Top 10 Schools for Acting and Dancing

Acting and dancing will always be popular subjects of choice for students. Both children and young adults love to express themselves in this highly creative art form, and many students decide to extend their education in to these subjects to help them prepare for a career doing what they love and enjoy.

Choosing the right school to further develop your acting or dancing skills can be highly stressful, no matter where you are based in the world. This article will examine ten of the best acting and dancing schools located throughout the world.

Some of these schools are situated in the USA while the others are located in Europe and other locations.

Choosing the Right Acting and Dancing School for You

Time and time again students make the mistake of pinning their educations hopes and dreams on the recommendations of their peers, and this creates a big problem when the student does not get into the school that they had hoped for.

The truth is there are hundreds of fantastic schools that can help you develop your existing creative skills and help teach you critical new skills that will help to further your acting and dancing career.

Rather than just choosing a school that you think you should be attending, it’s important to choose a school based on your instinct and intuition. Your peers and fellow creative friends may not agree with your choice, even your parents and family may question the decision you have made, but ultimately only you will know which school is right for you.

When evaluating the value a school can bring to you as a student, you should be asking yourself the following questions:

• Is the quality and type of training right for you? What, exactly, does the school offer as part of its curriculum, and is it right for you and your career? Think about the tools you will need to perfect your craft. How will the curriculum be delivered to you? Could you see yourself having a good working relationship with your tutors?
• Can the school help you make useful connections? As is often the way, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Will the school help you connect with useful contacts that will help to further your career? The more hands you can shake and the more names you can become associated with the more auditions you will have and the more opportunities for work you will have.

It is with these questions in mind that you should investigate and evaluate the best acting and dancing schools in your country.

1. Moscow State Academy of Choreography – Russia

This prestigious institute is also known as the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, and it is one of the oldest ballet schools in the world. It is by far one of the most reputable academies, and students across the world attempt to enrol at this impressive educational institute. Its unique method of teaching is very popular, and it has been adopted by a number of other ballet schools at is incredibly effective at generating successful dancers. Auditions to enter the Bolshoi Ballet Academy are held every year, but competition is extremely tough.

If you want ballet to be your business in the future then you should certainly consider auditioning. However, you can expect a tough regime and you will be expected to meet the highest of standards throughout your stay.

2. Cuban National Ballet School – Cuba

The Cuban National Ballet School is one of the biggest ballet schools in the world. With over 4,000 students, this impressive institute is a popular choice for ballet dancers who are keen to make a career from their ability to dance. Many of the students, once qualified then go on to train and perform with the Cuban National Ballet, which has a reputation as being of the best ballet companies in the world.

Auditioning for the Cuban National Ballet School is tough business; not only does this school have an incredible reputation and offer fantastic career opportunities, it also has the added advantage of providing a free education. This clearly appeals to students across the world, and so competition for a place is very fierce.

3. RADA – Royal Academy of Dramatic Art – UK

The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art may have very limited spaces but it is exceptionally good at converting the few students it does take on into well paid professionals. The RADA, based in London, only takes on 28 new students each year, and these students are enrolled onto the three year BA degree course.

4.The Julliard School – USA

The Julliard School in New York caters for students from all kinds of art forms, including dance, music and theatre. Aspiring students have to audition in front of a formal committee to decide whether each applicant has the skills and talent to qualify been given a place at the school. If accepted, students can expect the very highest level of training in their specialist skill.

5. The Boston University School of Theatre – USA

The Boston University School of Theatre offers students a laid back approach to a creative learning curve. Students are armed with a broad range of acting techniques that they can then use as working professionals. 50% of an enrolment application is based your academic skill, and the other 50% is based on your audition.

6. The California Institute of the Arts – USA

If you’re looking for a college that can provide connections in television, film and voiceovers then the California Institute of the Arts could be the right school for you. Competition for places is extremely fierce, but selected students will enjoy a varied and modern education, that includes a semester in the traditional and highly creative country that is Scotland.

7. The Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama – USA

The CMU is a highly regarded institute for talented creative students. Each year is designed to help students discover, transform, interpret and train as professional (and most importantly – working) creative professionals. More than 1000 students are likely to apply each year, and less than 30 students are likely to be accepted.

8. New York University, Tisch School of the Arts – USA

Tisch is well placed in the buzzing and bustling city of New York, giving it the ability to provide students with access to great networking opportunities. However, Tisch also has one of the highest price tags for a creative curriculum. Tisch will take on nearly 400 students each year, however, academics is just as important to Tisch as talent and ability.

9. Syracuse University School of Drama – USA

SU Drama is a great, well rounded school that receives around 800 applications a year. Syracuse University offers students the benefits of a great curriculum and the opportunity to regularly flex their creative muscles with paid professionals, creating networking potential. The school is designed to help students successfully transfer from the world of education to the world of paid creative work.

10. University of Minnesota – Department of Theatre Arts & Dance – USA

The U of M has a philosophy that sits well with a number of actors, and that philosophy is that an educated makes for the best actor. Like SU Drama, the U of M work shard to help students transfer successfully from the world of education to the world of work, and culture is included in the curriculum with a trip to London in the fall semester.

Author Bio: Peter Smith has drawn this amazing article about the top schools of acting and dancing in the world. He himself has chosen the acting classes London to brush up his acting skills. Now he is a critic at many acting and movies related sites.