Overview
The Department of Theatre and Dance offers a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Studies. Since a vital component of a thorough liberal arts education is to acquire an appreciation and understanding of the arts, this degree program is directly related to Appalachian's mission.   The Dance Studies degree is designed to meet the needs of today's students, taking an integrative and cross-disciplinary approach to dance training.  

The intent of this new program is to expand the dance offerings in the context of the other strong arts offerings on campus. We encourage our students to make cross-disciplinary connections between dance and other fields of study. Training dance students to build bridges with other disciplines will strengthen the student's capacity to make use of a broad liberal arts education. Students will be guided to integrate cross-disciplinary course work from other art forms, such as creative writing, art, music, visual arts, and/or theatre. Other students may choose to explore connections with Expressive Arts Therapy, Music Therapy, or Interdisciplinary Studies.

The educational objectives of the Dance Studies major are to serve the needs of and provide for dance students with the following interests:

- graduate work in Dance, or a related field (Dance Therapy, Expressive Arts, or Arts Mgt.);
- teaching dance, in a community or an academic setting;
- dancing professionally;
- dancing as an avocation.

Core Requirements:
After admission to the university, your first few semesters are spent completing what is called a "core curriculum." This degree requires the same core classes every ASU student takes during their first years of college. After your core is underway, you can declare your major. After you declare your major, you begin to take more classes in your degree area. We recommend that you come to the Department as soon as you can to get involved. You do not have to be a declared major to participate in our productions.

Other Requirements:
You will meet with an advisor at least once a semester. This is an informal time to plan your classes and talk about your experience at ASU. Additional advisor visits are optional. During your junior year there is an interview to make sure you are on a successful path. This is to explore career options and short and long-term goals.

Helpful Resources:
Click here to ask a question, or find the faculty for this area.

View courses and requirements in ASU's course catalogue at http://www.registrar.appstate.edu/catalogs/

Area Classes:
This program requires that you complete the core curriculum and then take the classes listed below. This is a sample curriculum that will have slight changes per year. Your advisor will have a definite list based on your year of entry, or you can view the ASU Undergraduate Bulletin. This checksheet is also available through the College of Fine an Applied Arts (the parent organization of The Department of Theatre & Dance). Click on the course number for a description.

If a course you need is full, please contact the instructor. Students are added to some courses on a case-by-case basis. Visit the link below to search for courses and instructors.

http://www.registrar.appstate.edu/schedules/index.html

FOREIGN LANGUAGE (Completion of 6 sh at the *intermediate level or *higher)

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS Note: *An overall GPA of 2.0 is required in the major                    
18 sh must be done at Appalachian                                   

Required Courses:    

       DAN 2106 (0-1) Performance Activity:   Dance
       DAN 2107 (0-1) Production Activity:   Dance
       DAN 3420 (3) Dance Composition and Improvisation                           
       DAN 3430 (3) Dance History (counts as a Humanities in Core)
       DAN 3450 (3) Dance Pedagogy
       DAN 4420 (0-2) Choreography
       DAN 4460 (3) Somatics
       DAN 4830 (3) Collaborative Process (C minimum)
       DAN 4840 (3) Capstone
       IDS 3000 (3) Histories of Knowledges
       THR 2214 (3) Technical Theatre Basics

      * 10 Semester hours from the following (6 sh must be at the 2000-3000 level)

       DAN 1400 (2) Modern Dance I
       DAN 1410 (2) Beginning Ballet I
       DAN 1420 (2) Jazz I
       DAN 2400 (2) Modern Dance II              
       DAN 2410 (2) Ballet II
       DAN 2420 (2) Jazz II
       DAN 3400 (1) Advanced Dance Technique
       DAN 3405 (2) Modern Dance III
       DAN 3480 (2) Pilates Conditioning I               
       DAN 3580 (2) Gyrokinesis

        Electives in Theatre & Dance   (2 - 6 sh to total 40 sh in the major)

        MINOR REQUIRED (with approval of advisor) 12 - 18 hours
        9 sh of a minor must be completed at Appalachian
        Each minor differs in number of hours & requirements (see catalog)

FREE ELECTIVES (to total a minimum of 122 sh) 13 -25 hours
2 sh of free electives outside the major discipline are required                                                                  

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