The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in performing arts - dance is a degree focused on preparation for professional performance and choreography. Dance BFA major course offerings include core study in contemporary dance, and students choose additional dance forms to enhance their training such as ballet, tap and musical theatre dance. Additional training includes somatics, choreography, dance history, dance kinesiology, conditioning, repertoire and methods of teaching.
All dance BFA majors must audition for program entrance and technical level placement.
For all dance BFA majors, advancement in technique is not automatic and is possible only with faculty consent and approval. Students will be placed at the technical level the dance faculty deem appropriate for individual growth and development. Students with a developed skill in one dance technique should not expect that ability to translate into the same level of skill in other dance techniques. The dance faculty works with each student to create the best fit between student goals and interests and faculty adjudication of each student's educational, technical and artistic development. The faculty seeks to facilitate an education that ensures graduates will be competitive in the professional field of dance.
Admission
Through an audition and interview process, students may gain acceptance to the dance program and be placed at the technical level the dance faculty deem appropriate for individual growth and development. For all dance BFA majors, advancement in technique is not automatic and is possible only with faculty consent and approval. Students with a developed skill in one dance technique should not expect that ability to translate into the same level of skill in other dance techniques. The dance faculty works with each student to create the best fit between student goals and interests and faculty appraisal of each student's needs for true artistic development. The faculty seeks to facilitate an education that ensures graduates will be competitive in the professional field of dance.
Program Requirements
General Requirements
- Total credit hours for graduation 120 minimum, overall GPA 2.000 (2.500 for department scholarship consideration).
- Must complete the 34-35 credit hours of the WSU General Education Program, the requirements of the College of Fine Arts, and must have 45 credit hours of upper-division credits.
Major Requirements
- 72 credit hours in dance;
- 8 credit hours performing arts core courses; and
- 5-6 credit hours of electives based on plan of study.
- Must complete 2 semesters of DANC 441 Contemporary Technique 4 upon graduation.
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A C or better is required for all major required courses, including THEA and/or DANC electives.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Select courses to meet General Education requirements 1 | 34-35 | |
| Core Curriculum courses | ||
| THEA 150P | Production Experience | 1 |
| THEA 150R | Production Processes | 1 |
| DANC 180E | Performing Arts Seminar | 1 |
| DANC 280 | Inclusion in Performing Arts | 1 |
| DANC 368 | Collaborative Community Project | 1 |
| DANC 370 | Professional Practices for the Performing Arts | 2 |
| DANC 499 | Capstone Project | 1 |
| Dance Applied Theory Courses | ||
| DANC 225 | Dance History: Ancient Civilization to Early 1900s | 3 |
| DANC 325 | Dance History: 20th and 21st Centuries | 3 |
| DANC 345 | Methods of Teaching Dance | 2 |
| Dance Body Science and Technique Courses | ||
| Body Science Courses | ||
| DANC 290 | Somatics 1 (two enrollments at 1 credit hour) | 2 |
| DANC 390 | Somatics 2 | 1 |
| DANC 415 | Dance Kinesiology | 3 |
| Contemporary Dance Technique Courses 2 | ||
| Take courses for eight semesters at 3 credit hours each | 24 | |
| Contemporary Technique 2 | ||
| Contemporary Technique 3 | ||
| Contemporary Technique 4 | ||
| Additional Dance and Movement Courses 2 | ||
| Choose from the following courses (seven semesters at 2 credit hours) | 14 | |
| Hip Hop I | ||
| Ballet Technique 1 | ||
| Jazz and Broadway Styles 1 | ||
| Tap 1 | ||
| Ballet Technique 2 | ||
| Jazz and Broadway Styles 2 | ||
| Tap 2 | ||
| Ballet Technique 3 | ||
| Jazz and Broadway Styles 3 | ||
| Dance Repertoire/Dance Technique Workshop | ||
| DANC 365 | Dance Technique Workshop (eight enrollments at .5 credits) | 4 |
| DANC 320 | Dance Repertoire (seven enrollments at 1 credit) | 7 |
| Creative Practice Courses | ||
| DANC 304 | Dance Improvisation | 1 |
| DANC 305 | Choreography 1 | 2 |
| DANC 405 | Choreography 2 | 2 |
| DANC 425 | Choreography 3 | 2 |
| Applied Career Transition Courses | ||
| DANC 346 | Practicum in Teaching Dance | 1 |
| DANC 481 | Cooperative Education | 1 |
| Open Electives | ||
| Select enough electives to reach 120 credit hours | 5-6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- 1
Required major courses may also count towards General Education requirements. Students will need to select additional electives to reach 120 credit hours required for graduation with assistance from an advisor.
- 2
Faculty advisor approval is required for advancement into all dance techniques classes above level 1. Classes may be repeatable for credit.
BFA in performing arts - dance majors culminate their studies with a Capstone Project (DANC 499). BFA majors present both a group choreographic work and solo performance with a research paper component. BFA Capstone Projects culminate in a final interview with the dance faculty.
Applied Learning
All students in a School of Performing Arts bachelor degree track or concentration are required to complete an applied learning or research experience to graduate from the program. The requirement can be met by completing a formal capstone project. Students create a major project whether self-generated, an extension of coursework, or through advanced participation in producing a public performance. Through the capstone experience, students develop and demonstrate, in a hands-on, real world context, the skills, knowledge and competencies required in their area of emphasis. Students in the School of Performing Arts develop a diverse portfolio of experiences, materials and intellectual properties through a broad offering of applied experiences in their four years. The capstone project provides a practical context for academic, experiential and personal growth through the college experience. The final, real product of the SPA's program of applied learning is a young professional prepared for the future.