Some of the most popular majors at a state university usually include business, engineering and nursing — but not typically dance.

At NIU, there are many opportunities for those who wish to major in dance.

“I think we have one of the only ballet training programs in Illinois,” said Judith Chitwood, a professor in ballet and modern dance. “We have equal focus on ballet and modern dance and I think the quality of our instruction is one of the highest.”

Junior dance major Shannon Spicer believes the program offers students a good opportunity to study something that they enjoy.

“I think our school has a much better base in technique,” Spicer said. “We also have creative faculty that influence us mentally to take our steps further as an artist.”

There’s been one problem with the dance program: funding. Some instructors in the dance program have pushed for the renovation of the performance studio, and are frustrated that their pleas have been ignored.

“Our main theater where we perform is the O’Connell and we’ve been waiting for renovation for that for twelve years or longer,” said modern dance instructor Paula Frisz. “It’s cinderblock walls, and it’s like performing in someone’s garage. We’re so tired of the powers that be in Springfield [that] say ‘It’s terrible, It’s awful’ and nobody does anything about it. We’re afraid that when faculty retire they won’t be replaced.”

Despite their financial woes, Frisz and other faculty members still remain committed to the students and maintain a high level of instruction.

“Since our resources are low, I think that somewhat affects us sometimes,” Chitwood said. “But it doesn’t affect the quality of teaching.”

Some students who take part in the dance program have been able to find jobs, which is a plus in today’s struggling economy, including one student who is a casting director in New York City, Chitwood said.

“Quite [a] few of them are performers in dance companies,” Chitwood said. “We have some both in modern dance companies and ballet dance companies. We have some that work in arts and administration.”

Chitwood feels students can fuse dance with other majors to broaden their horizons. She mentioned that some have combined dance with psychology, thus opening them up to a different career path.

“Some do double majors, so they are able to combine their dance interests with whatever else they’re majoring in,” Chitwood said. “There are other things to do than performing. You get this education that you’re not going to get [otherwise].”