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Open Access Publications from the University of California

Dance Major Journal

About

Dance Major Journal was founded in 2010 in the dance department of the University of California, Irvine. It features writing focused on the interests, issues, experiences, and concerns of dance majors, aimed at sharing information, research, advice, and points of view.

DMJ welcomes conversational writing style, personal essays, new formats, humor, stories, and “answers for dance majors” (ways to explain to the outside world the value and facts of a dance education), as well as academically sound essays using clear language and lively prose.

Volume 4, 2016

Front matter

Editor's Note

Fisher, Jennifer

Maintaining Your Balance: survive and thrive in the dance major

What Moves You to Dance? Alonzo King started one dancer thinking beyond personal passion

Hopkins, Kaylen

Rivalries, insecurities, and dance competition: can you escape the pressure?

Simmons, Maddie

"Don't worry, I am going to be okay!" Advice to parents of dancers

Hong, Sarah

Freshmen! Don't Be Afraid of Hip Hop

Iwama, Megumi

Do you need to cross-train if dancing is your real passion?

Hanlon, Laura

Finding the Right Pointe Shoe: it all depends on the right pointe shoe fitter

Overmyer, Stacie

How to Survive the Harsh Reality of Grading in Ballet

Montag, Janine

No Time to Eat? Think twice about taking shortcuts with your health, or your dancing will suffer

Lai, Isaac

Getting to the Next Level: auditions and working

Behind the Scenes of a New York City Open Dance Call Audition

Bowen, Meg

How to be Prepared for Dance Auditions in New York: one graduating dancer recommends quality over quantity

Evans, Tivoli

Why Dance Majors Make Good Employees

Dunmire, Danielle

Could You Do the Freelance Dance?

Summers, Katie

A New Kind of Success: be ready for change in your dance life

Upton, Claire

Hot topics: critical issues in dance

Male Dancer Privilege--it really exists

Rivera, Randolph "Andre"

Learning Dance Improves Everything: So why aren't all American parents demanding dance be in their kids' curriculum?

Guerard, Emily

Should University Dancers Only Focus on Western Dance?

Sider, Daniela

Why Dancers Should Care About Colonialism--Because It's the Gift That Keeps on Giving. Find out how by looking at "Save the Last Dance"

Cressman, Julianna

When Did I Get Fat? And other nonsensical questions dancers ask after growing up in the dance world

Whitaker, Keira

"That Sounds Like Fun," and other insults to the dance major

Rathbun, Breanna

Dance Documentaries You Must See

Should You Watch Dance Documentaries? Only if you want to be inspired and informed about the dance world

Reach, Savannah

Pina: a dance film everyone should see

Brown, Blair

Looking for Inspiration? Watch Misty Copeland's journey to becoming one of ballet's most famous figures in "A Ballerina's Tale"

Reach, Vivian

Inspired by Kylian, who was Inspired by Aboriginal Dance: A Latvian choreographer finds her own connections to the past and the present

Liepina, Gunta

What is Contemporary Dance in Africa?

Wajid-Ali, Darlisa

Grandma...Is That You? Life among hip-hopping seniors

Puleio, Dante

A New Perspective on Competition Dance: A contest in war-torn Uganda can remind us all of the joy and empowering aspects of dance

Timmerman, McClaine