Being a dance student may be a different, less traditional experience than what people think of when envisioning the typical college experience. Dance students are pursuing a career in a more niche area, and many of these students need to audition in order to test if they qualify for the program. 

The university offers a few different routes for dance students: A Dance Performance Bachelor of Fine Arts, Dance Studies Bachelor of Arts, and a Dance minor. 

Dance performance and dance studies students devote an overwhelming majority of their days to dancing, and their student experience is far different than most.

Mia Savelli, a senior studying dance performance, has been dancing for 19 years. 

Her passion for dance, as well as the energy and community that being a dancer brings, is what drew her into pursuing dance professionally. 

She said, on average, dance consumes 90% of her day. Her busiest school days are Wednesdays, which are filled with exercise, dance classes and rehearsals.

“I wake up and have a slower morning, then I go to the gym and work out, I come home and get ready for the day, I have ballet class, then modern, then jazz class,” Savelli said. “Then, I have a break followed by a two-hour rehearsal for the Kent Dance Ensemble.” 

Kent Dance Ensemble (KDE) is the university’s pre-professional dance company.

Savelli said she feels dance students are given a completely different experience than traditional college students as their majors require not only academic commitment, but are also heavily physical.   

“I definitely feel like dance students have a very different experience than other college majors due to the physicality of the art form of dance, you have to prepare and take care of your body so much,” she said. “There is of course a tone academic element to the major, but not many other majors have the combination of physical plus academic work.” 

She explained their schedules do not always follow a traditional weekday schedule, and often, dance ends up consuming her weekends as well.

“There are many times when we are called in on the weekends for a rehearsal or have to film audition tapes. The major is very busy, but also prepares you for what the professional world of dance is like,” she said.

Savelli has been given many unique opportunities and connections through the program.

Barbara Verlezza, the division coordinator and professor for several dance classes, elaborated on the full days dance students have and what makes their days so different from other majors. 

“The days/hours are much longer than many college students as the dancers must take 2-3 dance technique classes per day five days per week for 90-100 minutes each in addition to the dance academics and the core requirements of all undergraduate students,” she said.

On top of that, students are also practicing various rehearsals throughout the semesters.

“They then have rehearsals in the evenings, and possibly on the weekends,” Verlezza said. “ When we are in concert weeks, 3 times per academic year, they have their regular day as outlined above, and then they are in the theater from 5:30-10:30 pm every night and Saturday matinees approximately noon to 4:00 p.m.”

Students majoring specifically in dance studies have dance-filled days, while also having a second area of study to focus on. Professor DeAnn Sandel highlighted this experience for those students. 

“Many Dance majors are double majors, particularly the B.A. in dance studies majors where a second major, minor or concentration is required,” Sandel said. “So, not only are they using their bodies to their fullest capacity daily, they are also studying for a second degree or concentration.”

Jared Warren, a Junior double majoring in dance studies as well as musical theatre, described a similar schedule to Savelli’s: dancing for the majority of the day and having weekends filled with rehearsals. Through this program he has had the opportunity to showcase his choreography and dance skills on a larger scale. 

“The dance program has provided me with so many wonderful opportunities,” he said. “For instance, my original choreographic composition ‘You Will Not Certainly Die…’ was selected by the Kent State dance faculty to be presented at the American College Dance Association’s East-Central Conference in 2023. Being able to be a representative for Kent State at this conference was an absolute honor.”

He said this conference is an opportunity for dance programs in the region to come together and share works with one another, train and build community. 

Dance classes are not closed off to only dance major students. Non-dance students have the opportunity to participate through several dance electives that are offered. Students interested in enrolling into the program or taking electives can find more information on the school’s website. 

Olivia Woods is a reporter. You can contact her at [email protected].