Dance
907 1/2 West Nevada Street
Urbana, IL 6180l
(217) 333-1010
Fax: (217) 333-3000
E-mail: dance@illinois.edu
Major: Dance
Degrees Offered: M.F.A.
Graduate Degree Program
The Department of Dance offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Fine Arts degree. The mission of the MFA Program is to foster substantive choreographic research that posits dance as a force in contemporary culture. The program embraces a wide spectrum of individual movement research and embodied practice to create a dynamic learning atmosphere for critical engagement with choreographic process.
The Dance Department expects MFA candidates to conduct a creative inquiry that leads to the development of a sophisticated sense of self-definition. Individual research and analysis should culminate in the development of a personal artistic process and mission and should be evident in the following contexts:
Choreographing- Candidates will develop a distinctive choreographic research methodology and demonstrate its skillful application in a performative context. This artistic process/vision/field of interest must establish a solid foundation for ongoing research and engagement that contributes to the global dialogue about dance and contemporary culture.
Communicating- Candidates will develop the ability to express their choreographic vision and process in verbal and written language that is clear, cogent, and demonstrates clear analytic skill, critical thinking, awareness of historical context, and knowledge of contemporary culture.
Moving- Candidates will demonstrate a commitment to movement investigation and practice that defines, advances, and sustains their choreographic vision.
Teaching-Candidates will apply their research vision in clear pedagogic principles while fostering a stimulating teaching/ learning environment.
Developing a Career Plan- Candidates will devise bold and innovative career strategies in order to advance their artistic mission in the field and demonstrate the capacity to implement these plans with professionalism in all the above contexts.
Admission Requirements
Prerequisites for admission to the MFA program are: 1) An undergraduate degree in dance is preferred, but we do accept students with undergraduate degrees in other subjects. Depending on background and skills, students may be expected to complete other dance requirements.. 2) Demonstrated potential to engage in critical thinking and writing. 4) A minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4 point scale, computed from the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and any graduate work completed. International students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 79 on the internet-based test, 213 on the computer-based tests, or 550 on the paper test for limited status admission. International students must receive a score greater than 102 on the internet-based test, 253 on the computer-based test, or 610 on the paper test for full status admission. The GRE is not required.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department's graduate curriculum and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Fine Arts
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Physical Practice | 12-18 |
| Dance 510, 531, 532 and 541 | 11 |
| Electives, which may be taken in dance or related areas of interest | 12 min |
| Historical and theoretical studies | 9 |
| Composition | 6 |
| Performance | 2 |
| Research/Project Hours (min/max applied toward degree) | 8 |
| Total Hours | 60 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: |
12 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Course work taken to complete undergraduate deficiencies will not receive graduate credit | |
| Residency requirement of three years (six semesters) | |
| Minimum GPA: | 2.75 |
For returning professionals the residency requirement may be two years (four semesters) determined on an individual basis based on background experience. Some degree of curricular flexibility is permitted depending on previous experience and current interests and goals. Cross-disciplinary work and independent study in areas of interest are encouraged. The ability of the candidates to pursue graduate study is assessed at the midterm of the second semester in the first and second year in residence, at which time a decision is made regarding continuation in the program and the length of the residency requirement.
In rare cases, the department (in collaboration with the Graduate College) will waive up to a maximum of 12 hours of credit because of extensive prior experience which is defined by "exhibiting a large scope and depth of successful practice in the field of dance." These hours may be in one of or a combination of Composition, Performance, or Technique. This consideration for waiver of credit will not be made unless the prior dance experience is of the highest quality (on a national or international level) and has been sustained consistently over a number of years (at least a decade). This experience must be well documented and must be confirmed and demonstrated by the candidate's contributions to the department. Therefore, such waivers cannot be considered until well into the student's program of study.
Faculty Research Interests
An extraordinary faculty of artists, researchers and scholars has gathered at Illinois, who are creating new paradigms for interactions between the professional arena and the academic training ground. Our group of professional artists includes Jan Erkert, Sara Hook, Philip Johnston, Linda Lehovec, Jennifer Monson, Rebecca Nettl-Fiol, Tere O'Connor, Cynthia Oliver, Kirstie Simson, John Toenjes, Renee Wadleigh and Yutian Wong, all of whom share a commitment to teaching and preparing students for leadership roles in the field of dance.
Financial Aid
Two forms of financial aid are offered to graduate students by the Department of Dance:
- Teaching, video and administration assistantships are available to graduate students. Assistantships of 25% or greater qualify the student for a tuition waiver. All students are required to apply for Federal Work Study.
- A variety of Fellowships are available through The Graduate College each year, including: (A full listing of Fellowships can be found at: www.grad.illinois.edu/fellowship/
- The Creative and Performing Arts Fellowship, which may include stipends up to a maximum of $6,000 for a student demonstrating outstanding choreographic and performance talent.
- The Graduate College Fellowship for Underrepresented Students provides fellowships in the amount of $8,000 and are available to outstanding minority students.
Graduate teaching assistantships are awarded to experienced teachers. Prospective students who have had prior teaching experience may apply for a teaching interview by completing the enclosed Teaching Audition Application Form. A letter of recommendation from a dance professional who has observed the applicant’s teaching is required with the application.
Prospective MFA candidates are encouraged to apply for financial assistance through the Office of Student Financial Aid, 420 Student Services Bldg., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820. (217) 333-0100.