More Great Dance Programs Worth Knowing

The fifteen programs covered in the earlier guide represent the names that appear most consistently on competitive applicants' lists. But the landscape of serious dance training in the United States is broader than any single list — and there are programs worth knowing that don't always get the attention they deserve.

Here are additional programs that consistently produce strong training and professional outcomes.

CalArts — Valencia, CA

California Institute of the Arts is one of the genuinely distinctive training environments in the country — an institution that was founded on the principle of serious, experimental, interdisciplinary arts education, and that continues to operate on that principle across its schools.

The dance program at CalArts is deeply committed to the intersection of dance with other art forms — visual art, music, film, theater, technology. Students are expected to think across disciplines and to engage with dance as a contemporary practice in dialogue with the full range of contemporary art-making. The aesthetic is experimental and conceptually rigorous. The culture prizes artistic risk and intellectual engagement alongside physical development.

CalArts is the right program for the student who wants to make work, not just perform work — who thinks of themselves as an artist who dances rather than a dancer, and who wants to develop within a community that values that orientation explicitly.

Florida State University School of Dance — Tallahassee, FL

FSU's dance program is one of the most established and respected programs in the Southeast, with a long history of producing professionally active graduates. The program has strong roots in both ballet and contemporary dance and offers serious training within a large public university environment.

The faculty have strong professional credentials and the program benefits from Florida State's broader arts environment. The cost of attendance for Florida residents makes FSU one of the most accessible serious dance programs in the country.

University of Utah — Salt Lake City, UT

The University of Utah's dance program is one of the most consistently underrecognized strong programs in the country. It has a long and distinguished history, particularly in ballet and modern dance, and its graduates go on to work in professional companies with real consistency.

The Salt Lake City arts scene — anchored by Ballet West and a broader community of professional dance organizations — gives Utah students access to professional work and community that programs in smaller markets can't offer. The cost of attendance for Utah residents is exceptionally accessible.

Virginia Commonwealth University — Richmond, VA

VCU's dance program has developed into one of the stronger programs in the mid-Atlantic region, with a particular strength in contemporary dance and choreography. The program benefits from Richmond's growing arts community and from VCU's broader identity as one of the country's most respected arts universities.

Belhaven University — Jackson, MS

Belhaven's dance program is one of the stronger programs in the South and operates with a specific Christian worldview that is central to its identity — worth knowing for students for whom that context is meaningful and appropriate. The training is serious, the performance opportunities are real, and the program consistently produces professionally active graduates.

Cornish College of the Arts — Seattle, WA

Cornish is a serious arts college in Seattle whose dance program reflects the institution's commitment to professional-level training in a dedicated arts context. The Seattle arts community is active and gives students meaningful access to professional work. Cornish graduates go on to work in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Chapman University — Orange, CA

Chapman's dance program offers serious training in Southern California — proximity to both the Los Angeles entertainment industry and the Southern California contemporary dance community. The program has developed steadily in reputation and consistently produces graduates who work professionally across the full range of dance contexts.

Book a free call at dancingincollege.com to talk through which programs belong on your specific list.