Student Information

The Department of Theatre and Dance offers a B.A. in Dance Performance and a B.A. in Dance with K-12 Teacher Certification.  

The mission of the dance program is to foster individual students' aesthetic, intellectual, and creative development within the context of a liberal arts education as they pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. Through class instruction, private coaching, mentoring, and performance, the department advocates both theoretical and creative explorations to achieve an understanding of the social, political, historical, and technological aspects of dance.  We strive to afford opportunities for students to develop a significant level of competency in either dance performance or K-12 teacher certification.

All students who wish to elect the dance performance or dance education major will be admitted to Winthrop University as a pre-dance major.  This applies to first year students, to transfer students and to Winthrop students who wish to change their major from some other program to dance.   Pre-dance majors may apply for admission in the first month of their second semester of coursework at Winthrop University.  The application will include a writing sample.  It remains the student’s responsibility to submit the application before the designated deadline.

Eligibility for Admission:  A pre-dance major may apply for admission to the dance performance or dance education programs if:

• she/he is in good academic standing at the university,
• has completed one semester as a full time student at Winthrop University,
• has earned the grade of 2.75 or better in all dance classes,
• has attained a proficiency rating above remedial in all major technique classes (Proficiency Assessment occurs in all technique classes). 

The dance faculty will consider the following factors when evaluating the applications of pre-dance majors who meet the above eligibility requirements.

• The applicant’s participation in production work,
• The applicant’s effort in dance classes,
• The quality of the writing sample,
• The applicant’s work ethic as demonstrated in classes and production work.

The dance faculty makes a decision either to accept or reject each pre-major’s application.  Students who are accepted become dance majors immediately.  Students who are denied admission may meet with the dance faculty to formulate a plan to correct deficiencies in their qualifications.  Such students may then re-apply for admission in the next semester. 

The goals of the B.A. Curriculum in Dance at Winthrop are as follows:

1. Students should attain competency of at least intermediate level in the respective required technique series in the B.A. Dance degree curriculum.

2. Students should integrate dance technique in ways that facilitate performance in a variety of dance styles.

3. Students should demonstrate openness to new ideas, new ways of working and new ways of moving and respond to these opportunities in accordance with this value.

4. Students should demonstrate the ability both to understand the craft of choreography and to experience the choreographic process as the creator of a dance work.

5. Students should view dance from a cultural-historical perspective that recognizes the multiple forces that impact the art form.

6. Students should demonstrate knowledge of the science of dance movement and apply that knowledge to foster longevity of the dancer.

7. Students should demonstrate effective strategies for entry-level dance teaching in selected dance forms/styles.

8. Students should demonstrate performance skills commensurate with personal technical ability and appropriate to a particular choreographic work.

Courses Required for the Dance Performance Major

Modern Dance Ia,Ib,IIa,IIb,IIIa,IIIb
Ballet Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb
Jazz I or II
World Dance Forms
Dance Production and Performance Practica (3)
Introduction to Dance
Improvisation
Choreography I,II
Music for Dance
Dance Production
Careers and Current Trends in Dance
Dance Kinesiology
Dance History: Primitive Cultures through 19th Century
Dance History: Twentieth Century
Dance Pedagogy:  Modern, Jazz, Ballet
Senior Showcase
Electives from Dance, Music, Art, Theatre or Physical Education

Courses Required for the Dance Education Major

Modern Dance Ia,Ib,IIa,IIb,IIIa,IIIb
Ballet Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb
Jazz I or II
World Dance Forms
Dance Production and Performance Practica (2)
Introduction to Dance
Improvisation
Choreography I,II
Music for Dance
Dance Production
Careers and Current Trends in Dance
Dance Kinesiology
Dance History: Primitive Cultures through 19th Century
Dance History: Twentieth Century
Dance Pedagogy:  Modern, Jazz, Ballet
Senior Showcase

Additional Courses Required for K-12 Teacher Certification:

Creative Movement
Exploring K-12 Dance Education
Principles of Teaching Dance
Field Experience in Teaching Dance

Elective Courses in Dance

Dance Training and Conditioning Tap Dance I Tap Dance II Social Dance Advanced Social Dance Hip-Hop Musical Theatre Dance Forms Early Dance Beginning Ballet Intermediate Ballet Beginning Modern Dance Intermediate Modern Dance Special Topics in Dance Independent Study in Dance Senior Showcase Pointe Technique I & II Cooperative Educational Experience in Dance Choreography III

To see course descriptions for all dance courses, click here.
To see course sequence charts for all programs, click here.