College Dance & Career Prep
Virtual Workshops
Don’t Leave Your Future to Chance
Start early. Demystify the process. Set yourself up for success.
Getting into your dream school and finding the dream job of your future can feel overwhelming. We are ready to help by breaking down the process into easy-to-understand, manageable steps. Get guidance and support from experts to help you kill that college or summer intensive audition, or prepare a stellar portfolio for your application. Our workshops will help you be properly prepared by demystifying a process that can be daunting.
*Intermediate & Advanced Dancers from 5th to 12th grade, and their parents, are encouraged to enroll.
"Julie Friedrich is an absolute one-of-a-kind gem who has all of the information and patience you will need to navigate the college process. We had an amazing experience working with her and have been so lucky to have her as part of our college/dance journey."
– Noa Ehrlich (mother) and Georgia Ehrlich (student), Barnard College at Columbia University Class of 2027
An Overview of the Topics Covered During Our Workshops and College and Career Prep Consultations
Everything students and parents need in order to properly prepare for college, summer intensives, make good preparatory training and educational decisions, and better understand all of your options . We offer workshops throughout the year and provide guidance to parents and students during our programs like the Preprofessional Dancer Institute, as well as through our college and career prep individual consultations. While this is not a complete list, our college and career prep subject matter encompasses the following:
Making Good Choices for Your Training
Parents & Students
How to ensure you are making the right choices in the many years leading up to applying for college.
Cultivating
References
Students
It's important to have advocates for you throughout your dance career. We'll show you how to cultivate mentors that will also become exceptional references.
What to Expect
at Auditions
Students
Key things to consider in terms of what schools are looking for when reviewing candidates who audition.
How to Find Music for the Solo Piece
Parents & Students
Have you ever watched "American Idol?" As Simon used to say, song selection is everything.
Photo and Video Requirements
Parents & Students
Instagram photos won't cut it. You'll need a carefully curated portfolio of photos and videos if you want to make a good impression.
Prepare for
Pre-screening
Parents & Students
Being well prepared can make all the difference, and the folks making the final decisions will take notice, too. Understand the process and win!
How to Prepare a
Strong Resume
Parents & Students
Stand out above the other applicants by putting together a stellar resume. Start building your resume now.
Decisions: Making the Best Choice
Parents & Students
When you have options, making a decision can be difficult. We'll provide some perspective on what to consider when making your final decision on your college dance program.
Scholarships
Parents & Students
If you can't afford the school of your dreams, apply anyway. There are all sorts of grants, scholarships and loans out there. We'll provide some insights on where to find them.
Understanding the Application Process
Parents & Students
Don't let your nerves get the best of you. We'll give you some insight on the application process so that you know what to expect, and how to prepare for the best outcomes.
Campus
Visits
Parents & Students
How to make the most of campus visits: what to look for, who to speak to when looking at different dance programs and their offerings.
Application
Submission
Parents & Students
When it comes time to submit your application materials, there are some things that you will want to consider that will make all the difference.
Financial Aid
Parents
There are many options in terms of financing college. There are some options you may not be aware of, so your student can apply for the school based on their goals and not finances alone.
Leadership
Julie Rose Friedrich (she/her)
Director for College and Career Programs
Francisco Gella Dance Works
Julie Rose Friedrich (she/her)
Associate Director for College and Career Programs
Francisco Gella Dance Works
Ballet, Composition
Julie Friedrich’s created and led the college seminar program for over ten years at two premiere arts high schools in California; the Orange County School of the Arts, and the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. The overwhelming success of her efforts led Francisco Gella Dance Works to add the program to its roster of offerings in 2017. Under the mentorship and guidance of Julie, her students have gone on to study at such schools as USC Kaufman, Juilliard, Boston Conservatory, NYU Tisch, Laban School, and the University of Michigan. In 2013, President Obama and the White House named Julie one of the most influential art teachers in the country for her mentorship of young dancers and her work with numerous winners of the Young Arts Competition.
"Julie’s intimate and extensive knowledge of college programs and summer programs has been our compass and a critical asset to our daughter’s dance journey. Her personalized, one on one advice as well as her seminars and webinars are an unparalleled resource for us."
– Amber Partney (mother) and Camdon Partney (student), High School Junior
Our Students Have Gone on to Pursue Their Dreams…
…and have been accepted into educational institutions, including:
…and others have gone on to perform and train with professional companies, including:
*We have also nurtured numerous winners of the Young Arts Award and Presidential Scholars over the years!
Joan Myers Brown Equity Dance Scholarship Fund
A limited amount of scholarships are available for especially deserving dancers. Scholarships will be allocated according to the combined consideration of both merit and financial need. Decisions on scholarships will be made a few weeks after each deadline. Since a limited amount of scholarship awards will be offered, it is better to apply by the early deadline. Please click below to learn more about this opportunity and to apply.
Please note that this scholarship opportunity is only eligible for the workshops themselves and not the individual consultations.
Upcoming College and Career Prep Virtual Workshops
The Spring 2025: College Planning and Prep Workshops
Join us for 3 very timely and insightful conversations on topics highly relevant to you right now.
Workshop 1 – Planning and Choosing Your Summer Training
2/23
Sunday, Febraury 23, 2025
3-4:30pm Pacific/6-7:30pm Eastern
Perhaps you’ve already been accepted to several summer programs and you are faced with deciding on which program will best serve your needs or maybe you are just getting started in planning your summer and need an expert to guide you. No matter where you are in the process, this workshop will guide you in decisions that can profoundly shape your future collegiate and professional career.
When it comes to summer training opportunities, there are more options now than ever before. How do you make the best choice to meet your goals and your budget? What do you do if you have limited financial resources? We will provide guidance for all dancers regardless of their situation.
We start with this premise. Attending summer programs that have connections to colleges, companies - and most of all that will give you the exposure to the training you need, such as a high level of ballet, modern, quality contemporary, improvisation, composition, pointe, partnering, choreographic repertory, non-western forms - is invaluable and necessary. Attending a summer program should give you exposure to styles you do not normally study. For those styles you are already studying, the training should be at a higher level than your current training. Overall, your summer training should be a time to enhance your existing training and to gain exposure whenever it is financially feasible to do so.
This workshop will cover the following topics and issues with emphasis on applying them to your own personal goals and situation:
Workshop 2 – The Final Decision: Making the Best Decision for YOU
4/6
Sunday, April 6, 2025
3-4:30pm Pacific/6-7:30pm Eastern
The big moment has finally arrived.
It’s been months, probably years, that you’ve spent preparing for this moment. When all of the work you’ve put into preparing to get into college comes down to choosing between the offers of admission you have in front of you. This session will provide critical guidance to get to your ‘yes’. You’ll get to meet parent and student alumni of Francisco Gella Dance Works programs who will share their insight and experiences. They’ll share how they made a final decision on which college dance program to attend - one of the most important (and stressful) decisions for a high school senior. Come prepared with all of your questions for our panel and walk away with information you’ll need to make your final decision.
We will address the following factors to assist you in your final decision:
Workshop 3 – College Prep 101: A Crash Course
4/27
Sunday, April 27, 2025
3-4:30pm Pacific/6-7:30pm Eastern
Spring might just be the best time to get a head start, or to catch up! This broad overview will equip parents and students with the tools and knowledge they need to empower themselves in the collegiate journey. A jam packed session covering everything you ever wanted and needed to know about pursuing dance in college. A 90 minute session covering everything collegiate from A to Z. We have taken all of our college sessions and combined them to give parents and students an overview on every aspect of the collegiate process and the preparation. If you find yourself behind or starting from the very beginning, this workshop is the ideal starting place.
Enroll in College & Career Prep Workshops
Individual Virtual Workshops
$125
Individual Virtual Consultations
Unable to make it to any of our workshops or want to dive into your personal situation and goals more deeply? Book a phone consultation! Receive a 50 minute consulting session dedicated to just your students goals on a number of topics focused of college preparation for dancers.
Do you need more than just one-hour? You can purchase consultations in blocks.
College and Career Prep Enrollment Form
College Prep Workshops Cancellation/Refund Policy
No refunds will be issued for registered participants. A credit that can be used toward another workshop(s) or Francisco Gella Dance Works intensive will be issued if a cancellation is made up to 14 days prior to the start of the program.
INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATION CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY: No refunds will be issued for registered participants. However, you may use the payment made as a credit toward a rescheduled appointment if the change is made before the originally scheduled appointment or toward one of our College Prep Workshops. Appointments may be rescheduled if you contact the consultant more than 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting. If you cancel your appointment less than 24 hours before it is to take place or are a no-show,, you will still be charged for that time.
Feel free to contact us in the chatbox below or email us if you have any questions.