Dance

Faculty

Professor

Kathleen Klein, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Jinyoung Lee Hanley, M.A.

Artist in Residence

Eileen Hebron, B.A.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the Department of Dance is to develop dancers whose creative expression combines artistic beauty and technical mastery within a community of shared Christian values that integrates Christian faith and learning. Graduates are expected to demonstrate a mastery of a variety of dance techniques, display articulate verbal and non-verbal communication, understand dance from a historical and cultural perspective, and perform with a unique artistic voice. The successful student combines these competencies to prepare, present and teach dance in a professional manner.

Programs of Study

The Department of Dance offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Arts degree. The Bachelor of Fine Arts professional degree focuses on intensive work in dance, supported by a program in general studies and intended to prepare students for professional practice in dance. The Bachelor of Arts degree is intended for those students who seek a thorough grounding in dance technique, including opportunities for performance experience within the traditional, broad-based liberal arts curriculum. The B.A. in dance offers concentrations in dance ministry, dance pedagogy, or dance studies. The department also offers a minor in dance. Unless specified in the course description, all courses offered in the Department of Dance are open to qualified students regardless of their major. Some applied dance courses and ensembles require an audition or instructor permission before students may be admitted. Students are encouraged to consult a dance advisor for information about specific course offerings.

Admission Requirements

In addition to PBAU application procedures, prospective students seeking to major in dance must file an application and complete an audition with the Department of Dance. Application materials must include:

Audition form
A letter of recommendation from a high school dance teacher or other dance professional familiar with your work and character.
A one-page resume including dance trainings, performance experiences, achievements and awards, skills, and academic GPA.
A two to three page essay describing why you want to pursue dance as a major. Consider goals in college and beyond.
A dance photo that shows your face and whole body clearly.

Application materials should be received and auditions completed at least six weeks before the student’s first term as a dance major to ensure a place in as many required courses as possible.

Auditions and Placement Examinations

All prospective students must complete a live audition and interview with the dance faculty prior to the semester of initial enrollment. If a student lives too far from an audition site for a live audition to be practical, a video file or YouTube link may be submitted for provisional consideration, to be followed up by a live audition and interview when the student arrives on campus. All freshmen and transfer students will be evaluated to be considered to receive dance scholarships, recommendation of their degrees and concentrations, and placement in their appropriate technique course level. Audition requirements are listed below:

Group ballet class
Group modern dance class
Presentation of solo: one to two minutes choreographed solo of your own dance style.
Interview with faculty members

For more information, please click here https://www.pba.edu/academics/schools/music-fine-arts/dance-application-process.html.

Scholarship Information

PBAU offers scholarships in varied amounts to a select number of highly talented and promising students each year. These scholarships are available through a competitive process that includes an interview and an audition with the dance faculty of the university.

Students who accept these grants-in-aid must fulfill the following criteria:

Enrollment as a full-time student pursuing a major in the Department of Dance
Maintain a 3.0 overall grade point average for all courses taken at Palm Beach Atlantic University
Enrollment each semester in Dance Ensemble
Participate in the Student Choreography Showcase each semester
The award may not exceed eight (8) semesters without special permission

Failure to meet these requirements may result in loss or reduction of any dance scholarship. For further information, contact the dance department chair. Students seeking dance scholarships must audition on or before the last audition date in April.

Review of Satisfactory Progress

All dance majors will have their progress reviewed annually and must maintain a 2.75 grade point average in all dance courses attempted at Palm Beach Atlantic University. a grade of C+ in all dance courses. Admission to upper-level study is determined on the basis of the student’s cumulative GPA in dance courses, the recommendation of the student’s advisor, and the satisfactory completion of an interview with the dance faculty committee. The faculty reserves the right to dismiss any student from a major in dance if he or she fails to meet departmental standards, which are stated in the Dance Department Handbook. Decisions to dismiss a student from a major will be reviewed automatically by the Executive Committee of the School of Music and Fine Arts, and a student may make an appeal to the Dean. In the event that a student is unable to meet the standards of the department, every attempt will be made to counsel that student into a more suitable major.

Residency Requirement

All dance majors must complete a minimum of two years in full-time residence at PBA, including their senior year. Transfer students will not be admitted beyond the first semester of their junior year. Dance technique credits transferred from another institution toward a major or minor may not exceed ten (10) credit hours for B.F.A. students and seven (7) credit hours for B.A. students. Majors may not use transient study to fulfill courses in the Dance Core or Major Requirements and Electives.

Dance Production Requirements

The Department of Dance presents at least two fully-produced dance concerts and several student showcases each academic year. Productions range from classical to contemporary in nature, in order to give the student an opportunity to work in various dance genres. Participation in productions requires an audition and is open to all PBA students regardless of major. Dance majors are required to participate in productions, which may include Dance Ensemble Concerts, Senior Dance Concerts, Student Choreography Showcases, and other dance concerts pre-approved by the Department Chair. At a minimum, all majors must annually participate in:

For B.F.A. Students:

Two performances as a dancer
Two performances created as a choreographer (which may include the audition for Student Choreography Showcase)

For B.A. Students:

One performance as a dancer
One performance created as a choreographer (which may include the audition for Student Choreography Showcase)

Backstage Requirements

Students will gain experience working as backstage crew and production assistants in the following courses, which are required for all dance majors:

DAN 1113 Dance Production
DAN 3473 Creative Dance Practices I
DAN 4473 Creative Dance Practices II
DAN 4121 Senior Project

It is recommended that students take only one of these courses per semester. All dance majors are required to complete a minimum of two backstage and/or production assistant assignments per academic year. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the student to track and record their participation and involvement for submission in their annual student evaluation. Examples of tasks include, but are not limited to:

Load-in and strikes
Programing of the performances
Coordinating music
Creating a master cue sheet
Sign-in and Sign-out
Stage manager
Backstage crew

Concert Attendance Requirements

All dance majors are required to attend at least eight (8) performances each year of full-time enrollment (a total of 32 over the course of the four-year degree, and pro-rated for transfer students and students graduating midyear). Attendance at off campus concerts in professional arts venues are encouraged to be used to meet a portion of the annual requirement, but must be approved by the student’s advisor.

The requirements for concert attendance are as follows:

At least six (6) out of the eight (8) yearly performances attended must be dance concerts
A minimum of three (3) dance performances at professional theatres (provision of ticket and program required)
Attendance at tech/dress rehearsals and smaller venues are allowed (provision of date/place/name/photo of the event required)

Dance Ensemble Requirements

The dance department is committed to ensemble performance as a primary means of instruction in dance. All dance majors must earn a minimum requirement (as stated below) in DAN 1501 - Dance Ensemble or DAN 3501 - Dance Ensemble while enrolled at PBA.

For B.F.A. Students: Every semester

For B.A. Students: Two semesters

Dance Ensemble Retreat Attendance

All returning dance students enrolled in PBA Dance Ensemble are required to attend an annual retreat. PBA Dance Ensemble retreat is generally held the week before fall semester begins.

Senior Graduation Project

All students are required to present a senior dance concert as part of their senior graduation project. The content and type of the project will be tailored to the individual student’s needs and interests. Students must register for DAN 4120 - Senior Graduation Project after the professor has approved the student’s graduation project.

Dancers’ Seminar

Dance students and faculty gather for one hour a week to relay and discuss pertinent information about the program and the current state of dance in culture and society. Students share their choreographic works-in-progress and receive critical feedback from classmates and faculty. Auditions for Student Choreography Showcase may be held during this class. All declared dance majors must take DAN 0110 - Dancers’ Seminar every semester. All declared dance minors must take the course every semester until they complete their minor requirements, including semesters without dance course enrollment.