Program Overview

Commercial Dance Program

The Commercial Dance program at Pace University is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in dance, focusing on technique, performance, and choreography. The program offers a range of courses that cater to different levels of experience and interest.

Course Offerings

• PACD 100: Ballet I (3 credits) - Introduction to American classical ballet, covering principles, techniques, and choreographic principles.
• PACD 102: Jazz I (3 credits) - Study of jazz dance techniques, encouraging critical awareness of jazz dancing as a performing art.
• PACD 103: Aerial Arts I (1 credit) - Basic elements of Aerial Arts using various apparatuses, including silks, Spanish web, and static trapeze.
• PACD 104: Puppetry (1 credit) - Practical experience focusing on the puppeteer's creative process, covering hand/rod puppetry, found object puppetry, and more.
• PACD 105: Ballet II (3 credits) - Continued study of American classical ballet, building on techniques learned in Ballet I.
• PACD 106: Somatic Practices for Dancers (1 credit) - Incorporating somatic techniques to build mind-body awareness, improve posture, and detect imbalances.
• PACD 107: Jazz II (3 credits) - Further study of jazz dance techniques, developing critical awareness of jazz dancing as a performing art.
• PACD 108: Hip Hop 1 (2 credits) - Examination of numerous hip hop styles, learning basic hip hop moves and their history.
• PACD 109: Theater Dance 1 (2 credits) - Study of theater dance techniques, developing critical awareness of musical theater dance.
• PACD 110: Core Strengthening for Dancers (1 credit) - Strengthening the core, increasing flexibility, and improving body awareness and posture.
• PACD 116: Tap Dance 1 (2 credits) - Development of beginning tap technique, vocabulary, performance, and basic understanding of tap.
• PACD 145: Vocal Music for Dancers I (3 credits) - Vocal technique class focusing on singing and building strong voice skills for dancers.
• PACD 199: Commercial Dance Lab (0 credits) - Jazz dancing class that showcases individual style and originality, with a focus on audition preparation.
• PACD 200: Ballet III (3 credits) - More advanced movements of classical ballet, potentially including pointe work and basic ballet partnering.
• PACD 202: Jazz III (3 credits) - Advanced study of jazz dance techniques, developing critical awareness of jazz dancing as a performing art.
• PACD 203: Aerial Arts 2 (1 credit) - Advanced elements of Aerial Arts, including more complex drops, skills, and group work.
• PACD 205: Ballet IV (3 credits) - Highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary, focusing on development of technique, line, strength, and agility.
• PACD 207: Jazz IV (3 credits) - Advanced course developing the student's ability to execute various styles of jazz dance steps and incorporate them into a dance composition.
• PACD 208: Hip Hop 2 (2 credits) - Further examination of hip hop styles, executing basic hip hop moves and understanding their prevalence in today's dance society.
• PACD 209: Theater Dance 2 (2 credits) - Development of the student's ability to understand and execute theater dance movement/styles from various decades.
• PACD 216: Tap Dance 2 (2 credits) - Advanced tap technique, vocabulary, performance, and intricate rhythms of more advanced tap.
• PACD 225: Anatomy for Dancers (3 credits) - Structured towards dancer/athlete application, discussing body, space planes, physical orientations, and more.
• PACD 227: Choreography I (2 credits) - Practical experience focusing on the choreographer's creative process, identifying, selecting, and utilizing source material.
• PACD 230: Mastering Performance Technique (2 credits) - Developing the student's ability to sing and dance simultaneously, staging Broadway production numbers.
• PACD 240: Vocal Music for Dancers II (3 credits) - Practical experience focusing on the singer's creative process, interpreting source material and creating a vocal piece.
• PACD 300: Ballet V (3 credits) - Advanced ballet techniques, potentially including pointe work and partnering, with a focus on development of technique and artistry.
• PACD 302: Contemporary I (3 credits) - Introduction to contemporary dance, employing systems and methods found in modern, ballet, jazz, and postmodern dance.
• PACD 306: Body Awareness and Wellness for Today's Dancer (3 credits) - Study of basic practices related to preventative medicine, addressing anatomical functions and kinesiology concepts.
• PACD 307: Contemporary II (3 credits) - Advanced contemporary dance, focusing on technique, artistry, and individual expression.
• PACD 309: Jazz V (3 credits) - Highest achievement level of jazz dance, exploring all genres, moving at a faster pace, and developing audition skills.
• PACD 325: Improvisation (1 credit) - Performance application class exploring movement motivations, somatic practices, and guided improvisation exercises.
• PACD 344: L.A. Industry Seminar (1 credit) - Immersing students in the knowledge of how to succeed as a professional performer in Los Angeles.
• PACD 345: Dancing to Connect: Teacher Training (3 credits) - Teaching students the foundational skills necessary to lead creative workshops for high school-age students.
• PACD 375: Ballet Pedagogy (2 credits) - Theory and practice of teaching ballet technique, assessing and training students in a logical and responsible manner.
• PACD 379: Jazz Dance Pedagogy (2 credits) - Theory and practice of teaching jazz technique, assessing and training students in a logical and responsible manner.
• PACD 384: Applied Performance Lab for BFA Dancers (0 credits) - Lab experience applying skills, techniques, and knowledge acquired in class to a production.
• PACD 396A: Applied Performance Lab for BFA Dancers (0 credits) - Further lab experience for BFA dancers, applying their skills and knowledge to a production.
• PACD 400: Ballet VI (3 credits) - Most advanced level of ballet, encompassing difficult movements, pointe work, and ballet partnering.
• PACD 407: Modern Dance (3 credits) - Style of dance moving away from rigid ballet rules, emphasizing gravity, weighted emotional movements, and opposition.
• PACD 408: Dance for the Camera (3 credits) - Developing the student's ability to execute dance steps for the camera, applying advanced technique to performance theories.
• PACD 420: Advanced Choreography (3 credits) - Students learn to choreograph movement for different types of on-film work, studying with industry choreographers.
• PACD 421: Choreography for the Camera (3 credits) - Teaching students how to choreograph movement for film, learning to "choreograph the cameras" for necessary shots.
• PACD 425: Partnering (1 credit) - Developing and increasing partnering skills necessary for success in the dance industry, covering jazz, contemporary, ballet, and more.
• PACD 426: Partnering Lab (0 credits) - Further development of partnering skills through practice and repetition, building strength and muscle memory.
• PACD 435: Dance History (3 credits) - Study of theater dance techniques, developing critical awareness of musical theater dance as a performing art.
• PACD 475: Dance Seminar (1 credit) - Immersing students in the knowledge of how to succeed as a professional performer, preparing them for the industry.
• PACD 496A: Special Topic: Choreography for the Camera Lab (0 credits) - Accompanying PACD 421, providing further experience in choreographing movement for film.
• PACD 496B: Special Topic: Dance for the Camera Lab (0 credits) - Accompanying PACD 408, further developing the student's ability to execute dance steps for the camera.
• PACD 496C: Topic: Dance Experience in Los Angeles (0 credits) - Travel course providing majors with the opportunity to study in Los Angeles, expanding their network.
• PACD 499: Senior Project (2 credits) - Final project for seniors, encouraging the development of critical awareness of numerous dance styles as a performing artist.

Program Requirements

• Students must be pursuing a BFA degree in Commercial Dance or a BA degree in Theater/Commercial Dance to enroll in most courses.
• Some courses require completion of specific prerequisites or permission from the instructor.
• The program is designed to provide a comprehensive education in dance, with a focus on technique, performance, and choreography.

Admission Criteria

• Admission to the Commercial Dance program requires an audition and acceptance into Pace University.
• Students must demonstrate a strong foundation in dance technique and a passion for the art form.

Tuition Fees

• Tuition fees for the Commercial Dance program are determined by Pace University and may vary depending on the student's residency status and other factors.

Research Areas

• The Commercial Dance program at Pace University focuses on the practical application of dance techniques, with an emphasis on performance, choreography, and pedagogy.
• Students have the opportunity to engage in research projects and creative endeavors, exploring various aspects of dance and its applications in the industry.