The Department of Dance is a fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Dance.

The Dance Department is committed to an artistic, academic, and social environment that reflects the belief in dance as a measure of society and a barometer of culture. Its guiding principle is the responsibility to a society composed of a variety of cultural groups and traditions as these are manifested in artistic expression, particularly dance.

The department's artistic, academic, and educational work is based upon the premise that the somatic dimensions of human endeavor are indivisible from and equal in importance to their intellectual and spiritual counterparts. Our work seeks to guide students toward a balance of cognitive/analytical and intuitive/creative skills.

The degree programs in dance aim to:

• Aid students in the development of their creative potential through choreography, performance and other creative expressions;

• Educate students about the various forms and premises of dance within their historical, social and cultural contexts;

• Train students in the mastery of modern dance techniques, represented by the full time faculty and selected guest teachers; and,

• Prepare students to function as performing artists, choreographers, teachers, researchers, scholars, and informed and responsible citizens in academic and non-academic settings.

The Dance Department promotes a community which understands, respects, and represents a society composed of a wide variety of cultural groups and traditions which focus particularly on, but are not limited to, manifestations in dance and other artistic expressions. In seeking to create a learning/teaching environment, we strive to aid students in the development of their creative potential through the means of dance experience, performance, and body movement.

The education of students about the history, premises, and various forms of dance, particularly modern dance, is at the forefront of our curriculum; this includes training students in the mastery of the technique of modern dance as represented by the full time faculty. We prepare students who function as performing artists, choreographers, teachers, researchers, and scholars in both academic and non-academic settings and who represent the Department's mission in the dance field and in the world at-large.

The Department of Dance is housed in a triangular grid in three buildings on North Board Street. In Vivacqua Hall- 3rd floor houses full-time faculty Offices, Technical Director's Office, Secretarial Complex, Department Admissions Office, Work Study Students, Graduate Teaching Assistants, Learning Resources Center, Media Lab and Classrooms.

Conwell Dance Theatre is located in Conwell Hall- 5th Floor and 6th Floor. It houses a black box theatre with computer lighting, complete sound system and video and audio equipment.

Pearson Hall houses three studios, two rehearsal rooms, part-time office, faculty dressing room, costume storage, classrooms and Media Services on the second floor. On the first floor are a Movement Studio, and a Health Food Stand. Pools and locker rooms are located in the basement.

The Department of Dance offers a number of awards and scholarships. Scholarships are offered following successful entrance auditions and are based on potential for success in the dance curriculum. Scholarships are available both from the Fran Bowden Development Fund and the department.

The undergraduate program in designed to provide a sound preparation for student wishing to enter the dance profession in a variety of areas including performance, choreography, production, and teaching. It is also designed to serve as strong foundation for the continued study of dance in any of these areas or in related areas in the field. The B.F.A. is designed for the student’s personal development as well as the development of the technical skills demanded by the profession. Students are expected to extend their competency in the techniques as demanded of professional dancers; expand their understanding of choreography, performance, production, and other areas of knowledge in dance; and gain meaningful experiences in related arts, sciences and humanities.

Students who have been admitted to the University are also required to successfully complete an audition to gain formal acceptance into the dance major program. Prospective and newly admitted students are strongly advised to make an appointment with the undergraduate coordinator to discuss personal goals and the department’s program.

The audition consists of an introductory technique class taught by members of the dance faculty and an interview with the faculty committee. The dance faculty attempts to choose students with both the movement and intellectual potential to enter and complete the dance program with relative expectations of success. The faculty is concerned that potential student's goals and aspirations are compatible with the department philosophy.

A student must pass the audition prior to final acceptance by the University and notification of admission as a matriculated student. The department will accept a students as a dance major only after the University admissions process has been completed.

Freshmen and transfer students are formally advised by the Department of Dance undergraduate coordinator. Freshmen should make an appointment for early advising in the semester prior to entrance. All transfer students, internal or external, should contact the undergraduate coordinator before completing the transfer process.

The undergraduate dance major curriculum includes a maximum of 70 semester hours or required dance courses. In addition, a maximum of 40 hours in the Core Curriculum is required. A minimum of 15 hours of electives are available inside or outside the department. The dance minor consists of 21 semester hours of required courses. Students must complete 125 semester hours to graduate.

The Curriculum is based on a sequence of dance experiences and additional groups of courses in nine areas of dance.

Dance majors are required to take daily technique classes at the appropriate level, throughout their course of study. This should include modern dance each semester and a minimum of six semester hours of concentration in a second technique, which could include: ballet, jazz dance, tap or African.