A Week in the Life of a College Dancer: Katie Tapalaga at USC Kaufman

Ever wonder what a typical week looks like for a college dancer? What’s it like to balance dance, academics, and a social life? And how do collegiate dancers look after themselves with such busy schedules?

Dance Spirit has got you covered with our new series, “A Week in the Life of a College Dancer.” We’ll be speaking with students in collegiate dance programs across the country about the nitty-gritties of their lifestyles, from staying organized to fueling on the go. First up is Katie Tapalaga from Queens, New York, a junior at University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.

Read on as Tapalaga walks us through her week.

Monday

Usually up by 8 am, Tapalaga eats a breakfast of yogurt and granola before heading to a writing class, then to the studio to warm up. Each weekday consists of two technique classes back-to-back from 10:30 am to 1:20 pm. “Technique is a throughline in my schedule,” she says. The first class is always ballet, and the second alternates depending on the day of the week. On Mondays, Tapalaga’s morning ballet class with Molly Bugnovic is followed by contemporary phrasework with Thomas Ford.

For lunch, she usually grabs a sandwich from someplace near campus (her current go-to is Trader Joe’s). In the afternoon, Tapalaga has a repertoire class from 2:30 to 4:50 pm, which alternates from semester to semester. This fall, she’s working on pieces with USC Kaufman’s current artists in residence, Aidan Carberry and Jordan Johnson of JA Collective, and dancing alongside Ballet BC company members.

Tuesday

Tapalaga explains that at USC Kaufman, each year builds upon the previous one to provide dancers with a strong, diverse foundation; USC Kaufman prioritizes “hybridity,” she says. In her first year, she studied Funkamental MediKinetics with d. Sabela Grimes, then house technique from Nina Flagg and Moncell Durden as a sophomore. Now a junior, Tapalaga takes locking and waacking from Tiffany Bong on Tuesdays and Thursdays following her daily ballet class with Ebony Haswell Frazier or Jackie Kopcsak.

After technique, it’s time for International Historical Perspectives on Dance with Alison D’Amato, where Tapalaga is learning about different dance styles throughout history. She says she finds her academic classes engaging, so studying for them rarely feels like a chore. (She’s taking three academic courses this semester.) Tapalaga squeezes in readings where she can, sometimes even standing in line at a café!

Wednesday

Wednesdays begin with her writing class, then ballet, contemporary phrasework, and, finally, rep. Tapalaga’s writing class is performance-based. “It touches on how my performance as a dancer and artist influences my writing,” she says, and the idea is to dig deep into how personal artistry influences their scholastic pursuits and vice versa. One of her favorite things about USC Kaufman is that students are encouraged to be “scholartists.” “It’s this really beautiful two-way street,” she says.

Living in a house with four USC Kaufman seniors and another junior, Tapalaga is rarely lonely. She and her roommates like to sit around the table in the evening to catch up on each other’s busy lives. Then, Tapalaga winds down for the night by journaling.

Thursday

Tapalaga’s Thursday dance schedule looks the same as Tuesday. At some point each day, she’ll grab a coffee (her order is an iced vanilla latte). Taking a moment to pause and enjoy her favorite drink is a small, daily act of self-care for Tapalaga. Sometimes she’ll pair it with a blueberry scone to satisfy her sweet tooth.

Tapalaga also minors in law and social justice. On Thursday evenings, she takes Privacy in the 21st Century from 5:30 to 8:20 pm. Then, she heads home for a late dinner. Her go-to is pasta of any kind, especially with pesto.

Friday

Fridays at USC Kaufman are dedicated to partnerwork. At the moment, Tapalaga and her classmates are learning Jiří Kylián choreography with Fiona Lummis. “It’s amazing to be able to have access to that rep,” says Tapalaga.

With a full schedule of academic classes and dance training, organization is key. Tapalaga uses a physical planner—writing down commitments helps her memory. “I’m definitely not a person who likes to be caught off guard.”

Weekend

Tapalaga has the occasional Saturday rep from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, but, for the most part, she can use the weekend to rest and recover. She recharges by talking to her parents on the phone (she asks them to text photos of the family dog) and doing diamond art or a paint-by-number kit.

Approaching the fall semester’s halfway point, Tapalaga is excited for what the year ahead has to offer. “I’ve really found that every year has brought something different and has brought new lessons for me.”

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