Welcome to the Dance Department

Wesleyan is a liberal arts university with approximately 2,800 undergraduates and graduates.  The university has a strong commitment to student diversity, educational innovation, and intellectual freedom.  Within that rigorous academic context, the Dance Department offers a B.A. in dance, emphasizing the creation of original scholarly work, both choreographic and written. Most students partake in dance at some point in their undergraduate education, regardless of whether they major or not.

Course work for the major includes composition, history, analysis, pedagogy, anatomy, improvisation, technique and repertory.  One of the distinguishing features of the program is the global range of dance perspectives including: Bharata Natyam, Ghanaian, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Afro-Brazilian, and Javanese.

The department supports a performance schedule consisting of nineteen events.  Students choreograph and perform in a minimum of five concerts, and faculty members choreograph and perform yearly in at least two concerts. Wesleyan University also houses the prestigious Center for the Arts that presents two major dance series,  Breaking Ground  and Dance Masters.

We also have an active visiting artist program that exposes students to innovative, contemporary artists in extended residencies and a series of Master Classes.  In the past few years we have welcomed Eiko Otake, Liz Lerhman, Ann Carlson, Juillete Mapp, Leah Stein, Lisa Race, Migeul Guiterrez, Ron Brown, and Jawolle Willa Jo Zollar.

This year we welcome Eiko, Liz, Ann, and Reggie Wilson, Ori Flomin, KJ Holmes, Josh Hilberman, and Tere O'Connor.

• Dance Faculty, Staff & Visitors

• History of Dance at Wesleyan

• Major Description

• Courses

• Dance Major's Handbook