Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance
Designed for students seeking a career in performance and choreography. Applicants should be trained in either ballet or modern and may have improvisational and/or choreographic strengths.
Curriculum
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance requires a minimum of 120 credits: coursework is 75% within SMTD and 25% within the liberal arts. Coursework to include:
- Modern dance techniques
- Dance composition
- Improvisation
- Ballet
- World dance
- Yoga
- Dance repertory
- courses in dance history, music for dance, teaching methods, dance production, art history, music electives, and anatomy for dancers are also required.
Silent Advisor
Degree requirements and term-by-term layout for current students.
Faculty
Missy Beck
Jean-Claude Biza (Sompa)
Charli Brissey
Amy Chavasse
Mary Cole
Krisilyn "Tony" Frazier
Shannon Gillen
Katie Gunning
Jillian Hopper
Slavka Jelinkova
Christian Matijas-Mecca
Fangfei Miao
GingerAnn Neslund
Judy Rice
Kristen Schuyten
Amy West
Khita Whyatt
Robin Wilson
Performance Opportunities
U-M dancers are proactive in pursuing a variety of opportunities to perform both within and beyond the Department, developing their own unique performance and choreography portfolio over the course of their time at U-M. Students perform faculty and guest artist choreography in a major annual production of the department, held in 1,400-seat Power Center theater. First year dance majors perform faculty, guest artist and student choreography in multiple locations throughout southeast Michigan. Second or third year graduate students produce performances at the culmination of their degree, often casting students from the department. And seniors produce performances at the culmination of their degree, often casting students from the department.
A New Home For Dance
The Dance Building is the new home for dance at Michigan. Opened in September 2021, the 24,000 square foot facility features four large, flexible studio-classrooms, including a performance venue with seating for more than 100 and a dedicated screen dance studio, modern locker rooms, cross-training and treatment areas, and administrative offices.