Ballroom on Campus
Top collegiate companies
BYU students in rehearsal. Photo by Jocelyn Bowman, Courtesy BYU.
Ballroom in college has often been thought of as an extracurricular activity. But at a handful of universities, you can get serious training while pursuing your dance degree. These three schools offer a strong technical foundation in ballroom and are home to some of the nation’s best collegiate teams, drawing advanced students and renowned guest artists. With many opportunities to perform and compete, dancers have the chance to take their training beyond campus.
Utah Valley University
Orem, UT
A UVU ballroom performance. Photo by Wang Qi, Courtesy UVU.
Degree offered:
BS in dance with an emphasis in ballroom
No. of majors:
59
Curriculum:
Students take International (Latin and Standard) and American (Smooth and Rhythm) styles. Ballroom majors must participate in the UVU Ballroom Dance Company for at least a year. Ballet and modern are required. Electives include jazz, African and hip hop.
Perform and compete:
The company, which requires an audition, has about 100 dancers split into four teams. They do not have to be ballroom majors to participate. The company performs once or twice a week. The tour team competes internationally, traveling to England and China. It has won the USA Dance National Collegiate DanceSport Championship for the past five years.
Ballroom on campus:
UVU hosts two major ballroom competitions annually, as well as workshops throughout the year.
The UVU Ballroom Dance Company won the first collegiate competition on “Dancing with the Stars.”
The Claremont Colleges: Scripps College and Pomona College
Claremont, CA
scrippscollege.edu
or pomona.edu
Degree offered:
BA in dance
No. of majors:
About 10 per graduating class between the two colleges
Curriculum:
A modern dance focus with ballet, jazz, West African, choreography and improv. Through the physical education department, students can take International Latin and Standard. Its social dance track includes swing, salsa and blues.
Perform and compete:
The Ballroom Dance Company has about 120 dancers among three teams. Placement is by audition. Its touring team has been national champion at the Ohio Star Ball seven times in the past 12 years.
Ballroom on campus:
National ballroom champions teach weekly workshops in Standard competition. There are three large on-campus performances per year.
The Ballroom Dance Company produces weekly social dance events, attended by students and L.A.-area dancers.
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
Degree offered:
BA in dance, minor in ballroom
No. of majors:
About 110
Curriculum:
Ballet, contemporary, history and somatics are core classes. Electives include jazz, tap, choreography and world dance. Ballroom is offered in Standard (waltz, tango, fox-trot, Viennese waltz and quickstep) and Latin (cha-cha, samba, rumba, paso doble and jive) styles, taught in bronze, silver and gold levels. The school’s social dance program also offers swing, waltz and cha-cha, as well as ballroom theory and choreography.
Perform and compete:
BYU Ballroom Dance Company has 160 dancers among five teams. Auditions are required. Its highest-level group has traveled to China, South Africa and Australia. They are the current U.S. Formation Champions and compete in the British Formation Championships every three years.
Ballroom on campus:
BYU hosts two annual ballroom competitions. Four to five guest artists are brought in each year to teach master classes and set new work for performances.
BYU has the world’s largest ballroom program in a university setting.
