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Dance Studies

Dance Studies - B.A.

Where Passion and Opportunity Meet

 

At Kent State University you train for a life in the arts. You will engage daily with your craft through our professionally-modeled production season and join a network of nationally and internationally recognized alumni artists, designers, technicians, and educators. Dance is different at Kent State.

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College of the Arts
School of Theatre and Dance - Dance Division
www.kent.edu/theatredance

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Program Information

Program Description

Full Description

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Studies allows students who have previous dance experience and a strong interest in another subject area, within or outside of the arts, the opportunity to combine the two into one plan of study. The curriculum provides students with a solid foundation in dance techniques and dance academics while allowing flexibility to incorporate another area or minor.

The B.A. degree program encourages exploration of areas that can be combined with dance to enhance opportunities for future employment.

Admissions

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

Admission to this major is selective. Students must audition before being admitted to the Dance Studies major. Inquiries can be directed to the coordinator of the Dance Division, D-101C Center for the Performing Arts, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242-0001 (or call 330-672-2069).

For more information on admissions, including additional requirements for some academic programs, visit the admissions website for new freshmen and the admissions website for transfer, transitioning and former students.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they meet specific exceptions. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Articulate and perform standards and skills in one or more areas of dance.
  2. Communicate an understanding of the vocabulary of dance and employ this knowledge to work conceptually with the elements of dance.
  3. Articulate and communicate an understanding of choreographic processes, aesthetic properties of style and the ways these elements shape and are shaped by artistic and cultural ideas and contexts.
  4. Develop and defend critical evaluations.
  5. Through a Capstone project or presentation, students will articulate and communicate a relationship between their dance studies and a secondary concentration, minor or double major, if applicable.
Coursework
On This Page

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
DAN 17051MODERN 3A 3
DAN 17053PRINCIPLES OF DANCE MECHANICS I 2
DAN 17054BALLET 3A 3
DAN 17151MODERN 3B 3
DAN 17154BALLET 3B 3
DAN 27070JAZZ STYLES I 2
DAN 27071MODERN 4A 3
or DAN 27073 BALLET 4A
DAN 27074DANCE COMPOSITION I 3
DAN 27170JAZZ STYLES II 2
DAN 27171MODERN 4B 3
or DAN 27173 BALLET 4B
DAN 37010DANCE PEDAGOGY 3
DAN 37035DANCE COMPOSITION II 2
DAN 37072DANCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2
DAN 37168MODERN 5B 12-3
or DAN 37169 BALLET 5B
or DAN 47170 JAZZ STYLES IV
DAN 37192DANCE PRACTICUM (ELR) 1
DAN 47063DANCE HISTORY I 3
DAN 47163DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) 23
DAN 47199BACHELOR OF ARTS CAPSTONE (ELR) 1-3
Production Elective, choose from the following:3
THEA 11732
& THEA 11733
FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION II: COSTUMES, LIGHTING AND PROJECTIONS
and FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY III: COSTUMES
or THEA 11734
 FUNDAMENTALS OF PRODUCTION LABORATORY IV: LIGHTING, SOUND AND PROJECTIONS
Ballet or Modern Additional Technique, choose from the following: 18-10
DAN 37068
MODERN 5A
DAN 37069
BALLET 5A
DAN 37100
POINTE 1
DAN 37150
POINTE 2
DAN 37168
MODERN 5B
DAN 37169
BALLET 5B
DAN 47054
MODERN 6A
DAN 47069
BALLET 6A
DAN 47154
MODERN 6B
DAN 47169
BALLET 6B
DAN 47196
INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN DANCE
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in GPA)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Composition6
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning3
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each)9
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines)6
Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory)6-7
Kent Core Additional6
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credits hour, including 39 upper-division credit hours) 328
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
1

Successful completion of DAN 37168, DAN 37169 or DAN 47170 is required for graduation with the B.A. degree in Dance Studies. Promotion to the next level of technique is at the discretion of the dance faculty.

2

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

3

Students must complete a minimum of 20 elective credit hours of courses related to a secondary area of inquiry or minor.

Progression Requirements

  • Entrance to the B.A. degree in Dance Studies is by audition.
  • Promotion to the next level is at the discretion of the dance faculty.
  • All students in the major must audition for all Dance Division concerts. To perform in the concert, students must be enrolled in a minimum of one dance technique class during the semester of the concert.
  • Students enter on a probationary status and must maintain GPA requirements and professional standards as indicated in the student handbook in order to be allowed to audition for concerts and progress through to graduation.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.500 2.000
  • All majors must participate in dance faculty juries and an annual review. 
  • All graduates must successfully complete a course of study that includes a minimum of 20 credit hours related to a subject or a minor chosen by the student.
  • All graduates must complete a project or presentation through DAN 47199 that demonstrates knowledge of dance and the additional subject chosen by the student.
  • Successful completions of DAN 37168, DAN 37169 or DAN 47170 is required for graduation with the B.A. degree in Dance Studies.
Roadmap

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
DAN 27070 JAZZ STYLES I 2
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Ballet 3
Modern 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Two
DAN 17053 PRINCIPLES OF DANCE MECHANICS I 2
DAN 27170 JAZZ STYLES II 2
DAN 47063 DANCE HISTORY I 3
Ballet 3
Modern 3
Production Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Three
DAN 27074 DANCE COMPOSITION I 3
DAN 37192 DANCE PRACTICUM (ELR) 1
Ballet or Modern 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Four
DAN 37035 DANCE COMPOSITION II 2
Ballet or Modern 3
Ballet or Modern Additional Technique 2-3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours16
Semester Five
Ballet or Modern Additional Technique 2-3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours14
Semester Six
Requirement: present choreography in Student Dance Festival  
DAN 37010 DANCE PEDAGOGY 3
DAN 37072 DANCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2
Ballet or Modern Additional Technique 2-3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 2
 Credit Hours15
Semester Seven
DAN 47163 DANCE HISTORY II (WIC) 3
Ballet or Modern Additional Technique 2-3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours14
Semester Eight
DAN 37168
or DAN 37169
or DAN 47170
 MODERN 5B
or BALLET 5B
or JAZZ STYLES IV
2-3
DAN 47199 BACHELOR OF ARTS CAPSTONE (ELR) 1-3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Electives 8
 Credit Hours14
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
Program Delivery
  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus
Accreditation

National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD)

Reasons to Choose Kent State
  • The Kent Dance Ensemble (KDE) - a pre-professional contemporary dance company, housed within a vibrant School of Theatre and Dance.
  • An impressive professional faculty offer a BFA focused on performance and choreography.
  • A BA in Dance Studies that allows one to complete a double major!
  • An ongoing roster of professional guest artists including choreographers, instructors and lecturers representing a wide range of dance styles and career perspectives.
  • A balanced curricular approach that combines rigorous training with academic excellence nurturing tomorrow's dance artists and scholars.
  • Small enough to provide personalized training and large enough to offer access to a world of possibilities!

Dance Auditions

Students who apply to Kent State University seeking a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Dance Performance or a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Dance Studies, and are accepted by the university, are automatically accepted as a B.A. in Dance Studies major. Congratulations!

To complete the admission process for the B.A. in Dance Studies degree program, students must schedule an audition for class-level placement.

If you wish to be considered for the B.F.A. Dance Performance degree, you are required to schedule an audition. When the audition has been completed, you will be notified if you have been accepted and class-level recommendations will be made.

An audition is not required for admission to the Dance minor, but Dance minors who wish to be considered for advanced placement must participate in an audition.

Dance Audition Information

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries

Art, drama, and music teachers, postsecondary

5.6%

faster than the average

116,300

number of jobs

$69,690

potential earnings

Choreographers

14.0%

much faster than the average

5,500

number of jobs

$43,680

potential earnings

Dancers

2.3%

slower than the average

11,400

number of jobs

$N/A

potential earnings

Tutors and teachers and instructors, all other

7.4%

faster than the average

406,200

number of jobs

$40,590

potential earnings

Notice:

* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

Career Opportunities

Combining Dance with another major or minor will provide support for careers in areas such as: Dance and Fitness studio ownership or operation (Business, Entrepreneurship, Recreation Management); Dance Therapy (Psychology); Dance Production (Theatre); Dance criticism (Journalism); Arts Management (Event planning, Stage Management); Costume, lighting or scenic design for dance (Theatre); Dance medicine (Athletic Training, Exercise Science) and Dance Photography (Photojournalism) to name a few. Future dance teachers can broaden their potential marketability if they possess skills in ASL or in teaching students with physical or developmental challenges (Special Education).

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