2019-2020 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Dance - Program Description
For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section in this catalog.
In addition to the full-time faculty, several distinguished dance educators with extensive professional experience teach classes on a part-time basis.
Website: www.gvsu.edu/dance
The Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance offers curricula leading to the Bachelor of Arts in music, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, certificate in piano pedagogy, Bachelor of Arts in theatre, Bachelor of Science in theatre, and the Bachelor of Arts in dance. Minors in music, theatre and dance are also offered. These degree programs provide personalized attention, career building opportunities, and professional and extensive training in the various idioms of music, theatre, and dance. In the context of a broad liberal education that fosters critical thinking, creative problem solving, and cultural understanding, these degree programs prepare students well to answer the call of rewarding careers in music, theatre, and dance.
The B.A. in dance provides students extensive training to develop and refine techniques in various idioms of dance. Students develop their abilities through a wide range of courses combining practical and theoretical skills that emphasize critical thought and growth as an artist. The department encourages collaboration across disciplines and provides opportunities to explore innovative areas in dance history, theory, dance and technology, choreography, pedagogy, anatomy and physiology, and production. We highlight performance opportunities in the work of world-renowned guest artists, maintain currency in the dance community at large, and graduate informed members of the dance community. Class sizes are small and offer each student individual attention from dance faculty.
Admission
Participation in the dance program is by audition only. An audition schedule and application form can be found at www.gvsu.edu/dance/. When considerable geographical distance prevents a personal audition, the applicant may, with the permission of the program, submit a DVD or link to online video containing ballet barre and center classroom work and modern or jazz center classroom work along with a resume. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of individual talent and potential, and are renewable annually if performance and academic standards are maintained. Auditions will consist of a ballet technique class, a modern technique class, performance of a short solo, and meeting with the faculty.
The following programs are available: