Dance, BFA

This is the first version of the 2024–25 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program provides students with a conservatory-like studio experience that is enriched by studies in the liberal arts and sciences. Students train daily in concert movement practices and are afforded ample opportunities to perform in faculty and student creative research and to produce their own choreographic works in the department’s concert season. A preprofessional degree, the BFA in dance establishes a strong foundation for creative and intellectual development and cultivates multiple approaches to dance, career, and citizenship. Studies in movement practices, performance, and choreography are complemented by courses in improvisation, dance history and theory, multicultural movement practices, global dance studies, digital performing arts, kinesiology, pedagogy, and community engagement.

Auditions for BFA Admission

An audition is required to be considered for the BFA program, as well as for placement in ballet and contemporary movement practice course and for consideration for scholarships. For incoming first-year students, a short supplemental application is required as well as an audition in person or by video. Visit Undergraduate Applications on the Department of Dance website for more information about the first-year admissions process.

Students auditioning for the BFA will be required to perform a two-minute solo on audition day or send a video through their supplemental application. The solo may be self-choreographed or be choreographed by someone else, usually a teacher or mentor.

Current BA students in dance may apply for the BFA during the spring semester of their sophomore year. 

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

  • achieve proficiency in contemporary concert dance movement practices while developing stylistic versatility, expressive range, and efficient body mechanics;
  • learn to think critically about the historical, cultural, and social contexts of dance as an art form and cultural practice while developing strong writing skills and effective oral expression;
  • master formal compositional elements and improvisational techniques toward the creation of original choreographic work, and learn to articulate and render their creative intentions with clarity, with opportunities to present these works in public performances;
  • acquire performance skills, such as interpretation, expressivity, physical agility, and refinement, by participating in auditions, rehearsals, and studio and public performances;
  • acquire knowledge of anatomical and kinesiological principles and injury prevention for effective dance training and career longevity; and
  • attain an understanding of digital arts tools currently practiced in contemporary dance.