Point Park’s Conservatory of Performing Arts is known for its rigorous program and talented individuals. Within the newly announced “School of Dance,” dance majors uphold this reputation working day in and day out throughout the semester, perfecting everything from performance to technique.
In the dance industry, consistency is key. Continuously training and embarking on new opportunities is crucial to being a successful dancer upon graduation. So, while some college students may use winter and summer breaks to relax and reset, many dance majors hone their craft.
Many professors in the program specifically recommended that their students utilize break time to attend intensives held at dance companies, major branded studios or even Point Park’s own summer training program.
Over this past winter break, Emma Jurado, freshman jazz concentration, found her experience at an intensive to be nothing short of enlightening.
“I did the Whim W’Him Seattle Contemporary Dance Intensive, and I had a really great time and was super challenged,” Jurado said. “I would really recommend company intensives because they are very personal and they offer a lot of one-on-one training.”
Dance companies are the most common intensive opportunities, with a major benefit being the connections made with professional dancers. For students looking to pursue a career within a dance company or even establishing their own, knowing members of the professional dance community is a major aspect.
Eddison Toby, freshman modern concentration, attended Complexions Ballet Company Winter Intensive in New York City.
“I was really nervous at first, the environment felt really tense because there is a lot of pressure for everybody to be doing their best,” Toby said. “However, the teachers were amazing, and I learned so much from their class repertory, technique, and professional advice.”
Other Point Park dancers simply attended classes in their hometown. Considering the Contemporary Choreographers Showcase concluded on Dec. 15, and the first day of Spring Semester classes began Jan. 6, squeezing in an entire intensive may have been difficult over winter break.
For some dancers, summer intensives or summer performance jobs take priority over winter training due to more studios/companies offering longer and potentially more advanced training. These dancers instead spent the break working on performance reels, resumes and gathering up other audition materials to submit for summertime opportunities. The deadlines for these could be any time from Dec. 31 to the beginning of April.
Regardless of what dance students are doing in their time away from the Conservatory, the grind clearly never stops. It is vital for performers to use their time away to rest their mind and bodies and maintain a balance with training. While some may think this career is all work and no play, this busy and tiresome lifestyle is a thrill for most dancers.
“It’s so exciting to learn from a space that is new to you, and disconnected from what you know prior, as it really pushes you in ways you could not imagine,” Toby said.
