Director's Message
This "welcome from the director" is really a welcome from a family of professionals that have worked together for almost two decades to create one of the top dance programs in the country. In that spirit, this is a collective "hello" from staff, faculty, administrators and community supporters who are "on board" with UA Dance.
The home page for the School of Dance is designed to address the interests of a variety of people, from audience members to professionals in the field to potential undergraduate and graduate students. Our website, with its various links, will do that. This welcome page is slanted to the population most frequently visiting our site—those young artists whose plans are to join our program and then, following their college careers, enter or re-enter the work force. Throughout that cycle, they are enriched as dance artists by the very contributions they make to the field.
This "welcome" is also addressed to the friends and families of prospective students. Occasionally I hear from parents that the career choice is a hard one. My answer—our answer—is that we dance, first of all, because we are driven and buoyed by the joy it brings us. It can become a job, but in the beginning it is some internal need to move, to learn, to express, to create, and to feel alive.
A critical step in this process is to find a dance program that can be the catalyst and the support system for learning, and is rigorous enough to serve as the gateway to careers in the profession. The dance program at the University of Arizona provides such an environment. Essentially, we offer a conservatory approach in a liberal arts setting, and take pride in being part of this highly ranked institution.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We can provide information and advice fueled by years of education, professional experience and first-hand knowledge about this particular University.
On behalf of the dance faculty and staff, and the students who are "veterans" of the program, I welcome you to an exciting and challenging pleasure trip that will leave you with lifelong lessons and lifelong memories.
Sincerely,
Jory Hancock
Director, School of Dance