LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
In 1948 the School of Performing Arts opened in the heart of New York's theater district to provide professionally trained talent for NYC's important theatrical industry. Now part of a larger school, and with a new name, La Guardia continues to give aspiring performers the training, encouragement, and support needed to launch their careers in the arts. In the dance entrance exam, students are grouped into units of 20-25 and are given a ballet class followed by a modern dance class. Students are then evaluated by a group of 4-7 instructors, and may also be asked to perform solo work. Applicants are then given a grade from 1 to 100. No one with a grade under 80 is considered. Judgment criteria include body alignment, dance technique and performance skills.
