Visual & Performing Arts

Program Description

The Juilliard School

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Juilliard aims to create true contemporary dancers—trained equally in classical ballet and modern dance. By teaching dancers the great traditions and disciplines of both past and present, Juilliard opens their eyes and minds to all the choreographic possibilities that lie ahead. Now in its fifty-fifth season, the Juilliard Dance Division is a groundbreaking conservatory dance program whose faculty members and alumni have changed the face of dance around the world.

Established in 1951 by William Schuman during his tenure as president of Juilliard, with the guidance of founding director Martha Hill, Juilliard Dance became the first major teaching institution to combine equal dance instruction in both contemporary and ballet techniques, an idea that was considered heretical in its day. Early faculty members included renowned dance figures, such as Alfredo Corvino, Doris Humphrey, José Limón, Anna Sokolow, Antony Tudor, and Hector Zaraspe. Ms. Hill became Artistic Director Emeritus with the appointment of Muriel Topaz as Director in 1985, and she remained active at Juilliard almost until her death in 1995. In 1992, choreographer and artistic director Benjamin Harkarvy was appointed head of the division, a position he maintained until his death in March 2002.

In July of 2002, master teacher Lawrence Rhodes was appointed the new director of the Dance Division. Since his appointment, Mr. Rhodes’ focus remains the students’ involvement with a wide variety of dance styles and language, inviting numerous well-known and up-and-coming choreographers to create works and restage classic repertoire for the dancers. Recent choreographers include Aszure Barton, Robert Battle, Ronald K. Brown, Eliot Feld, William Forsythe, Jirí Kylián, Susan Marshall, Mark Morris, Matthew Neenan, Ohad Naharin, David Parker, Twyla Tharp, and Doug Varone. Numerous performances each season also present the year’s best work by Juilliard’s own young choreographers.

The dance faculty brings to the classroom, the studio, and the stage an extraordinary background of professional accomplishment. All faculty members are active in the world of dance as coaches, adjudicators, choreographers, restagers of works, writers, guest teachers—and as dancers.

The Dance Division’s four-year course of study offers students the choice of pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree or a diploma. The core curriculum requires intensive technical study and performance in classical ballet and modern dance and includes courses in repertory, pas de deux, pointe or men’s class, dance composition, anatomy, acting, dance history, stagecraft, production, music theory, and elements of performing. The dancers work in an enormous variety of repertory styles and techniques. Traditional courses, such as dance composition, also benefit from guest artists and noted choreographers who work in the studios with Juilliard dancers as part of their weekly schedule. Also offered are electives such as voice and tap and jazz. All dancers are introduced to the techniques of creating new works in beginning choreography classes and are encouraged to present their own choreographed works in informal concerts and workshops showings. Also each year, a Choreographers and Composers program offers collaborations between third-year student choreographers and student composers. A springtime concert, Senior Production, features the work of accomplished choreographers selected from the senior class in a concert produced by the senior class, with lighting design and behind-the-scenes production by the junior class.

In addition, in the fall, each individual class has the opportunity to work with established choreographers in premiere dances as part of the New Dances performances. Spring repertory concerts give dancers the opportunity to perform in established works from repertory, including works by distinguished living choreographers as well as classic works by legendary figures such as Martha Graham, José Limón, and Antony Tudor. Facilities include five class and rehearsal studios as well as the Peter J. Sharp Theater and other smaller performance venues. The Juilliard Dance Division also presents programs in Lincoln Center’s Clark Theater and in venues throughout the metropolitan region, including New York City public schools.

A seminar class for seniors teaches dancers how to prepare resumes, write grant proposals, and produce their own performances. Juilliard dancers also learn production techniques, how to audition, and how to focus their career ambitions.

Graduates of the division have gone on to dance with virtually every established modern and ballet company in the United States and abroad, and they are also among the directors and administrators of respected companies worldwide. Alumni include noted directors and choreographers, such as Robert Battle, Pina Bausch, Martha Clarke, Mercedes Ellington, Robert Garland, Kazuko Hirabayashi, Saeko Ichinohe, Lar Lubovitch, Bruce Marks, Susan Marshall, Ohad Naharin, and Paul Taylor.

Application Procedures

Deadline--freshmen and transfers: December 1. Notification date--freshmen and transfers: April 1. Required: essay, high school transcript, college transcript(s) for transfer students, 2 letters of recommendation, audition, TOEFL for all non-native English speakers. Recommended: photo. Auditions held 1 time on campus and off campus in San Francisco, CA; Dallas, TX; Miami, FL; Chicago, IL.

Undergraduate Contact

Ms. Lee Cioppa, Associate Dean for Admissions, The Juilliard School, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, New York 10023-6588; 212-799-5000 ext. 223, fax: 212-769-6420.