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BFA Dance/
What it’s About
The curtain is rising and you are part of the magic . . . Is there anything more thrilling?
Montclair’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in DANCE program is preparing dancers for extraordinary lives. Our conservatory-like program, offered in conjunction with a liberal arts education, prepares students to become dancers of high caliber. The intensive course of study centers on anatomically sound, sequential technique focusing on modern, ballet and jazz, as well as African and hip-hop, thus enabling students to perform a broad spectrum of challenging works.
Opportunities to choreograph and perform are numerous, including travel to the American College Dance Festival which allows students to compete for award recognitions and to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Located on a campus just 14 miles west of Manhattan, Montclair’s dance program attracts an outstanding faculty and prominent guest artists to work with our students every semester. Likewise, the 30-minute train ride to New York connects students with dance productions, internship opportunities and all that attracts dancers from all over the world.
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What you will Study
The BFA Dance curriculum consists of 80 credits in Dance, 36 credits in General Education requirements and 12 credits in Free Electives. Courses include daily classes in ballet, modern and/or jazz plus courses in improvisation, choreography, dance history, Laban Movement Analysis, rhythmic analysis, anatomy and physiology, pedagogy and repertory.
Opportunity to double-major –
Tuition at MSU is reasonable enough to allow students to pursue a major in dance and a major in another field of study concurrently, with opportunity to choose from among 250 academic programs. Alternatively, students who want to broaden their academic experience can also work toward a minor.
Curriculum Links –
Curriculum requirements for the BFA in Dance program, in relation to other Theatre and Dance options, may be found within the following links:
Related Links –
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Performance Opportunities
BFA Dance majors maintain an intensive rehearsal and performance schedule. Furthermore, since the department does not offer a graduate program in Dance, students don’t compete with graduate students for solo and ensemble roles.
Key to the program are opportunities to perform with the MSU Dance Repertory Company, featuring works choreographed by faculty, guest artists and alumni.
Students also choreograph their own pieces and are able to have them produced and performed.
Productions –
The Dance Division presents three main dance concerts annually which are staged in Montclair’s stellar facilities. They are also “travelled” to community and regional sites in the U.S. and sometimes abroad. (See the Department Productions and Photo Gallery pages which display current and past seasons of student performed works.)
In addition to performing in productions, students have opportunity to attend more than 500 professional performance events produced annually through Montclair’s internationally acclaimed Peak Performances – a program of eclectic theatre, dance and music productions. Students are admitted at no additional charge by presenting their MSU student ID – and are sometimes even casted alongside seasoned performers and celebrities (as was the case when our students performed with the companies of Doug Elkins, Lula Washington and David Gordon.)
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An Outstanding Faculty
More than seventy-five permanent faculty and visiting professionals, mentor our Theatre and Dance students every semester. What’s more, renowned guest artists visit the campus regularly – to teach, choreograph and conduct master classes. Collectively they bring an exceptional dimension that enhances training, provides additional performing opportunities, and lays the groundwork for professional networking.
Faculty Directory Links –
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Exceptional Facilities
Montclair State’s performance facilities are both comprehensive and exceptional. With six glorious theatres, students perform in spaces that mirror the best of their kind. Venues include the state-of-the-art 500-seat Alexander Kasser Theater, a 946-seat Memorial Auditorium, 2000-seat amphitheater and the intimate L. Howard Fox Theatre. In addition, the Dance Division has exclusive use of the MSU Dance Theatre plus two additional rehearsal studios (one with a panoramic view of Manhattan.)
The diversity of our performance spaces affords the experience of a variety of settings similar to what students will encounter in their profession, thus expanding their adaptability to the breadth of industry environments.
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Awards and Accreditation
Montclair State Dance majors are recognized regionally and nationally for their performance accomplishments. Almost yearly, our students participate in the regional component of the American College Dance Festival and often go on to compete on the national level at Washington’s Kennedy Center. Virtually year after year they bring home award recognitions – and often scholarships - for excellence in their choreographic presentations, ensemble work and performance.
The BFA Dance program meets the rigorous standards of the Department of Theatre and Dance’s accrediting body – the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), thus placing it among the best programs in the nation.
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How to Apply
For information on applying to the BFA Dance program, see the Department Admissions page.
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For Further Information
For further information regarding Dance and other programs in the Department of Theatre and Dance, please contact and/or visit us on campus.
Contact –
Deputy Chair, Dept. of Theatre & Dance; Director, Dance Programs
Prof. Lori Katterhenry
973.655.7080
Coordinator, BFA Dance Program
Prof. Linda Roberts
973.655.4115
Events for Prospective Students –
Arts Days and Open Houses
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