2026-2027 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog [In Progress]
Dance
For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section in this catalog.
In addition to the full-time faculty, several distinguished dance educators with extensive professional experience teach classes on a part-time basis.
Website: gvsu.edu/dance
Degrees Offered
The Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance offers curricula leading to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in dance; a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in theatre; and a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, and Piano Pedagogy Certificate in music. Minors in dance, music, and theatre are also offered. These degree programs provide personalized attention, career-building opportunities, and extensive training within the areas of dance, music, and theatre. In the context of a broad liberal education that fosters critical thinking, creative problem solving, and cultural understanding, these programs prepare students for a range of rewarding careers in the performing arts.
The dance major provides opportunities to develop and refine technical and artistic practices across multiple styles of dance. Students expand their abilities through a wide variety of movement and theory courses emphasizing critical thought and growth as artists. Dance students explore innovative areas in dance performance, history, theory, dance and technology, choreography, pedagogy, anatomy and kinesiology, and production. The Dance Program highlights rehearsal and performance experience through participation in the work of world-renowned guest artists, faculty choreographers, and student capstone experiences. Students graduate as skilled and informed members of the dance community. Class sizes are small and offer each student individual attention from distinguished dance faculty.
Admission
Participation in the dance program is by audition only. An audition schedule and application form can be found at gvsu.edu/dance. When geographic distance prevents a personal audition, the applicant may, with the permission of the program, submit links to online videos containing movement phrases from modern, jazz, and ballet as well as a solo. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of individual talent and potential and are renewable annually if performance and academic standards are maintained. Auditions consist of a warm-up; phrases in modern, jazz, and ballet; creative practice exercises; performance of a short solo; and an interview with the faculty.
Program Requirements
The following programs are available: