Colleges That Have Dance Programs
For anyone who loves to dance, there are a handful of colleges that have established their own dance majors and minors. These programs will introduce you to a new world of movement while also giving you the opportunity to develop as an artist. Below, we’ll take a look at the top colleges with dance programs so that you can find one that’s right for you!
Barnard College
If you’re looking for a top dance program at a women’s liberal arts college, then Barnard College is for you. This New York City college has an active student dance organization and offers both a minor and major in dance.
The Dance Department at Barnard College was established in 1964 as one of the first programs in its kind in the country. In addition to many activities on campus, students have access to resources at Columbia University’s School of the Arts and graduate school of performing arts as well as other institutions around town.
Columbia University
If you’re looking to attend college in New York City, take a look at Columbia University. This Ivy League school has a dance program and is known for its research university status. If you’re thinking about becoming an artist, the program offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance. The school also has a performance company called “Columbia Dance Theater,” as well as an annual festival showcasing student works.
If you want to study in one of the most prestigious cities on Earth while getting your degree in dance, consider Columbia University!
New York University
New York University (NYU) is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the world. It is also home to one of the best dance departments and programs in the world. In fact, NYU has a whole school dedicated to dance: The Tisch School of the Arts, which offers majors and minors in dance and related subjects like musical theater performance or film production. If you’re looking for an elite education in dance, look no further than New York University.
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. It was founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar as a female seminary and was eventually transformed into a four-year residential liberal arts college.
Vassar College is the second-oldest institution of higher education for women in the United States after Mount Holyoke College.
Florida State University
Florida State University has a B.F.A., B.A., and B.F.A.-Ed in dance; the school offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs that include performance, teaching, choreography, composition/theory, and movement studies options. The BFA-Ed program is designed for those who are interested in pursuing careers as dance educators at the collegiate level or working with children’s dance programs like community centers or summer camps—not unlike the MFA-Ed program at UCLA mentioned above (and we’ll talk more about this later).
The undergraduate major requires students to complete 18 hours of coursework beyond a foundational set of courses that includes philosophy/history of dance; anatomy & physiology; art history; research methods/statistics; studio skills class (ballet); stagecraft (dance ensemble technique); choreography workshop (developmental work on solo performances); movement analysis lab class (musicality training); principles of creative process class (audience appreciation)
University of Florida
The University of Florida, ranked #3 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance that is housed in the School of Theatre and Dance. The program accepts around 15-20 students per class and has an extremely high acceptance rate — only 8%!
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
UMBC is a public research university in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. UMBC’s campus is located in Catonsville, Maryland, approximately 10 miles (16 km) west of Baltimore. The university offers programs leading to bachelor’s degrees in 50 areas of study; master’s degrees in arts and sciences; engineering and technology; environmental studies; business administration; information systems management and health professions. UMBC also manages the University College London for its parent institution as well as an office at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
UMBC operates on an all-brick campus that was largely constructed between 1950 and 1970 (when enrollment was at its lowest point), with many buildings designed by notable architects including Eero Saarinen, Marcel Breuer and Frank Lloyd Wright. Undergraduate students make up about 9 percent of the total number enrolled at UMBC; there are no fraternities or sororities on campus itself but they do exist among some graduate student organizations such as Tau Sigma Delta which recognizes outstanding leadership skills while providing service throughout the community both locally & internationally through their “Tau Family Program”.
The Juilliard School
The Juilliard School is a performing arts school in Manhattan that offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance, as well as a Master of Fine Arts degree in Choreography. The school also offers two tracks for the BFA: dance performance and dance composition. The MFA program is available only to those who have graduated from the BFA program at Juilliard; it requires an audition and portfolio review process.
The school was founded by philanthropist Alice Vanderbilt Morris in 1905; its first location was at 841 7th Avenue (now known as Carnegie Hall). The institution moved to its current location on 135th Street and Broadway in 1912, where it remained until 2001 when they moved back to their original location due to renovations being done on their new building
Whitman College
Whitman College is a private liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington, United States. Founded in 1859 as a seminary by a pioneer missionary couple from New York, the school was established to primarily educate Native American children. In 1878 the school became Whitman Academy under its first president Charles A. Whitman (hence the name). In 1890 it went coeducational and changed its name to Whitman College after Samuel Washington Whitman gave a large donation of money for this purpose; his son Charles contributed an additional $10 million which allowed him to change his last name from “Whitman” to “Whitman.”
In 2018 Forbes ranked Whitman as the 200th best college in America and 4th best liberal arts college in Washington state. The Princeton Review included it on their list of Best Value Colleges for 2018 with The Wall Street Journal calling it one of America’s 25 Hidden Gems That Every Parent Needs To Know About For 2019.
Pacific Northwest College of Art
Pacific Northwest College of Art is a private college in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1912, and has a dance program that is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. The faculty includes 3 full-time professors and 3 part-time professors.
Marymount Manhattan College
Marymount Manhattan College is a Catholic college located in New York City. The institution’s dance program is one of the best in the world, offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees to qualified students. Graduate classes are available through Marymount Manhattan College School of Professional and Continuing Studies, as well as through its partnership with Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada). Both programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), which means they meet strict standards regarding curriculum and faculty qualifications.
Do you love to dance? These colleges have dance programs!
If you love to dance, here are some of the best colleges that offer dance programs. The list below contains all the colleges that have dance majors and minors, as well as schools with top-notch faculty and alumni who have made an impact on the world of professional dance.
We hope that this list of schools with dance programs has inspired you to pursue your passion for dance. These are just a few examples of the many colleges and universities across the country who have programs available in this area. If you’re looking for more information on how we can help you find one of these schools or other institutions near you, please reach out today!