SRU’s dance program was recently ranked by Dance-College.com as nation’s 15th best-regarded college and university dance program.
Nora Ambrosio, who has been a dance professor since 1988, said that the dance program strives because of the abundant opportunities providing by the major.
“We give our students so many opportunities and experiences within this department,” Ambrosio said. “Students are constantly performing all over whether its New York or across the state.”
The program also features many guest speakers and events throughout the year. Most recently the dance program held an event featuring Robbie Cook, a master of fine arts from Bennington College, who came as a guest in mid-October. Slightly before that was the guest showing of Matthew Shaffer who appeared alongside Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd in “Wet Hot American Summer.”
Ambrosio said that any hope of the ranking is that it will add to the reputation of the dance program and attract the attention of more incoming students.
“The ranking is great because it gives parents a reference and the ability to compare our program to programs of other schools,” Ambrosio said.
Ambrosio credits the popularity of the major to another group; the dance alumni of SRU. Ambrosia spoke highly of the alumni and said that a large number of dance majors who went on to be professors or owners of dance studios have been the best form of public relations for the major.
While receiving the ranking was an accomplishment worthy of plentiful bragging, Ambrosia said that the real goal will be maintaining and even improving the score. Part of this improvement includes the creation of new facilities to accommodate the growing department.
“We will soon have facilities that will be comparable to the creative and academic integrity of the program,” Ambrosio said. “When all is said and done we will have some of the better facilities around.”
The dance department will also hold its own performances throughout the year, including their fall concert from Dec. 8 to 10 and off-campus winter concert on January 3.
