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, primarily based in Hollywood, sits immediately throughout from the historic Capitol Information Constructing, whereas the New York Metropolis campus, situated on Manhattan’s Higher West Aspect, abuts Lincoln Heart. 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. All the dance school have labored professionally within the discipline, and AMDA frequently brings in visitor choreographers. College students have efficiency alternatives, graduate with an expert reel, and are inspired to expertise dance past their campuses, seeing exhibits and taking courses at studios all through their cities.
It pays off. Hart-Haviland shares that AMDA alumni have gone on to hitch up to date and ballet corporations, carry out on cruise ships, change 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 business dance. “In the event that they’re coming to New York, it’s extra possible that they wish to pursue musical theater and Broadway,” says Hart-Haviland. “In Los Angeles, there’s extra emphasis on business 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 business dance and musical theater, respectively.
Samantha Perna
2024 AMDA L.A. campus graduate, BFA in Dance
Discovering business 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 capable of take hip hop, business jazz, and even heels, which is now considered one of my favourite types of dance. These courses 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 business 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 this time. I realized to take dangers and simply be snug and assured with being so daring.
AMDA gives numerous open courses and productions and showcases, which actually helped me domesticate experiences that I believe will assist me sooner or later. I had the honour to work with numerous skilled artists that they’d usher in, working choreographers within the business.
Dancing off-campus: It trusted the semester, however I took class at the least twice per week at Millennium Dance Complicated or West Coast Dance Theatre to get just a little style of the surface 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 guide and know all types of dance, constructing that nice basis to enter a name and never really feel so nervous.
Favourite courses: We had totally different types of faucet, grounded types and Broadway soft-shoe. Dance historical past was fairly enjoyable, as was gymnastics. I received so many abilities that I exploit after I’m dancing.
Turning into a New Yorker: We have been inspired to see Broadway exhibits, and received free tickets from the varsity. It was so useful to get out and see what the enterprise is de facto like. It made me recognize AMDA, since you get to see the surprise 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 keenness for this enterprise. To perform this now could be only a dream come true.
