In case you have attended a extremely produced live performance for artists like Beyonce or Taylor Swift, you have got possible seen backup dancers performing intricate and extremely synchronized choreography whereas by no means lacking a beat.
This sort of dancing known as business dance. These dancers have to be versatile, performing kinds from circus arts to hip hop.
Boston Conservatory at Berklee created a first-of-its-kind program three years in the past to arrange college students for auditioning and succeeding at jobs like dancing for NBA groups and in Broadway productions.
Now, this system’s inaugural class of third-year college students are on the brink of graduate and launch into the cutthroat dance world.
Professor Jun Kuribayashi mentioned business dance entails excessive power efficiency and flexibility.
“Business [dance], you possibly can take anyone to see it, and it’s extremely, it is enjoyable,” mentioned Kuribayashi.
He referred to folks on this occupation as “renaissance dancers” as a result of they need to be ready for something. Business dance is an thrilling trade, but it surely’s not really easy to interrupt into, he added.
“You’re so fortunate in case you get a six month gig, after which it’s important to discover one other one,” Kuribayashi mentioned. “You are all the time hustling, and that may be laborious.”
Some college students in this system are already succeeding within the skilled realm. Julia Troy is a third-year pupil who secured an expert gig as a Celtics dancer.
“This was one of many first years they did an open name audition,” she mentioned. Troy defined that round 140 dancers auditioned, and the pool was narrowed down all through the day of the audition to 14 folks.
The chosen dancers returned to carry out extra routines. Then, Troy received the e-mail that she made the group.
“It is my first actual skilled job, so simply studying find out how to stability college, however nonetheless being skilled on this job that I like signed a contract for, it has been such an important expertise,” she mentioned.
Troy mentioned she felt like her goals have been coming true one night throughout Celtics participant intros earlier than the primary sport of the season towards the Knicks. Troy and the opposite dancers stood in a circle at heart courtroom as booming music and cheering stuffed the sector.
“Simply seeing all these folks and taking a second to go searching and being like all of those persons are right here watching, and I get to do what I like in entrance of them, has been so rewarding,” mentioned Troy.
Third-year pupil Nya Owusu-Afriyie mentioned some of the useful expertise she discovered from Berklee’s program is find out how to navigate the trade.
“We have discovered lots about placing collectively a resume that we will use for dance auditions, placing collectively a dance reel, ensuring we all know find out how to accurately slate ourselves, and simply being ready for auditions within the dance trade,” she mentioned.
Kuribayashi is a former member of lauded dance theater group Pilobolus and mentioned Berklee’s program is invaluable in making ready college students.
“I want I’d have been capable of go to a conservatory reminiscent of Boston Conservatory, the place you principally have the cream of the crop of all these folks inside that trade type of all beneath the identical umbrella working collectively,” he mentioned.
Business dancers need to be devoted to their artwork to make it on this world, and Kuribayashi mentioned everybody in this system is pushed and enthusiastic about their futures.
This section aired on April 3, 2025.
