Best High School for dancer: Wayzata, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Minnetonka (St. Paul: home, theater)

[ssg]

Moving to MN with high school dancer, need to know best school dance programs and best studios for performing arts and technique. Any comments? Looking at the west side with a little south to Eden Prairie.

[golfgal]

The best dance studio in Minnesota isn't in the Twin Cities but I am sure you can find good ones all over the place. I would think that choosing a dance studio comes down to how well you work with the instructor.

[ssg]

Just to clarify, we are looking for a high school in Wayzata, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Minnetonka area that has a strong dance program ie competitive, places strong and is fun. We are also looking for dance studios that have a strong background in technique, competes at a high level, places well and has an emphasis in performing arts.

[Ben Around]

Check out the Perpich School of the Arts. It's a state-run school for juniors and seniors that focuses exclusively on the visual and performing arts. Application is competitive, based in part on audition. There is no tuition. It's in Golden Valley, which is a western suburb. It's definitely worth checking out if your student is serious about dance. They have kids from all over the state studying there.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by ssg

Just to clarify, we are looking for a high school in Wayzata, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Minnetonka area that has a strong dance program ie competitive, places strong and is fun. We are also looking for dance studios that have a strong background in technique, competes at a high level, places well and has an emphasis in performing arts.

What kind of competitive dance? The only competitive dance in MN is for danceline, is that what you are looking for?

[ssg]

Thanks, she dances ballet, pointe, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern and competes in jazz, hip-hop, lyrical with a team plus does solos and duets in jazz or lyrical. Very busy with it and very dedicated. Don't know what danceline is, we don't have that here. She is also on a school team that does mainly performances although she choreographs for them as well.

Will check into the Perpich School but would also like to check out the regular high school and dance studios before we commit. Thanks for the feedback, if there is anything else you can think of let me know!!

[golfgal]

The state high school league doesn't sponsor competitions in any of those lines of dance. Danceline is I guess synchronized dancing for lack of a better term. There are usually about 15-20 girls on a squad and they have a choreographed dance, part of which usually involves dancing in a line, arms linked, high kicks, etc.

I looked on the state high school league website and the top finisher for the past 3 years was Eastview High School in Apple Valley, very good school. Their marching band show featured a ballet dancer from their school and she was amazing. It might be a place to start anyway.

I do know that their is an organization called Just for Kicks around Minnesota and they do have some dance competitions in several dance categories however it might not be at her level-she is probably better then that would be my guess.

[BeckyS]

I don't know what public high schools have a strong dance background. I would agree with the suggestion of Perpich (they also have dormitories, so if it's far away, the student can live at the school.) There is also the Conservatory for Performing Arts in St. Paul. I don't know much about the suburban schools except my base understanding is there aren't many with very strong arts programs.

I don't know if Danceline is the type of think you're looking for, it's not much different from competitive cheerleading. Many "dance schools" in Minnesota don't teach much for the actual art of dance - they are more cutesy recital clothes outfits. Minnesota Classical Ballet Academy is one of the few places that has a truly arts-based dance instruction.

[jrsdancer]

I am 20 - going to college away from home - but danced my entire life. Dance Team in the Twin Cities, espcially the suburbs, is extremely competitive. Wayzata has the best program in the state. They excel at Jazz more so than high kick (which is usually optional anyways). The best dance studios in the Twin Cities are Larkin School of Dance, The Dance Shoppe and Summit School of Dance. Those are the only 3 you should be looking at if your daughter is a serious competitive dancer. Perpich is a fine arts school... theater, ballet, music, etc. If she loves tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop and wants to compete on a very prestigious national level, on a large team as well as in small groups, solos, etc, look at those studios and forget Perpich. A lot of the girls that dance at The Dance Shoppe also dance on High School Dance Team at Wayzata and Eden Prarie. Hopkins, Armstrong and Minnetonka also have amazing dance programs.


I hope I could help and am not too late.

[howswelegant]

Originally Posted by BeckyS

I don't know if Danceline is the type of think you're looking for, it's not much different from competitive cheerleading.

No. That is all.