Dpartment of Dance |
Department
of Landscape Architecture |
CURRICULUM IN DANCE
For the Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance
The BFA curriculum in dance is an intensive program of study for the dedicated student, offering concentration in the areas of technique, composition, and performance. The curriculum also includes requirements in production, improvisation, music theory and literature for dance, teaching, history, movement sciences, Alexander technique, theatre dance, and repertory. Electives may be taken in ballet, modern, tap, and jazz; advanced improvisation; Labanotation; video choreography; choreographer-composer workshop; and independent study.
Program requirements include core daily technique classes consisting of three modern and two ballet classes per week each semester in residence, plus elective technique classes for a minimum of one additional credit hour per semester. A minimum of two courses in other dance forms (jazz, tap, ballroom, etc.) is required. Technique placement is assigned by the faculty, and majors must achieve the advanced technical level in modern and the intermediate level in ballet for a minimum of two semesters prior to graduation. The improvisation/composition sequence consists of a minimum of 11 hours of studio courses culminating in the performance of a senior choreographic project. A minimum of six hours of credit is required in performance/repertory courses. The curriculum includes as much as 31 hours of credit in professional electives, which may be taken in professional dance courses and/or related arts and sciences.
Evaluation of majors is an ongoing process. Continued enrollment in the program is contingent upon satisfactory performance. A student is expected to maintain a minimum 2.75 grade-point average in all professional course work and a 3.0 cumulative average in studio classes in order to remain in good standing in the department.
It is possible for transfer students to complete degree requirements in a three-year period contingent upon prior completion of general education requirements and the fulfillment of the advanced technique requirement for two semesters prior to graduation.
A total of 130 hours is required for this degree.
|
HOURS |
GENERAL EDUCATION |
|
4-6 |
RHET 105 or equivalent |
|
6 |
Humanities and the arts1 |
|
6 |
Social and behavioral sciences1 |
|
6 |
Natural sciences and technology1 |
|
3 |
Quantitative reasoning |
|
6 |
Cultural Studies, Western and non-Western |
|
31-33 |
Total |
|
HOURS |
PROFESSIONAL COURSES IN DANCE |
|
34 |
TECHNIQUE (minimum number of hours)
|
|
|
Four credit hours per semester, to include core technique classes each semester in residence, consisting of three modern and two ballet classes per week (3 hours of credit), plus elective technique courses for a minimum of one additional credit hour per semester. |
|
|
A minimum of two courses (two credit hours) in other dance forms (jazz, tap, ballroom, etc.) is also required. |
|
2 |
IMPROVISATION |
|
|
DANCE 162-Improvisation, I |
|
9 |
COMPOSITION |
|
|
DANCE 164-Beginning Composition |
|
4 |
PRODUCTION |
|
|
DANCE 131 and 331-Production Practicum (one hour per laboratory for a total of four hours.) |
|
6 |
MUSIC FOR DANCE |
|
|
DANCE 168-Music Theory and Practice for Dance |
|
3 |
DANCE EDUCATION |
|
|
DANCE 350-Teaching Workshop |
|
3 |
CURRENT ISSUES AND TOPICS |
|
|
DANCE 150-Orientation to Dance |
|
6 |
DANCE HISTORY |
|
|
DANCE 340-History of the Dance, I (Composition II) |
|
6 |
REPERTORY AND PERFORMANCE |
|
|
DANCE 130 and 330-Performance Practicum (1-2 hours per dance) |
|
4 |
DANCE SCIENCES |
|
|
DANCE 345-Dance Kinesiology and Somatics (4 hours) |
|
77 |
Total |
|
HOURS |
ELECTIVES2 |
|
20-22 |
RECOMMENDED: Additional courses in ballet and modern technique: DANCE 160, 166, 260, 266, 360, 366 (up to 16 additional hours may be counted toward degree requirements) (1-2 per course). |
|
1(per dance) |
DANCE 130-Performance Practicum3 |
|
1 |
DANCE 210-Jazz Dance |
|
1 |
DANCE 220-Tap Dance |
|
3 |
DANCE 240-African-American Dance and American Culture |
|
3 |
DANCE 243-Creative Dance for Children |
|
1 |
DANCE 300-Viewing Dance |
|
1 |
DANCE 301-The Alexander Technique for Dancers |
|
2 |
DANCE 312-Theatre Dance |
|
2 |
DANCE 328-Choreographer-Composer Workshop |
|
1-2(per dance) |
DANCE 330 and 335-(performance and repertory courses)3 |
|
3 |
DANCE 347-Labanotation, I |
|
3 |
DANCE 348-Labanotation, II |
|
9 |
DANCE 199-Undergraduate Open Seminar (maximum number of hours) |
|
8 |
DANCE 351-Independent Study and Special Topics (maximum number of hours) |
|
1 |
DANCE 369-Accompaniment for Dance |
|
3 |
ARTHI 115-Art Appreciation |
|
3 |
ARTCI 180-Introduction to Cinematography |
|
3 |
MUSIC 133-Introduction to World Music |
|
2 |
MUSIC 158-Group Piano for Non-Music Majors |
|
2-3 |
MUSIC 181-Voice |
|
3 |
THEAT 170-Fundamentals of Acting |
|
4 |
THEAT 175-Improvisation in Acting |
|
2 |
THEAT 291-Costume Design for Dance (under Individual Topics) |
|
4 |
THEAT 332-Stage Management |
|
4 |
THEAT 340-Lighting Design for Dance |
|
4 |
THEAT 355-History of the American Musical Theatre, I |
|
4 |
THEAT 356-History of the American Musical Theatre, II |
|
3 |
THEAT 372-Introduction to Theatre Management |
1. See college-approved general education distribution lists.
2. A minimum of eight hours must be in the area of professional electives. It is strongly recommended that dance majors consider professional electives outside the dance area itself.
3. A maximum of 16 hours may be accumulated
toward degree requirements in Dance 130, 330, and 335. 
|
Dpartment of Dance |
Department
of Landscape Architecture |