Academic Catalog 2024-2025

Dance

College of Arts and Humanities
Department of Theatre and Dance

Program Description

The Bachelor of Arts in Dance offers each student the opportunity to develop creative and technical skills to become leaders in the field of dance as dancers, choreographers, and teachers in studios, private, and public schools. The B.A. in Dance also prepares students looking to further their education by attending graduate school to receive their M.F.A, M.A., or Ph. D. in Dance or related fields. The Dance program is multicultural and multi-ethnic by nature and offers a wide range of dance styles and techniques to explore. Students are encouraged to create, produce, and assess their work in relation to the broad knowledge of dance history and its traditions.

The Dance Minor offers courses designed for students who wish to augment their Bachelor's degree or desire to become a performer, choreographer, teacher, or further their dance training.

CSU Dominguez Hills Dance faculty are professional dancers, choreographers, and teachers who offer classes in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Latin Social Dance, African dance and more. Students will have the opportunity to participate in master dance classes taught by nationally known artists and attend the American College Dance Association Conference.  Complimenting dance technique classes, student will take classes in Dance Composition, Dance Production, Global Dance Perspectives, Rhythmic Analysis, Dance for Children, Forces & Figures in Dance, Dance Kinesiology, and more to round out the B.A. in Dance.

Features

Two large dance studios are available to students. Both studios are equipped with sprung floors, mirrored walls and the main studio has ballet barres, a grand piano, and digital audio and visual systems. Ballet and modern classes have live music accompaniment. Ample locker and shower facilities are also available. Dance students perform in the fully equipped University Theatre, which seats over 400 audience members. Two dance concerts are held each year, one in each semester, the Mosaic Dance Company offers screen dance opportunities along with outreach performances, and our Theatre Productions regularly incorporate dance. There are also opportunities to perform at on and off-campus events throughout the year.

The Dance program is a member of the American College Dance Association. Students have the opportunity to participate in the ACDA annual conference and adjudication concerts in the Baja Region and other performance venues

Academic Advisement

We request that students meet with the dance advisor and program coordinator, Doris Ressl or Amy Allen, before starting their first semester at CSU Dominguez Hills. This is when educational goals and previous dance experience will be discussed. Based on this discussion, the progression of the student's major or minor requirements will be planned. Career opportunities will also be discussed. If transferring from a community or 4-year college, students should bring a copy of their transcripts.

Dedication and commitment are the keys to the successful pursuit of a career in theatre and dance. To help students achieve high academic and production standards, the department requires all majors and minors to pass their required classes with a "C" grade or better. Students who receive lower than a "C" will need to "Repeat and Cancel" that course in the following semester.

Graduation with Honors

An undergraduate student may graduate with Honors in Dance if the following criteria are met:

  1. A minimum of 36 units in residence at CSU Dominguez Hills.
  2. A minimum GPA of at least 3.5 in all courses used to satisfy the upper-division requirements.

Preparation

For the B.A. in Dance and Dance Minor, it is strongly suggested that students pursuing a career in dance study ballet, modern, jazz dance  techniques and dances of world cultures such as African, Latin Social, and Hip Hop. Students should take advantage of all available choreography and performance opportunities and view as many dance performances as possible. In addition to high school graduation requirements, the student should study art music, acting, literature, philosophy, and kinesiology. While attending community college, students should seek choregraphic and performance experience in theatre presentations and attend as many dance performances as possible. Most dance technique courses are taken at community colleges in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and other selected dance styles will transfer to satisfy the lower-division requirements for the B.A. in Dance and Dance Minor.

Dance Opportunities

Mosaic Dance Company – is a semi-professional touring dance company is comprised of students at CSUDH. Guest artists, faculty members, and students create dance works with the company, which are performed in concerts on campus and in the surrounding community. Through a variety of dance styles, the Mosaic Dance Company provides a professional training experience for the students involved and provides dance education and performances to underserved populations in the community.

American College Dance Association (ACDA) – Interested dance students have opportunities to attend the annual conference and participate in the adjudication concerts. Students will meet students from college dance programs in and out of the Baja Region, take master dance classes, perform in adjudication concerts, receive feedback, and experience dance from other undergraduate and graduate academic institutions.