The two required physical techniques courses may be two half courses, one half and one full course, or two full courses.
Declaring the Major
Students planning to major in dance must secure the approval for a program of study from a member of the dance faculty who thereby agrees to act as the student’s academic advisor.
At the time of their major declaration and in consultation with their academic advisors, students will provisionally specify those courses that will meet the focused study requirement.
Transfer of Credit Toward the Major
Before credit is awarded for off-campus study, students must obtain tentative prior approval from the department chair and Study Away. After the study is completed, the student must supply evidence of satisfactory participation.
A maximum of three courses of off-campus study may be applied to the dance major.
In the second semester of the junior year qualified students may be admitted to the Honors Program in Dance. The honors project may be either:
a creative project in dance performance or choreography;
a research in dance history, criticism; or
a theory resulting in a substantial written thesis.
Please note, a creativity-focused project must also include a significant research and written component.
At the completion of the honors project, a panel consisting of the honors candidate’s faculty advisor and at least two other faculty members—including a faculty member from outside the department—will examine the student’s work.
Contact the dance department for application and other information concerning honors work.
Learning about the body through a variety of movement practices and theoretical approaches which develop kinesthetic awareness and understanding of how the body functions.
Students consult with their advisors when selecting focused studies courses.
The focused study requirement provides concentrated preparation in an area of dance related to the student’s personal and professional goals. The requirement may be met by courses in any of the four areas of study offered by the department: critical inquiry, physical techniques, creation and performance, or somatic studies (generally at the 200-level and above). Up to two courses taken outside the dance department can be used toward this requirement provided those courses relate directly to the chosen area of study and that they will meaningfully inform the student’s senior capstone project. All such considerations and decisions are at the discretion of the program chair.
All dance majors are required to complete the zero-credit course DANC 500. Capstones may be completed as part of an upper-level course, as an independent project, as an honors project, or as a Winter Term project. Seniors must submit a project proposal form to the full dance faculty for approval by the end of the semester prior to when the senior project will be conducted.
