Dance (BFA)

 

This program is offered by the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts/Department of Dance and is only available at the St. Louis main campus.

Program Description

Webster University's Department of Dance in The Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts educates students to become skilled, creative and compassionate thinking artists for 21^st century careers as performers, choreographers, educators and scholars.

Learning Outcomes

• Performance: Perform, with professional integrity, a variety of techniques and styles with a broad spectrum of expressivity and quality technical expertise.
• Choreography: Create and produce professional, imaginative, original, in-depth choreographic work and direct dancers in the performance of that work
• Teaching: Create and execute exemplary, innovative lesson plans for a variety of ages, techniques and populations; develop skills to communicate movement vocabulary to others
• Integrate and successfully utilize knowledge from courses in the breadth and depth of the discipline.
• Function effectively in a variety of professional contexts, displaying global awareness through intrapersonal, interpersonal, collaborative and technological skills.

Special Requirements

Courses completed with a grade of D do not count toward fulfilling the specific course requirements of the major.

Acceptance to the Dance Program as a degree-seeking BFA student is by audition and consists of the following:

• An interview to discuss career goals and past history.
• Submission of résumé.
• Performance of approximately two to three minutes of choreography.
• Participation in a ballet and modern technique classes.

Degree Requirements

For information on the general requirements for a degree, see Baccalaureate Degree Requirements under the Academic Policies and Information section of this catalog.

• 95 required credit hours
• Applicable University Global Citizenship Program hours, with accommodations for the dance BFA
• Electives

Global Citizenship Program for Dance BFA

• GLBC 1200 Global Cornerstone Seminar
• 6 credit hours from courses designated ‘Roots of Cultures’ (One course with the DANC prefix can fulfill GCP and major requirements simultaneously)
• 3 credit hours from courses designated ‘Social Systems & Human Behavior’
• 3 credit hours from courses designated ‘Global Understanding’ (DANC 1040 may satisfy both a requirement of the major and a GCP requirement)
• 3 credit hours from courses designated ‘Physical & Natural World’ or ‘Quantitative Literacy’
• KEYS 4XXX Global Keystone Seminar

NOTE: Except where specified otherwise, the above courses must not also satisfy major requirements. GCP skills requirements may be fulfilled with the courses above, courses in the major, or electives. 'Arts Appreciation' is satisfied in meeting the requirements for the major.

Required Courses

• DANC 2000-level or 3000-level applied dance, Ballet or Modern (6 hours)
• DANC 3000-level applied dance, Ballet (6 hours)
• DANC 3000-level applied dance, Modern (6 hours)
• DANC 4000-level applied dance, Ballet (6 hours)
• 6 hours from the following:
  DANC 2000-level applied dance, Tap
  or DANC 3000-level applied dance, Jazz 
  or DANC 3500 Intermediate/Advanced Hip Hop
  or MUTH 2410, MUTH 3410 Musical Theatre Dance Styles I or II
• DANC 1040 International Dance (3 hours)
• DANC 1220 Improvisation I (3 hours)
• DANC 1310 Principles of Dance Making (3 hours)
• DANC 1410 Introduction to Professional Dance I (2 hours)
• DANC 1420 Introduction to Professional Dance II (1 hour)
• DANC 1550 Dance Costume Construction (1 hour)
• DANC 2050 Classical Ballet Variations and Repertoire (1 hour)
•  
• DANC 2210 Dance History: Lineage Based to 20th Century (3 hours)
• DANC 2250 Cross Training (2 hours)
• DANC 2310 Choreographic Process Across Forms (3 hours)
• DANC 2320 Interdisciplinary Dance Making (4 hours)
• DANC 2520 Living Anatomy and Movement (3 hours)
• DANC 3050 Contemporary Partnering (1 hour)
• DANC 3070 Partnering in Ballet (1 hour)
• DANC 3150 Performance Techniques I (3 hours)
• DANC 3160 Performance Techniques II (3 hours)
• DANC 3210 Dance History: 20th Century to Present (3 hours)
• DANC 3220 Improvisation II (1 hour)
• DANC 3250 Somatics (3 hours)
• DANC 3550 Dance Costume Design (1 hour)
• DANC 4310 Advanced Choreographic Practice (3 hours)
• DANC 4320 BFA Capstone (3 hours)
• DANC 4400 Dance Pedagogy (3 hours)
• DANC 4410 Webster University Dance Ensemble (0 hours)
  seven semesters
• DANC 4420 Dance Technique Practicum (1 hour)
• ART 1000 Introduction to Studio Art (3 hours)
  or ART 3820 Performance Art (3 hours)
• THEA 1080 Studio Acting I (3 hours)
• MUSC 1000 Fundamentals of Notational Literacy

Emphasis in Ballet

The emphasis in ballet allows students to deepen their study of classical and contemporary ballet techniques and repertory while exploring ballet history, choreography, and pedagogy, and developing stylistic versatility and musicality.

Learning Outcomes

In addition to the general learning outcomes, students who complete the emphasis in ballet will be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency in classical and contemporary ballet techniques, while exhibiting stylistic versatility and musicality in performance and practice.

Emphasis Required Courses

Required Courses for the Emphasis in Ballet
In addition to the 87 credit hours of core coursework in dance, the following courses are required for the emphasis in ballet:

• DANC 4000-level applied dance, Ballet (6 hours)
• DANC 2050 Classical Ballet Variations and Repertoire (1 hour)
• DANC 3070 Partnering in Ballet (1 hour)

Emphasis in Modern

The emphasis in modern dance allows students to deepen their study of contemporary and modern dance techniques and repertory while exploring dance history, choreographic processes, and pedagogy, and developing stylistic versatility, musicality, and expressive range.

Learning Outcomes

In addition to the general learning outcomes, students who complete the emphasis in modern will be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency in contemporary and modern dance techniques, while exhibiting stylistic versatility, musicality, and expressive range in performance and practice.

Emphasis Required Courses

Required Courses for the Emphasis in Modern
In addition to the 87 credit hours of core coursework in dance, the following courses are required for the emphasis in modern:

• DANC 4000-level applied dance, Modern (6 hours)
• DANC 3220 Improvisation II (1 hour)
• DANC 3050 Contemporary Partnering (1 hour)