Major in Dance, B.F.A., Dance - Colorado State

The B.F.A. in Dance with a Dance Education Concentration prepares students for teaching dance in various settings. It offers a holistic approach, emphasizing pedagogy, dance techniques, performance, choreography, and equitable teaching practices. Students gain extensive practical experience through supervised teaching and field work, and the program equips them to apply for dance teaching licensure in Colorado.

Program Outline

Program Details: Major in Dance, B.F.A., Dance Education Concentration

Degree Overview:

This program prepares students to teach dance in elementary and secondary schools, dance studios, and community settings. It provides extensive professional experience through supervised teaching and field work in all three areas. The degree equips students to apply for dance teaching licensure (grades P-12) in Colorado in conjunction with CSU's Center for Educator Preparation.

Key Features:

Holistic Approach: In-depth training in pedagogy, classical, contemporary, and urban dance techniques, performance, choreography, anatomy and kinesiology, music for dance, production design, and career development.
Performance Opportunities: Students are eligible to perform in four annual dance concerts starting in their freshman year.
Dedicated Faculty and Staff: The School of Music, Theatre, and Dance boasts esteemed faculty and administrative and production staff dedicated to supporting student education in the arts.

Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

Develop Best Pedagogical Practices:

Apply research, assessment, critical thinking, and advocacy skills to develop best pedagogical practices as a dance teacher in various settings.

Plan Inclusive Curriculum:

Assess students' backgrounds, abilities, developmental levels, and individual identities to plan curriculum that considers their physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development.

Embrace Community Engagement:

Explore the multitude of ways in which community engagement is embedded in dance, embracing diversity, equity, inclusion, and leadership.

Demonstrate Technical and Artistic Achievement:

Demonstrate technical and artistic achievement in classical, contemporary, and urban dance performance, teaching, and choreography.

Teaching:

Supervised Teaching and Field Experience: Each dance education class involves supervised teaching and field experience, providing students with extensive professional experience.
Practical and Theoretical Knowledge Application: Students have multiple opportunities to apply practical and theoretical knowledge in tangible ways.

Careers:

Teaching: Students are prepared to teach dance in elementary and secondary schools, dance studios, and community settings.
Dance Teaching Licensure: The degree equips students to apply for dance teaching licensure (grades P-12) in Colorado.

Other:

Focus Areas: The program focuses on technique, performance, repertoire, choreography, improvisation, pedagogy, teaching methodologies, history, theory, technical production, design, guest artists, and masterclasses.
Dance Audition: A dance audition is required for entrance into the B.F.A.
Minimum Grade Requirement: A minimum grade of C is required in all dance courses required for this major.