Overview

At the Peck School of the Arts’ Department of Dance, our emphasis on building meaningful relationships sets the stage for your success. Our faculty, committed staff, fellow dance artists, and the wider arts community will become your allies on this transformative journey to becoming a professional performer, choreographer, and educator. These connections are woven into the fabric of your education, equipping you with a vast network of industry professionals. 

Outside of the classroom, our students are involved with the city’s professional dance companies, including Danceworks Performance MKE, Ko-Thi Dance Company, Wild Space Dance Company, and project-based groups such as Hyperlocal MKE, Dawn Springer Dance Projects, and Panadanza Dance Company. Students prepare for their profession with workshops and internships with these companies as well as with MG/The Collaboratory and Bembé Drum & Dance. Faculty and students present their work annually at local, regional, and national festivals including Death’s Door Dance Festival, MKE Fringe Fest, Milwaukee Film Festival, and more. 

Choosing to be a part of our community means embracing more than just an education. You’re joining a collective of passionate artists, dedicated to honing their craft and advancing themselves in the professional realm. And you’re doing it at the right place. From our purpose-built studios to our captivating performance spaces, every facet of our department is crafted to inspire and nurture your growth. 

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Faculty and Staff

Our inspirational faculty and staff make sure students feel welcome and empowered to think outside the box and explore all possibilities of making art at UWM. Visit the Peck School of the Arts directory to meet these artists, explore their biographies and engage with recent work.

Scholarships and Aid 

Financial constraints shouldn’t hinder your artistic dreams. Our comprehensive range of scholarships and aid programs is designed to empower and support artists like you.

Study Abroad

We believe that a complete education in the arts should take you beyond the classroom and the local community. By studying abroad, you’ll gain more than a change of scenery. You’ll embark on a transformative educational experience and bring a global perspective to your field of study. Explore upcoming trips offered in partnership with the Center for International Education.

Mission

The Department of Dance at UWM is committed to the development and training of skillful and vibrant dance artists and educators in their pursuit of a comprehensive education built upon diverse dance practices, performance, research and community engagement. Our department supports a thriving local and regional presence, while it opens avenues and opportunities for national and global perspectives. We offer undergraduate and graduate programs that emphasize artistic individuality and the development of the professional skills required for successful careers in dance performance, choreography, and education. Our innovative curriculum integrates multiple dance disciplines and somatic practices, creating a learning environment that prioritizes a balance of body and mind knowledge with informed, creative expression.

Our training environment consists of full-time faculty, lecturers, and guest artists who reflect strong beliefs in multiple points of view, a passionate commitment to individual development, and dedication to serving the versatile interests of our students. Renowned guest artists contribute to the dance department’s curriculum each semester by providing students with direct experience with current and diverse global practices in the field. These programs ensure that we offer our students directed, relevant training as the foundation for successful and sustainable careers in dance and related fields.

The creative research of both the faculty and students reflects our commitment to investigate the historical and cultural relevance of contemporary and traditional world dance forms. These pursuits ensure that we examine and support the vibrancy of cultural traditions while generating new knowledge. Intertwining creativity, scholarship, and interdisciplinary dialogue, our program is dedicated to the exploration and development of somatic inquiry, technology integration, critical thought, and original choreography.

Programs

Undergraduate Majors

Undergraduate Certificates

 Minors

Graduate Degrees

Undergraduate Advising

Academic advising is a collaborative process that empowers students to realize their maximum educational potential. Students are encouraged to visit the Peck School of the Arts Advising & Student Services page to meet with your advisor prior to each semester’s registration period. Advisors provide students with individualized appointments to assist with degree requirements, course selection, campus resources, college success strategies, graduation assessment, academic policies and more.

Graduate Advising 

Individual Peck School of the Arts graduate advisors are assigned upon admission. Your advisor will work closely with you during your time here. To connect with your graduate program representative, please visit the Graduate tab on the Peck School of the Arts apply page.

Dance Courses

NameRankDegreeSchoolGraduate FacultyEmeritus Faculty
Daniel Burkholder Associate Professor MFA University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Yes No
Ferne Caulker-Bronson Professor BS No Yes
Mair Culbreth Assistant Professor PhD Ohio State University Yes No
Simone Ferro Professor MFA University of Iowa No Yes
Maria Gillespie Professor MFA University of California, Los Angeles Yes No
Ishmael Konney Assistant Professor MFA Ohio State University Yes No
Marcia Ruth Parsons Professor MA University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Columbia College (Chicago) No Yes
Dan Schuchart Teaching Faculty III MFA University of California-Riverside Yes No
Dawn Springer Teaching Faculty I MFA Hollins University Yes No
Darci Brown Wutz Professor MFA Smith College No Yes