SCHOOL OF DANCE

Undergraduate School of Dance

COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS

Interim Chair: Ansje Burdick; Associate Chair: Russell Sandifer; Professors: Atkins, Farrell, Glenn, Goldman, Sandifer, Welsh, Zollar; Associate Professors: Ishangi, Love, Rhynard, Schwadron, Welliver; Assistant Professors: Malianga, Mitchell, Smith; Wilkes; Associate in Research: Burdick; Instructional Specialist II: Davis-Craig; Specialized Faculty: Hunter; Emeriti: Austin, Davis, Fichter, Houlihan, McCullough, Morgan, Phillips, Sommer, Wagoner, Young

Introduction

The School of Dance offers work leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in dance. The mission of the Florida State University School of Dance is to provide an environment conducive to the highest caliber of dance training, art making, and scholarship. Our approach encourages fluidity between the processes of making art, honing craft, and deepening intellectual explorations. We cultivate the individual creative voice with exposure to diverse technical and philosophical approaches. Such an environment nurtures exceptional dance practitioners, allows us to make creative and intellectual contributions to the larger dance community, and fosters collaborative endeavors within and beyond our field.

The curriculum is designed to prepare the student who wishes to enter dance as a profession. Of the many professional avenues in which dance can be pursued and practiced, performance and choreography constitute the emphasis of the undergraduate major curriculum at this University. The theoretical aspects of dance (pedagogical, historic, and aesthetic) are also stressed.

To fulfill the purpose of the program, the faculty consists of outstanding artist-teachers and scholars who are committed to the model of intensive professional training within the context of a broad University education. A full production schedule offers extensive opportunities for repertory study, performance, and choreography, complemented by work with guest choreographers and visiting lecturers. Part of the school's mission is to serve as a regional repertory center for the reconstruction and production of dance masterworks and the creation of original repertory. The Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC), a dance and choreographic research center affiliated with the School of Dance, also hosts numerous internationally recognized dance artists. The program's facilities include spacious studios and the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre.

In addition to the dance major degree program, the school offers some CoreFSU Curriculum coursework and elective coursework for the general University student. The school also offers work leading to the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in dance and a Master of Arts (MA) degree in dance with a major in studio and related studies. Qualified undergraduate dance majors may apply for the Combined Pathway in dance, which offers the opportunity to earn both a BFA degree and an MA degree in dance within a targeted tenure of five years.

Florida State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance.

Audition and Screening

All undergraduate students who wish to major in dance must audition for admission into the dance major program. Auditions are held at designated periods throughout the year.

Assessment of every dance major occurs at various times throughout each year to evaluate the student's progress in the major program. Such assessment is part of a continuous advisement and monitoring procedure. A probationary period may be established if a student is having difficulty and needs special attention. A student who cannot meet the school's proficiency standards will be discontinued from the dance major program.

Placement and Proficiency

Intrinsic to the development of a dancer is the technical command of the instrument and the expansion of the vocabulary of movement; therefore, dance majors are continually assessed during their curricular experiences in order to be placed at the correct level of studio work in dance technique. All students are assigned an appropriate placement level in ballet and contemporary dance upon entrance into the program and must maintain continuous participation in ballet and contemporary dance technique classes throughout enrollment in the curriculum. Students who demonstrate the skill necessary for the next level of work upon completion of a studio technique course will be permitted to enroll at the next level. If not, they will be expected to continue in designated courses at their level of technique until they are ready to advance. To meet graduation requirements, the student must achieve and maintain the ballet II-2 level and the contemporary dance II-1 level or the contemporary dance II-2 level and the ballet II-1 level; the advanced proficiency level (II-2) must be achieved by one term prior to graduation.

Performance

The dance major is required to participate in a minimum of four performing experiences sponsored by the school.

CoreFSU Curriculum

All students working toward a degree in dance are required to meet the CoreFSU Curriculum requirements.

Digital Literacy Requirement

Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:

Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically

Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement. Undergraduate majors in dance satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in DAN 4418.

State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites for Dance

The Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC) houses the statewide, internet-based catalog of distance learning courses, degree programs, and resources offered by Florida's public colleges and universities, and they have developed operational procedures and technical guidelines for the catalog that all institutions must follow. The statute governing this policy can be reviewed by visiting https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2021/1006.73.

FLVC has identified common program prerequisites for the degree program in Dance. To obtain the most up-to-date, state-approved prerequisites for this degree, visit: https://cpm.flvc.org/programs/163/1145.

There are no required prerequisites for admission into the program as a transfer student. Transfer students will receive course credit for any common program prerequisites completed at another institution with a grade of “C– “or higher.

Minimum Requirements for the BFA in Dance

Dance Technique. Thirty credit hours and fulfillment of proficiency requirement. Dance technique courses include DAA 3108r, 3109r, 3208r, 3209r, 4110r, 4210r. The student enrolls in both ballet and contemporary dance throughout enrollment as a dance major except in the following two instances: (a) during Summer session, students may elect to take only one of the technique courses (either ballet or contemporary dance); (b) if students have achieved and maintained the required proficiency levels in technique for at least one term they may elect to take only one of the technique courses (either ballet or contemporary dance) during one of the last two terms before graduation (unless they attend the Arts in NYC program).

1. Dance Composition and Repertory. Ten credit hours including DAA 2610, 3614, 3654r, DAN 2611.

2. Other Dance Courses. Forty credit hours, including Dance Ensemble (four credit hours of DAA 1680r, 2681r, 3684r, or 4685r); DAN 2101; DAE 3384; DAN 2140, 2500, 2610, 3144, 3146, 3400, 3504, 3584r, 3714, 3744, 4418 and DAN 4971.

3. CoreFSU Curriculum. Thirty-six credit hours. Six hours of the dance history/critical theory courses—DAN 3144 and 3145—may be applied to the Humanities/Cultural Practice area of CoreFSU Curriculum requirements.

4. Electives. Eleven credit hours.

Total: One hundred 28 credit hours.

The applicability of previous coursework to dance curricular requirements is assessed and determined by the School of Dance. A transfer student need not earn the maximum credit hours in dance technique but must fulfill the curricular requirement of maintaining continuous participation in ballet and contemporary dance throughout enrollment in the curriculum and must achieve and maintain the required technical proficiency levels.

Undergraduate dance majors need not earn the maximum credit hours in dance technique if they are able to complete successfully all other University and school course requirements for graduation and if they have achieved the required technical proficiency levels prior to accumulation of the maximum hours in technique.

Students must earn a “C-” or higher in all dance major required courses to graduate. Failure to achieve this milestone will result in repeating coursework.