Dance is a vibrant and dynamic art form that transcends cultures and generations. Whether you’re taking your first steps onto the dance floor or aiming to refine your professional technique, understanding the diverse world of dance education is crucial. This guide explores a range of dance disciplines, from introductory appreciation courses to advanced technique and pedagogy, providing a roadmap for your dance journey.
Exploring the World of Dance: Appreciation and Foundations
For those new to dance, DANC 1110G Dance Appreciation offers a broad introduction to the multifaceted world of dance. This course delves into the historical evolution of dance, the roles of dancers, choreographers, and audiences, and the diverse genres that make up the global dance landscape. You’ll gain foundational knowledge of dance technique, history, and aesthetics, learning to articulate the significant place of dance in society and critically analyze various dance works. This course enriches your understanding of dance as an aesthetic and social practice, fostering an appreciation for its role as a nonverbal expression across cultures and historical periods. It encourages you to use dance as a lens to consider contemporary issues and diverse modes of thought.
Moving into practical application, DANC 1130 Ballet I is the perfect starting point for aspiring ballet dancers. This course focuses on the fundamental techniques of ballet, building a strong foundation in flexibility, strength, body alignment, and coordination. You will learn essential ballet vocabulary and develop musicality, applying classical ballet placement and proper alignment theories. The course enhances your kinesthetic awareness and range of motion, enabling you to execute basic ballet movements and combinations with increasing proficiency.
DANC 1131 Introduction to Ballroom Dance opens the door to the elegant and social world of ballroom dancing. This introductory course covers the fundamentals of ballroom technique, including posture, movement vocabulary, and partnering skills. You’ll be introduced to steps and dances from the American Smooth and International Standard styles, learning to execute basic figures and understand the techniques specific to these forms. The course emphasizes developing style, performance quality, and musicality, enhancing your physical capabilities and movement memory while fostering an appreciation for ballroom dance as both an art form and a discipline.
For those drawn to the passionate rhythms of Latin dance, DANC 1220 Introduction to Latin Social Dance provides a dynamic entry point. You’ll learn the foundational techniques of Latin social dance, including carriage, common movement vocabulary, and partnering, exploring steps and dances from the American Rhythm and International Latin styles. This course focuses on executing basic figures in various Latin dances, understanding the elements of technique, and developing style and performance quality. It improves physical capability, musicality, and movement memory, cultivating an appreciation for Latin dance as an engaging art form and discipline.
Stepping into Specialized Dance Styles
Expanding your dance horizons, DANC 1135 Introduction to Argentine Tango immerses you in the captivating world of tango. This course introduces the fundamentals of Argentine Tango technique, encompassing posture, movement vocabulary, and partnering, alongside exploring the rich history and culture of this dance form. You will learn to execute basic tango figures, understand the nuances of technique, and develop style and performance quality. The course emphasizes the cultural and historical context of tango as a global dance form, enhancing physical capability, musicality, and movement memory, and nurturing an appreciation for tango’s artistic and disciplined nature.
DANC 1140 Flamenco I invites you to explore the fiery artistry of flamenco. This course introduces the cultural significance and features of flamenco, teaching fundamental techniques and skills, including handwork, footwork, postures, and specific flamenco dances. You will develop competency in alignment, coordination, rhythm, and phrasing, demonstrating fundamental flamenco techniques and movement vocabulary. The course allows you to perform various flamenco movements and combinations, building a basic level of proficiency in this expressive dance style.
For a contemporary approach, DANC 1150 Modern Dance I delves into the techniques and styles of modern dance. This course introduces proper warm-up techniques, body alignment, control, and flexibility, working with diverse rhythms and movement combinations. Emphasizing both technique and creative exploration, the course also discusses the history, terminology, and philosophy of modern dance. You will develop muscle control, strength, balance, and coordination, demonstrating an increased awareness of modern dance techniques and musicality while creatively applying these techniques in dance phrases.
Exploring further social dance forms, DANC 1185 Introduction to Country Western Dance provides a fun and energetic introduction to country western styles. You’ll learn the fundamentals of technique and several popular dances, including the Country Western Two-Step, Nightclub Two-Step, Polka, and Line Dance. The course focuses on executing basic figures in these dances, understanding the elements of technique, and developing style and performance quality. It enhances physical capability, musicality, and movement memory, fostering an appreciation for Country Western dance as both an art form and a social discipline.
DANC 1235 Introduction to West Coast Swing Dance introduces the smooth and improvisational style of West Coast Swing. This course covers the fundamentals of technique in West Coast Swing and Hustle, including basic steps, partnering, and musical forms. You’ll learn to execute basic figures in both dance styles, understand the techniques involved, and develop style and performance quality. The course enhances physical capability, musicality, and movement memory, cultivating an appreciation for Swing dance as an engaging art form and discipline.
DANC 2157 Hip-Hop Dance dives into the dynamic and culturally rich world of hip-hop dance. This course explores the relationship between hip-hop dance and other aspects of hip-hop culture, including music and media, emphasizing creativity, individuality, and expression. You may explore street styles, breaking, and regional forms, learning the fundamentals of various hip-hop dance techniques and vocabulary. The course contextualizes the history and cultural aspects of hip-hop dance, fostering appreciation for it as an art form and discipline while improving physical capability, musicality, and movement memory.
Advancing Your Dance Technique and Skills
Building upon foundational ballet skills, DANC 2130 Ballet II marks the intermediate level of ballet technique. This course introduces more advanced ballet vocabulary at the barre and center, further developing flexibility, strength, body alignment, and coordination. You’ll practice steps and combinations with variations in timing and changes of facing, enhancing your technical accuracy and preparing you for higher levels of ballet training.
Similarly, DANC 2150 Modern Dance II is designed to advance your abilities in modern dance technique. This intermediate course focuses on efficient use of weight and momentum, releasing held patterns in body mechanics, and enriching spatial awareness. You’ll begin working on performance techniques, improving accuracy in alignment and shape, precision in space and timing, and the ability to learn combinations quickly. The course encourages a concentrated attitude and creative mindset, fostering self-awareness and mindfulness in your dance practice.
DANC 2270 Dance Improvisation introduces the vital practice of improvisation in dance. Focusing on play and discovery, this course explores methods for generating movement and unlocking the communicative potential of the body in motion. You’ll learn core concepts in body, effort, shape, space, kinesthetic response, and contact, connecting improvisation principles to modern dance technique. The course enhances your movement vocabulary and immediacy of presence, both physically and mentally, fostering confident improvisation skills individually and in groups.
DANC 2460 Dance for Musical Theatre specifically supplements dance technique curriculum to support the study of musical theatre. This course explores various social, world, and theatrical dance forms, learning selections from iconic choreography and experiencing mock dance auditions. You’ll develop dance composition skills for musical theatre repertory, participating successfully in diverse dance techniques and styles beyond basic disciplines. The course contextualizes musical theatre history through exposure to significant choreography and choreographers, enhancing musicality, movement memory, and audition skills while appreciating musical theatre dance as an art form and discipline.
Deepening Expertise in Dance Sport and Styles
For those specializing in dance sport, a sequence of courses offers progressive skill development. DANC 2310 Bronze American Rhythm, DANC 2311 Bronze American Smooth, DANC 2320 Bronze International Latin, and DANC 2321 Bronze International Standard each focus on Bronze level patterns, techniques, and partnering in their respective styles. These courses emphasize elements of dance, rhythmic accuracy, and lead-follow skills, building a deeper understanding of dance elements and preparing students for more advanced levels.
Advancing further, DANC 3310 Silver American Rhythm, DANC 3311 Silver American Smooth, DANC 3320 Silver International Latin, and DANC 3321 Silver International Standard build upon the Bronze level, focusing on Silver level patterns and techniques with increased emphasis on performance. These courses enhance advanced dance sport skills, progressing technique towards Gold level and mastery in various dance sport styles.
Reaching the pinnacle of dance sport technique, DANC 4310 Gold American Rhythm, DANC 4311 Gold American Smooth, DANC 4320 Gold International Latin, and DANC 4321 Gold International Standard provide advanced level training, completing syllabus figures through the Gold level. These courses emphasize choreography, performance, and competition dancing, focusing on physical and cognitive mastery of technique, high-level performance ability, musicality, and choreography.
Exploring Dance Pedagogy, History, and Somatics
DANC 3110 DanceSport Pedagogy: Smooth is designed for aspiring professional ballroom dance instructors. This course focuses on developing teaching skills and technical mastery of Bronze level figures in American Smooth ballroom dances. You’ll gain practical teaching experience through group class instruction practicums, exploring teaching philosophies and learning styles to become a successful dance instructor.
DANC 3350 Dance Pedagogy I broadens the scope of dance education, discussing human development, body patterning, teaching methods, and educational values in creative movement and dance technique. This course explores how dance aids physical, cognitive, and emotional development, addressing sociological and developmental factors in lesson planning. You’ll practice basic dance class structures, develop lesson plans, and begin formulating a personal philosophy of education for effective and ethical teaching practices.
DANC 4250 Dance Pedagogy II delves deeper into dance pedagogy, focusing on technique and professional preparation, including dance studio management. This advanced course applies somatic and anatomical principles, diverse teaching methods, and business planning for dance education. Outside field experience in teaching is required, enhancing your theoretical and practical understanding of dance pedagogy and preparing you to run a dance school as a business.
Understanding the historical and cultural contexts of dance is crucial, and DANC 3610 Dance History provides a comprehensive survey from ancient Greece to the 21st century. This course emphasizes the development of dance as a theatrical art form, particularly ballet and modern dance in Europe, Russia, and the U.S. You’ll learn to critically analyze choreography and performance, articulate informed viewpoints on dance works, and understand how history shapes contemporary dance practices.
DANC 3510V World Dance offers a cross-cultural perspective, examining the role of dance in diverse cultures globally. This course explores dance as a form of non-verbal communication, understanding its social importance and its role in expressing cultural identities, roles, and values. You’ll develop the ability to discuss and compare dance forms across cultures and recognize the influence of other art forms, religions, and political climates on cultural identity.
DANC 3710 Somatics and Anatomy of Movement combines the study of human anatomy and physiology with somatic principles to enhance dance movement. This course addresses body connectivity, efficiency, and physical capability, exploring bones, muscles, and joints and their impact on kinesthetic ability. You’ll integrate somatic principles into your artistic practice, understand wellness and injury prevention, and apply this knowledge to dance pedagogy.
Choreography, Technology, and Performance
DANC 3265 Principles of Choreography I introduces the foundational tools of dance composition, starting with improvisation and exploring body, space, time, energy, and design elements. This course builds upon improvisation concepts, connecting them to composition and modern dance technique. You’ll develop a constantly expanding movement vocabulary, recognize the basic components of dance composition, and develop communication skills to articulate and defend artistic choices.
DANC 4265 Principles of Choreography II advances your choreographic skills, exploring new methods of generating movement, delving into language, rhythmic and musical studies, and sources of inspiration. This course guides you to integrate technical and theatrical elements into choreography, considering the relationship between artistic work and personal and social values. You’ll create increasingly complex contemporary work, deepen your understanding of the choreographic process as meaning-making, and articulate artistic choices reflective of personal values.
DANC 3720 Dance, Technology, and Design explores the integration of technology into the creative process, focusing on graphic design and filmmaking projects. You’ll learn fundamentals of photography, publicity design, sound editing, film documentation of live dance, and Dance for the Camera, using software like Photoshop and Final Cut. This course enhances your ability to promote your work in the digital age and broaden the capabilities of your creative work through technology.
Performance opportunities are vital for dancers, and DANC 3114 DanceSport Ensemble and DANC 3250 Contemporary Dance Ensemble offer involvement in performance ensembles. These courses provide rehearsal and performance experience, including participation in dance concerts and festivals. You’ll collaborate in creating dance works, participate in concert production, and apply your developing dance skills to culminating performance experiences, enhancing artistry, energy, and stage presence.
Advanced Studies and Capstone Experiences
DANC 3130 Ballet III and DANC 3150 Modern Dance III represent advanced levels of technique in ballet and modern dance, respectively. These courses expect a high level of technical accomplishment, artistry, and professionalism. You’ll achieve greater clarity of line, mastery of alignment, control, and efficiency, delve into complex movement concepts, and enhance improvisation skills, demonstrating advanced physical and artistic achievement.
DANC 4610 DanceSport Certification Preparation is designed to prepare students for professional certification exams in dance sport. This intensive course enriches dancing and teaching skills, expanding career opportunities for dance teachers. You’ll prepare for DVIDA and/or ISTD exams in Smooth, Rhythm, Standard, or Latin dances, depending on the course offered.
DANC 4710 Senior Project serves as a capstone to your undergraduate dance study. You’ll select a research topic to inform a choreographic or pedagogical project, integrating academic and creative components. This project synthesizes your dance technique, performance, pedagogy, and choreography knowledge, connecting academic research to creative processes. You’ll demonstrate a reinforced understanding of dance as an art form and present a professional portfolio appropriate for a dance artist.
DANC 4266 Advanced Independent Projects, DANC 4996 Special Topics, and DANC 4997 Problems offer opportunities for independent work, exploring specific subjects, or addressing problems in dance education, pedagogy, or performance under faculty guidance. These courses allow you to broaden expertise in specific areas of dance and engage in self-driven learning and research.
Embark on your dance education journey and explore the diverse and enriching world of dance, from appreciation to advanced professional training. Discover your passion and refine your skills in this captivating art form.
