Dance ,BFA
Choreographer, Choreography, Dance Teacher, Dancer, Performance, artistic, arts
Broaden your perspective on why dance matters. Combine intensive training, artistic exploration and career preparation for success in creative careers and beyond.
The School of Music, Dance and Theatre provides a dynamic environment where students grow as creative artists, innovators and scholars. The Bachelor of Fine Arts program in dance emphasizes collaboration, creativity, and a wide variety of transferable skills that prepare students for success both in the arts and in related fields.
The program's core values --- creativity, inquiry and humanity --- are woven throughout the curriculum. Students receive comprehensive dance training in diverse forms, including Afro-Latin salsa, contemporary ballet, hip hop, contemporary modern, and somatic practices. They also engage in choreographic exploration, digital arts, pedagogy, dance history and philosophy, cultivating both artistic voice and critical understanding.
In addition to coursework, students benefit from robust performance opportunities, hands-on choreographic projects, and a senior capstone experience that showcases their individual artistry and skill sets. Internships and community connections provide real-world experience, preparing graduates to enter professional dance careers or apply their skills across a wide spectrum of disciplines.
At the School of Music, Dance and Theatre, students are empowered to discover who they are as movers and makers, to engage with their communities, and to chart a future shaped by their creativity and passion.
- College/school:
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Location: Tempe
- Second language requirement: No
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
- First
required math course:
MAT 114 - College Mathematics
Any math course that meets the MATH designation. - Math
intensity: General
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
First-year | Transfer | International | Readmission
Additional requirements:
Students are strongly encouraged to attend the Dance Summit held in the fall semester or the Be a Dance Major days held in the spring semester to learn about the dance program at ASU. Dance scholarships are available to all applicants. Details on how to register for a dance event and dance scholarships are found on the School of Music, Dance and Theatre website.
Transfer admission requirements:
Direct transfer of courses from other accredited institutions to the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is subject to the existence of parallel and equal courses in the college's curriculum and to departmental or school evaluation of studio courses with respect to performance standards. Every candidate for the bachelor's degree must earn a minimum of 30 hours in resident credit at ASU. Transfer students enrolled in the institute must complete a minimum of 15 hours of resident credit in the major as approved by the faculty. Students should review the School of Music, Dance and Theatre website for more details.
An ASU student who would like to change majors to one offered by the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.
Students should visit the Change of Major form for information about how to change a major to this program.
ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use MyPath2ASU® to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.
ASU has transfer partnerships in Arizona and across the country to create a simplified transfer experience for students. These pathway programs include exclusive benefits, tools and resources, and they help students save time and money in their college journey.
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:
- Apply creative perspectives and skills in their art-making that reflect broad understandings of current dance and digital media practices.
- Implement culturally sensitive, moral, and socially grounded teaching, facilitation and community building practices.
- Apply knowledge of the diversity and significance of past and current dance practices, traditions and trends as they are situated within human cultures to the creation and assessment of new work.
Dance transcends language, so students can explore their art in various countries, no matter what it is. When studying abroad, students expand their view of dance through an international lens while exploring various dance forms at their origins.
The comprehensive academic foundation of the BFA program in dance prepares graduates to be leading dance professionals. Graduates have the expertise to pursue professions as choreographers, performers, educators, community artists, scholars and more. After leaving ASU, many graduates participate in activities such as:
- curating or producing dance festivals and events
- directing or managing performing art companies, studios or dance-related organizations
- facilitating community partnerships and projects
- performing and making dance in varied settings
- producing dance media for performance or instruction
- pursuing certification in somatic practices (Laban Movement Analysis, Feldenkrais Method®, Alexander Technique, Body-Mind Centering®, etc.)
- working in the areas of health and wellness (fitness, yoga, massage therapy, etc.)
- working in the field of arts management and administration
- writing about dance for websites, blogs, magazines and other publications
Example job titles and salaries listed below are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
| Career | *Growth | *Median salary |
|---|---|---|
|
1.7%
|
$80,190
|
|
|
6.1%
|
$55,600
|
|
|
6.4%
|
$45,920
|
|
|
4.5%
|
Not available
|
|
|
2.1%
|
$72,090
|
|
|
11.9%
|
$46,180
|
|
|
2.4%
|
$75,890
|
|
|
-1.6%
|
$64,580
|
|
|
-2.0%
|
$62,970
|
School of Music, Dance and Theatre
|
MUSIC E167
MDTAdmissions@asu.edu
480-965-5069
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
