B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography
The major in Dance Performance and Choreography leads to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Overall Goals for BFA Performance and Choreography
The B.F.A. Dance Performance major prepares students for entry into the professional world of dance as skilled technicians, creative artists and independent thinkers. The dance performance courses offers students the option of refining skills for the stage acquired in technique classes.
Towson University Dance students will:
- Synthesize expressive range, stylistic versatility and rigorous standards within healthy technical achievement and somatic understanding;
- Analyze, intuit, deliver and evaluate the creative process for original dance choreography;
- Demonstrate oral and written skills, critical thinking in aesthetic language and historical/world view perspectives;
- Recognize, choose and demonstrate leadership skills.
Towson University Dance students are encouraged to:
- Develop an ability to creatively respond, both divergently and convergently, to changing environments;
- Transition thinking from dance as hobby to a preparation for a lifetime in professional work;
- Develop a unique artistic voice through dreaming, risking, envisioning and creating dance work with rigor;
- Maintain a healthy, toned and energized physique, with somatic approach that supports dynamic alignment, reducing risk, increasing health and longevity of the dancer;
- Study dance history with a world view for understanding and appreciation of all people;
- Regularly engage as a whole person in physical, artistic and intellectual strategies that facilitate an appreciation of dance as an expressive, scholarly and progressive art form;
- Cultivate themselves as intelligent audience members who respect the art form and become lifetime arts advocates;
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Practicing consistently the disposition of educators which include caring commitment and collaboration;
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Define what being a facilitator of learning is and practice this definition.
Towson University Dance students are asked to engage and deliver by:
- Demonstrating kinesthetic understanding of dynamic alignment;
- Exploring dancing as dynamic movers through a variety of somatic practices;
- Describing and assessing one’s creative process to promote creativity, innovation, imagination and collaboration;
- Implementing choreographic tools (e.g. movement invention, use of metaphor, collaboration, use of time, space, shape…);
- Demonstrating disciplined, diligent work ethic, with an open mind, and mutual respect in the classroom;
- Developing personal strategies for motivation, confidence, teamwork, creative problem solving and other life skills that transfers to other disciplines and future ambitions;
- Receiving and providing critical feedback (nonverbal, oral and written) to reflect embodied cognition.
Requirements for Admission to the B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography
Prospective Dance Performance and Choreography majors enter the university as Pre-Dance majors.
The Department of Dance accepts into the BFA pre-Dance majors who have:
- passed one of the auditions in October, November or February; and
- completed all Foundational First-Year Dance Experience courses with a minimum 3.00 GPA.
Applications for an audition can be accessed via the Department of Dance. Students may only audition twice for the major. Students who miss the auditions, choose not to audition, or do not pass the audition by May 1 will be encouraged to take non-major classes and audition or re-audition in their first year. If students pass the audition and are accepted into the Dance Performance and Choreography major, but do not enroll the following fall semester, they must petition the faculty for later acceptance.
The Foundational First-Year Dance Experience courses encompass knowledge in dance technique, performance, history, music, anatomy/kinesiology, and production. For a list of the Foundation courses, see the Requirements section. After the Foundational First Year, Dance majors must maintain a 2.50 GPA in dance courses to be eligible for graduation with a major in Dance.
This is a screened program. See the Admission section for information.
The B.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography requires a total of 80 units. All majors are required to successfully complete audition and jury as well as complete the performance requirements outlined below. Students in the major must complete 65 units of required DANC courses, 3 units of THEA, and 12 units of electives.
Dance Performance and Choreography Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Courses | ||
| DANC 126 | MUSICAL CONCEPTS FOR DANCERS 1 | 3 |
| DANC 216 | SOPHOMORE CREW 1 | 1 |
| DANC 223 | LEVEL I BALLET 1 | 2 |
| DANC 224 | LEVEL I BALLET 1 | 2 |
| DANC 227 | LEVEL I MODERN 1 | 2 |
| DANC 228 | LEVEL I MODERN 1 | 2 |
| DANC 235 | DANCE COMPOSITION I (Core 4) 1 | 3 |
| DANC 245 | SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR MOVEMENT I 1 | 3 |
| DANC 345 | SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR MOVEMENT II 1 | 2 |
| Dance Major Course Sequence | ||
| DANC 250 | METHODS OF TEACHING DANCE: TECHNIQUE | 2 |
| DANC 263 | DANCE DESIGN AND PRODUCTION | 3 |
| DANC 316 | JUNIOR CREW | 1 |
| DANC 321 | RESPONDING TO DANCE (Core 9) | 3 |
| DANC 335 | DANCE COMPOSITION II | 2 |
| DANC 336 | DANCE COMPOSITION III | 2 |
| DANC 346 | SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF ANALYSES OF MOVEMENT III | 1 |
| DANC 436 | DANCE COMPOSITION IV: FOR THE PROSCENIUM | 2 |
| DANC 437 | DANCE COMPOSITION V: FOR THE CAMERA | 3 |
| DANC 480 | SENIOR PROJECT: SEMINAR | 2 |
| DANC 491 | SENIOR PROJECT: CONCERT/LECTURE DEMONSTRATION | 3 |
| THEA 101 | ACTING I | 3 |
| Level II Technique Courses 2 | ||
| DANC 323 & DANC 324 | LEVEL II BALLET and LEVEL II BALLET | 6 |
| DANC 327 & DANC 328 | LEVEL II MODERN and LEVEL II MODERN | 6 |
| Total Units | 59 | |
Additional Dance Performance and Choreography Major Requirements
Dance Performance/Choreography majors who do not select the Pre-K-12 Dance Education Concentration must take the following required courses:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Level III Technique Courses 2 | ||
| A total of 9 units must be taken in Level III courses. | 9 | |
| LEVEL III BALLET | ||
| LEVEL III BALLET | ||
| LEVEL III MODERN | ||
| LEVEL III MODERN | ||
| Electives | ||
| Of the 12 total units of electives required, all must be from DANC or IDFA. | 12 | |
| At least 6 units of electives must be in Modern Repertory, Ballet Repertory or Dance Company. | ||
| THE ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE | ||
| AERIAL DANCE TECHNIQUE | ||
| MOVEMENT SKILLS ENHANCEMENT FOR MEN | ||
| JAZZ DANCE I | ||
| TAP DANCE I | ||
| METHODS OF TEACHING DANCE: DEVELOPMENTAL MOVEMENT | ||
| JAZZ DANCE II | ||
| TAP II | ||
| JAZZ DANCE III | ||
| POINTE TECHNIQUE I | ||
| POINTE TECHNIQUE II | ||
| METHODS OF TEACHING DANCE: PREK-12 SETTING | ||
DANC 37x | SPECIAL TOPICS | |
| MODERN DANCE REPERTORY | ||
| BALLET REPERTORY | ||
| METHODS OF TEACHING DANCE: POLICY AND ADVOCACY | ||
| DANCE COMPANY | ||
| PRACTICUM IN DANCE TECHNIQUE | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY IN DANCE | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN SOCIAL ACTION | ||
| Total Units | 21 | |
| 1 | These courses are taken by Pre-Dance Performance & Choreography majors who have successfully passed the audition. An overall GPA of 3.00 is required for the foundation courses. |
| 2 | Students are required to master each level of ballet and modern dance before progressing to the next level. When courses are repeated, content will be changed with each offering of the course. |
Performance Requirements for Majors
All Dance Performance and Choreography majors must audition for the elective TU Dance Company course (DANC 481) a minimum of two times during their tenure at Towson University and complete the following:
- 6 units of either TU Dance Company or Ballet or Modern Repertory.
- 9 performance points in extracurricular activities:
6 points must be earned by participating in student dance projects for a class in which you are not enrolled. Approved courses are Composition III, IV, V, and Senior Seminar Projects.
3 points may be earned by additional composition work, from the above list, for a class in which you are not enrolled, or from a performance in Inertia Dance Concert, Dance Major Performance Project Concert, American College Dance Association Mid-Atlantic Conference, or an individual work approved by a Towson University Faculty Member.
Exceptions by the approval of the Department Chairperson or Advisor.
Juries
As a mechanism for assessing progress toward the degree, all Dance Performance and Choreography majors will be evaluated by a jury of faculty members during the August prior to the sophomore year. The jury will consider completed essays, video portfolio, and verbal presentation from each student. Written and verbal assessment will be given to each student with consideration for career planning.
Special note: All majors are required to be enrolled in a ballet and modern class each term prior to their scheduled jury and during their senior year.
Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| DANC 216 | 1 | DANC 126 | 3 |
| DANC 223 | 2 | DANC 224 | 2 |
| DANC 227 | 2 | DANC 228 | 2 |
| DANC 245 | 3 | DANC 235 (Core 4) | 3 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | DANC 345 | 2 |
| Core 3 | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| DANC 263 | 3 | DANC 316 | 1 |
| DANC 323 or 324 | 3 | DANC 324 or 323 | 3 |
| DANC 327 or 328 | 3 | DANC 328 or 327 | 3 |
| DANC 335 | 2 | DANC 336 | 2 |
| Core 5 | 3 | Core 13 | 3 |
| Elective - Company or Repertory | 3 | Elective - Company, Repertory or Performance | 3 |
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| DANC 250 | 2 | DANC 346 | 1 |
| DANC 321 | 3 | DANC 423, 424, 427, or 428 | 3 |
| DANC 436 | 2 | DANC 437 | 3 |
| Core 7 | 4 | Core 8 | 4 |
| Elective - Company, Repertory or Performance | 3 | Core 14 | 3 |
| Elective - Company, Repertory or Performance | 3 | ||
| 14 | 17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| DANC 423, 424, 427, or 428 | 3 | DANC 423, 424, 427, or 428 | 3 |
| DANC 480 | 2 | DANC 491 | 3 |
| THEA 101 | 3 | Core 6 | 3 |
| Core 10 | 3 | Core 9 | 3 |
| Core 11 | 3 | Core 12 | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Units 121 | |||
- The students will synthesize expressive range, stylistic versatility, and high standard of rigor within healthy technical achievement and somatic understanding.
- The students analyze, intuit, produce, deliver and evaluate the creative process for original dance choreography.
- The students will demonstrate oral and written skills, critical thinking in aesthetic language and historical/worldview perspectives.