About the Commercial Dance Conservatory

The Commercial Dance Conservatory is the only program of its kind in the country specially designed to develop well-rounded dancers with the technical skills, discipline, and commitment necessary for a career in the industry and/or admittance into prestigious university and college dance programs. Through a progressive curriculum, students build a strong technical and artistic foundation. They receive instruction in a variety of dance forms from a core faculty of professionals. Esteemed guest artists also expose students to current and innovative dance forms, as well as provide students with the unique opportunity to establish working relationships with internationally renowned choreographers. Through these experiences, students develop an appreciation of the different dance genres and styles, as well as the history of the art form.

Student Experience

Commercial Dance students, through a progressive curriculum, experience instruction from a faculty of dance industry professionals and college professors. They receive in-depth training in ballet and modern techniques, as well as hip hop, jazz, contemporary, college preparatory courses and creative expressions, dance history and dance science classes during their time in our program. 

Commercial Dance students also have the unique opportunity to audition for the conservatory’s performance group, the OCSA Commercial Dance Company (OC/DC). This group provides students with real-world experience, as they are put through a professional audition and weekly rehearsals to learn choreography by staff and industry guests. Company dancers receive opportunities to choreograph, dance in film projects in Los Angeles, and represent the Commercial Dance Conservatory at national and international festivals. Commercial Dance students get the opportunity to work in collegiate-level environments, training with distinguished faculty and networking with industry professionals. As an outgrowth of these connections, students are given the opportunity to partake in a week-long intensive, learning company repertory, and original guest choreography in Winter Residency. 

  • “Master classes have helped provide more clarity about my career path as a dancer. Those kinds of opportunities led to valuable relationships in the industry beyond the conservatory.”
    Julia Rudge – Class of 2016
  • “Commercial Dance reminded me that hard work is part of anything you want to achieve in life. It also taught me that life is not a perpetual state of competition, but a realm of family and love."
    Michael Montgomery – Class of 2006

Preparing Students for the Future

The Commercial Dance Conservatory is a pre-professional and pre-collegiate program. Our progressive curriculum gives the necessary tools for the young dancer to transition seamlessly into a college dance program or into an industry career. Outside of our progressive curriculum, we provide unique performance and networking opportunities. Each school year, our students travel to Los Angeles to work with an industry professional. Other performances include collaborative projects with other OCSA conservatories, as well as the 10th Street Dance Company Show, which highlights student choreography. Commercial Dance students also have the opportunity to participate in OCSA’s Season Finale presented at the prestigious Segerstrom Center for the Arts. 

To learn more about the Commercial Dance curriculum, click here.