Bachelor of Arts in Dance

Website: https://twu.edu/dance/undergraduate-dance-programs/

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance is designed to provide the undergraduate dance major with a comprehensive liberal arts-based curriculum integrating dance studies with a broad foundation in the humanities and the other arts, as well as in the biological, physical, and social sciences. The goal of the program is to prepare students for dance careers in a variety of artistic and educational settings.

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."

  1. Effectively communicate movement theories, dance science concepts, and pedagogical ideas when observing, teaching, and practicing as a movement specialist and critically responding to others in such situations
  2. Engage in and develop critical thinking utilizing artistic and pedagogical models to create, problem-solve, implement and evaluate such projects as community dance experiences, performance and choreographic projects, presentations, and curriculum planning
  3. Develop interpersonal leadership skills by engaging in cooperative group learning while demonstrating effective social-emotional attributes when planning events and creating projects including dance outreach projects, dance and drill team companies, performance seasons, and fundraising activities

Admissions

All applicants must meet the general undergraduate admission requirements.

In addition to these general requirements, an audition for placement in dance practice classes is required. The placement audition for new students is held the week before classes begin in the fall semester. Students entering in the spring should schedule a placement audition with a dance faculty advisor or the Department Chair.  For additional information about auditions please visit the Division of Dance Placement Assessment Audition website.

Degree Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 120

Major: 60 SCH

Program Code: DANCE.BA;  CIP Code: 50.0301.00

Texas Core Curriculum

ENG 1013Composition I3
ENG 1023Composition II3
Mathematics3
Life & Physical Sciences6
Language, Philosophy, & Culture3
Creative Arts3
HIST 1013History of the United States, 1492-18653
HIST 1023History of the United States, 1865 to the Present3
POLS 2013U.S. National Government3
POLS 2023Texas Government3
Social & Behavioral Sciences3
CAO: Women's Studies3
CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics3
Total SCHs42

Courses Required for Major

Dance/Movement Practices

Students are placed in modern and ballet through a placement audition and technique exams each semester. The student must achieve the minimum competency level, two semesters of Level 3 in modern dance and two semesters of Level 2 in ballet. If a student is placed in the upper levels, they must still complete the required number of technique credits. The ballet/modern technique requirement is fulfilled by meeting the minimum competency level and presenting the required number of credits. Students will register for one or more technique practice courses per semester.  With Chair approval, students may take an additional Summer Dance Intensive to substitute for one Technique Practice credit. Summer Dance Intensives cannot be used to satisfy the Dance Practice competency requirements.

Somatic Practices

DNCE 1091Dance Physical Conditioning/Body Work1
DNCE 1171Bartenieff Fundamentals of Movement1
DNCE 2183Introduction to Movement Analysis and Description3
DNCE 3193Experiential Anatomy for Dancers3
Total SCHs8

Technique Practice

Modern Dance Practice (based on placement audition)8
Elementary Modern Dance I
Elementary Modern Dance II
Intermediate Modern Dance I
Intermediate Modern Dance II
Intermediate/Advanced Modern Dance I
Intermediate/Advanced Modern Dance II
Advanced Modern Dance I
Advanced Modern Dance II
Ballet Practice (based on placement audition)4
Elementary Ballet I
Elementary Ballet II
Intermediate Ballet I
Intermediate Ballet II
Intermediate/Advanced Ballet I
Intermediate/Advanced Ballet II
Urban & Global Dance Practice3
Beginning Urban and Global Dance Practices
Urban and Global Dance Practices
Summer Dance Intensive3
Summer Dance Intensive
Total SCHs18

Dancemaking

Choreography Courses7
Improvisation
Dance Composition
Choreographic Designs
Concert Choreography
Performance Courses9
Beginning Dance Performance (taken two times)
Intermediate Dance Performance (taken two times)
Advanced Dance Performance (taken two times)
Careers in Dance
Total SCHs16

Dance Theory

Dance and Identity9
Dance and Globalization
History of Dance
Contemporary Trends and Issues in Choreography and Performance
Pedagogical Communities9
Theories of Teaching Dance Technique
Dance and Public Practice
Children's Dance
Total SCHs18

Related Studies

The related studies courses are comprised of a coherent set of courses representing one or more areas of study. This set of courses should be related to the dance discipline or the student’s personal, professional, and/or career interests. A 21 SCH minor may be substituted for this 18 SCH Related Studies option. The courses submitted to meet the Related Studies requirement will be determined in consultation with the advisor and must meet the following criteria:

  1. 18 SCH must be submitted to meet the Related Studies requirement.
  2. The definition of a “cohesive set of courses” will be determined in consultation with the student’s advisor.
  3. No more than 6 dance elective SCH may be presented.
  4. At least 6 SCH presented for the Related Studies requirement must be advanced hours (3000 or 4000 levels).

Recommended Plan of Study

First Year
FallTCCNSCHs
DNCE 1091Dance Physical Conditioning/Body Work 1
DNCE 1101Beginning Dance Performance DANC 11511
DNCE 1111Elementary Ballet I 1
DNCE 1151Elementary Modern Dance I 1
DNCE 1191Improvisation DANC 12011
ENG 1013Composition I ENGL 13013
HIST 1013History of the United States, 1492-1865 HIST 13013
UNIV 1231Learning Frameworks: First-Year Seminar EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 13001
Mathematics Core3
 SCHs 15
SpringTCCN
DNCE 1101Beginning Dance Performance DANC 11511
DNCE 1121Elementary Ballet II 1
DNCE 1161Elementary Modern Dance II 1
DNCE 1171Bartenieff Fundamentals of Movement 1
DNCE 2202Dance Composition DANC 13012
ENG 1023Composition II ENGL 13023
HIST 1023History of the United States, 1865 to the Present HIST 13023
Language, Philosophy, & Culture Core3
 SCHs 15
Second Year
FallTCCN
DNCE 2101Intermediate Dance Performance DANC 21511
DNCE 2111Intermediate Ballet I 1
DNCE 2151Intermediate Modern Dance I 1
DNCE 2171Beginning Urban and Global Dance Practices DANC 22471
DNCE 2183Introduction to Movement Analysis and Description 3
DNCE 3292Choreographic Designs 2
POLS 2013U.S. National Government GOVT 23053
Life/Physical Science Core3
 SCHs 15
SpringTCCN
DNCE 2101Intermediate Dance Performance DANC 21511
DNCE 2121Intermediate Ballet II 1
DNCE 2143Dance and Globalization DANC 13053
DNCE 2161Intermediate Modern Dance II 1
DNCE 3191Urban and Global Dance Practices 1
WS 2013Gender and Social Change: An Introduction to Multicultural-Women's Studies 3
POLS 2023Texas Government GOVT 23063
Life/Physical Science Core3
 SCHs 16
Summer 1TCCN
DNCE 3913Summer Dance Intensive 3
 SCHs 3
Third Year
FallTCCN
DNCE 3101Advanced Dance Performance 1
DNCE 3151Intermediate/Advanced Modern Dance I 1
DNCE 3193Experiential Anatomy for Dancers 3
DNCE 3393History of Dance 3
Creative Arts Core3
Wellness CAO Core2
Related Studies3
 SCHs 16
SpringTCCN
DNCE 3161Intermediate/Advanced Modern Dance II 1
DNCE 3191Urban and Global Dance Practices 1
DNCE 3813Theories of Teaching Dance Technique 3
DNCE 4393Contemporary Trends and Issues in Choreography and Performance 3
Related Studies3
Social/Behavioral Science Core 3
 SCHs 14
Fourth Year
FallTCCN
DNCE 3101Advanced Dance Performance 1
DNCE 3151Intermediate/Advanced Modern Dance I 1
DNCE 4182Concert Choreography 2
DNCE 4243Children's Dance 3
Related Studies (Upper Level)3
Related Studies3
 SCHs 13
SpringTCCN
DNCE 3161Intermediate/Advanced Modern Dance II 1
DNCE 4123Dance and Public Practice 3
Related Studies (Upper Level)3
Related Studies3
DNCE 4233Careers in Dance 3
 SCHs 13
 Total SCHs:  120