This Program’s On Pointe

When you think of the word “dance,” what comes to mind? Maybe it’s a Nutcracker ballerina that you have seen one too many times at Christmas time. Maybe it’s Nicki Minaj twerking to Anaconda or even the infamous Abby Lee Miller. Nevertheless, dance is a part of our lives in one form or another.

While many of us can picture this culturally-consuming topic in the arena of performance, we often forget the blood, sweat, and tears—literally—that go into perfecting this art form. The training that dancers must endure, no matter the style, takes serious grit and determination. Even then, there is only a small chance these performers and choreographers will actually make it big.

The competitive nature of dance is even apparent here at Elon, specifically within the Elon University dance program. Shelby Durham ‘20 and Caroline Bernardon ‘22, two members of the program, have experienced the reality at first hand—starting all the way at the beginning of the application process.

“There’s a two-step process for auditioning,” Bernardon said. “First, as a senior in high school, you have to submit a separate application for dance specifically with two videos, which is called a prescreen. The faculty watches all the videos and then invites a certain amount of dancers to come in for an in-person audition. There are four auditions a year with about 35 dancers attending each to then end with a class of about 20 dancers.”

Once admitted into the program, the intensity does not stop.

“We have all of our academic classes throughout the day, plus dance classes, and then we end our day with faculty, guest artist, and student choreography rehearsals,” Durham said. “Most dancers are taking nine to 11 classes per semester whereas the normal Elon student is taking three or four.”

While Durham has found that the hardcore nature of Elon’s program is beyond what most college students experience, she knows that it is all in preparation for achieving success, inside and outside of the dancing world.

“I am a double major in BFA Dance Performance and Choreography and BA Arts Administration, as well as a Business Administration Minor,” Durham said. “Elon is one of two BFA programs that I auditioned for that allows their dancers to double major. Since I have a liberal arts education, I have so much more knowledge and inspiration to pull from to supplement my dancing and my work, and I very often use my academic classes as inspirations for my work.”

Durham said this inspiration comes from her psychology classes especially.

“I was in a psychology class, and I recently was really interested in cults and the moral obligations of a cult,” Durham said. “And after getting coffee with my psychology professor, she helped open up the doors to research studies and an entire branch of psychology called crowd psychology, which I never knew existed. This research helped shape my piece to be the way it was and, I believe, helped the dancers find motivations and intentions for the work.”

For both Durham and Bernardon, the program has not only fostered intellectual growth but personal growth as well.

“I am a completely different person, dancer, and choreographer compared to the person I came into Elon as, and I am so incredibly thankful for that,” Durham said. “Through failures, awards, acceptances, and injuries, these past four years have shaped me into the person I have always meant to be, and I am so thankful for the dance program for allowing me to experience this growth and help facilitate this growth. It’s a great feeling; I am at peace with myself.”

Without the help of their professors, the dancers said this growth would not have been possible.

“I believe the professors of the Elon dance program are the reason for this growth,” Durham said. “They have been the most amazing mentors, the greatest listeners, and my biggest motivators. They have pushed me beyond limits and constraints I had no idea existed, been there for me in some of my darkest times, and opened doors to opportunities that have deepened my sense of artistry and training. Renay Aumiller, Lauren Kearns, and Jen Guy Metcalf have been the most amazing mentors these past four years.”

The same goes for the help of their peers.

“I feel so welcomed and safe to be exactly who I am in this program,” Bernardon said. “This program is such a tight-knit community because you are with these people all day every day…

It truly is a family, and getting to see myself and my peers grow together is so special.”

With the knowledge and expertise they have both gained from the program, they are excited to take on what the future of dance holds.

“I am so excited about the future of dance,” Durham said. “It has been so much more culturally accepted and is beginning to make its way into mainstream media, which is so exciting. It is also getting a much needed reboot in the health department. Dancers are now learning how to properly use their natural alignment to not injure themselves; people are beginning to open up and talk about mentally abusive directors; there is open conversation about food and body image in dance; and dance is being used as an art form full of healing, love, support, and compassion.”

If you would like to experience that healing, love, support, and compassion for yourself, Elon University’s dance program will be performing at these events:

Black History Month Concert on February 25, 2020 in McCrary Theater in the Center for the Arts

“Rites of Seasons” Spring Dance Concert on March 5-8, 2020 in McCrary Theater in the Center for the Arts
“All Things Must Pass” Elon BFA Dance Performance and Choreography Senior Thesis Concert by Perception Dance on April 17-18, 2020 in the Black Box in the Center for the Arts