Creative Careers

With beautiful choreography, artful costumes, enthralling music, and captivating performances, the art of dance can provide community college students with an array of career opportunities. Whether you are interested in learning about the techniques of production and choreography or hoping to hone your own dancing skills, community colleges are an excellent venue of opportunity.

Careers in Dance

Due to the myriad of facets involved in a single dance performance, there are many types of jobs in the dance industry. Foremost, for students interested in pursuing professional dancing through their local community college courses, professional dancers are typically trained to perform within a variety of different genres. Examples of popular dancing genres include folk, ethnic, tap, hip hop, jazz, ballet, and regional.

Yet, since dancing can often be stressful to one’s body, many dancers choose to cease their professional performances as they reach their early to mid-30s. Despite this relatively short performance window, professional dancers can continue to work in this field by pursuing one of the many related performance positions.

For individuals who have a background in dance, choreography is a popular long-term profession. As Career Overview explains, dancers are typically paired with a choreographer, who helps the dancers to create, perfect, and learn new forms of existing dances. Choreographers train dancers at rehearsals, during practice, and are also commonly involved in dancing auditions.

Data from a 2002 study shows that the median income earned by choreographers is generally around $30,000, although the top-earning choreographers reported

For students who love to dress for success, or who find a passion for clothing design, there are a variety of fashion-based programs at community colleges across the country that can open the doors to an exciting career.

Fashion design provides students with training for careers in the clothing and apparel industry. Oftentimes, students pursuing fashion-related courses of study are taught how to create their own clothes, design apparel, discover the mathematics of anatomy and fittings, as well as learn fundamental skills related to fashion merchandising and business. With incredible opportunities and options, students should consider their local community colleges to find out more about the fashionable opportunities that abound.

West Valley Community College

West Valley Community College (WVCC), with various campus locations in California, offers an array of diverse and innovative fashion avenues for study. At WVCC, leaders strive to teach students about the various techniques and skills needed to succeed in the professional fashion industry. Classes serve to help students update their current skills, as well as learn about the fundamentals of fashion. By completing the classes required, students can earn an Associate Degree in Fashion Design, a Certificate in Apparel Production, or even an Associate Degree in Apparel Production.

Highlighting the uniqueness of WVCC, students enrolled in the various fashion programs are provided with state of the art computer training for apparel design and manufacturing careers. The WVCC computer labs allow students to engage with hands-on experiences using computers,

A career in Hollywood may very well begin at your local community college. With an array of Film Studies programs, community colleges have trained many industry professionals in bringing a story to life on the silver screen. Designed to teach students about the history of film or the production of modern entertainment mediums, Film Studies programs allow students to pursue an exciting career pathway.

Understanding the History of Bluegrass Film

Students enrolled in Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) discover new skills and perspectives in entertainment courses offered at several BCTC campus locations in Kentucky. As BCTC explains, the Film Studies programs and classes are designed to promote the history and significance of film in America.

Offering classes that provide students with unique perspectives from around the world, students taking Film Studies courses discover how the film has been used to shape our world, providing each of us with our own set of cultural meanings and understandings. As BCTC further explains, “Any student entering the workforce today will encounter people, ideas and cultural habits from multiple cultures around the world; having an awareness of these different values is a valuable skill in all professions.” With the various Film Study courses, BCTC strives to teach students the necessary skills to recognize and decipher these many cultural meanings. As the film has become a strong media that influences and reflects the world’s unique cultural values, learning how to recognize these global

As technology advances, creative career opportunities follows suit. Today collegiate students can explore an array of artistic-based career pathways as digital animation, advertising, commercial design, product labeling, and many other options become increasingly available. At the root of these new and innovative careers, however, is the foundational talent of an individual’s artistic ability. To foster these creative talents, community colleges across the country are gaining much-deserved recognition for their outstanding studio art programs.

Community College Studio Art Programs

Coffeyville Community College (CCC)

For students attending Coffeyville Community College, the artistically inclined can enroll in their renowned “Visual Arts Plan,” where an array of classes is taught by expert instructors. As the college explains, “The Art Department at CCC is a place where you can come and explore your creative side. It is a place where you can express your ideas in a variety of mediums.” Offering classes in ceramics, crafts, sculpture, drawing, painting, Photoshop, and design, students can navigate through the many potential pathways to find their own interests while honing their talents. At CCC, students have access to various art studios, all of which are equipped with the necessary tools and materials for both traditional and non-traditional mediums.

Adding to the extensive educational benefits, CCC art students are also provided with scholarship opportunities, where selected students are provided with tuition and/or book and material support. Furthermore, to celebrate student achievements and artistic creations, CCC exhibits student art around the