Our Location Can't Be Beaten
As a Mason dancer, you'll ride Metro to Washington, D.C. to see the New York City Ballet at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Paul Taylor at the Harman Center, or Zvi Gotheiner at American Dance Institute in nearby Rockville, Md.
Access to art in stunning venues, such as this hallway at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is among the benefits of being near Washington, D.C. The highest caliber of artistic excellence is always available to our majors. With some of the world's best museums, there is more to see and learn than almost anywhere in the world.
Go to a dance exhibit at the Smithsonian, or The Washington Ballet at the Warner Theater. The array of performances presented in Washington is world class and a part of your education.
Students may visit the Dance Archives at the Library of Congress, advocate on Capitol Hill for arts education, or spend a weekend wandering through some of the nation’s most exquisite free museums.
The shuttle from Mason to Metro and D.C.’s metro system make the trip easy and inexpensive. With student discounts on tickets, your education is enriched by the culture of our nation’s capital. With three major airports, Union Station train terminal, and several inexpensive bus services, you can easily be in New York, Chicago or anywhere in the country for auditions, workshops, or intensives.
Great Dance, Art Venues nearby
Due to our proximity to D.C., we have access to performances by professional companies, who sometimes offer master classes and sessions at rehearsals.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The Kennedy Center in Washington presents major dance companies from around the world. American Ballet Theatre, Shen Wei Dance Company,the Marinsky Ballet, Paul Taylor, Hubbard Street Dance Company, and the New York City Ballet all perform frequently. Master classes and open rehearsals are what you can expect just a metro ride away.
The Washington Ballet
D.C. has its own ballet company, The Washington Ballet, which, in addition to performances at such venues as the Kennedy Center and the Harman Center, hosts special events such as Beer, Ballet & Bubbly, a behind-the-scenes series that allows the public to see a rehearsal.
Strathmore
This multi-disciplinary arts center in nearby North Bethesda, Maryland, offers global dance companies that perform in such genres as flamenco and African jazz.
Dance Place
This facility in the Brookland/Edgewood neighborhood in Washington, aims to enrich dance on the local, national and international levels, It has offered a year-round weekend dance performing series since its founding in 1980, with dance shows every weekend in modern, African, tap, performance art, and hip hop by D.C. dance companies, as well as regional and international groups. Established professionals head to Dance Place for training, networking, auditions, and workshops.
There's Plenty to See Here
Dance majors at Mason can enjoy performances presented by professional dance companies at the Center for the Arts. Visiting companies give master classes, lectures and conduct discussions while at Mason. A few of the many companies performing here include Ron K. Brown, RIOULT Dance NY, LINES ballet, David Dorfman, Rennie Harris, Lar Lubovitch, Elizabeth Streb, MOMIX, Joffrey Ballet, the Martha Graham Company, Parsons Dance, Complexions and Mark Morris Dance Group.