I went to Cambridge, but a while ago now. That sounds to me like someone doing a subject-irrelevant degree who spends all their time at Footlights and similar organisations. Theatre as an "outside interest", but one that they spend most of their time on, like the more sporty types do for rowing or rugby. This was never my area of interest, so I don't know details, but I think the older colleges are more likely to tolerate that sort of thing. Footlights tends to be more acting and comedy than dance, though. I don't know where someone would do dance, but again this was never my area of interest, so I wouldn't. As a general principle, I think "easy degree, dance etc. as hobby" is the way you want to go. He isn't going to get a degree in dance, not at Cambridge. For the stereotypical "no work, no brain required, easy to get into" degree, pick Archaeology and Anthropology (Arch'n'Anth): the reputation may be undeserved, but it's there. Maybe something in Art that would let him play with scenery and costumes? Don't make him do a sciences or engineering degree, he won't have time for dancing. History might be an option, or English (study of drama, vague link there).
Any college will do, that's irrelevant to the subject he's studying. You can set scenes in any of them, too, just give him a friend in another college and let him visit.
For the stereotypical "no work, no brain required, easy to get into" degree, pick Archaeology and Anthropology (Arch'n'Anth): the reputation may be undeserved, but it's there.
DEEPLY undeserved! ;) (Former arch and anth student here.) I don't remember there being that stereotype when I was studying (1996-99), but then as an arch and anth student I wouldn't necessarily have been aware of it I suppose. However the 'no brain' subjects I can remember (beloved of sporting Blues) were Land Economy, History of Art and (to a lesser extent) education at Homerton.
I was rather earlier (84-87, NatSci), and Arch'n'Anth had just been made (in)famous by someone getting in to do that, then changing to do History (seen as harder), while having fewer O levels than his bodyguard. I'd agree about History of Art.
NO Cambridge degree is easy to get into or complete and I never heard of Arch and Anth as a "no work, no brain" - that's really insulting actually. In my day (79-82) the *rep* for that was Land Economy - sons of the landed gentry etc. but it's BS too.
Plenty of mathematicians have time for extras, as the hours are short but concentrated. An Arts student has a hell of a lot of reading to do.
Yup, Land Economy had the same rep in my day, too (86-88). Land Economy from Magdalene, for preference. I knew a whole nest of Egyptologists who worked like dogs, although there's practically no degree that someone isn't willing to blow off for drama or athletics, either.
By my time (1993-6) Land Ec and Magdalene still had that stereotype but was being usurped by SPS (social and political studies), mostly because the SPS library had to be closed for nearly a year because of asbestos damage and the standing joke was that none of the students noticed.
that said I did NatSci (physical) and knew several dedicated rowers; it IS possible to put serious time into studying (NatSci has a lot of timetabled stuff like lectures and practical work) whilst doing extra-curricular stuff to a high standard. You don't get much *life* left though.
Footlights tends to be more acting and comedy than dance, though. I don't know where someone would do dance, but again this was never my area of interest, so I wouldn't.
As a general principle, I think "easy degree, dance etc. as hobby" is the way you want to go. He isn't going to get a degree in dance, not at Cambridge. For the stereotypical "no work, no brain required, easy to get into" degree, pick Archaeology and Anthropology (Arch'n'Anth): the reputation may be undeserved, but it's there. Maybe something in Art that would let him play with scenery and costumes? Don't make him do a sciences or engineering degree, he won't have time for dancing. History might be an option, or English (study of drama, vague link there).
Footlights: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footlights
ADC: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_University_Amateur_Dramatic_Club
Current "dance" groups at Cambridge: http://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/directory/categories/dance/ most of which seem to be Morris sides.
Any college will do, that's irrelevant to the subject he's studying. You can set scenes in any of them, too, just give him a friend in another college and let him visit.
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DEEPLY undeserved! ;) (Former arch and anth student here.) I don't remember there being that stereotype when I was studying (1996-99), but then as an arch and anth student I wouldn't necessarily have been aware of it I suppose. However the 'no brain' subjects I can remember (beloved of sporting Blues) were Land Economy, History of Art and (to a lesser extent) education at Homerton.
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I'd agree about History of Art.
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Plenty of mathematicians have time for extras, as the hours are short but concentrated. An Arts student has a hell of a lot of reading to do.
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that said I did NatSci (physical) and knew several dedicated rowers; it IS possible to put serious time into studying (NatSci has a lot of timetabled stuff like lectures and practical work) whilst doing extra-curricular stuff to a high standard. You don't get much *life* left though.
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