Dance (BFA)

https://musicanddance.uoregon.edu/dance

The goal of the department is to provide comprehensive dance training within the liberal arts framework of the university. The study of dance involves intellectual, artistic, and physical development. The Department of Dance emphasizes all three areas of growth, a commitment made possible by the breadth of its curricular offerings and the depth of faculty expertise. In addition to the academic components, dance students experience the rigorous professional discipline that is inherent in studio classes. The department explores diverse idioms in dance: African dance and drumming, ballet, contact improvisation, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, modern, partnering, and Salsa.

Regardless of a student’s career goals, education in dance at the University of Oregon provides the opportunity to develop motivation and self-discipline, intellectual curiosity, and creative imagination. These attributes are essential not only for a successful career but also for experiencing a fulfilling life.

Program's Admission Requirements

Please visit the program's website.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Synthesize approaches to dance through immersion in multiple dance forms, performance, creative practice, and theory.
• Contextualize and understand dance from philosophical and cultural perspectives.
• Cultivate awareness and responsibility as a global dance citizen.
• Engage in music, science and somatics, history and culture, pedagogy and production of dance.
• Communicate about dance through writing, speaking, embodied practice, and creative inquiry.

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Courses required for a dance major must be taken for letter grades when that option is available. A grade of P must be earned in courses designated pass/no pass (P/N) only.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance

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18 credits minimum in upper division. 6 courses minimum per idiom in DANC.

All courses listed are required unless noted as Electives e.g. DANC 199 Special Studies: Topic, DANC 399 Special Studies: Topic, and DAN 410 Loft.

All Technique courses must be taken in sequence.  Students can test out of a level through a Placement Class, but must meet the same number of credits in the dance Technique category in that same idiom e.g. African, or Ballet etc.  
Performance courses; DAN 480 Dance Repertory, DAN 481 Repertory Company: Rehearsal, and DAN 482 Repertory Company: Touring must be taken in that sequence.  
The Creative Practices must be taken in sequence in this order; DANC 171 Dance Improvisation, DANC 271 Contact Improvisation, DAN 351 Dance Composition 1, DAN 352 Dance Composition 2, DAN 452 Dance Composition 3, and DAN 412 Student Concert.  
There is some flexibility within the Theory courses, but the following courses must be taken in sequence (*see Course-to-Course Pre-requisites listed previously):
History and Culture; DAN 251 Looking at Dance is a pre-requisite for DAN 453 Dance and Power and DAN 454 Contemporary Issues in Dance,
Science and Somatics; DAN 260 Anatomy of Human Movement is a pre-requisite for DAN 360 Dance Kinesiology,
Music; DAN 252 Fundamentals of Rhythm is a pre-requisite for DAN 458 Music for Dancers,  
Production; DAN 255 Dance Production 1 is a pre-requisite for DAN 355 Dance Production 2.

No tracks or concentrations.

Electives:  BFA in Dance majors can take DANC 199 and DANC 399 Special Studies: Topic, which might include dance techniques outside the core curriculum e.g. hip-hop, Salsa, Partnering, Pointe, or Conditioning.  They can also take DAN 410 Loft, where they choreograph for semi-formal live performances offered twice per year under a faculty mentor.  BFA in Dance students will also be provided a recommended list of elective course options outside the Dance department in such areas as; Music, Art, Theatre, Women and Gender Studies, and Journalism.