September: Lauren MacNary

BLOG PROMPT: compare your high school dance experience vs. your new college dance career; what are the similarities/differences


How does College differ from High School?
            In my college dance experience so far I have observed many similarities between college and high school.  For instance when I auditioned for Strutters, the process was very similar to my audition in high school.  We had to audition a jazz combination and a kick combination.  The biggest differences were, that all the auditions were watched by the other girls auditioning.  Meaning each group audition was viewed by the other groups, we were all in the same room.  Also the audition was over one day.  In my high school experience, auditions could go on for many days.  Things just move faster in college.  In Stutters we learn a dance one day and audition it the next. However the dances are at the same level sometimes lower than that of my high school team.  This is because the Strutters are going for crowd pleasing not dancer pleasing.  This rushed atmosphere, doesn’t mean one has no time.  Classes are often more spread out in college as opposed to high school, and fit better to one’s schedule.  So don’t feel as though you won’t have time to breathe, and relax.  Another difference between college and high school is that professors no longer see you as a child.  This is not to say that all high school teachers treat students as children.  Only that there is definite differences in how high school teachers treat you compared to how professors treat you.  In Strutters if we finish early, we finish early.  We don’t stay till the end of practice just because.  We only stay if we have more to practice.

            In my modern class I have not seen much of a difference between a modern class one might take at a studio.  The best part is that you are taking the class because you want to, and because it will help you in your career.  Remember in high school, how you would sometimes be sitting in a class and think: “how is this ever going to help me?”  In college I’m taking classes that will actually help me.  I don’t mean to say that high school classes didn’t, or won’t help me.  I am only stating that the classes I am now taking seem more directly related to what I want to do with my life.  I want to be a dance teacher and my course work is filled with awesome dance classes and fine arts.  I still have to take basics like Communications and Philosophy but even those classes will help me in the future.  To better communicate, and think critically.  My college dance experience so far has been amazing!  I am so glad to have been able to share with you all.

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