Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance
A BFA in dance focuses on technical training and preparation for a career in professional performance. Student progress will be assessed at the end of their second year in the program through the Sophomore Review. For more information, please see the Department of Theatre and Dance's website or email KUDance@ku.edu.
Undergraduate Admission
Admission to KU
All students applying for admission must send high school and college transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Prospective first-year students should be aware that KU has qualified admission requirements that all new first-year students must meet to be admitted. Consult the Office of Admissions for application deadlines and specific admission requirements.
Visit the International Support Services for information about international admissions.
Students considering transferring to KU may see how their college-level course work will transfer on the Office of the University Registrar website.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Degree Requirements
Dance BFA applicants must apply to the University of Kansas and declare their degree program interest. As of 2024-2025, no audition is required for entry into the BFA program. Instead, students are assessed following the second year of study in terms of technical, artistic and academic development in the form of the Sophomore Review.
The curriculum leading to the B.F.A. focuses on technique, choreography, and performance. It prepares students for professional careers or further academic study in dance.
B.F.A. majors receive integrated training across ballet, modern/contemporary, jazz, tap, and hip hop dance techniques. They also take courses in choreography, dance theory, history, dance science, and pedagogy. Other B.F.A. courses include flamenco, career preparation in the arts, conditioning and injury prevention for dancers, musical theatre dance, and special topics in dance studies. Students must complete a senior project in performance and/or choreography. B.F.A. majors have a variety of performance opportunities as members of the University Dance Company.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Development and Assessment | 1 | |
| Introduction to the Dance Major | ||
| Sophomore Review | ||
| Dance Technique | 33 | |
| Majors must complete 33 hours of dance technique at the 200 level or higher, including 6 hours in at least one genre at 300 level or higher. Satisfied 33 hours from the following. Courses may be repeated for credit. | ||
| Ballet II | ||
| Modern Contemporary II | ||
| Jazz II | ||
| Musical Theatre Dance | ||
| Modern/Contemporary III | ||
| Jazz III | ||
| Tap Fundamentals | ||
| Hip Hop Fundamentals | ||
| Ballet IV | ||
| Hip Hop II | ||
| Tap II | ||
| University Dance Company | 4 | |
| Majors must complete four semesters of University Dance Company. May be repeated for credit. | ||
| University Dance Company | ||
| Dance Composition | ||
| Majors must complete each of the following courses: | ||
| DANC 150 | Choreography I | 2 |
| DANC 250 | Choreography II | 2 |
| DANC 350 | Choreography III | 3 |
| Capstone Course | ||
| DANC 550 | Senior Project | 3 |
| Dance Studies | ||
| Majors must complete each of the following courses: | ||
| DANC 330 | Dance in Culture | 3 |
| DANC 375 | Anatomy and Injury Prevention | 3 |
| DANC 460 | Critical Dance Studies | 3 |
| DANC 520 | Pedagogy | 3 |
| Dance Electives | 12 | |
| Satisfied by 12 hours from the following: | ||
| Rhythms and Structures of Music | ||
| Career Preparation in the Arts | ||
| Introduction to Flamenco Dance | ||
| Directed Study in: _____ | ||
| Practicum in: _____ | ||
| Field Experience in Dance Teaching | ||
| Special Topics in Dance: _____ | ||
| Total Hours | 72 | |
Major Hours & Major GPA
While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Major Hours
Satisfied by 72 hours of major courses.
Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Hours
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.
Below is a sample 4-year plan for students pursuing the BFA in Dance. To view the list of courses approved to fulfill Core 34, please visit the KU Core 34 page.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| DANC 100 (Major Requirement) | 1 | Dance Technique (Modern 1 of 2), Major Requirement | 3 |
| Dance Technique (Ballet 1 of 2), Major Requirement1 | 3 | DANC 210 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Dance Technique (Elective 1 of 6), Major Requirement2 | 3 | DANC 150 (Major Requirement)3 | 2 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | DANC 320 (1 of 4, Major Requirement) | 1 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 | Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)030 | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Dance Technique (Ballet 2 of 2), Major Requirement | 3 | Dance Technique (Jazz), Major Requirement | 3 |
| Dance Technique (Elective 2 of 6), Major Requirement | 3 | Dance Technique (Modern 2 of 2), Major Requirement | 3 |
| Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 | DANC 350 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| DANC 250 (Major Requirement) | 2 | Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)040 | 4-5 |
| DANC 320 (2 of 4, Major Requirement) | 1 | Dance General Elective (2 of 4), Major Requirement4 | 3 |
| Dance General Elective (1 of 4), Major Requirement4 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16-17 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Dance Technique (Elective 3 of 6), Major Requirement | 3 | DANC 375 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Dance General Elective (3 of 4)4 | 3 | Dance Technique (Elective 4 of 6), Major Requirement2 | 3 |
| DANC 320 (3 of 4, Major Requirement) | 1 | DANC 320 (4 of 4, Major Requirement)3 | 1 |
| Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours | 3 |
| DANC 460 (Major Requirement) | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours | 3 |
| Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 13 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| DANC 330 (Core 34: Global Culture (SGE))070** | 3 | DANC 550 (Capstone Requirement, Major Requirement )1 | 3 |
| Dance Technique (Elective 5 of 6), Major Requirement | 3 | DANC 520 or 540 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Dance General Elective (4 of 4), Major Requirement3 | 3 | Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours | 3 | Dance Technique (Elective 6 of 6), Major Requirement | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours | 2 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Total Hours 120-121 | |||
- 1
Technique placement determined by Dance Department faculty. If student begins technique coursework at 200-level, degree plan will alter significantly.
- 2
See Catalogue for full list of approved Dance Technique Electives.
- 3
Choreography classes sequenced/not offered every semester. See Dance Course Rotation for more details.
- 4
See Catalogue for full list of approved Dance General Electives.
Please note:
All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are required to complete 120 total hours of which 45 hours must be at the Jr/Sr (300+) level.
*Courses with a * designate courses that are degree requirements but can also be taken to fulfill the KU Core requirement. If another course is used to fulfill the Core 34 requirement, the course listed is still required as a degree requirement.
Notes:
* - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education. If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.
** - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.
*** - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34:Systemwide General Education course. If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate physical competence and kinesthetic awareness to explore artistic ideas through a process of embodied research, inquiry, and movement discovery.
- Understand dance in different historical and cultural contexts, and the ways in which movement reflects and is shaped by values and practices within these contexts.
- Develop and defend critical evaluations of choreography.
- Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of the body and the kinesiology as applicable to work in dance.
- Teach dance at various levels to different age groups and in a variety of classroom, studio, and community settings.