Audition Requirements  |  Skills  |  Careers  |  PDF Version

The B.F.A. with a major in Dance prepares students for a broad range of opportunities including performance, choreography, teaching, arts administration, and dance/movement therapy.  The Dance program at VSU offers numerous productions throughout the year, providing students with significant performance and choreography experience.  Graduates learn a host of life skills including collaboration, working to deadlines, self-discipline, patience, perseverance, analytical skills, and critical thinking.

Core IMPACTS (See VSU Core Curriculum) .......................... 42 hours
*Dance students are advised to take either THEA 1100 or DANC 1500 in Arts, Humanities, & Ethics area.

Core curriculum Area F...................................... 18 hours

  • THEA 1100 Theatre Appreciation[1] (3 hours)
  • DANC 1500 Introduction to Dance1 (3 hour)
  • THEA 1000 Voice and Diction (3 hours)
  • THEA 2730 Introduction to Theatrical Makeup, Wig, and Costume Technology (2 hours)
  • DANC 1610 Ballet I (2 hours)
  • DANC 1700 Contemporary Dance I (2 hours)
  • DANC 2800 Jazz Dance I (2 hours)
  • DANC 2920 Dance Improvisation (1 hour)

Senior Core Curriculum......................................... 60 hours

  • THEA 2750 Basic Technical Theatre and Stage Lighting (3 hours)
  • DANC 2600 Ballet II (3 hours)
  • DANC 2700 Contemporary Dance II (3 hours)
  • DANC 3600 Ballet III or DANC 3700 Contemporary Dance III (3 hours)
  • DANC 3800 Jazz Dance II (3 hours)
  • DANC 4800 Jazz Dance III (3 hours)
  • DANC 1900 Tap Dance I or DANC 3490 Aerial Dance Arts or DANC 3950 Dance for Camera (2 hours) 
  • DANC 2910 Social Dance (1 hour) 
  • DANC 3500 Dance Pedagogy (3 hours)
  • DANC 3000 Dance Composition (3 hours)
  • DANC 3100 Choreography (3 hours)
  • DANC 3410 Dance History (3 hours)
  • DANC 3200 Dance Ensemble (3 hours, 1 credit each)
  • DANC 3420 Music Analysis for Dancers (2 hours)
  • DANC 4010 Dance Kinesiology (3 hours)
  • DANC 4020 Conditioning and Wellness for Dance (2 hours)
  • DANC 4600 Ballet IV or DANC 4700 Contemporary IV (3 hours)
  • DANC 4790 Dance Portfolio and Resume Presentation (2 hours)
  • Guided Electives in DANC (6 hours)
  • Guided Electives (6 hours)

Total Hours in Major.............................................. 78 hours

Total Hours in Program........................................ 120 hours

Audition Requirements

All students who intend to pursue the B.F.A. with a major in Dance must audition for the purpose of admission into the program. Auditions are regularly hosted on campus, across the region, and at national professional conferences.

GPA Requirements  

Students entering the University directly from high school must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or better on all course work undertaken in order to continue as Dance majors. If in any given semester a student's overall GPA falls below 2.0, the student will have one semester (fall or spring) to bring it back up to or above 2.0. If the overall GPA remains below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters, the student will be requested to change majors. Any student who fails to respond to that request will automatically be transferred to an undeclared major status.

Students who enter the University as transfer students who wish to continue a major in Dance must have a GPA of at least 2.0 on all course work undertaken. Upon acceptance as a major, a student must maintain an overall 2.0 GPA as described above.

Students changing majors from another program within the University must also have at least a 2.0 overall GPA to transfer to the Dance major, and they will be subject to the same maintenance requirements already described.

Skills you will learn

As a major in the Dance program you will:

  • learn critical thinking, problem-solving, planning and organization.
  • work with deadlines.
  • learn teamwork.
  • develop perseverance, self-discipline, and patience while developing physical stamina and creative abilities.
  • receive formal training in multiple dance disciplines.
  • develop a broad understanding of music, literature, history, and other arts to help interpret ideas and feelings in dance.
  • develop an understanding of music, costuming, and staging.

Sample careers for Dance graduates

Employment opportunities for Dance graduates include:

  • Performer (e.g., dance companies, theatre, cruise ships, resorts, casinos, theme parks)
  • Choreographer
  • Teaching
  • Arts Management
  • Promotion and Event Planning
  • Public Relations
  • Dance Sciences
  • Dance Therapy

 

 

[1] If students take THEA 1100 or DANC 1500 in Area C of the Core Curriculum, they should take another Area C elective here.