pros and cons of dancing in college

Although constantly evolving, collegiate dance programs have an interesting relationship with the world of professional ballet. While in other fields a degree is often a sought-after credential for prospective employees, in ballet I have heard university referred to as “where dance goes to die.”

However, as university programs have gained respect and rapport, more and more professional companies are beginning to understand that dancers with a background in higher education are not older and worse, but sometimes even offer an edge that less educated, younger dancers sometimes lack.

But still, deciding whether to pursue a bachelor’s degree or to accept a trainee, pre-professional, or second company position can be a daunting step in a young dancer’s life. To help, I’ve compiled the main pros and cons of dancing in a university here.

Pro	Con
Likely have more performance opportunities and chances at leading roles than in a low company rank.	Pay for expensive tuition, fees, textbooks, supplies, etc.
Have the typical “college experience” and stay connected with the world outside of ballet.	Handle the stress of handling a full academic workload and rehearsal/training schedule.
Pursue other academic interests and maintain balance.	Have to maintain self discipline in a distracting collegiate environment.
Earn a degree and open doors to more than one career pathway.	Start in the professional world later than others.
Receive more personalized attention from faculty in your training.	Risk getting too comfortable in the collegiate “bubble.”