Dance, BA
Overview
Our innovative Dance BA curriculum integrates multiple disciplines and somatic practices, creating a learning environment that prioritizes a balance of body and mind knowledge with informed, creative expression. You’ll take courses in dance history, choreography, improvisation and performance, as well as a range of electives in areas such as music, theatre and film.
We emphasize the development of critical thinking and communication skills, as well as opportunities for community engagement and professional development. Many of our BA students pursue dance along with a second major, which gives you an opportunity to tailor your education to your interests and goals. No matter what you choose to do, you’ll be prepared for a wide range of careers, as well as graduate study in dance or related fields.
Special workshops and residencies are also scheduled throughout the academic year to provide opportunities for you to train with well-known guest artists and choreographers. Included in these residencies are performances and technique and repertory classes. Recent guest artists have included Jackie Lopez, Katy Pyle, Vershawn Ward, Melanie George, Kia Smith, Parijat Desai, Alfonso Cervera, Aysha Upchurch and Joe Goode.
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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.
Requirements
Credit Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 30 | |
| Arts Requirements | 9 | |
| Dance Foundation Requirements | 18 | |
| Major Requirements | 46 | |
| Electives | 30 | |
| Total Credits | 133 | |
Preparatory Coursework
Based on individual placement results, some students may be required to complete preparatory coursework before enrolling in the courses listed here. This may include English language or composition preparation, developmental math, introductory chemistry, and/or student support courses for students participating in the First Year Bridge program.
General Education Requirements (GER)
UW-Milwaukee has General Education Requirements that must be met in order to earn a bachelor’s or associate degree. They include at minimum 30 credits (10 courses) in six categories that are designed to assure basic student competencies and provide a broad body of knowledge as a context for specialization.
Some degree requirements may fulfill GERs. Please review the requirements and consult with your academic advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Categories and Credits | ||
| Civics and Perspectives (CP) | 6 | |
| Communication and Literacy (CL) | 6 | |
| Humanities and Arts (HA) | 6 | |
| Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (MQR) | 3 | |
| Natural Science and Wellness (NSW/NSWL) | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Science (SBS) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Admission Requirements
Undergraduate applicants must meet general University admission requirements in addition to specific Peck School of the Arts requirements.
Advance to Major and Retention
Each undergraduate dance major's coursework will be reviewed at the end of their sophomore year to determine continuance in the major, as part of the mid-program portfolio review. Students must maintain a 3.0+ GPA in the dance major. Dance courses with a grade of C- or below will not be counted toward the degree.
All students are expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to their health and overall conditioning to fulfill the department's academic requirements. Each student's ability to undertake the demands of the dance program, including their overall physical ability to perform in classes, auditions, rehearsals, and/or performances, will be a factor in the following: grading at the end of each semester; the audition/rehearsal/performance process for department productions and outreach events; the mid-program portfolio review; determining "probation" status; and potentially removing a student from the program.
Credits and Courses
Arts Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Peck School of the Arts Credits | ||
| Must be taken in three of the four departments outside of the student's discipline: Art and Design, Film, Video, Animation and New Genres, Music or Theatre. | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Dance Foundation
Students must complete the following curriculum in their first year:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DANCE 111 | Ballet I (Humanities & Arts GER) | 3 |
| DANCE 113 | Modern Dance Technique I (Humanities & Arts GER) | 3 |
| DANCE 122 | African Dance & Diaspora Technique I (Civics & Perspective GER) | 3 |
| DANCE 170 | Hip-Hop Foundations I | 3 |
| DANCE 192 | Freshmen Seminar | 1 |
| DANCE 233 | Improvisation for Dancemaking | 3 |
| DANCE 490 | Repertoire and Ensemble | 2 |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Technique | ||
| Choose 15 credits from the following: | 15 | |
| Contemporary Dance Practice: Ballet Tradition II | ||
| Contemporary Dance Practice: Ballet Tradition III | ||
| Contemporary Dance Practice: Ballet Tradition IV | ||
| Contemporary Dance Practice: Modern Tradition II | ||
| Contemporary Dance Practice: Modern Tradition III | ||
| Contemporary Dance Practice: Modern Tradition IV | ||
| Jazz Dance I | ||
| Jazz Dance II | ||
| Tap I | ||
| Tap II | ||
| African Dance & Diaspora Technique II | ||
| African Dance & Diaspora Technique III | ||
| African Dance & Diaspora Technique IV | ||
| Hip-Hop II | ||
| Hip Hop III | ||
| Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata I | ||
| Dance for the Musical Theatre I | ||
| World Movement Traditions: (approved subtitle) | ||
| Hip Hop IV | ||
| Physical Practice | ||
| Somatics | ||
| Choose 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Yoga | ||
| Body Sense | ||
| Alexander Technique for the Performer | ||
| Somatic Pedagogy and Practice | ||
| Academics and Creative Practice | ||
| DANCE 110 | Bodies in Motion: Dance, Identity and Culture (Humanities & Arts GER) | 3 |
| DANCE 231 | Music and Dancers I | 3 |
| DANCE 251 | Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis | 3 |
| DANCE 314 | Contemporary Dance History | 3 |
| DANCE 352 | Digital Media Portfolio for Performers | 3 |
| DANCE 371 | Dance Anatomy & Kinesiology | 3 |
| DANCE 412 | Dance Composition I | 3 |
| DANCE 460 | Teaching Dance in Community Settings | 3 |
| Senior Project | ||
| DANCE 601 | Senior Project | 4 |
| Total Credits | 46 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 30 credits from any department on campus (including Dance) in consultation with your advisor | 30 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
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.
Sample Plan of Study
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| Includes Foundations Curriculum | ||
| DANCE 111 | Ballet I (Humanities & Arts GER ) | 3 |
| DANCE 122 | African Dance & Diaspora Technique I (Civics & Perspecitive GER ) | 3 |
| DANCE 192 | Freshmen Seminar | 1 |
| General Education Requirements (2 courses) | 6 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| DANCE 113 | Modern Dance Technique I (Humanities & Arts GER) | 3 |
| DANCE 170 | Hip-Hop Foundations I | 3 |
| DANCE 490 | Repertoire and Ensemble 1,2 | 2 |
| DANCE 233 | Improvisation for Dancemaking | 3 |
| General Education Requirement (2 courses) | 6 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Take one technique course (see list) | 3 | |
| DANCE 412 | Dance Composition I 3 | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| PSOA Requirement (1 of 3) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Take one technique course (see list) | 3 | |
| DANCE 110 | Bodies in Motion: Dance, Identity and Culture | 3 |
| DANCE 231 | Music and Dancers I 3 | 3 |
| Electives | 3 | |
| General Education Requirements (1 course) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Take one technique course (see list) | 3 | |
| DANCE 251 | Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis | 3 |
| DANCE 314 | Contemporary Dance History | 3 |
| Somatic Course | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Yoga | ||
| Body Sense | ||
| Alexander Technique for the Performer | ||
| Body Conditioning: Pilates Method | ||
| Somatic Pedagogy and Practice | ||
| Electives | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Take one technique course (see list) | 3 | |
| DANCE 371 | Dance Anatomy & Kinesiology | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| General Education Requirement (1 course) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| DANCE 460 | Teaching Dance in Community Settings | 3 |
| DANCE 601 | Senior Project | 4 |
| PSOA Requirement (2 of 3) | 3 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Take one technique course (see list) | 3 | |
| DANCE 352 | Digital Media Portfolio for Performers | 3 |
| PSOA Requirement (3 of 3) | 3 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 121 | |
- 1
Any dancer cast in faculty or guest artist choreography must be enrolled in DANCE 425, or at least 1 UWM Department of Dance technique class that meets at least 2 or 3 times per week during the rehearsal semester.
- 2
Per departmental policy, any time a student is cast in a faculty or guest artist work and is enrolled for less than 18 credits, they must enroll in DANCE 490 for 1 or 2 credits during the appropriate semester.
- 3
Coursework involved in MPPR guidelines.
Dance, BA Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with the BA in Dance will be able to:
- Demonstrate efficient body organization, effective body and spatial awareness, and physical understanding of movement patterns within their individual dance practice.
- Apply, articulate, and embody the social, cultural, and historical contexts expressed within diverse dance forms.
- Demonstrate and explain the musical components of diverse dance forms finding the intersections between music and dance.
- Utilize and integrate somatic movement practices into their dance training, teaching, and creative process.
- Develop choreographic skills through ongoing composition practices that utilize collaborative processes leading to self-expression, performance, and community building.
- Create choreographic works through individualized research that engage social, cultural, and/or artistic contexts.
- Demonstrate critical thinking by interpreting and analyzing dance through effective communication.
- Articulate the ways dance impacts and is influenced by diverse ways of knowing self and culture.
Policies and Regulations
Academic Regulations
For information on University-wide Academic Action Policy and honors for scholarship, see Academic Policies.
Auditing Courses
No studio or performance courses may be audited.
Grievance and Appeal Procedures
If you have concerns about a class or a grade, or if you’ve been dropped from a program and would like to appeal, follow the grievance procedures found under the resources section on the Peck School of the Arts Advising & Student Services page.
Independent Study
Under special conditions, juniors and seniors are permitted to take courses in independent study. For regulations on independent study, see the departmental advisor.
Program Changes
All program changes must be signed by the instructor and the Peck School of the Arts Office of Student Services. Certain other courses may also require this approval indicated in the semester's Schedule of Classes.
Second Bachelor's Degree Candidates
Students with good scholastic records who wish to earn a second bachelor's degree in the Peck School of the Arts must obtain the recommendation of the Peck School of the Arts department in which they wish to major before they can be accepted. Upon acceptance, students must earn in residence a minimum of 30 credits beyond the studies for the first degree and must satisfy all curriculum requirements.
Semester Credit Load
A full-time Peck School of the Arts student is one who takes a minimum of 12 credits per semester. Typically, Peck School of the Arts students are not permitted to carry more than 18 credits per semester. Students who have a 3.0+ cumulative GPA may, with the permission of the Peck School of the Arts Office of Student Services, carry up to 21 credits per semester.
Transfer Students
Transfer students from other universities and colleges or UWM units are accepted by the Peck School of the Arts provided they meet the UWM admissions criteria and have a 2.0+ cumulative GPA.
Honors in the Major
- Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a GPA of 3.500 or greater in the major and the academic department's recommendation.
- High Honors in the Major is granted to students who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or greater and the academic department's recommendation.
- Departmental Honors are granted to students recommended by their academic department for Honors excellence in performance not reflected in the GPA.
- Dean's Honors are granted to students with major achievements in one or more of the arts.
College of the Arts and Architecture Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.