Departments & Programs

Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance

B.F.A. in Dance
Purpose

The B.F.A. Major in Dance trains exceptional students who seek a professional career in dance within the context of an outstanding liberal arts education offered by Indiana University. Admission to the B.F.A. program is by audition, typically prior to the beginning of the freshman year. The major includes dance technique, repertory, improvisation, composition, pedagogy, history, music, production, movement analysis, injury prevention, and Pilates certification. In addition, students take a strong academic core, completing requirements in arts and humanities. The dance major is a program rich in artistic integrity and disciplined dance training, but also provides a strong academic and theoretical core which is essential to producing wholly integrated artists and successful dance professionals. An audition is required for acceptance into the dance major offered by the Department of Theatre, Drama, and Contemporary Dance. All majors are performing members of the Indiana University Contemporary Dance Theatre, and perform in the faculty/guest artist concert as well as dance in student works. Seniors produce a concert each fall. Students can find other performing opportunities with the opera, musical theatre program, the African American Dance Company, and Bloomington's local modern dance company, Windfall Dancers. Dance majors also have opportunities to perform nationally and internationally at various festivals and conferences.

Required Courses
1.   Core Dance requirements:
  • THTR-D 100 A Somatic Approach to Contemporary Ballet Practices (2 cr., repeat to 6 cr.)
  • THTR-D 102 Body Conditioning for the Dancer (1 cr.)
  • THTR-D 105 Foundations of Strength in Technique I (1 cr.; repeat to 2 cr.)
  • THTR-D 109 Core of Dance Technique (3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 112 Core of Dance Technique II (3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 121 Techniques of Movement Improvisation (1 cr.)
  • THTR-D 161 Foundations of Modern Dance (2 cr.)
  • THTR-D 201 Modern Dance Workshop (1 cr., repeat to 3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 211 Advanced Modern Dance Technique I (3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 212 Advanced Modern Dance Technique II (3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 221 Dance Composition I (2 cr.)
  • THTR-D 222 Dance Composition II (2 cr.)
  • THTR-D 241 Urban and Global Dance Styles (2 cr., repeat to 4 cr.)
  • THTR-D 311 Theory and Practice of Dance Technique I (3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 312 Theory and Practice of Dance Technique II (3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 341 Urban and Global Dance Styles (2 cr., repeat to 4 cr.)
  • THTR-D 351 Teaching of Modern Dance (1 cr.)
  • THTR-D 353 Musical Resources for Dance (2 cr.)
  • THTR-D 361 Indiana University Contemporary Dance Theatre (1 cr., repeat to 3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 411 Senior Seminar in Dance I (2 cr.)
  • THTR-D 412 Senior Seminar in Dance II (2 cr.)
  • THTR-D 421 Choreographic Performance Project (2 cr.)
  • THTR-D 441 Dance Production I (2 cr.)
  • THTR-D 461 Methods of Movement Analysis (1 cr.)
  • THTR-D 462 Dance Summary (2 cr.)

2.  ANAT-A 215 Basic Human Anatomy (5 cr.) CASE N&M

3.   Professional Development in Dance—choose one of the following (3 cr.)

  • SPH-A 387 Management of Dance Injuries (3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 480 Advanced Choreographic Investigations (3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 483 Topics in Dance (Pilates/yoga certification) (1–3 cr.)
  • THTR-D 497 Internship in Community Dance Partnerships (3 cr.)

4.   Dance in the Theatre—choose one of the following (3 cr.)

  • THTR-T 301 Musical Theatre Dance Styles I (3 cr.)
  • THTR-T 302 Musical Theatre Dance Styles II (3 cr.)
  • THTR-T 311 Introduction to Movement for the Theatre (3 cr.)
  • THTR-T 410 Movement for the Theatre (3 cr.)

5.   Cultural Studies in Dance—choose one of the following (3 cr.)

  • AAAD-A 320 Black Dance History (3 cr.) CASE A&H
  • ANTH-E 460 The Arts in Anthropology (3 cr.) CASE A&H
  • ANTH-E 463 Anthropology of Dance (3 cr.) CASE A&H
  • ANTH-E 464 Body, Power, and Performance (3 cr.) CASE A&H

6. THTR-T 120 Acting I: Fundamentals of Acting (3 cr.)

7. THTR-D 231 Introduction to Dance Studies (3 cr.)

8. THTR-D 232 Twentieth-Century Concert Dance (3 cr.)

Students must also complete the B.A. degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences