Master of Fine Arts in Dance
Website: https://twu.edu/dance/graduate-dance-programs/master-of-fine-arts-mfa/
The Master of Fine Arts in Dance program provides students with opportunities to acquire and develop the skills and knowledge necessary to participate significantly in the field of contemporary dance. Through the development, implementation, and expansion of individual artistic vision and goals, the program prepares students to excel in critical engagement while exploring innovative formats, venues, and creative processes as a choreographer, performer, researcher/writer, and arts leader. The M.F.A. program is a 3-year program of study focused on developing an understanding of contemporary dance practices that values individual somatic engagement and diverse approaches to implementing artistic visions in shifting professional landscapes, including the ability to use and adapt a variety of technologies in ways that will expand notions of where and how to reach dance audiences.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Acquire sophisticated analysis and improvisation skills by applying advanced research methods, bodywork techniques, movement analysis, and creative process models, to develop, synthesize and understand complex content, creatively problem solve, manage details, make decisions about abstract information when a problem asks for it.
- Obtain project management skills by developing, planning, managing, and evaluating professional projects that fall within a mission of an organization by using artistic, community, and pedagogical dance models and leading independent dance events, dance companies, and/or arts organizations.
- Cultivate ethical teamwork and cooperative learning skills by applying collaborative dance making models to develop the appropriate personal and professional values and an ability to make sound judgments based on work-related situations in groups.
- Develop interpersonal skills by using movement analysis theories, personal management, and collaborative dance-making models when working with performance groups and producing creative products with teams.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
The academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours Required
63 semester credit hours (SCH), including choreography/performance culminating project and professional paper. The M.F.A. is a three-year course of study.
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Technique (Must be registered for at least one technique course every semester) | ||
| Six credits of either of the following are required | 6 | |
| Techniques in Contemporary Dance I | ||
| Techniques in Contemporary Dance II | ||
| Three additional credits, which may also include | 3 | |
| Advanced Ballet Technique I | ||
| Advanced Ballet Technique II | ||
| Independent Study (Urban Global) | ||
| Choreography & Performance/Creating a Body of Work | ||
| Developing Artistic Vision and Practice: | ||
| DNCE 5211 | Workshop in Dance (Somatic Practices) | 1 |
| DNCE 5232 | Improvisation and Spontaneous Choreography | 2 |
| DNCE 5233 | Workshop in Dance (Guest Artist Residency) | 3 |
| DNCE 5252 | Dance Choreography: Art of Remembering | 2 |
| DNCE 5253 | Artistic Process | 3 |
| DNCE 5262 | Dance in Alternative Venues | 2 |
| DNCE 5272 | Dance Artist as Entrepreneur: Grant Writing and Media Marketing | 2 |
| Implementing Artistic Vision/Practice: | ||
| DNCE 5443 | Independent Dance Making Project (Taken three times.) | 9 |
| DNCE 5453 | Culminating Project I: Project Proposal | 3 |
| DNCE 5463 | Culminating Project II: Rehearsal and Performance | 3 |
| Performance: | ||
| DNCE 5101 | Dance Performance (Taken two times.) | 2 |
| Dance Praxis | ||
| DNCE 5023 | Methods of Research in Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5223 | Historical and Cultural Study of Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5243 | Pedagogical Foundations for Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5433 | Contemporary Contexts of Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5973 | Professional Paper (with Final Oral Presentation) | 3 |
| Electives | 7 | |
| Total SCHs | 63 | |
Special Requirements
Continuation in the program is contingent upon successful completion of the first year review. Students unable to complete either the Culminating Project Proposal or Culminating Project Analysis within two semesters may be dismissed from the program.
Comprehensive Final Examination
Oral examination encompassing academic and artistic aspects of the program. May be repeated once at discretion of the committee.
Special Requirements for all Master’s Degrees
Students are required to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better in all courses applied to the degree. A grade of C or below in any course will not count toward the Master of Arts or Master of Fine Arts degree.
Attendance Requirement
The program requires one summer intensive and two weekend residencies in the Fall and Spring semesters during the coursework. Students should follow the prescribed sequence of courses, and attend all on-campus residencies and meetings. Contact the Department of Dance for the dates of summer intensives and residencies.
Required Sequence of Coursework for Those Starting in Fall of Odd Years
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||
| Fall Odd Years (11 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5023 | Methods of Research in Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5101 | Dance Performance | 1 |
| DNCE 5232 | Improvisation and Spontaneous Choreography | 2 |
| DNCE 5253 | Artistic Process | 3 |
| DNCE 5281 | Advanced Ballet Technique I (or 5911 Independent Study - Urban Global) | 1 |
| DNCE 5301 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance I | 1 |
| Spring Even Years (12 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5101 | Dance Performance | 1 |
| DNCE 5223 | Historical and Cultural Study of Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5311 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance II | 1 |
| DNCE 5443 | Independent Dance Making Project | 3 |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Summer I Even Years (3 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5233 | Workshop in Dance (Guest Artist Residency) | 3 |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall Even Years (10 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5252 | Dance Choreography: Art of Remembering | 2 |
| DNCE 5301 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance I | 1 |
| DNCE 5433 | Contemporary Contexts of Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5911 | Independent Study (Urban Global (or 5281 Advanced Ballet Technique)) | 1 |
| DNCE 5443 | Independent Dance Making Project | 3 |
| Spring Odd Years (13 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5211 | Workshop in Dance (Somatic Practices) | 1 |
| DNCE 5262 | Dance in Alternative Venues | 2 |
| DNCE 5243 | Pedagogical Foundations for Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5311 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance II | 1 |
| DNCE 5443 | Independent Dance Making Project | 3 |
| DNCE 5453 | Culminating Project I: Project Proposal | 3 |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall Odd Years (9 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5281 | Advanced Ballet Technique I (or 5911 Independent Study - Urban Global) | 1 |
| DNCE 5301 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance I | 1 |
| DNCE 5463 | Culminating Project II: Rehearsal and Performance | 3 |
| Electives | 4 | |
| Spring Even Years (6 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5272 | Dance Artist as Entrepreneur: Grant Writing and Media Marketing | 2 |
| DNCE 5311 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance II | 1 |
| DNCE 5973 | Professional Paper | 3 |
| Total SCHs | 63 | |
Required Sequence of Coursework for Those Starting in Fall of Even Years
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||
| Fall Even Years (11 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5023 | Methods of Research in Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5101 | Dance Performance | 1 |
| DNCE 5252 | Dance Choreography: Art of Remembering | 2 |
| DNCE 5281 | Advanced Ballet Technique I (or 5911 Independent Study - Urban Global) | 1 |
| DNCE 5301 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance I | 1 |
| DNCE 5433 | Contemporary Contexts of Dance | 3 |
| Spring Odd Years (10 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5101 | Dance Performance | 1 |
| DNCE 5262 | Dance in Alternative Venues | 2 |
| DNCE 5311 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance II | 1 |
| DNCE 5443 | Independent Dance Making Project | 3 |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Summer I Odd Year (3 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5233 | Workshop in Dance (Guest Artist Residency) | 3 |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall Odd Years (10 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5443 | Independent Dance Making Project | 3 |
| DNCE 5232 | Improvisation and Spontaneous Choreography | 2 |
| DNCE 5301 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance I | 1 |
| DNCE 5911 | Independent Study (Urban Global (or 5281 Advanced Ballet Technique)) | 1 |
| DNCE 5253 | Artistic Process | 3 |
| Spring Even Years (12 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5311 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance II | 1 |
| DNCE 5272 | Dance Artist as Entrepreneur: Grant Writing and Media Marketing | 2 |
| DNCE 5223 | Historical and Cultural Study of Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5443 | Independent Dance Making Project | 3 |
| DNCE 5453 | Culminating Project I: Project Proposal | 3 |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall Even Years (9 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5301 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance I | 1 |
| DNCE 5281 | Advanced Ballet Technique I (or 5911 Independent Study - Urban Global) | 1 |
| DNCE 5463 | Culminating Project II: Rehearsal and Performance | 3 |
| Electives | 4 | |
| Spring Odd Years (8 sch) | ||
| DNCE 5973 | Professional Paper | 3 |
| DNCE 5311 | Techniques in Contemporary Dance II | 1 |
| DNCE 5243 | Pedagogical Foundations for Dance | 3 |
| DNCE 5211 | Workshop in Dance (Somatic Practices) | 1 |
| Total SCHs | 63 | |
