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graduate - dance MFA choreography track

Graduate Program
Dance MFA Choreography

Important Update – the Dance MFA program has been temporarily suspended for the 2013-2014 academic year. We will not be admitting any new students to the program at this time. The Conservatory of Dance is in the process of developing a new MFA program which will debut in fall 2014. Information about admission to the new MFA program will be posted to the Purchase College website in fall 2013.

Be sure to review and follow all application instructions and observe all deadlines carefully. In cases where students fail to follow the requirements and instructions and/or to observe deadlines there is no guarantee the application can be reviewed and the application may be withdrawn from consideration

Admission Requirements

Who may apply:

  • Persons holding an undergraduate degree or the equivalent from an accredited college in the United States or an approved institution of higher education abroad.

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Application Process

Deadlines to Apply: 
Program suspended for 2013. See above

Step 1: Apply Online:

Apply online at http://purchase.slideroom.com.

Submit your application and Dance audition materials and pay the non-refundable $135 application fee ($75 graduate application fee plus the $50 Dance review fee and the $10 SlideRoom submission fee) online at http://purchase.slideroom.com. A complete online application will contain:

  • Completed graduate application forms
  • Dance Resume and Personal Statement
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Written descriptions of choreography videos
  • Two (2) video examples of your choreography 
  • A nonrefundable application fee of $135  payable online with a valid credit card or electronic check. This fee includes the $75 graduate application fee, the $50 Dance review fee and the $10 SlideRoom submission fee.

Step 2: Complete Your Application:

Submit all the following information required to complete your application together in one package:

Mail your package to:

Purchase College - Application Processing
Attn: Graduate Programs
279 Broadway
Albany, NY 12204-2755

*Note: International students may have TOEFL or IELTS scores submitted electronically

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Dance Audition

Submitting your online audition at http://purchase.slideroom.com will involve completing the following steps:

1. (FILL-IN FORM) Choreography Descriptions -  Written descriptions of your two (2) choreography videos (to be uploaded on the MEDIA step), including the following information:

  • Title of piece
  • Composer
  • Lighting Designer
  • Costume Designer
  • Set Designer
  • Names of Dancers
  • Performance Venue
  • Date(s) of Performance

2. (DOCUMENT UPLOAD) Dance Resume and Personal Statement -

  • Submit a resume of your dance experience.
  • Submit a Personal statement of 300 words discussing your goals in seeking an MFA Degree in Performance/Teaching at Purchase College and your professional goals after you graduate from Purchase.

3. Two (2) Letters of Recommendation - Submit email addresses of two professional references, one who can speak to your work as a choreographer and one personal reference. Your reference providers will automatically be sent an email from purchase.slideroom.com that invites them to login and upload a letter of recommendation for your application.

4. (MEDIA UPLOAD) Video of two (2) pieces of your own choreography- One group work with more than five (5) dancers not to exceed five (5) minutes, and one small group work – duet or trio – not to exceed three (3) minutes.

Audition on Campus
MFA auditions will only be conducted for students who are invited to attend. The Conservatory of Dance will contact you with their decision.

Audition dates are:
Program suspended for 2013. See above.

All Candidates residing in the Continental United States must audition in person and on campus.

For Candidates living outside the Continental United States:

Only Candidates living outside the Continental United States may send a Class Audition DVD rather than audition in person (this includes other countries and Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico). This Class Audition DVD is in addition to the audition submission required in  http://purchase.slideroom.com as part of the application for admission.
 
Note that international candidates who submit a Class Audition DVD must pay the additional $50.00 Final Audition Fee by check or money order when submitting their Class Package. This is in addition to the $135.00 fee paid at the time of application online for a total fees paid of $185.00.

The Class Audition DVD should include:

2-3 Minute Interview: speak to the camera in English and tell us about yourself. State your name, dance training, and discuss choreographic expectations. Explain the content of your application recordings. Please comment about why you want to attend Purchase College, and what you hope to do after earning your degree.
 
Ballet Class: present barre work, center work (adagio, allegro and pirouette combinations) and across the floor combinations.  You do not need to repeat exercises on two sides.

Modern Class: present warm up exercises, center work including back work, and across the floor combinations.
 
Solo: present a solo in classical ballet or modern dance. Time limit is 3 minutes. Choreography must be your own. Introduce the solo with title, composer, and any additional information you want us to know.

Please send the Class Audition DVD to:

Conservatory of Dance
MFA Admissions Material
Purchase College, SUNY
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577-1400

YouTube Submission:

You may also post your  Class Audition at www.Youtube.com.

  • Pease follow the exact same guidelines as the DVD submission.
  • Include the links to your YouTube video(s) in an email to Nelly.van-bommel@purchase.edu with your name in the subject line.

Your material will not be reviewed until we receive the $50.00 Final Audition Fee in addition to the $135.00 fee paid at the time of application at http://purchase.slideroom.com (total fees paid $185.00).

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The Audition Process

The Admission audition consists of a ballet class, modern combinations in the center and across the floor, a performance piece and an essay. You might be asked to improvise.

A. Registration - Please plan to arrive on-campus by 9:00. After changing into practice clothes, applicants register for the audition.

  1. Complete the audition form.
  2. Submit $ 50.00 non-refundable Conservatory of Dance Final Audition Fee (NO CASH!) Check or money order only payable to "Purchase College").
  3. Please note that all returned checks will forfeit  consideration.
  4. Submit photograph - full body shot in leotard and tights. (Print name on back of photo).
  5. Receive audition #.

B. Class audition from 10:30am to 12:30pm

C. Lunch Break

D. Solo Performance. Either classical/contemporary ballet or modern dance. Please note the following:

TIME LIMIT: 3-minute performance (the faculty will request that you end your performance if you exceed the time limit - no exceptions)
Choreography must be your own.

MUSIC: CD or iPod. If your CD is burned, please make sure it plays correctly before the audition day. Bring a back-up CD with you. Print name clearly on label. FLOOR: The audition studio has a marley floor.

ATTIRE: Costumes are not permitted.  You may change from class attire to other leotard/tights or unitard for your solo if you desire.

After the Audition
You will remain to write an essay and to interview with the MFA faculty. We invite you to attend the BFA Dance Senior Project Performances in the Dance Theatre Lab at 8:00pm on the evening of your audition.  Please reserve your complimentary tickets when you register in the morning.

Admission Decisions
All applicants will be notified of admission status within four weeks of the audition if all application and audition materials and fees have been submitted. Admission to the Conservatory of Dance serves as your admission to Purchase College. For additional information about the Dance program, visit the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance website.

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