Artistic Opportunities
Performance
Opportunities for performing are frequent and richly varied in the Hampshire College Dance Program and within Five College Dance/The Five College Consortium. At Hampshire, there are three to five sponsored productions of student, faculty, and guest artists' work produced each year. Hampshire students also have abundant opportunities to perform in concerts produced on other Five College campuses. Each school has its own theater (some have several), and offers at least one student and one faculty concert per year. Dances are cast through both auditions and informal networking.
Auditions for faculty work, Smith College M.F.A. Candidates work, Division III and senior thesis concerts, and guest artist works happen almost every semester.
Choreography
Students interested in choreographing have several opportunities in which to present their work. In addition to the Division III and Five College Dance student concerts, Hampshire students can present work in the Hampshire Dance Program Winter Concert in the early spring. Additionally, there is often an informal showing at the end of the fall semester where students can show their work-in-progress and receive faculty and peer mentorship and feedback on the development of their work.
Production
A concert not only needs dancers and choreographers, it also needs a crew. Crewing is an essential part of dance at Hampshire and in the Five Colleges, and technical experience helps develop applicable skills for choreography, dance studies, and theatrical production. Students concentrating in dance are required to crew at least two concerts during their time as a student. Working as crew helps to grow a supportive and reciprocal relationship between our community members, and it’s fun! Each show needs a stage manager and assistant stage manager, house manager, light board operator, sound operator, and more. Training in the technical aspects of production is an important learning experience done in a comfortable and fun environment, and no previous experience is necessary.