Meet Monica Hogan
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Hello!
Dancing on the Great Wall
My name is Monica Hogan. I’m a senior here at Duke and was born ‘n raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Although I am still in denial about the reality of graduating this spring, I am finishing up my double majors in Biology and Dance, along with a Markets and Management Certificate.
I’m a hopeless dance addict, and I have been training in styles ranging from ballet to jazz to contemporary since the age of 2. One of the main reasons I chose to come to Duke was due to the university’s strong support of interdisciplinary studies – one minute I can be immersed in a biology lab, and the next I can be at barre in the Ark Dance Studio. I have been able to pursue multiple passions here, and it keeps me happy, healthy, and balanced, both as a student and an artist!
On campus, you can usually spot me as the girl cruising around on the teal bike. In my free time, I love biking and exploring around the city of Durham, hiking, photography, and spending time with friends.
I hope that you enjoy this blog as it begins to chronicle my last year here! I am more than happy to answer questions and start dialogue with you all, so please feel free to comment and say hello!
About the author
I am from Atlanta, GA. Currently a senior here at Duke, I am double majoring in Biology and Dance, along with a Certificate in Markets and Management. I am a hopeless dance addict who loves performing, choreographing, and learning new styles.
8 Comments
Hi Grace!
So glad to hear that you are interested in dance at Duke! I will definitely send you an email with some more information. In the meantime, also check out http://www.danceprogram.duke.edu and our DukeDanceProgram channel on YouTube. 
-Monica
Great Blog site, very helpful for McKenzie and me.
Wonderful, I am so glad! I hope to meet the both of you in person when you visit Duke; feel free to email/call me when you arrive.
Hi Monica,
I am a senior in highschool and just received my acceptance letter to Duke!!! I too am a dancer and enjoy all styles of dance, but ballet is definitely my favorite. I would like to be a dance major with a focus on ballet, is that possibility? If you could share with me what your experience has been like in Duke’s dance program that would be wonderful! I also noticed that you are a biology major, I am interested in pre-med as well, have you found it difficult to balance both of your majors? Thank you!
Hello!!
Congratulations on your recent acceptance!! I’m so glad to hear that we have more and more dancers coming our way. It is absolutely possible to major in dance and to balance it with the academics for pre-med requirements. I have multiple friends who are dance/neuroscience double majors. It’s mostly about learning what schedule balance is right for you, which you get a feel for pretty quickly your freshman year. I actually find that being busier with dance keeps me more organized and on top of my school work!
Duke Dance has an incredible ballet program. The ballet technique courses are taught by Tyler and Julie Walters, both former principal dancers with the Joffrey Ballet. They are the best ballet teachers I have ever had; they strike a perfect balance of emphasis on technique, artistry, and academics. Within the major itself, the full credit courses are not style-specific, though you can approach many of them from a ballet discipline. For example, in Beyond Technique: The Art of Performance, we learned movement from Tudor’s “The Green Table” and “Lilac Garden.” You can also work on ballet (and other styles!) through composition courses. To meet the major requirements for technique and repertory, you can take ballet and/or other disciplines as well (modern, African, jazz, etc).
I hope that this was a little helpful! Please, don’t hesitate to email me at monica.hogan@duke.edu with more questions. I’d love to tell you more about my experiences as a Dance/Biology double major.
Best,
Monica
Hi Monica,
I’ve been exploring Duke and the dance program, and I was wondering if dancing en pointe is a requirement for those majoring in dance.
Hi Brooke,
Dancing en pointe is not at all a requirement for the minor or the major in dance. Some of our majors focus more in modern, African, and other styles of dance. Also, you can take ballet technique classes on flat or en pointe — your choice! If you do dance en pointe, there is a half credit Pointe and Variations course offered ever other semester. However, there are no pointe requirements within the dance program curriculum. If you have more questions or want to learn more about Duke life, feel free to email me at monica.hogan@duke.edu!
Best,
Monica
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Dear Monica,
My name is Grace Robinson and I am 15 years old and from Kentucky. I take ballet, jazz, pointe and I’m on the dance team at my school. I am very familiar with you and your sister’s dance videos on youtube. I was curious about Duke and their Dance Program. Me and my dance teacher were talking about what I want to do when i got older: I was wondering about Duke’s dance program and if you enjoy it. I also have a couple other questions. If you have time, please e-mail me! Thank you!