Published May 31, 2026
By JUNE EMERSON
Weaving together Dance and Biology in a double major at University of California, Berkeley, CHS senior Julius Dutta has chosen to pursue a future intertwined in scientific discovery and artistic expression.
“Around the end of junior year, I realized I really enjoyed making choreography,” Dutta explains. “This realization, along with being able to create an in-depth eight-minute capstone piece, solidified for me that I truly want to keep dancing and choreography in my life.”
After growing up in the dance community surrounded by others who continued their craft after high school, pursuing dance in college felt like a natural next step for Dutta.
The senior has been dancing since he was three, and dance has been a constant source of passion and fulfillment over the years.
“I’m quite lucky to have found such an important part of myself so early on,” Dutta says.
Looking to a future in research and the arts, Julius Dutta commited to U.C. Berkeley double majoring in dance and biology. courtesy of JULIUS DUTTA
Along with dance, Dutta decided to pursue biology because of his curiosity for scientific research and discovery. Throughout high school, he became increasingly interested in learning about the human body and the science behind movement.
The dancer trains at The Dance Center in Carmel where he performs with their competition teams as well as Tap Into The Network, a pre-professional tap program. Throughout the years, he has consistently excelled within both programs.
At many colleges, applying as a dance major requires an extensive audition and portfolio. Most schools request a video submission along with written responses demonstrating interest in their particular programs. For highly competitive schools like Chapman, Dutta attended in-person auditions where he took classes with faculty, performed a solo piece and was interviewed by the professor.
“One major reason why I chose Berkeley is because there are endless opportunities and things to experience at the school,” the senior says. “Berkeley ensures that so many of these activities are available and done at the highest level, so there’s just a plethora of exciting new aspects of life to encounter.”
At Berkeley, Dutta will have the opportunity to explore many artistic disciplines within the dance major, allowing him to become immersed in a wide range of mediums.
Beyond the arts, Berkeley’s biology program stood out for its specialized classes, variety of concentrations and strong emphasis on groundbreaking research conducted by professors, which creates a conducive atmosphere surrounded by student research opportunities.
“As much as I love dance, it’s such a limited field for finding a career, and it also tends to have a relatively short lifespan because it can be so hard on the body,” the senior says.
After college, Julius Dutta wants to go into biological research or a professional career into choreography as a dancer.
