Program Overview

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Dance, Master of Fine Arts

The Master of Fine Arts program in dance offers subprograms in choreography or performance. Students must first complete the online application and then be selected to interview and audition to be considered for admission.

Learning Outcomes

• Movement expertise: achieve professional-level expertise in contemporary movement practices and techniques as a means to advanced, body-based creative research and teaching.
• Creative research: establish individualized creative research trajectories that couple dance theories and practices and foster coherent aesthetic points of view in both scholarly and performative contexts.
• Communication: demonstrate skilled communication through artistic process and product, and through verbal, written, digital, pedagogical, and emerging artistic forms.
• Artistic citizenship: understand and develop the combined artistic, social, and organizational skills of the artist-citizen who, in humane ways, contributes to the local, national, and global dialogues about dance and contemporary culture, and to the evolution of the professional field.
• Career readiness and sustainability: understand the diverse and ever-changing nature of the field of dance and develop the relevant agility to hold significant roles in a sustained, lifelong career.

Program Requirements

The Master of Fine Arts in dance requires a minimum of 60 s.h. of graduate credit. The program is designed to be completed in four to six semesters in residence. Students must maintain a graduate college program grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.00.

Dance Core

A total of 29 s.h. of core coursework is required.

• DANC:4060: The Contemporary Dance Scene (3 hours)
• DANC:5060: Theories of Dance and the Body (3 hours)
• DANC:5545: Teaching Dance in Higher Education (3 hours)
• DANC:5880/THTR:5880: Installations and Interactive Performance (3 hours)
• DANC:6050: Graduate Improvisation II (3 hours)
• DANC:6060: Graduate Seminar in Dance (3 hours)
• DANC:6350: Graduate Choreography III (3 hours)
• DANC:7990: Thesis (taken once for 8 s.h.) (8 hours)

Movement Practices and Extended Techniques

Students in the choreography subprogram complete 7 s.h. and students in the performance subprogram complete 14 s.h. from the courses listed below. Performance subprogram students must satisfy at least half (7 s.h.) of their movement practice coursework in the ballet and contemporary movement practice curriculum (courses ending in 30 for ballet and 40 for contemporary movement).

• DANC:3030: Major Ballet I (1-3 hours)
• DANC:3040: Major Contemporary Movement Practices I (1-3 hours)
• DANC:3851/MUS:3851: Introduction to the Alexander Technique (3 hours)
• DANC:3852: Introduction to the Feldenkrais Method: Posture, Perception, and Pain Relief (3 hours)
• DANC:3853: Introduction to Klein Technique (3 hours)
• DANC:4034: Ballet Pointe (3 hours)
• DANC:5085: Graduate African Caribbean Dance Practices (3 hours)
• DANC:5530: Graduate Majors Ballet II (1-3 hours)
• DANC:5540: Graduate Contemporary Movement Practices II (1-3 hours)
• DANC:6030: Graduate Majors Ballet III (1-3 hours)
• DANC:6040: Graduate Contemporary Movement Practices III (1-3 hours)
• DANC:6540: Graduate Contemporary Movement Practices IV (1-3 hours)
• DANC:7550: Graduate Contemporary Movement Practicum (2-3 hours)
• DANC:7560: Graduate Ballet Technique Practicum (2-3 hours)

Choreography Subprogram

Choreography students complete 12 s.h. in the following courses.

• DANC:6450: Graduate Choreography IV (3 hours)
• DANC:6990: Graduate Independent Projects (taken three times for 3 s.h. each) (9 hours)

Performance Subprogram

Performance subprogram students complete 14 s.h. in the following courses.

• DANC:5055: Embodying Voice/Performing Persona (3 hours)
• DANC:6990: Graduate Independent Projects (taken twice for 3 s.h. each) (6 hours)
  • At least 5 s.h. from these:
    • DANC:3885: Repertory Dance Company (1-3 hours)
    • DANC:6880: Dance Gala Performance (1-4 hours)
    • DANC:6881: Graduate Concert (arr.)
    • DANC:6882: Graduate/Undergraduate Concert (1-4 hours)
    • DANC:6883: Faculty/Graduate Concert (1-4 hours)
    • DANC:6884: Undergraduate Event (1-4 hours)
    • DANC:6885: MFA Thesis Concert (1-4 hours)
    • DANC:6887: MFA Event (1-2 hours)
    • DANC:6888: Special Project Student Performance (arr.)
    • DANC:6889: Graduate Performance Credit (1-3 hours)

Electives

Choreography students complete 12 s.h. of electives; performance students complete 3 s.h. of electives. Electives may be selected from dance courses (prefix DANC) numbered 3000 or above, excluding DANC:4880–DANC:4980 and DANC:7990 Thesis; this may include additional courses in the requirement areas listed above. Electives are chosen in consultation with the student's advisor; courses in other departments numbered 3000 or above may be approved.

Admission

Admission is based on a review of submitted choreographic and performance work, letters of recommendation, transcripts, teaching application, statement of purpose, and curriculum vitae. Selected applicants participate in an interview and audition which includes a solo dance, a teaching audition, and when possible, an on-campus visit that includes advanced classes in ballet and contemporary movement practices to determine class placement level.

Career Advancement

Graduates establish successful, professional careers as professors in higher education and as dance-makers and artistic directors, performers in regional and national companies, writers who contribute to knowledge in the field, and teachers for the next generation of dancers.

Sample Plans

Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor.

Choreography Subprogram

• First Year:
  • Fall:
    • DANC:5060: Theories of Dance and the Body (3 hours)
    • DANC:6050: Graduate Improvisation II (3 hours)
    • DANC:6350: Graduate Choreography III (3 hours)
    • DANC:6990: Graduate Independent Projects (3 hours)
  • Spring:
    • DANC:6060: Graduate Seminar in Dance (3 hours)
    • DANC:6450: Graduate Choreography IV (3 hours)
    • DANC:6990: Graduate Independent Projects (3 hours)
    • Elective course (3 hours)
• Second Year:
  • Fall:
    • DANC:4060: The Contemporary Dance Scene (3 hours)
    • DANC:5545: Teaching Dance in Higher Education (3 hours)
    • DANC:6990: Graduate Independent Projects (3 hours)
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (1 hour)
  • Spring:
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (3 hours)
    • Elective course (3 hours)
    • Elective course (3 hours)
• Third Year:
  • Fall:
    • DANC:5880: Installations and Interactive Performance (3 hours)
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (2 hours)
    • Elective course (3 hours)
  • Spring:
    • DANC:7990: Thesis (8 hours)
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (1 hour)
    • Exam: Master's Final Exam

Performance Subprogram

• First Year:
  • Fall:
    • DANC:5060: Theories of Dance and the Body (3 hours)
    • DANC:6050: Graduate Improvisation II (3 hours)
    • DANC:6350: Graduate Choreography III (3 hours)
    • DANC:6990: Graduate Independent Projects (3 hours)
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (1 hour)
  • Spring:
    • DANC:5055: Embodying Voice/Performing Persona (3 hours)
    • DANC:6060: Graduate Seminar in Dance (3 hours)
    • DANC:6990: Graduate Independent Projects (3 hours)
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (2 hours)
    • Performance course (1 hour)
• Second Year:
  • Fall:
    • DANC:4060: The Contemporary Dance Scene (3 hours)
    • DANC:5545: Teaching Dance in Higher Education (3 hours)
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (3 hours)
  • Spring:
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (3 hours)
    • Performance course (3 hours)
    • Elective course (3 hours)
• Third Year:
  • Fall:
    • DANC:5880: Installations and Interactive Performance (3 hours)
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (4 hours)
    • Performance course (1 hour)
  • Spring:
    • Movement Practices and Extended Techniques course (1 hour)
    • DANC:7990: Thesis (8 hours)
    • Exam: Master's Final Exam

Total Hours: 60 hours.