Dance Program

The dance program emphasizes the study of dance as an independent and collaborative art and as a global phenomenon expressed in a wide variety of contemporary and traditional forms. You may major in dance or minor in modern dance, ballet, or world music, dance and theatre. Course topics include dance history and ethnology, theory and techniques of modern dance and ballet, composition, improvisation, applied anatomy, music resources, somatic practices, jazz, musical theatre, and world dance forms such as West African and bharata natyam.

One of the dance program's greatest strengths is its faculty, distinguished by its accessibility and the broad range of experience and interests reflected in its work. Dance seminars and studio courses are limited in numbers to facilitate individual attention. All full time faculty have both academic credentials and background as professional dancer-choreographers. They choreograph for WU students as well as for professional colleagues and pursue specific research interests such as somatics, African diasporic dance forms, ballet pedagogy, and contemporary and traditional Asian dance. In addition, distinguished award-winning guest artists visit campus to teach master classes and set choreography on students. The Margaret Marcus Residency and the Worseck Dance Fund also bring guest artists as teachers and choreographers. Recent artists have included Liz Lerman, Alonzo King, Diadie Bathily and alumnus David Dorfman.

The Washington University Dance Theatre (WUDT) provides opportunities for you to perform in works choreographed by faculty and guest artists. Each year the dance program selects a work from WUDT and a student-choreographed dance to be adjudicated at the regional American College Dance Conference. Participation in ACDC is open, too, to students who are not performing adjudicated dances.

Graduates of the dance program have gone on to top graduate schools and to careers in professional dance, dance education, and dance related fields such as arts management and physical therapy. Students interested in the dance major should inquire about the Worseck Dance Scholarship.