2024-25 Edition

Dance, B.F.A.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) program with specializations in Performance and Choreography, is designed for students who wish to prepare intensively for careers in those areas. The courses required in addition to the core are primarily in Dance. The B.F.A. program allows for a few free electives in other areas. Admission to the B.F.A. program with a specialization in Choreography is by faculty approval only.

The B.F.A. program with a specialization in Performance does not require additional faculty approval beyond the required audition for admission to the Dance major; students should declare their intention to pursue this specialization during spring quarter of their sophomore year.

Proficiency Levels

In addition to meeting the general requirements for admission to UCI, applicants must demonstrate technical and creative promise. The Department holds annual entrance auditions for potential freshmen and transfer students during the winter quarter prior to the fall quarter when entrance is anticipated. First-year students wishing to major in Dance must be at technique level II in at least one of the three major genres (ballet, modern, jazz).

Placement auditions for admitted students are held during Welcome Week to determine levels of technical ability for placement in courses. It is suggested that transfer students wishing to pursue a B.A. in Dance complete, in addition to their general education requirements, one course in choreography, two courses in dance technique, and one course in music for dancers prior to transfer to UCI.

Transfer students wishing to pursue the B.F.A. must declare their intention in writing at the time of their entrance audition and demonstrate technique and/or choreography levels appropriate to their year. It is suggested that transfer students complete, in addition to their general education requirements, one course in choreography, two courses in dance technique, one course in music for dancers, and one course in dance performance prior to transfer to UCI.

Students deficient in level of performance or academic preparation should be prepared to extend their studies beyond the normal four-year program in order to meet the requirements for graduation.

All students must meet the University Requirements.
School Requirements: None.
Departmental Requirements for the Major

Students must complete the departmental requirements as listed for the B.A. degree in Dance with the exception of the dance electives. B.F.A. students must complete 6 units of electives (instead of the 10 units required for B.A. Dance majors) within dance. In addition, B.F.A. students must complete the requirements for either the specialization in Choreography or Performance.

Choreography Specialization:
DANCE 60B Choreography
DANCE 60C Choreography
DRAMA 30A Acting
DRAMA 50C Introduction to Lighting Design
One course selected from the following:
Introduction to Costume Design
Introduction to Scenic Design
Introduction to Sound Design
Introduction to Stage Management
Complete:
DANCE 162A- 162B Choreography II
and Choreography II
DANCE 164 Screendance
Select two courses in DANCE 165 1
Four units (one or two courses) in Art History, Music, Studio Art, or Drama (in addition to DRAMA 30A, DRAMA 50C, and DRAMA 101 requirements).
Performance Specialization:
Technique: At a minimum, students must complete two of the following sequences: level II in Hip Hop (DANCE 155A, DANCE 155B, DANCE 155C) or level III in Ballet, Modern, or Jazz (DANCE 133A, DANCE 133B, DANCE 133C, or DANCE 143A, DANCE 143B, DANCE 143C, or DANCE 153A, DANCE 153B, DANCE 153C). Students must also complete one of the following sequences: level III in Hip Hop (DANCE 156A, DANCE 156B, DANCE 156C) or level IV in Ballet, Modern, or Jazz (DANCE 134A-DANCE 134B-DANCE 134C or DANCE 144A-DANCE 144B-DANCE 144C or DANCE 154A, DANCE 154B, DANCE 154C). Students who place above level III in any technique must take a year of that technique at the level in which they are placed.
DANCE 139 Partnering
Performance:
DANCE 137 Repertory
DANCE 170 Dance Performance (series) 2
Select one of the following:
Acting
or a fourth additional performance in the DANCE 170 series.
1

Choreographic Projects—one original choreographic work, approved by the faculty, must be presented in both the junior and senior years.

2

 DANCE 170 series: must be in three additional performances beyond the B.A. requirements, one of which must be DANCE 170, DANCE 171, or DANCE 172. DANCE 170, DANCE 171 and DANCE 172 may be repeated for credit. Students must demonstrate proficiency in at least two dance genres in these performances.

Sample Program for Freshmen

Fall Winter Spring
WRITING 50WRITING 60DANCE 2
DANCE 21AGeneral EducationGeneral Education
TechniqueGeneral EducationGeneral Education
General EducationTechniqueTechnique
 Drama 101 (2 units)Drama 101 (2 units)

Careers in dance require excellent training and extraordinary discipline, tenacity, and dedication. Graduates of the Department have an excellent record of placement in the many fields of dance. Some have become professional dancers in ballet companies (including the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet); in modern dance companies (including Hubbard Street Dance Company, MOMIX, and Martha Graham Dance Ensemble); in touring companies (including Wicked, Newsies, Dirty Dancing, The Lion King, Fame: The Musical, Carousel, and Cirque du Soleil); and in films, television, and theatre.

In addition to training for professional dance performance and choreography, the major in dance serves as a basis for graduate study or job opportunities in fields such as dance history, dance science, dance pedagogy, dance reconstruction, dance criticism, dance video, and technology. Related fields, such as arts administration, law in relation to the arts, arts therapies, design and production, and music also offer positions for graduates. Students who are interested in a career in athletic training, physical therapy, or dance science will find a major in Dance, with related course work in chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics, to be excellent preparation for further study.