Let’s Get To Know The Faculty: Julie Petry

We’re interested in getting to know the faculty of the Division of Theatre and Dance a little better, so we asked them a few questions. Here’s what we learned from Professor Julie Petry who teachers performance courses in both Theatre and Dance.

What first got you interested in or involved in theatre/dance?

I was lucky to grow up with a Dance studio in the basement of our house.  Every chance I got I was going through the "dress-up box" my mom provided, putting on costumes and singing and dancing to all the records (musicals) she had: Anything Goes, Les Miserable, Xanadu and Fame were some of my favorites.....I knew every word to each of those albums by heart.  Sometimes I would dress up my brother, and get him to play characters, and I would direct him. 

What has been your favorite or most exciting or most memorable theatre/dance experience?

I was lucky and had many benchmark moments in my career that brought great excitement and rewards to me. I have been fortunate to work with over 20 different professional companies, multiple University programs, and received several grants along the way. I will never forget touring with Kenny Rogers in his original musical, receiving two regional Emmy nominations for my work in Children's entertainment, or teaching Ellen DeGeneres dance steps via telephone live on national TV.

What's one show you would love to work on?

I would some day like to perform in musicals again.  Playing Little Red in Into the Woods, and Tzeitel one more time in Fiddler remain on my bucket list.

Where would you love to work on theatre or dance?

I would love to direct/choreograph an off-Broadway musical in either LA or New York. Access to an amazing talent pool of true triple threats is what would make it exciting!

Who would you love to work with?

I would love to work with so many folks that this question is over-whelming.  However, I can say Susan Stroman is high on the list. I know I could learn a lot from her.

Julie Petry, Associate Professor of Theatre and Dance, is in her 7th year teaching at BU, and enjoys writing, directing, choreographing, teaching, traveling, and the healing arts. She continues to study her craft, bodywork, Reiki, and the never-ending field of human behavior as much as she can. She has a great love of animals, and supports the generation of quality food products and humane farming techniques.

What do theatre and dance students learn? Part 1

Students in theatre and dance learn what it means to be a professional artist. They gain knowledge about the history, the profession and the practice of theatre and dance. But in the process they learn the skills that are the foundation for working as a highly skilled professional in whatever field or fields they work in over the course of their likely varied careers.

We know that most students on any college campus will change career paths several times over the course of their lives. The USC Student Affairs office notes: “In a job market where recent graduates indicate they are changing jobs four times within five years of graduation, it is important to articulate the skills you have developed as they relate to new opportunities.”  The skills that employers seek are often referred to as transferable skills—the skills that a student can take with them wherever they go.

What are the transferable skills that theatre and dance students learn? We researched the transferable skills that most employers are looking for in potential employees. We weren’t surprised to find that more than one “top ten list” of skills include those that are integral to theatre and dance education:

Communication Skills

Problem Solving/Analytical Skills

Teamwork

Initiative/Self-Starting

Leadership

Flexibility

Creativity

Willingness to Learn

Attention to Detail

How many of these are theatre skills? All of them.

And how do theatre students learn these transferable skills? Stay tuned for “What do theatre and dance students learn? Part 2”…

Top Ten List from USC Student Services