Auditions and interviews are required for dance major program acceptance and technique placement.
All Dance BA majors must audition for program entrance and technique placement. 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 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 needs for educational, technical and artistic development. The faculty seeks to facilitate an education that ensure graduates can be successful 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 BA 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 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 needs for both technical and 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; and
Major Requirements
- 46 credit hours in dance;
- 8 credit hours performing arts core courses;
- 15 credit hours electives outside the School of Performing Arts; and
- 17 credit hours electives based on plan of study.
- 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 | ||
| DANC 180E | Performing Arts Seminar | 1 |
| THEA 150P | Production Experience | 1 |
| DANC 150R | Production Processes | 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 2 | 3 |
| DANC 325 | Dance History: 20th and 21st Centuries | 3 |
| DANC 345 | Methods of Teaching Dance | 2 |
| Dance Body Science and Technique Courses | ||
| DANC 381 | Dance Somatics (two enrollments of 1 credit) | 2 |
| DANC 380 | Dance Conditioning | 1 |
| DANC 415 | Dance Kinesiology | 3 |
| Contemporary Dance Technique Courses 3 | ||
| Take courses for five semesters at 3 credit hours each | 15 | |
| Contemporary Technique 1 | ||
| Contemporary Technique 2 | ||
| Contemporary Technique 3 | ||
| Contemporary Technique 4 | ||
| Additional Dance and Movement Courses 4 | ||
| Choose from the following courses | 4 | |
| Hip Hop I | ||
| Ballet Technique 1 | ||
| Jazz Technique 1 | ||
| Tap 1 | ||
| Ballet Technique 2 | ||
| Music Theatre Dance 1 | ||
| Jazz Technique 2 | ||
| Tap 2 | ||
| Ballet Technique 3 | ||
| Music Theatre Dance 2 | ||
| Jazz Technique 3 | ||
| Dance Repertoire/Dance Technique Workshop | ||
| DANC 320 | Dance Repertoire (four enrollments of 1 credit) | 4 |
| DANC 350C | Dance Technique Workshop (four enrollments at .5 credits) | 2 |
| Creative Practice Courses | ||
| DANC 215 | Dance Improvisation | 1 |
| DANC 305 | Choreography 1 | 2 |
| Applied Career Transition Courses | ||
| DANC 481 | Cooperative Education | 1 |
| DANC 469 | Research Methods in the Performing Arts | 2 |
| DANC 346 | Practicum in Teaching Dance | 1 |
| Electives | ||
| Non-English language proficiency courses or outside of performing arts (9 minimum credit hours required at 300+ upper division) | 15 | |
| Open Electives in consultation w/advisor. Can include additional DANC courses (6 minimum credit hours required at 300+ upper division) | 17 | |
| 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
May count towards the General Education requirement.
- 3
Minimum proficiency must be at level 2 for all technique areas. Faculty advisor approval required for advancement into all technique classes above level 1. Classes may be repeated for credit.
- 4
Faculty advisor approval required for advancement into all technique classes above level 1. Classes may be repeated for credit.
BA in performing arts - dance majors culminate their studies with a Capstone Project (DANC 499). BA capstone projects culminate in submission of a research paper, research presentation and 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.