Dance
BACHELOR OF ARTS | MINOR
Stretch the boundaries of your performance
In the Dance Bachelor of Arts program at the Corcoran School, we train students to tell their own stories through movement. If you are ready to grow as a dancer and as an artist, to be mentored by internationally acclaimed instructors and to cultivate your artistic voice, the Corcoran is for you.
We are dedicated to educating choreographers of the future through our global, interdisciplinary community located in the heart of Washington, D.C. Working with internationally known guest artists through classes and workshops, our students establish professional connections to a variety of geographies and heritages with countless performative opportunities both in and out of the studio.
Our program prepares you for a professional career in the multifaceted field of dance as artist, entrepreneur, manager or dance specialist. We focus on contemporary and post-modern dance techniques, emphasizing experimentation through creative process, and our courses are allied with the body of knowledge found in somatic theories. Modern technique classes are offered at four levels, and students take additional classes in dance history, production and career strategies.
If you’re looking for a dance program that emphasizes art and creative problem solving, where you’ll engage with diverse peers and innovative faculty, there is no better place than at the Corcoran School.
PROGRAM OF STUDY
With an emphasis on technique, our curriculum simultaneously develops the physical strength of our dancers while building their confidence as choreographers. Through classes in technique, choreography and theory, students gain a strong foundation for understanding movement. In addition, required coursework in lighting and costuming expands production skills within the broader context of the theatrical environment.
You will also study somatic theories, improvisation, composition, performance art and dance history, work with guest artists from around the world and engage with professional organizations through internships.
The culmination of the program of study is a thesis project that showcases students' creativity, allowing them to demonstrate their skills in all areas of performance and production. From choreography to costume and audio design and more, the thesis is an opportunity for our dancers to exhibit their experience in all components of a dance performance.
WHERE YOU'LL GO
Whether you are a major or minor, our students prepare for a variety of professional careers including performer, director, set designer, production assistant or teachers.
WHAT WE CREATE
Hana Springer, double major in Dance and International Affairs, was one of a pair of students that traveled to Taiwan. The trip included participation in an international arts festival, rehearsals with world-famous choreographers and sharing tips and Ta-a noodles with fellow dancers from around the globe.
“Dancing in Taiwan showed me firsthand how art can be a tool for uniting people, no matter who they are or where they come from. We all are more connected than we often realize, and dancing is a powerful way to express those connections.”
MINOR IN DANCE REQUIREMENTS
The following requirements must be fulfilled: 18 credits, including a 3-credit required course and 15 credits in elective courses:
FACULTY
ALUMNI
Dawn Stoppiello (MFA '14) was appointed an Assistant Professor of Practice in Dance & New Media at USC Kaufman School of Dance. She is widely recognized for her 25-year career in choreography for bodies interfaced to computers.
Photo Credit: Piro Patton
CONTACTS
You can contact us by phone at 202-994-8072, fax at 202-994-9403 or email at [email protected]. You can find us at
Building XX
814 20th Street NW, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20052
Program Head
Jodi I Kanter
[email protected]
Program Administrator
Gabrielle Wingate
[email protected]
