The B.F.A. program emphasizes training in performance, choreography, and the skills necessary to support an active career in dance and related fields at the professional level.

Students graduating with a B.F.A. in dance will have:

• Professional, entry-level proficiency in dance, including technical and creative proficiency, capability to produce work and solve professional problems independently.
• Multiple perspectives and techniques to discuss, analyze, and contextualize the influences of history, culture, moral and ethical issues as they apply to the field of dance.
• A body of work related to dance performance and/or choreography, related to their career goals as an artist.

Through completion of the B.F.A. in dance the student will:

• Apply dance as an embodied, expressive medium.
• Articulate a personal aesthetic reflective of career interests
• Communicate a personal aesthetic through performance and/or composition.
• Critically analyze and contextualize influences of history, culture, moral, and ethical issues.
• Produce work and solve professional problems independently

Entrance

Students currently enrolled in the B.A. in Dance program* at WMU may petition for entrance into the B.F.A. program
upon completion of two or more of the following:

• Placement at level II of at least one form of dance technique
• Casting through audition in a faculty or guest artist work
• Enrollment in DANC1800 Dance Composition

Students must demonstrate professional-level commitment to individual development and progression toward their career goals in dance.

Petition forms are due to the dance academic advisor in October or March. Dance faculty review each petition for entrance with regard to the student’s stated career goals and potential to meet the demands of this pre-professional program.

Eligibility of transfer students to petition for entrance directly to the B.F.A. program will be determined on an individual basis.

*Admission to the B.A. in Dance program is contingent upon acceptance via an audition.

Continuation

In order to continue in the B.F.A. program, the student must maintain good academic standing with the university, demonstrate a minimum of B-level skills in technique and performance, attend department auditions for faculty and guest artist work, and have demonstrated professional commitment in dance coursework and dance-related activities. A student not meeting these requirements will be reviewed by the faculty for continuation in the B.F.A program in consultation with the student. The review will result in either continuation or probationary status. Under probationary status, a student will be given a minimum of one semester to improve their work in dance and/or academic courses. No improvement will result in discontinuation from the program. Any student discontinued from the program may reapply for the B.F.A. after a minimum of one additional semester at WMU.

A grade of “C” or better is mandatory in all required dance courses.

No minor is required.

WMU Essential Studies

Students enrolled in the B.F.A. in Dance must complete all WMU Essential Studies requirements as described in this catalog.

Fine Arts Cognate selected from WMU Essential Studies program

Students must select at least one course in Art, Music, or Theatre from the list of current WMU Essential Studies course to be used to fulfill any WMU Essential Studies Area.