Master of Fine Arts in Dance
with an Emphasis in Choreography
(11.5 semester course credits, 8 at the graduate level)

Choreography and performance/choreography students will have their track confirmed by the faculty after one semester of observation.

Students selected for the choreography track will choreograph a substantial work to be presented at the end of the first year of study.

Prerequisites:

Intermediate-level modern dance technique upon admission.

The following prerequisites may be taken concurrently with other course work if not already completed elsewhere.

DNC 133 Dance Kinesiology (1)

DNC 157 Music for the Dancer (1)

DNC 159 Dance Production (.25)

DNC 181 Solo Choreography (.5)

Students who have had a music for dance course must take the rhythmic exemption exam.

Required:

Choreography (2.5 course credits; each course may be taken only once for credit):

DNC 282 Group Choreography (.5)

DNC 285 Sources and Inventions (.5)

DNC 286 Contemporary Choreography: Stylistic and Contextual Investigations (1)

DNC 297 Ideas about Space (.5)

History/Theory (2 course credits):

DNC 265 Modern to Contemporary Performance: History, Theory, and Practice (1)

DNC 288 Critical Acts: Dancing Strategies, Theories, and Contexts (1)

Performance (.5 course credit):

DNC 152 Repertory Dance Lab (.5)

Choreography students must participate in other student choreographic projects with the approval of the faculty.

Technique (2.5 course credits):

All students must take four semesters of modern technique, five class sessions per week. Students must also take two semesters of ballet or one semester of ballet and one semester of somatic arts.

Note: .25 credit equals two technique class sessions per week; .5 credit equals four or five class sessions per week.

DNC 101 Elementary Ballet (.25)

DNC 103 Intermediate Ballet (.25)

DNC 107 Intermediate Modern Dance (.5)

DNC 109 Advanced Modern Dance (.5)

DNC 113 Somatic Arts (.25)

Thesis (2 course credits):

DNC 250A Thesis: Research Project (.5)

DNC 250B Thesis: Writing (.5)

DNC 250C Thesis: Concert (.5)

NOTE: DNC 250A is taken in spring semester of first year. DNC 250B is taken in fall semester of second year. DNC 250C must be taken twice, fall semester second year for .5 credit and spring semester second year for .5 credit.

And select one or more graduate electives or upper-division course credits for a total of 2 credits from the following list with at least one course chosen from DNC 291 or above. (Electives in other fine art departments, with approval from dance faculty, may apply.)

DNC 174 Ballet History from the 16th Through the 19th Centuries (.5–1)

DNC 176 Dance Cultures (1)

DNC 179 Laban Studies (.5)

DNC 231 Dance on Camera (.5)

DNC 243 Independent Project (.5–1)

DNC 253 Theory of Teaching Dance (.5)

DNC 254 Laboratory Teaching of Dance (.5)

DNC 255A Repertory Dance Company (.5)

DNC 270 Seminar in Interdisciplinary Collaboration (.5–1)

DNC 284 Choreographic Project (.5)

DNC 291 Early Modern Women: Western Dance Pioneers (.5–1)

DNC 293 Contemporary Issues in Choreography (.5–1)

DNC 296 Live and Media Performance (.5–1)

DNC 298 Dance Theatre in Traditional and Contemporary Performing Arts (.5–1)