Whether or not AMDA college students are attending faculty at its Los Angeles campus or its New York campus, they’re immersed in every metropolis’s performing arts business from day one. The Los Angeles campus, based mostly in Hollywood, sits straight throughout from the historic Capitol Information Constructing, whereas the New York Metropolis campus, positioned on Manhattan’s Higher West Facet, abuts Lincoln Middle. College students can select to separate their time between the 2 hubs. “On each campuses, we attempt to expose the dance college students to as a lot as we presumably can,” says New York Dance Division chair Michele Hart-Haviland.
AMDA’s focus in every location is to organize dancers for skilled careers. The entire dance college have labored professionally within the discipline, and AMDA frequently brings in visitor choreographers. College students have efficiency alternatives, graduate with knowledgeable reel, and are inspired to expertise dance past their campuses, seeing reveals and taking lessons at studios all through their cities.
It pays off. Hart-Haviland shares that AMDA alumni have gone on to hitch modern and ballet corporations, carry out on cruise ships, turn into NHL and NBA cheerleaders, and work as choreographers, filmmakers, well being and health trainers, and content material creators. However two widespread paths she sees are careers in musical theater and industrial dance. “In the event that they’re coming to New York, it’s extra probably that they wish to pursue musical theater and Broadway,” says Hart-Haviland. “In Los Angeles, there’s extra emphasis on industrial dance.”
Right here’s how two current AMDA grads describe how their distinctive experiences on the Los Angeles and New York Metropolis campuses ready them for careers in industrial dance and musical theater, respectively.
Samantha Perna
2024 AMDA L.A. campus graduate, BFA in Dance
Discovering industrial dance: Once I got here to L.A., I used to be targeted primarily on jazz. AMDA supplied me numerous versatility. I used to be in a position to take hip hop, industrial jazz, and even heels, which is now considered one of my favourite types of dance. These lessons actually allowed me to search out myself as an artist. I found numerous qualities that assist me stand out in a room. Now there are such a lot of alternatives that I’m in search of within the industrial world.
Life after AMDA: Bloc Company reached out to me, and I received signed proper after graduating. I might like to do music movies or an upcoming tour and even movies.
How AMDA ready her for a profession: I owe rather a lot to AMDA for the dancer I’m at the moment. I realized to take dangers and simply be snug and assured with being so daring.
AMDA gives numerous open lessons and productions and showcases, which actually helped me domesticate experiences that I feel will assist me sooner or later. I had the glory to work with numerous skilled artists that they might usher in, working choreographers within the business.
Dancing off-campus: It relied on the semester, however I took class not less than twice every week at Millennium Dance Complicated or West Coast Dance Theatre to get a bit of style of the skin world.
Jake Trammel
2022 AMDA NYC campus graduate, Conservatory Certificates in Dance Theatre
Audition-ready: AMDA actually teaches you what it’s prefer to be in that audition room, to really feel snug and make it your playground. AMDA prepares you to construct your ebook and know all types of dance, constructing that nice basis to enter a name and never really feel so nervous.
Favourite lessons: We had completely different types of faucet, grounded types and Broadway soft-shoe. Dance historical past was fairly enjoyable, as was gymnastics. I received so many expertise that I take advantage of after I’m dancing.
Changing into a New Yorker: We have been inspired to see Broadway reveals, and received free tickets from the college. It was so useful to get out and see what the enterprise is basically like. It made me respect AMDA, since you get to see the marvel of New York.
On making it to Broadway: I used to be a swing for the Paper Mill Playhouse’s manufacturing of The Nice Gatsby, and now I’m making my Broadway debut in the identical present. Plus, AMDA L.A. alum Cedric Dodd is the affiliate choreographer. Once I received to AMDA, I actually began to search out my love and fervour for this enterprise. To perform this now’s only a dream come true.
