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DanceMajor

Develop and hone your techniques in a program that offers both experiential and theoretical dance education. You’ll study a variety of dance genres and subjects — ballet, modern, jazz, tap, world dance, choreography, dance history and dance criticism.

By the numbers1

First dance major offered in West Virginia

Overview

What is Dance at WVU like?

Description

Our program is the first BA in Dance in West Virginia and offers a variety of dance styles and dance-related courses.

While emphasis is on technique and theory, on- and off-campus performance and production opportunities allow you to fully immerse yourself and experience the creative process that dance has to offer. We work to enrich your overall dance education, instilling the importance and contributions that dance has to offer and its place within our culture and society.

There are many performance opportunities, including informal dance showcases, the annual dance concert, musicals and local, regional and national dance festivals and conferences.

Students enrolled in the Dance BA program must also declare a minor.

All interested students must apply to the University and audition for the School of Theatre and Dance for acceptance.

Dance program highlights:

At a Glance

  • College/School:
    College of Creative Arts
  • Division:
    School of Theatre and Dance
  • Department:
  • Degree Designation:
    BA
  • Degree Program:
    Theatre
  • Program:
    Dance

Next Steps

Interested in this major? Here are some suggested next steps:

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Areas of Emphasis

Tailor this major to your interests by taking courses in one of these areas:

  • Dance Education

Fast Facts

What makes Dance at WVU unique?

Research and Academic Opportunities

The Evansdale Library is just a short walk from the Creative Arts Center and houses a script collection. Students can access industry specific journals and magazines to stay current on what is happening and what is about to happen in the world of theatre.

Living-Learning Communities (LLCs)

Live, study and pursue outside-the-classroom learning in a residence hall community that shares your interests:

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU. Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Student Organizations

Connect with other students who share your academic interests as a member of:

View all of the student organizations you can join.

Professional Organizations

Network with professionals in your field as a student member of:

Careers

How does this degree prepare students for a career?

Recent graduates have gone on to pursue careers in dance by continuing their education in graduate programs, moving into the professional dance field and theatre.

Others have pursued other disciplines and vocations such as journalism, law, health and physical education, to name a few.

Current students attend summer intensives around the country, with companies such as the Paul Taylor Dance Company School in New York City and North Carolina Dance Theatre School in Charlotte, and have studied abroad with The ProDanza Italia/USA Workshop in Tuscany, Italy, as well as completing internships with Walt Disney World in Florida and Busch Gardens in Virginia.

Possible Careers

Wondering what you can do with a degree from WVU's Dance major? Check out these ideas from WVU Career Services and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). A median salary is the midpoint of what people typically earn—half of those surveyed earned above the median salary, and half earned below.

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Employers

Graduates from this major have gone to work at:

Courses

What are the courses like in Dance at WVU?

Plan of Study

Check out a program overview, learning goals, course descriptions and suggested plan of study for WVU's Dance major.

View the Plan of Study
 

Popular Courses

DANC 255:
Dance Styles for Musical Theatre

An introduction to musical theatre repertoire along with gaining a more efficient and proficient way of learning and executing Broadway musical choreography, new and old. This course gives the student the tools needed at an intermediate to advanced level of dance, to complement their singing and acting abilities; learning choreography from notable musicals.

DANC 320:
Advanced Modern

(May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours.) Topics covered include advanced modern dance technique, dance vocabulary, dance literacy, proper alignment, musicality, and sound anatomical practices.

DANC 360:
Advanced Choreography

Provides opportunity at the advanced level for creative exploration and analysis of principles of dance composition through improvisations and problem solving. Informal presentation of student works will be included.

Cost and Aid

How much does Dance at WVU cost? And how can you save?

Tuition and Fees

Estimated rates are available on our tuition website. Anyone who is not a current West Virginia resident, including international students, will be charged non-resident rates.

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Scholarships

Estimate your eligibility for merit scholarships at WVU Morgantown.

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Net Price Calculator

Estimate your cost of attendance and eligibility for financial aid and scholarships at any WVU System campus.

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Ways to Save

Here is a way for you to save on the cost of attending WVU in addition to university scholarships.

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU.

Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Learn How to Transfer Course Credits

Requirements

What are the requirements to apply for Dance at WVU?

To be admitted to WVU's Dance major, you must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements for the 2024-25 academic year. Interested in transferring? Review the transfer admission requirements.

Related Majors and Minors

What other options does WVU have?

What minors could I consider?

Related Pathways

What majors share similar career interests with this major at WVU?

Next Steps

I like this major. What are the next steps?

Apply Now

Your first step to becoming a Mountaineer is applying for admission. Our online application makes the process as convenient as possible.

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Request Information

Want to know more about Dance at WVU? Fill out the Request Information form to receive more information about the program and life at WVU.

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Visit WVU

It's the next-best thing to being here – you can virtually tour residence halls and the WVU Morgantown Campus.

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