Dance

The Dance Program at Westminster University

Dance is a form of human expression that invites you to create meaning through movement. Westminster’s Dance program offers rigorous dance training and cultivates your individual artistic voice, placing value in real-world practice and promoting dance as a fully collaborative, culturally-relevant, socially-aware, and deeply imaginative art form.

Westminster’s Dance program centers movement at the heart of learning. As an embodied art form, dance allows you to find deep meaning in the present moment and to draw connections across difference. Westminster is committed to making a high-quality dance education accessible to all students. Get insight on the perspectives of Westminster dance students and view student resources.

 

Who the Dance Program Is For

Students in the Dance program recognize dance as a way of knowing about and “being in” the world. They express themselves through movement and ask questions through choreography. The Dance program at Westminster is designed for students who want to understand the artistic and technical elements of physical expression and performance artistry while exploring the creative process and collaborating with diverse subjects and artistic outlets.

What Are the Key Benefits of the Dance Program?

• Small classes allow for individualized, in-depth training and creation of original work.
• A collaborative environment encourages you and your classmates to support and challenge one another to grow as dance artists and scholars.
• Mentoring relationships with professionals in the dance world provide exposure to current dance practices and build a network of support.
• Interpreting current events/issues through performance, choreography, and improvisation develops your role as an active artist and global citizen.
• 2 degree tracks to choose from based on your artistic and academic passions and career aspiration.
• Opportunity and support for interdisciplinary study allows you to fully integrate your artistic and academic passions at Westminster by taking dance as a minor with another program.
• Thoughtful curriculum gives you essential professional and creative tools that will aid you whether you choose a career in dance or decide to apply your creative skills to another professional pursuit.
• All incoming Dance program majors (including transfer students) can audition for a talent-based dance scholarship, making a high-quality dance education accessible to all students.

Sample dance courses

 

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Dance Program Plan of Study

Due to Westminster’s small class sizes, you will have the opportunity for individual growth across technique training in Western and non-Western physical practices, composition, improvisation, performance, creative process, and theories of dance through the lenses of history, technology, cultural impact, and social justice. You will gain practical skills in dance production, teaching, and administration, preparing you fully for a variety of career paths. The Dance program allows you to advance artistically, academically, and professionally in a liberal arts setting as you focus on dance while still accessing a diverse range of academic coursework and subject areas.

Dance Program Requirements

The Dance program offers 2 degree tracks (bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of arts) and a dance minor. All students who declare as a dance major enter the program in the bachelor of arts degree track (no audition required) and have the option to transition to the bachelor of fine arts degree track after 2 semesters.

Transitioning to the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Track

After completing 2 semesters as a bachelor of arts dance major, continuing students are eligible to request a transition into the bachelor of fine arts degree track through a formal review by the dance faculty. If not initially accepted into the track, they can continue pursuing the bachelor of arts degree track and request another formal review at the end of each subsequent semester.

Transfer students are eligible to seek acceptance into the bachelor of fine arts degree track before their first semester. To do so, they will receive an audit of previous coursework paired with a formal review by the dance faculty in the spring before entering the Dance program. If they also want to be considered for a dance program scholarship, their audition for scholarship consideration will be used as their formal review for the degree track.

dance Program Options

Bachelor of Arts in Dance

The bachelor of arts in dance is a generalist degree that allows you to explore a broad foundation of studies in dance theories, techniques, and practices. You will choose your dance elective courses based on your interests. If you'd like to double major, this degree path is a great fit with the Art, Communication, or Theatre Arts programs, or a program within the School of Education or Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance (FOrmal review required)

The bachelor of fine arts in dance is a pre-professional degree. This degree track builds upon the core foundations of dance theory, technique, and practice by providing expanded coursework and in-depth training in more specific areas, including the opportunity to delve deeply into an area of dance that interests you. Completing this track signifies that you're ready to get into entry-level, professional work in dance after graduation.

Minor in Dance

The Dance program also offers a minor that is a great addition to the Theatre Arts and Music programs, or programs in the School of Education or the Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business. Dance coursework can also be a component of a customized major. You are welcome to meet with the dance chair at any time to review requirements for the minor in conjunction with your major requirements and overall course of study.

Liberal Education Courses

You must complete the WCore program or join the Honors College (and complete requirements) to fulfill your liberal education credits.