Dance Courses and Schedule

ARTD B135 Introduction to Movement Cultures

Spring 2026

This course introduces and integrates a range of dance techniques, foundational movement skills, and various genres, styles, and forms of dance based on faculty expertise. Each semester students will experience 2-3 combinations of movement cultures such as jazz, modern, contemporary, step, house, afro beats, folk, hip-hop reggae, traditional, ballet, improvisation, freestyle, and/or experimental, etc. The culminating aim is to cultivate burgeoning cross-genre and cross-cultural embodiment for artistry and performance. All students must meet the attendance requirement, and students registered for academic credit (ARTD) must also complete 2-3 reflection assignments as requested by their faculty. No dance experience is necessary to join this course, although enthusiasm and courage are critical for learning. This course is primarily focused on those at the beginning stages of their dance journey and welcomes dancers at all experience levels. Offered on a pass/fail basis only.

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

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ARTD B137 Ballet: Beginning Technique

Fall 2025

Beginning level dance technique courses focus on introducing movement vocabulary, developing skills, and gaining an understanding of the form. Students must meet the attendance requirement, and complete three short writing assignments. Offered on a pass/fail basis only.

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ARTD B140 Approaches to Dance: Themes and Perspectives

Spring 2026

This course introduces students to dance as a multi-layered, significant and enduring human behavior that ranges from art to play, from ritual to politics, and beyond. It engages students in the creative, critical, and conceptual processes that emerge in response to the study of dance. It also explores the research potential that arises when other areas of academic inquiry, including criticism, ethnology, history and philosophy, interact with dance and dance scholarship. Lectures, discussion, film, video, and guest speakers are included.

Writing Attentive

Critical Interpretation (CI)

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ARTD B141 African Diaspora: Beginning Technique

Fall 2025

The African Diaspora course cultivates a community that centers global blackness, dance, live music, and movement culture. Embody living traditions from a selection of peoples and countries including Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Brazil, and Cuba. Offered on a pass/fail basis only.

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Counts Toward: Africana Studies.

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ARTD B144 Dance Composition: Elements and Craft

Fall 2025

This dance composition course introduces students to the craft of choreography. Foundations of dance making, such as space, time, performance, and artistry are explored and refined through the creation of short choreographic studies while observing and reflecting upon the work of peers. This course will explore structured and open movement experiences, such as: movement invention skills; compositional strategies; investigating music, language, images, and objects as sources of individual and collective inspiration. Students will be guided through solo and collaborative methods. Supplemental viewings and readings may be offered to support choreographic processes. Concurrent participation in any Dance Program technique course, either for academic or PE credit, is encouraged.

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Counts Toward: Theater Arts Program; Theater-Arts Program.

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ARTD B148 Tap: Beginning Technique

Fall 2025

Beginning level dance technique courses focus on introducing movement vocabulary, developing skills, and gaining an understanding of the form. Students must meet the attendance requirement, and complete three short writing assignments. Offered on a pass/fail basis only.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ARTD B210 Sacred Activism: Dancing Altars, Radical Moves

Fall 2025

How do practices of embodiment, choreography, artistry, performance, testifying and witnessing guide us to transformative and liberatory action in our lives? Centered in this course is adornment culture, intergenerational dances, and embodiment as sacred from a range of global perspectives. We will engage altar building through our beings/bodies and with materials, as well as the importance of costume and garb in setting the scene for advocacy, ritual, and staged offerings. Expect to dance, move, write, discuss, create projects, and engage in a variety of text-based and media resources. We will work individually and collectively for communal learning. The content for this course will be steeped in the lives, cultures, and practices of black and brown folks. This is a writing and dance attentive course. No dance experience necessary, just the courage to move.

Writing Attentive

Critical Interpretation (CI)

Cross-Cultural Analysis (CC)

Counts Toward: Africana Studies.

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ARTD B231 Ballet: Intermediate Technique

Spring 2026

ntermediate level dance technique courses focus on expanding the movement vocabulary, on introducing movement phrases that are increasingly complex and rigorous, and on directing attention to dynamics and spatial ideas. Students will be evaluated on their openness and commitment to the learning process, increased understanding of the technique, and demonstration in class of their technical and stylistic progress and accomplishment. Preparation: three semesters of beginning level ballet, or its equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ARTD B232 Jazz: Intermediate Technique

Fall 2025

Course Objectives: to experience a progression of movement phrases designed to develop an understanding of modern dance principles; to gain confidence in increasingly complex movement sequences, and explore movement creatively; to improve body placement, strength, stamina, and flexibility while embodying modern dance technique.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ARTD B233 Hip Hop: Intermediate Technique

Fall 2025

Course Objectives: to experience a progression of movement phrases designed to develop an understanding of Hip Hop dance principles; to gain confidence in increasingly complex movement sequences, and explore movement creatively; to improve body placement, strength, stamina, and flexibility while embodying Hip Hop dance technique; to investigate elements of choreography with an emphasis on modern dance characteristics; to incorporate elements of improvisation and to communicate movement ideas, both individually and collaboratively.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ARTD B243 Dance Ensemble: Screendance

Spring 2026

Dance ensembles are designed to offer students significant opportunities to develop dance performance skills at an introductory professional level. For this course, faculty and/or a guest artist will introduce cast members to a unique approach to choreography in collaboration with film, media, and video artistic technologies. Students are assessed based on their overall participation in the course, demonstration of committed openness to a choreographic process, dedication to collective building of a performance work, and progress as a movement-based performer. Students must commit to the full semester and be available for rehearsals, technical/dress week, and performances in the BMC Dance Program's Spring Dance Concert. If participating in a fall ensemble, students must also commit to scheduled rehearsals in the spring semester. Most ensembles require dance experience. For this course, no dance experience is necessary to join, however students must attend the first week of classes to survey movement experience levels and other artistic potentials the cast community may offer to the final performance as well as readiness to engage in dance as a research practice. In addition to a willingness to perform movement, this course welcomes students who act, write, sing, create visual art, make jewelry, sew, woodworkers, and/or play instruments. This course is suitable for courageous creatives ready to collaborate.

Critical Interpretation (CI)

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ARTD B280 Practical Anatomy: Muscles, Bones, Movement

Fall 2025

KNOW THYSELF! This course is designed as a human anatomy class for students interested in the application of anatomy to physical activities including dance, sport, and movement in general. Students will learn musculoskeletal anatomy, basic kinesiology, strengthening and stretching practices, and injury identification and management. Students will support theoretical knowledge with experiential movement analysis in class. The goal of the course is to present a scientific basis that will aid in a greater understanding of how individual's bodies are shaped and move, and how to achieve greater efficiency of movement and desired performance outcomes.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ARTD B315 Dance Ensemble: Intensive

Fall 2025

Dance Ensemble Intensive invites intermediate and advanced dancers to grow their performance abilities extensively, learning choreography from 2-3 guest artists in varying genres and movement cultures. Engage in artistic inquiry and embodied/performance research culminating in an April performance. Dance ensembles are designed to offer students significant opportunities to develop dance technique and performance skills at a beginning professional level. Students audition for entrance into individual ensembles. Students are evaluated on their participation in rehearsals, demonstration of commitment, openness to the choreographic process, and integration of all elements in performance. This course is suitable for intermediate and advanced level dancers. Concurrent attendance in technique class per week is recommended. Students must commit to the full semester and be available for technical/dress rehearsals and performances in the Spring Dance Concert. If participating in a fall ensemble, students must also commit to scheduled rehearsals in the spring semester.

Course does not meet an Approach

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ARTD B331 Ballet: Advanced Technique

Fall 2025, Spring 2026

Advanced level technique courses continue to expand movement vocabulary and to introduce increasingly challenging movement phrases and repertory. The advanced ballet course focuses on both intellectual and kinesthetic understanding and command of technical challenges and performance. The last half hour of the class is used for optional pointe or variations with the permission of the instructor. Students will be evaluated on their openness and commitment to the learning process, increased understanding of the technique, and demonstration in class of progress and accomplishment. Preparation: minimum of 3 semesters of intermediate ballet, or its equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

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ARTD B342 Advanced Choreography

Fall 2025

Independent study in choreography under the guidance of the instructor. Students are expected to produce one major choreographic work and are responsible for all production considerations. Concurrent attendance in any level technique course is recommended. Pre-requisite: ARTD B142: Dance Composition: Process and Presence and ARTD B242: Dance Composition: Elements and Craft.

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ARTD B348 Dance Ensemble: African Diaspora Dance

Spring 2026

Dance ensembles are designed to offer students significant opportunities to develop dance technique and performance skills. Students audition for entrance into individual ensembles. Original works choreographed by faculty or guest choreographers are rehearsed and performed in concert. Students are evaluated on their participation in rehearsals, demonstration of commitment and openness to the choreographic process, and achievement in performance. Preparation: This course is suitable for intermediate and advanced level dancers. Concurrent attendance in at least one technique class per week is recommended. Students must commit to the full semester and be available for rehearsal week and performances in the Spring Dance Concert.

Counts Toward: Africana Studies.

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ARTD B350 Dance Ensemble: Hip Hop

Spring 2026

Dance ensembles are designed to offer students significant opportunities to develop dance technique and performance skills. Students audition for entrance into individual ensembles. Original works are choreographed by faculty or guest choreographers and performed in concert. Students are evaluated on their participation in rehearsals, demonstration of commitment and openness to the choreographic process, and achievement in performance. Preparation: This course is suitable for intermediate and advanced level dancers. Students must commit to the full semester and be available for rehearsal week and performances in the Spring Dance Concert.

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ARTD B353 Dance Ensemble: Contemporary

Spring 2026

Perform contemporary artistry that engages classical and traditional forms of various dance genres as fertile ground for manifesting the future of artistic inquiry and embodied research. Dance ensembles are designed to offer students significant opportunities to develop dance technique and performance skills at a beginning professional level. Students audition for entrance into individual ensembles. Original works choreographed by faculty or guest choreographers are rehearsed and performed in a final concert. Students are evaluated on their participation in rehearsals, demonstration of commitment and openness to the choreographic process, and achievement in performance. Preparation: This course is suitable for intermediate and advanced level dancers. Concurrent attendance in at least one technique class per week is recommended. Students must commit to the full semester and be available for rehearsal week and performances in the Spring Dance Concert. If participating in a fall ensemble, students must also commit to scheduled rehearsals in the spring semester.

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ARTD B359 Contemporary: Advanced Technique

Spring 2026

Advanced level technique courses continue to expand dance vocabulary by integrating complex movement combinations, phrases, and repertory. The advanced contemporary course focuses on both intellectual and kinesthetic understanding of movement, artistic inquiry, and embodied/performance research currently relevant in the field of concert dance. Students will be evaluated on their openness and commitment to the learning process, increased understanding of the techniques, and demonstration in class of their technical and stylistic progress and accomplishment. This course will be taught by 2-3 faculty members who specialize in varied styles, genres, or forms. This course is suitable for students who have advanced intermediate or advanced levels of experience in dance. For placement, students attend the first week of classes.

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ARTD B400 Senior Project/Thesis

Majors develop, in consultation with a faculty advisor, a senior capstone experience that will expand and deepen their work and interests within the field of dance. This can range from a significant research or expository paper to a substantial choreographic work that will be supported in a full studio performance. Students who elect to do choreographic or performance work must also submit a reflection paper. Work begins in the fall semester and should be completed by the middle of the spring semester.

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ARTD B403 Supervised Work

Research in a particular topic of dance under the guidance of an instructor, resulting in a final paper or project. Permission of the instructor is required.

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