Scholar Stories: Page Doing What She Loves in Art School, on Dance Team
4/10/2019 10:09:00 AM | Features, Spirit Department
Continuing the popular series that began in 2016-17, each Wednesday MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories, presented by Prairie Farms.
By Brad Rudner
University of Michigan dance team member Lauren Page grew up having two real hobbies: dance and art. She could've seen herself doing one in college. The other, she wasn't so sure about.
Through her junior year of high school, taking an art class was always more preferable to, say, writing or history. Drawing, painting, photography -- you name it, Page did it.
It became more than just a hobby while on a college visit to Iowa State, a three-hour car ride from her home in Sioux City, Iowa. On that visit, she had to make a determination on her intended field of study. Page didn't know, so she told her mother to put down 'undecided.'
Instead, Mom forced the issue, writing down 'art' instead. That decision ended up opening Page's eyes that, yes, she could study this in college -- and beyond. There was just one caveat: she had no interest in staying in Iowa.
One night in the kitchen, Page said, 'What about Michigan?' She scheduled a visit, took the 12-hour ride to Ann Arbor (with Mom in tow) and left in love.
"I knew right away it was my first choice," she said. "I wanted to go to a place that had art but also had athletics, a strong campus life and everything else. A small, private arts school wasn't for me."
With her mind made up, Page went to work on her portfolio, which accounts for half of an admissions decision at the Stamps School of Art & Design. It requires 12 to 15 pieces, including two design or direct observation drawings. The portfolio should also have variety, whether that's drawings, oil paintings, photographs or videos.
Nearly two years in, Page is making the most of her experience.
"I can't think of doing anything else," she said. "After college, when I'm working, I want to love my job. I don't want to be miserable sitting in a cubicle. I thought to myself, 'What could I do that I'd enjoy in school and after?' I realized that art could be that. I'm enjoying my classes and doing what I love."
Last year, Page took care of her prerequisites -- or "foundation studios" -- in drawing, 2D, 3D and 4D. With those in the bag, she moved last semester to Intro to Photography, Intro to Animation, among others. She's also preparing for her Sophomore Review, a milestone for all second-year students in which they go before three faculty members and discuss their progress and development. A successful review is required for continuing on in the program.
Students are also required to participate in a Stamps School-approved international experience. Page is fulfilling that this summer and plans to go to Hong Kong for eight weeks. There, she'll intern with Allua Tech and take two classes in conjunction with the University of California-Berkeley Global Internship Program.
Page is keeping busy outside the Stamps School, pursuing a minor in entrepreneurship and finishing an internship with USA Hockey in nearby Plymouth. She initially applied for both video production and graphic design internships, but upon interviewing was offered a hybrid of both positions. Page has created graphics for social media, made highlight tapes of in-game action and used her creative license to start one-off weekly projects like a 'Save of the Week' series.
That video aspect is where the future is. She wants a career in video production, just so long as it's in the sports world.
"I like how it's so quick-paced," she explained. "I like informing people about things they don't know. For example, I made a video about the dance team's experience at nationals. Watching other people watch it, you hear things like, 'I didn't know Michigan had a dance team' or 'I didn't know it was this intense.' To be able to visually show that allows me to educate and inform."
On top of all of that, there are her commitments to the U-M dance team. Unlike other sports, there's no recruiting happening here. Tryouts are in the spring every year, and would-be dancers won't find out if they're on the team until they're admitted to school.
Page started as a toddler, her parents throwing her into an introductory class as a way for her to expend some energy. That, and she was admittedly never good at sports that required her to shoot, throw or kick a ball.
She learned jazz, lyrical, tap and hip-hop, and performed gymnastics, which undoubtedly helped with flexibility and tumbling. She took technique classes and even did show production.
The love for the sport is there. But it's the people, Page says, that make it all worthwhile.
"I love dancing, but the people I'm able to do it with are a big part of it, especially here," she said. "I live with them, I spend all my time with them. I definitely wouldn't be doing it if I didn't love my team so much."
And make no mistake -- they are a team, one that works just as hard as every other one on the Stephen M. Ross Athletic Campus. They arrive two weeks before classes start and have a shortened winter break, ramping up ahead of their national championships in January.
"Everyone sees us at basketball or football games," she says, "but they don't see what goes into those performances. Some people don't know we compete. Some people don't know we exist, or they know but think cheer and dance are the same."
This year at nationals, Michigan finished sixth in jazz but missed out of the hip-hop finals by one place. Finishing in the top 10 is good, but they're gunning for better next year.
Long-term, Page can't wait for another shot. In the meantime, she's enjoying the ride and all that Michigan has to offer.
"In terms of athletics, being able to represent Michigan and wear that block M has been the most prideful thing," she said. "I love saying that I go here. It's a part of me now. I can't imagine being anywhere else."
