I am interested in pursuing a degree in musical theatre but am not a strong dancer. Will this put me at a major disadvantage?
This is a great question. It depends on a lot of other factors. First, the strength of your acting and the strength of your singing abilities play a large role. I knew people who were not strong dancers who went on to attend the top musical theatre programs in the U.S. However, their singing and acting were both top-notch and more or less compensated for their lack of dance training.
Which programs you are applying to also makes a huge difference. If you do some poking around online, you’ll find that certain musical theatre programs emphasize the dance portions of their auditions/callbacks a lot more than others. These schools also, generally, have more dance courses integrated into their core curriculum. That being said, there are many great programs in the country which only ask that you be a good “mover” or simply do not put much focus on the dance portion of their auditions. Pay close attention to these indicators and decide which programs suit you and your skill-levels best. And, if you have the time or ability, I’d recommend taking a dance class or two before you apply. It never hurts to invest and keep working on the things we struggle with; plus, it will help to make you feel that much more confident going into auditions. Best of luck!