About
Dance Major Journal was founded in 2010 in the dance department of the University of California, Irvine. It features writing focused on the interests, issues, experiences, and concerns of dance majors, aimed at sharing information, research, advice, and points of view.
DMJ welcomes conversational writing style, personal essays, new formats, humor, stories, and “answers for dance majors” (ways to explain to the outside world the value and facts of a dance education), as well as academically sound essays using clear language and lively prose.
Volume 13, 2025
Articles
- Just breathe—it’s the key to better health and better dancing
Ever felt like your mind and body are somehow not speaking? Yoga and breath awareness can lead to more artistry and less stress
- Dance as an anti-aging activity
Dance can help preserve mobility, prevent injury, and increase communal connections as we age—why isn’t it everywhere?
- Dear Dance Competitions—Do better
Too many young dancers are put in compromising situations with adults they thought they could trust. A former competition kid asks: What needs to be done?
- The “ideal ballet body” myth has hurt so many dancers—can we break that mold?
At the studio level, teachers could bring in nutrition experts to produce healthy dancers with enough energy to perform and thrive
- Why Modern Dance Should Be Taught in Competition Studios
After studying many kinds of dance, maybe you think you’re ready for a university
dance major—but something could be missing
- Let Them Eat Cake….and Audition Fees
The high cost of auditioning for dance companies creates a barrier for dancers without sufficient funds, so the field is missing out
- Dreams die when arts fuding disappears
Without enough support for dancers from all backgrounds, will we ever get to see the next Misty Copeland?
- The Lost Audience for Dance
Do fewer people like or respect dance than in the past? Or do they just not know about it because of funding cuts in arts education?
- From Storytelling to Scoring Points
If dancers train to catch the judges' eyes with technical tricks, and social media reels emphasize virtuosity over artistry, what happens to the future of ballet?
- Beyond a Backup Plan
One of your majors is dance? That may be the one that makes you a better doctor—or any other profession you choose