BFA in Dance
Admission
All dance BFA majors must audition and perform in the faculty dance company, Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre.
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 appraisal of each student's needs for true artistic development. The faculty seeks to produce graduates who will be competitive in the professional arena.
Program Requirements
General Requirements
- Total credit hours for graduation — 120 minimum, overall GPA 2.000 (2.500 in major); and
- 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
- 73 credit hours in dance;
- 8 credit hours performing arts core courses; and
- 3 credit hours of electives based on plan of study.
- Must complete 2 semesters of DANC 501 Senior Contemporary Technique 4 upon graduation.
| 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 (two enrollments of .5 credit) | 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 Artist | 2 |
| DANC 580 | 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 545 | Methods of Teaching Dance | 2 |
| Dance Body Science and Technique Courses | ||
| Body Science Courses | ||
| DANC 380 | Dance Conditioning | 1 |
| DANC 381 | Dance Somatics (three enrollments of 1 credit) | 3 |
| 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 | ||
| Senior 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 Technique 1 | ||
| Tap 1 | ||
| Ballet Technique 2 | ||
| Music Theatre Dance 1 | ||
| Jazz Technique 2 | ||
| Tap 2 | ||
| Ballet Technique 3 | ||
| Jazz Technique 3 | ||
| Ballet Technique 4 | ||
| Dance Repertoire/Dance Technique Workshop | ||
| DANC 320 | Dance Repertoire (seven enrollments at 1 credit) | 7 |
| DANC 350C | Dance Technique Workshop (eight enrollments at .5 credits) | 4 |
| Creative Practice Courses | ||
| DANC 215 | Dance Improvisation | .5 |
| DANC 305 | Choreography 1 | 2 |
| DANC 405 | Choreography 2 | 2 |
| DANC 515 | Dance Improvisation 2: Creative Movement Practice | 2 |
| Applied Career Transition Courses | ||
| DANC 570 | Research Methods in the Performing Arts | 2 |
| DANC 490 | Dance Audition Techniques | .5 |
| DANC 645 | Practicum in Teaching Dance | 1 |
| DANC 481 | Cooperative Education Internship | 1 |
| Open Electives | ||
| Select enough electives to reach 120 credit hours | 2-3 | |
| 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 dance majors culminate their studies with a Capstone Project (DANC 580). BFA majors present both a group choreographic work and solo performance with a paper component. BFA Capstone Projects culminate in a final oral defense 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.