UK universities with good dancing? [Archive]

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Twilight_Elena

03-12-2007, 07:23 AM

hamstersphere

03-12-2007, 12:24 PM

Hey everyone. I'm going to apply to six UK universities for my Civil Eng. degree (that's how many I'm allowed to apply to by UKAS) and I'm trying to choose. One of the things that is very important for me is, quite naturally, dancing. I don't want to end up in a good university with no dancing, no coaches and small comps.
London is my first choice since there are so many great coaches and dance opportunities. I've heard the very best about Imperial and UCL's dance teams. Kingston is also one of my top choices. I'm also considering Southampton, Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, and Edinburgh, but since they're outside the London area I'm not sure what kind of dance scene they have.
I hope that some UK DFers can give me a hand at this! :D

T_E

Definitely Imperial (though I'm biased having had lots of fun dancing with students there!) Bath and Bristol would also be good - though I know there are other DF-ers out there who could give you a better idea. Social dancing in London unfortunately isn't what it used to be, but it's definitely do-able.

I'd suggest dropping a note over at the forums at universitydancesport dot com - a really friendly bunch and always willing to help!

LenaB

03-12-2007, 08:30 PM

Does anyone know anything about the Leicester dance scene? I may be studying abroad there next year & I'm curious about dancing-life over there.

Merrylegs

03-12-2007, 08:35 PM

There is a competitive team at University of Sussex. My friend, John, helped found the team.

Twilight_Elena

03-13-2007, 11:25 AM

Does anyone know anything about the Leicester dance scene? I may be studying abroad there next year & I'm curious about dancing-life over there.

Ooooh. One of my very best friends and a DFer is currently studying there, and is President of the ballroom dance society. :D PM me and I'll give you her e-mail.

T_E

spatten

03-13-2007, 04:20 PM

Twilight_Elena

03-13-2007, 04:40 PM

Is it wrong here to chime in and say that I am so extremely jealous? Had I any inkling of who I might become in these past 10 years - choosing a school based (or at least influenced) by their dance program would seem perfectly normal.

Good luck with your applications and choices T_E, I'm sure you will have a blast.

Scott

I started dancing at 16. And I'm extremely jealous of those who started dancing at 6. I'm also thinking that I'm too old, that I've lost any chance of becoming anything good in dancing... well. You know the drill. I will say, however, that it took a lot of thinking and biting down insecurities till I decided that dancing is part of my life and as such should influence my decisions.

T_E

samina

03-13-2007, 04:48 PM

I started dancing at 16. And I'm extremely jealous of those who started dancing at 6. I'm also thinking that I'm too old, that I've lost any chance of becoming anything good in dancing... well. You know the drill. I will say, however, that it took a lot of thinking and biting down insecurities till I decided that dancing is part of my life and as such should influence my decisions.

T_E

it's what you make of it, TE... set your sights & go for it! what you can accomplish with love & passion & self-belief could enable you to cover whatever ground the early-dancers have already covered.

it's not all about how much time one spends doing something, but how much of one's creative ability one has focused & released during that time!

<big hug...>
:)

Cal

03-13-2007, 05:22 PM

I'll also make a plug for the University of Sussex, having earned my PhD there in 1991. My degree is in history and although I didn't have much contact with the "science" side of the campus, I do know that Sussex has a Nobel winner in Chemistry on its faculty - Harry Croto. I'm not sure about the University's reputation for engineering, but overall Sussex has a great reputation (you ARE -ahem - interested in the academic offerings of UK universities, right?)

When I was there I think there was a very, very small Dance Society, but the ballroom bug hadn't bitten me then, and I can't speak as to its activities.

Twilight_Elena

03-14-2007, 08:41 AM

(you ARE -ahem - interested in the academic offerings of UK universities, right?)

LOL! I definitely am. If I wasn't, I'd stay here. ;)
But since I'm going to the UK, better make the most of it dancewise. I'm trying to find a good combination.

T_E

mikeylman

03-14-2007, 01:15 PM

Haha! I am jealous of you. I started at 23, and am on my way to 24. 16... you definetely can do it! I'm old and I think I can!

Medira

03-14-2007, 01:19 PM

Haha! I am jealous of you. I started at 23, and am on my way to 24. 16... you definetely can do it! I'm old and I think I can!
Oh goodness...if you're old... :!: :headwall: :-?

Peaches

03-14-2007, 01:35 PM

Oh goodness...if you're old... :!: :headwall: :-?
No kidding, right? If they're old, I figure I should just pick out my cemetery plot, downsize into a nursing home, and put my teeth in a glass or something. Would definitely have to throw in the dancing towel.

Medira

03-14-2007, 01:58 PM

I already have days where I'm considering asking my grandmother if I can borrow her walker. Maybe I should look into investing in my own!

samina

03-14-2007, 02:43 PM

age-whining is such a waste of energy... we are just brainwashed in our world as to what people can achieve according to their age. bullocks, i say (in keeping with the UK spirit of the thread...)

there is simply no limitation by age, other than what we set ourselves. period. the day will come when 80-yr-old hotties will blow the judges away with their latin dancing... allowed to function as they would like, our bodies & minds renew constantly

<stepping quietly off soapbox now...:rolleyes: >

Twilight_Elena

03-14-2007, 05:53 PM

Soooooo. I take it there are no other UK folk who could offer their advice on the subject? ;)

T_E

Anna

03-14-2007, 06:21 PM

I guess they're not really engineering schools, but I've heard Cambridge and Oxford both have good teams.

quixotedlm

03-14-2007, 06:39 PM

So i don't live in UK... but I seem to know as much as you do, so I'm going to hazard an advice anyway ;)

Go with London. Why? In the absence of concrete evidence that you'll find a flourishing collegiate dance scene elsewhere, your safe bet might be London. You'll likely find some dance scene, in or out of your college, that will continue to offer you opportunities. In other towns, if you are stuck in a college scene that's either non-existent or not up to par, then you might not find an alternative outside.

Also, living in a place that supports more than one dancing scene is helpful. College can be a long pursuit (4 years likely), and if you find yourself in the middle of a, say, tempest in a teapot, then you can find solace by jumping to a different scene, id et if you live in London. Other cities - who knows. You might just be stuck in the tempest forever...

hamstersphere

03-14-2007, 07:40 PM

Cambridge has an incredibly active university dancing scene, btw :)

Seriously, check the university forums ... they've all just had the big annual student comp and now actually have time to talk to others!

TaintedMantis

03-16-2007, 09:33 AM

I don't advise York (where I'm at right now finishing off). I feel like I've gone to the wrong uni for dancing (bureaucracy and campus politics play a major role for this sort of thing). But hey, I've now got a terrific dance partner and got to bring a (painfully tiny) team to a few comps the past few weeks as team captain so I can't complain!

But yes, I would definitely recommend Imperial. I would assume that Manchester's really good for dancing too as with Bristol. Bath shouldn't be too bad either as they've organised one of the major intervarsity comps this year. Nottingham's good too.

Universitydancesport.com has got its own forum and you could always ask the other team captains how their teams do in terms of dancing.

Edit: Yup, as hamstersphere said, we've just finished the big one for IVDA (at BLACKPOOL!) last week Saturday so everybody's got more time to chat! Maybe some pics too...

Hope this helps!

hamstersphere

03-16-2007, 12:10 PM

we've just finished the big one for IVDA (at BLACKPOOL!) last week Saturday so everybody's got more time to chat! Maybe some pics too...

<hijack>
The IVDA photographer used to be my flatmate and I can assure you he's probably slaving away over a hot copy of Photoshop as we speak ... :)

Heard the comp was brilliant. I helped with last year's and (despite getting no sleep whatsoever for about four days) had a really fantastic time.
</hijack>

Twilight_Elena

05-27-2007, 04:58 AM

UPDATE.
I'm going to Surrey after all. :D I've heard the very best about the uni there, as well as teh city (Guilford). I'd love to hear any advice/info about dancing there!
And... a stupid question for Londoners. Where can I find a good map of the greater London area WITH underground/train station details? I can't for the life of me figure out how I'll be able to go from Guilford to London areas.

T_E

icequeen

05-27-2007, 02:14 PM

hi Elena,

That's great that you'll be at Surrey! I'll be at Oxford--hope we can see each other on the uni circuit some time.

Not sure if this is what you're looking for as far as maps go, but here is a map of the underground:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/travel/downloads/tube_map.html

Route info:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modalpages/2625.aspx

Under visitor maps there might be some routes from Guilford:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/default.aspx