Goucher College: The Dance Major

All dance majors have the opportunity to perform in and present choreography. During the semester in which a student performs, they must be enrolled in a dance technique class.

It is suggested that dance majors take a minimum of two technique classes per semester.

All students majoring in dance with a track in Performance and Dance Education must fulfill the following requirements:

A total of 43.5 credits within the major.

A minimum of 12 credits of dance technique (modern, ballet, pointe, jazz, musical theatre). It is suggested that dance majors take a minimum of two technique classes per semester.

Completion of DAN 311 and 321 in both modern and ballet dance technique, respectively, for credit.

Performance track must also complete DAN 295 for credit.

Education certification requires courses in dance and education determined by the Maryland State Department of Education. All courses must be completed for certification. Please refer to the Education Department listings for the courses necessary for certification. In addition to the core courses listed above, the following courses are required for dance education with certification:

DAN 190
DAN 140
DAN 293
DAN 294
DAN 361
DAN 131 or PE 108

All students majoring in dance with a track in Choreography, Dance History and Criticism, Dance Therapy, Dance Administration, Dance Science, Dance and Theater must fulfill the following requirements:

A total of 40 credits within the major.

DAN 218 and 221 in both modern and ballet dance technique, respectively, for credit.

A minimum of six credits of dance technique.

Six credits in one of the areas of study listed below.

Please note: the courses listed under each track are those that the student must take beyond the core courses required for all dance majors in order to fulfill the six credits.

Choreography Track
DAN 361 DAN 384

Dance History and Criticism Track
Students must select six credits from the following, excluding the dance history course taken as part of the major requirement:
DAN 131 and 231 DAN 250 DAN 251 DAN 255
ENG 203 ENG 208 PHL 201

Dance Therapy Track
DAN 296 DAN 297

The American Dance Therapy Association guidelines for successful entry to graduate school are used to determine the course of study for the specialized area of dance therapy. Students interested in a specialized area should see an adviser in the Dance Department for further information.

Dance Administration Track
MGT 170 MGT 270 (formerly MGT 370) MGT 375

Students wishing to pursue the Arts Administration concentration should refer to the Business Management Department for the required course of study.

Dance Science Track
Students must select six credits from the following courses:
BIO 104 BIO 105 BIO 210 BIO 214 BIO 260
CHEM 107 CHEM 341 CHEM 111 and 112 CHEM 151 and 152
PHY 115 PSY 114

Students wishing to pursue the biological sciences major with a concentration in dance science should refer to the Biological Sciences Department for course of study.

Dance and Theatre Track
Students must select six credits from the following courses:
THE 101 or 102 THE 120 THE 140 THE 228 THE 231

Writing Proficiency in the Major
Students are required to take DAN 390 and achieve a grade of B- or better in order to be granted writing proficiency in the major. In order to achieve writing proficiency, students are expected to master the ability to:
• Write grammatically correct, syntactically sophisticated sentences and construct cohesive, effective paragraphs consistently and spontaneously;
• Research and integrate information from multiple sources; and
• Provide substantial and appropriate support for theses and propositions and demonstrate the correlating ability to develop and write well-reasoned arguments of merit to the field of dance studies.

Qualifications Required to Graduate with Departmental Honors
Students may qualify for honors in the Dance Department if they achieve a grade point average of at least 3.67 in all courses taken in the major. Students opting to pursue honors must demonstrate a superior grasp of their course of study to a full-time member of the faculty by either an academic thesis or a theoretical grounded body of creative work which includes substantial written documentation.

Multiple Failed Courses
It is the department’s policy that students majoring in dance must receive at least a C- in every course taken toward the completion of the major.

Placement

All students are placed in technique levels by audition or evaluation.

Dance Major and Minor Review

Dance Major and Minor Reviews occur each semester in order to provide an opportunity for the faculty to evaluate the progress of declared majors and students who are interested in becoming dance majors or minors through evaluation based on performance in a ballet and modern class. Should the dance faculty feel as if the student is not progressing satisfactorily through the major or is at risk for not fulfilling the required technique levels of his or her chosen track of study, he/she will be asked to meet with their dance advisor or the department chair to discuss progress and for guidance toward the most suitable degree program for his/her interests, talents, and career goals.

Progression through Dance Technique Levels

Class Promotion Reviews occur each semester in conjunction with the Dance Major and Minor Reviews. Students wishing to be considered for promotion to a higher level of technique are required to attend these reviews. This assessment procedure applies to all students taking technique courses for academic credit or audit. If a student does not attend these reviews, he/she will remain in the same level that he/she was placed in for the present semester. Advancement is determined by the student's technical proficiency.

Repeatable Dance Technique Courses
The following courses are repeatable up to six credits:
DAN 131 DAN 231 DAN 295 DAN 146

Download the full Dance Department Handbook.