SCHOOLS BY QS RANKING
1. THE JULLIARD SCHOOL
The Julliard School, ranked number one, is located at the Lincoln Center in New York. The school emphasizes both modern and ballet techniques equally. It is common for students to receive prestigious off-campus performance opportunities, including work at the Guggenheim, Chicago Dancing Festival, and Edinburgh Festival. Julliard dance students in their fourth year get the opportunity to choreograph their own dances.
2. ROYAL CONSERVATOIRE OF SCOTLAND
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is located in Glasgow. They have a 170 year history in performing arts. They have a partnership with Scottish Ballet and, as they note on their website, they are the only UK conservatoire to offer training in every performance art discipline. They emphasize versatility and encourage students to collaborate with each other across disciplines. They pride themselves on their small class sizes and good student-to-faculty ratio. Graduating students frequently go on to jobs with Scottish Ballet, Belletto di Roma, Universal Ballet Korea, and the David Hughes Dance Company.
3. INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON
Located, as per its name, in Bloomington, Indiana, this program emphasizes its liberal arts tradition. They stage more than twelve productions a year, and their theaters include the Ruth N. Halls Theatre, the Studio Theatre, and the Wells-Metz. In addition to these theaters the campus also has studio facilities and production spaces. Their faculty are active in both research and performance, and produce publications. Their alumni have gone on to act and dance in Broadway plays and films.
4. CONSERVATOIRE NATIONAL SUPÉRIEUR DE MUSIQUE ET DANSE DE PARIS
This school, located in Paris, offers classical and contemporary dance studies and dance notation. They produce about 300 musical and choreographic performances every year and have a budget of 32 million euros. Some of their partners include L'Orchestre National de France, La Cité de la musique, and the National Dance Center. Their institutional partners include the European Union, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. Their building is divided into four blocks "arranged in acoustically insulated sub-assemblies". They also have a Center for Research and Publications on-site.
5. HARVARD UNIVERSITY - THEATER, DANCE AND MEDIA
Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard's dance program is resource-rich and includes access to their Theatre Collection, Dance Center and American Repertory Theater. Students are taught to work collaboratively, and the program emphasizes theory mixed with history and practice. Harvard emphasizes technical skills development and digital design in their program. Some of their dance studies include composition, improvisation, performance, choreographic design and dance history. Harvard emphasizes the scholarly nature of its performing arts program and the interchange of the performing arts with other disciplines.
6. NEW YORK UNIVERSITY TISCH INSTITUTE OF PERFORMING ARTS
The Tisch Institute is located on Broadway in New York City. The institute has "five dance studios; six theatres; scene, costume, prop and welding shops; three design studios; a CAD facility and two performance arts journals". They place an emphasis on critical thinking and leadership. They have an undergraduate program, a graduate program, an MFA and an MA in teaching dance. In addition they also have a degree in Dance and Technology. Training includes coursework on contemporary dance, traditional ballet, choreography, theory, composition, kinesiology, dance science, dance history, music, acting and dance, and dance and technology. Their alumni have gone on to perform with BAM, on Broadway, and with New York Live Arts. Students can develop their own choreography with the affiliated Second Avenue Dance Company.
7. ROYAL HOLLOWAY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
The drama program at the Royal Holloway University of London includes the option for an honors study in dance as of 2017. Graduates of the program have gone on to perform with the Canterbury Institute for the Performing Arts, the Lazarus Theatre Company, the Lyceum Youth Theatre in Edinburgh, and Next Stage Theatre Company. Their theaters include the Noh Theatre, the Boilerhouse, and the Caryl Church Theatre. Students also lead a drama society called the Student Workshop.
8. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
The Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies, or "TDPS" at Berkeley emphasizes diversity and inclusion. Students can reserve the Zellerbach spaces located on campus for their projects and rehearsals. There are 39 performing arts groups on campus in addition to a number of Capstone projects for undergraduate studies. They also partner with affiliated "Working Groups" which merge dance with local activism. Some of their more famous graduates include choreographers Daniel Eralow and Ben Levy.
9. YALE THEATER STUDIES
Located in New Haven, Connecticut, the dance study program at Yale dates back to 2006. The program attempts to use dance as a window into historical frameworks and broad cultural processes. Students are expected to take courses in history, philosophy, anthropology, political science, film, art, literature, and foreign languages to complement their dance coursework. Their affiliated "Alliance for Dance at Yale" networks over 25 individual Yale-based dance groups representing styles from all over the world. Their theater is called the Whitney Theater, and they have an on-campus library for research as well.
10. UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
The University of Rochester emphasizes spiritual dance, community-building, and interpersonal development as a key feature of its program. They have an undergraduate research department and about 18 on-campus dance groups representing styles from around the world. They also host an annual dance festival called inspireDANCE, which aims to connect student dancers with each other.
SUMMARY
The best dance schools typically emphasize the connections between dance and broader cultural studies, including history, psychology, diversity and spirituality. Their programs typically highlight student-lead dance groups and networks, and they often allow students to choreograph and perform their own pieces. They also tend to partner with outside performance art groups so that their students can get off-campus practice in their discipline and build their resumes. Many of America's top universities, such as Harvard, Yale and Berkeley, also have excellent dance programs; however, a few of these schools focus solely on dance, such as the Julliard School, which is particularly famous for its excellence.