Requirements

Dance

Requirements for the Major (for students entering in Fall 2011 or later)

(Students who matriculated before Fall 2011 should see below for the requirements.)

Majors must complete eleven academic courses (six required, five elective) and a minimum of eight 1-point technique courses.  All majors write a senior thesis as part of their coursework.

Required courses are distributed as follows:

The following two courses are required and should be completed before the senior year:

Dance History

• DNCE BC2565 World Dance History
• DNCE BC3001 Western Theatrical Dance from the Renaissance to the 1960s

One course must be taken in each of the following two categories:

Movement Science

• DNCE BC 2501 Biomechanics for the Dancer: Theory and Practice
• DNCE BC 2561 Applied Anatomy for Human Movement
• DNCE BC 2562 Movement Analysis

Composition

• DNCE BC 2563x Dance Composition:  Form, Dance/Theater
• DNCE BC 2563y Dance Composition:  Form
• DNCE BC 2564x Dance Composition:  Content
• DNCE BC 3563y Dance Composition: Collaboration and the Creative Process

Senior Work

All majors must do two semesters of senior work.  The following course, which culminates in a 25-30-page written thesis and an oral presentation to the Department at the end of the semester, is required of all seniors:

• DNCE BC 3591 Senior Seminar in Dance

In addition, all majors must take one of the following two courses, depending on whether the senior requirement is completed with a creative project or a two-semester written thesis:

• DNCE BC 3592 Senior Project:  Research for Dance
• DNCE BC 3593 Senor Project:  Repertory for Dance

Students who are double majors may request permission to write a two-semester combined thesis.

Electives

Five additional 3- or 4-point courses, chosen in consultation with the major advisor, are required. Electives may be chosen from among the departmental offerings listed above or below, including additional coursework in Composition, Movement Science, and/or Senior Work beyond the major requirement.

History/Criticism

• DNCE BC 3580  History of Social Dance
• DNCE BC 2570  Dance in New York City
• DNCE BC 2575 Choreography for the American Musical
• DNCE BC 2580 Tap as an American Art Form
• DNCE BC 3000 From the Page to the Dance Stage
• DNCE BC 3200 Dance in Film
• DNCE BC 3567 Dance in Asia: India
• DNCE BC 3570 Latin American and Caribbean Dance:  Identities in Motion
• DNCE BC 3574 Inventing the Contemporary: Dance Since the 1960s
• DNCE BC 3575 George Balanchine and the Reinvention of Modern Ballet
• DNCE BC 3576 Dance Criticism
• DNCE BC 3577 Performing the Political
• DNCE BC 3577 Performing the Political: Russian Ballet
• DNCE BC 3578 Traditions of African-American Dance
• DNCE BC 3583 Gender and Historical Memory in American Dance of the 1930's to the Early 1960's
• DNCE BC 3980 Performing the Political (seminar)
• DNCE BC 3981 Inventing American Modern Dance: Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn
• DNCE BC 3982 Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes and Its World

Studio/Performance

• DNCE BC 2555 Ensemble Repertory: Modern
• DNCE BC 2556 Ensemble Repertory: Ballet
• DNCE BC 2557 Evolution of the Classic Spanish Dance
• DNCE BC 2558 Tap Ensemble
• DNCE BC 2567 Music for Dance
• DNCE BC 3571 Solo Repertory: Performance Styles
• DNCE BC 3572 Dance Production
• DNCE BC 3601-04 Rehearsal and Performance in Dance

Overview of Major Requirements

(11 total, plus 8 technique courses)

1 Movement Science
1 Composition
2 History
1 Senior Seminar
1 Senior Project (Research in Dance or Repertory for Dance)
5 Electives
8 Technique Courses 

Degree Requirements for a Major in Dance ( for students declaring a major before Fall 2011)

Majors must fulfill an eleven-course requirement, including the Senior Seminar in Dance (DNCE BC3591) and either Senor Project: Research in Dance (DNCE BC3592) or Senior Project: Repertory for Dance (DNCE BC3593), in addition to taking a minimum of eight 1-point technique courses.  To fulfill the distribution requirements, one course must be taken in each of the following four areas:

Movement Science

• DNCE BC 2501 Biomechanics for the Dancer: Theory and Practice
• DNCE BC 2561 Applied Anatomy for Human Movement
• DNCE BC 2562 Movement Analysis

Composition

• DNCE BC 2563 Dance Composition Form: Dance/Theater
• DNCE BC 2564 Dance Composition: Content
• DNCE BC 3565 Group Forms: Advanced Dance Composition

History

• DNCE BC 2565 World Dance History
• DNCE BC 3001 Western Theatrical Dance From the Renaissance to the 1960s

Writing

• DNCE BC 2570 Dance in New York City
• DNCE BC 3570 Latin American and Caribbean Dance: Identities in Motion
• DNCE BC 3574 Inventing the Contemporary: Dance Since the 1960s
• DNCE BC 3576 Dance Criticism
• DNCE BC 3577 Performing the Political

Electives

In consultation with the major advisor, an additional five courses should be chosen from the courses listed above or below:

History/Criticism

• DNCE BC 2575 Choreography for the American Musical
• DNCE BC 2580 Tap as an American Art Form
• DNCE BC 3000 From the Page to the Dance Stage
• DNCE BC 3567 Dance in Asia: India
• DNCE BC 3575 George Balanchine and the Reinvention of Modern Ballet
• DNCE BC 3577 Performing the Political: Russian Ballet
• DNCE BC 3578 Traditions of African-American Dance
• DNCE BC 3980 Performing the Political (seminar)
• DNCE BC 3982 Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes and Its World

Studio/Performance

• DNCE BC 2555 Ensemble Repertory: Modern
• DNCE BC 2556 Ensemble Repertory: Ballet
• DNCE BC 2557 Evolution of the Classic Spanish Dance
• DNCE BC 2558 Tap Ensemble
• DNCE BC 2567 Music for Dance
• DNCE BC 3571 Solo Repertory: Performance Styles
• DNCE BC 3572 Dance Production
• DNCE BC 3601-04 Rehearsal and Performance in Dance

Senior Work:

All dance majors must do two semesters of senior work.  The Senior Seminar (DNCE BC 3591), given in the fall semester, requires a 25-30 page written thesis and an oral presentation to the Department at the end of the semester. The second semester is usually a performance project for which the student registers in Senior Project: Repertory for Dance (DNCE BC 3593). Students may also choose to do a two-semester thesis, registering in Senior Project: Research for Dance (DNCE BC 3592). Students who are double majors may request permission to do a two-semester combined thesis.

Overview of Major Requirements (11 total, plus 8 technique classes)

• 1 Movement Science
• 1 Composition
• 1 History
• 1 Writing
• 1 Senior Seminar
• 1 Senior Project (Research in Dance or Repertory for Dance)
• 5 Electives
• 8 Technique Classes

Requirements for the Minor

Six courses constitute a minor in Dance.  Normally, three history/criticism and three credit-bearing performance/choreography courses are taken.  (Note: 1-point technique courses do NOT count toward the Dance minor.)  Courses are to be selected on the basis of consultation with full-time members of the Department.