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From Competition to College: Making the Dance Transition
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For competition kids, pursuing a dance degree is a natural extension of the years of dedication they’ve put into their craft. But the transition from the fast-paced buzz of the competition and convention scene to the college classroom isn’t always seamless. As two former champions and a college dean share,once on campus,competitive dancers need to adapt their mindset,priorities,and approach to training-shifts that can result in unexpected and illuminating opportunities for growth.
Back to Basics
After capping off her competition career by winning Senior Female Best Dancer at The Dance Awards Nationals in 2024, Sierra Drayton was excited to start her freshman year at Purchase College, State University of New York. But the new surroundings presented some unanticipated challenges. “I want to be honest: It was pretty rough for me at first,” she says. Aside from the typical college adjustment of being away from home in a new place, Drayton also confronted new styles of moving. “Unlike kids coming from conservatory programs, I had never trained in modern technique before,” Drayton says. “It was overwhelming at times, not knowing the proper terms for anything, or how to initiate movement and rotation from the spine.” College ballet was also a switch-up. “The pace is much slower, with a big focus on the basics, which makes you analyze how all the technique was put into your body in the first place,” she explains.
A Different Kind of Growth
This focus on foundational technique is a common experience for former competitive dancers. Dean of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Marvin Scialabba, notes that competitive dance often prioritizes performance quality and swift choreography acquisition. “In the competition world, the goal is to learn choreography quickly and execute it brilliantly,” he says. “College dance programs, however, are about developing a deeper understanding of technique, artistry, and the past and cultural context of dance.”
Former competition dancer and 2023 Teen Best Dancer at The Dance Awards, Jacob Rodriguez, who now attends Chapman University, found that the slower pace allowed him to refine his technique. “In competition, you’re always learning new routines, so you don’t have a lot of time to break down the basics,” he says. “In college, we really focus on alignment, strength, and control.It’s challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding.”
Embracing the Unknown
Beyond technique, competitive dancers often need to adjust to a more collaborative and exploratory learning environment.Scialabba explains that college dance programs emphasize process over product. “Students are encouraged to take risks, experiment with different movement styles, and develop their own artistic voices,” he says.”This can be a big shift for students who are used to being told exactly what to do.”
Drayton found this shift liberating. “in competition, there’s a lot of pressure to be perfect,” she says.”In college, it’s okay to fail, to try new things, and to not have all the answers. It’s about the journey of discovery.” Rodriguez agrees. “I’ve learned to be more open-minded and to appreciate different perspectives. It’s not just about being