Hello readers! My name is Erica Johnston, and I am currently a senior Dance Performance major here at Butler University. My time in this school has been full of artistic experimentation and technical growth. When I came to Butler, I had previously trained only in ballet and Slavic character dance; I'd never taken modern or jazz before, and had never even tried to choreograph. Freshman year, my days were filled with many dance classes, including ballet (M-F), modern and jazz twice a week, pointe twice a week, and rehearsals for Butler Ballet productions (such as Nutcracker or Sleeping Beauty) four days per week. I also took Body Placement, a class that involved aspects of yoga, pilates, and anatomy, two days per week, and introductory music classes in both music history and piano. Butler's program focuses on giving its dancers a well-rounded artistic foundation, especially in the first year; it's a taster for dancing and also for the other elements of the performing experience, including things like lighting and sound operation (learned in Professional Practices) and even the opportunity to learn sewing skills in the Dance Costuming elective class. Costuming is something that has always really interested me and I was happy to be able to help create and maintain many costumes for the ballet here!
In addition to all of this dancing, I also took a few of the general "Core Curriculum" classes (certain subjects, like global studies or sciences) that we have to take over the course of our time here. Because I am a performance major, there were some Fine Arts classes I was exempt from, and the AP credits I came in with from high school took care of a few more (a writing course, and a math class). My days in that first year generally ran from 8 or 9 AM until around 5, though I got a lunch break every day and also had a few shorter breaks between other classes throughout the day. I always kept homework with me to do during those breaks and as a result I had a lot of spare time in the evenings to spend with new friends or go to the gym (called the "HRC" for Health and Recreation Complex). The HRC is great- lots of different equipment, a track, a pool for lap swimming, and a hot tub and sauna for heating tired muscles at the end of the day. They also offer group fitness classes like Yoga and Zumba for all full-time students, as well as things like health and counseling services in the same facility.
On top of all of the dancing I did during school hours, I was also involved as a dancer in the Senior Showcase and the Student Showcase; both of these productions were run and choreographed by current students. Rehearsals occurred after normal hours and were a great introduction for me to new styles of movement. They also gave me more performing opportunities! The student showcase was performed around Halloween and the Senior Production was an ongoing process throughout the school year, with the final performances in March. I also participated in these shows in later years, though for the most part the senior showing involves freshmen dancers. It was a great way to get to know the older students a little better, too.
Over the course of the year, in the big ballets (Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty) I performed as a Party Mother and a Court Member- pretty standard stuff- but in Midwinter Dance Festival, our mixed repertory show, I had the opportunity to dance as a soloist in a modern piece by Susan McGuire, the modern professor here. It was a great featured opportunity, and proof that the role you get in one show doesn't dictate the type of role you will get in the next! My time here has also consisted of collaborations with artists in other fields, including composers, graphic designers, film editors, and musicians, both for classes and for independent projects.
I've tried to take advantage of every opportunity I've been given, and also server as Treasurer of Sigma Rho Delta my Sophomore year, and the following year as President. SRD has been a great way to get involved with the surrounding community (performing and working with kids at local arts centers, libraries, and the Salvation Army) as well as serve the Department of Dance (cleaning the studios, helping host a Faculty Appreciation week, and doing service hours in the costume shop to name a few). It has also been a way to connect with older and younger classes of students, which is sometimes difficult since we are not usually in classes together during the day. Butler overall gave me a wide scope of artistic experiences and introduced me to some of the greatest friends I've ever had. Please feel free to ask questions in the comments section and I'll answer as best as I can!
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