Dance Program FAQ

Will Hampshire prepare me well for a professional dance career?

Yes! Hampshire and Five College Dance offers professional-track technique, composition, and theory classes, giving you the necessary foundation of skills to make it as a dancer in the real world. Hampshire dance alumni are recognized for their ground­breaking experimentation, corporeal intelligence, and innovation in the field; they include Bessie Award winners and Fulbright scholars. They perform in major dance companies, direct their own dance companies and projects, teach in schools and studios, and pursue careers as dance therapists, physical therapists, somatic practitioners, dance critics, arts administrators, and scholars.

How many productions are done per year?

There are many opportunities for showing your choreography and performing in dance concerts at Hampshire and through the Five College Dance. Hampshire has 3-5 concerts per year, and Five College Dance offers 15-20 more.

Do I have to audition to get into the Program?

No. Once you are accepted to Hampshire College, the Hampshire Dance Program welcomes dancers of all skill levels and experiences. To get involved in the Dance Program, take dance classes, come to events to meet faculty, staff, and other students involved in dance, and participate in concerts as dancers, choreographers, or as technical crew members!

I'm interested in other career opportunities related to dance, like concert production, lighting design, teaching, or dance criticism. Does Hampshire offer studies in these things?

Yes! We encourage students to open their eyes to all the exciting careers possible with an education in dance. Hampshire alums have built successful careers as lighting designers, stage managers, videographers, etc. using the skills they learned as crew members. They teach in schools and studios, are Fulbright scholars, are dance critics, and are arts administrators. Hampshire alums have also gone on to build careers in dance therapy, physical therapy, and other somatic practices.

I'm interested in dance but I don't want to major in dance performance and choreography. What's there for me?

The Hampshire Dance Program emphasizes transdisciplinary learning and welcomes students with a broad range of interests in dance, movement and the body. Students often combine dance and movement studies with other areas, such as video, anthropology, psychology, kinesiology, theatre, education, religion, urban design, architecture, visual arts, film, community-engaged practice, social justice, etc. Students are encouraged to explore all of the intersections of their interests and build a schedule of study to reflect that.