The Dance BFA is a selective, audition based program that provides an immersive education combining rigorous artistic and technical training with performance, creative practice and community engagement. You’ll study a broad range of physical practices, choreography, performance, technical production, pedagogy and dance studies while developing the artistic, technical and professional skills needed for a sustainable career in dance and related fields.

Throughout the program, you’ll collaborate with faculty, guest artists and fellow students while engaging in creative research, community care and self care, and entrepreneurial practice. You’ll also explore dance and performance through historical, social, cultural and theoretical perspectives. Your studies culminate in a senior capstone project that reflects your artistic growth, creative voice and professional goals.

The Dance BA combines rigorous dance training with the breadth and flexibility of a liberal arts education. You’ll engage in physical practices, creative process and research, dance studies, anatomy, pedagogy, entrepreneurship and community engagement while developing an understanding of dance and performance through historical, social, cultural and theoretical perspectives.

Designed for students with diverse interests and goals, the Dance BA allows you to tailor your education by combining dance with broader academic, creative and professional pursuits. You’ll connect embodied practice with artistic and scholarly inquiry while preparing for a wide range of dance related careers or a double major in another discipline.

The Dance minor allows you to explore dance alongside your primary field of study. You’ll engage in physical practices, creative work and dance studies while developing a broad understanding of dance and performance within artistic, historical and cultural contexts. Whether you’re looking to complement another major or deepen your creative practice, the minor provides a strong foundation in movement, collaboration and artistic expression.

• Physical Practices/Technique: Train daily in a breadth of dance styles, including, contemporary, modern, ballet, Africanist, somatics, and world dance forms.
• Creative Practices––Choreography, Composition, Improvisation and Collaboration: Develop original dance works through exploration, experimentation, and collaborative practice.
• Performance: Participating in choreographed, conceptual, and improvisational works presented in theaters, in digital formats, and site-specific performance settings.
• Dance History & Theory: Understanding the theoretical, historical, social, and cultural contexts of dance, dance pioneers, and the relationship between other artistic mediums.
• Somatics & Anatomy: Studying the human body, understanding how the body moves, somatic practices, conditioning, and injury prevention.
• Entrepreneurial Studies: Develop professional practices within the dance industry such as career development, writing, and production for a sustainable dance career.
• In-The-Field: Immerse yourself in Seattle’s dance community by training with professional dancers and participating in community engagement as part of being an artist and a citizen.

BFA Program Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate proficiency in a breadth of physical dance practices that are grounded in creative, somatic, and anatomical understanding.
• Apply knowledge of dance and performance practices within theoretical, historical, social, and cultural contexts.
• Create, in solo and in collaboration, movement-based works for physical and digital spaces.
• Communicate complex ideas and apply critical thinking through writing, speaking, and diverse media.
• Apply understanding of professional practices in the dance field.

BA & Minor Program Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate broad proficiency in a breadth of physical dance practices that are grounded in creative, somatic, and anatomical understanding.
• Apply knowledge of dance and performance practices within theoretical, historical, social, and cultural contexts.
• Create, in solo and in collaboration, movement-based works.
• Communicate complex ideas and apply critical thinking through writing, speaking, and diverse media.
• Demonstrate awareness of professional practices in the dance field.