Functioning as a conservatory within a university, USC Kaufman enables its students to investigate other areas of academic or artistic interests within one of the world’s leading research institutions. Eli Alford (BFA ’22) talks about how his minor and general education courses influence his dance practices.
At USC Kaufman, students have the opportunity to enroll in Repertory and Performance where they learn established repertoire and explore the creation process of new works. Elise Monson (BFA ’22) describes her experience in this course as it varies each semester in what is taught and who is brought in for new creations.
One of my most memorable classroom experiences so far would have to be Afro-Cuban with Professor Anindo Marshall. Until the Kaufman Summer Bridge, I hadn’t had the opportunity to learn from Professor Marshall nor experience this exciting dance form. In class, she and one of our incredible accompanists drums as we create polyrhythms with our bodies and movement. The high energy drumming paired with the expressive movement creates an experience unlike anything that can be felt online.
After a long year of virtual dance, I was eager to participate in a few in-person summer intensives, including Laguna Dance Festival in Irvine, Calif. and SHARE: The Dance Intensive in Paris, France. Both intensives were a wonderful way to reconnect with my peers and the dance community as a whole, and my excitement to return to in-person instruction at USC Kaufman is more magnified than ever!
Pulling off an online intensive can be a daunting task. Because of this, I was not sure what to expect from a two week long, seven hours a day Zoom intensive with the dance company BODYTRAFFIC. I am happy to report that the experience was not only inspiring, but humbling as well.
With dance studios closed due to COVID-19, Jonathan Alexander (BFA ’23) wanted to find new ways to hone his creativity during quarantine. While exploring new mediums, he found a passion for songwriting, which led him to produce his first pop single, “Love a Little Harder.”
Working with Zeitgeist Dance Theatre (ZDT) this past summer was not only an exploration of movement and storytelling, but also an investigation into the current landscape in America. ZDT planned to have a live performance in Salt Lake City, Utah to premiere the new company. However, we switched to an entirely virtual setting because of the global pandemic.
Ate9 has been consistently taking the necessary precautions to slow the spread of the virus while keeping our community safe. They require us to wear masks, social distance and regularly wash hands. Once we began in person, everything just fell into place.
Entering my first semester here at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, I expected a pretty busy schedule in the best way. It sure did deliver! As a dance major, I was so excited to merge both my academics and dance throughout the day.
A day in the life of a sophomore USC Kaufman student is filled with both dance and academic classes. Through the BFA Core, we gain a foundation in technique, performance and composition, combined with courses in history, theory and more. In addition, we get a well-rounded liberal arts education through the university’s General Education (GE) and Writing program.
At USC Kaufman, you are able to pick from a variety of concentrations, and that choice informs what classes you take as you progress through your last two years. I have always wanted to dance in a contemporary company, which is why I declared dance performance as a concentration.
Senior year was a whirlwind. Between traveling for auditions, finishing up GE courses, and starting a minor, there was never a dull moment. This is a day in my life as as senior at USC Kaufman!
