Undergraduate Degrees
Ballet BFA
The University of Utah Ballet BFA offers rigorous training, multiple performances opportunities, and excellent academic courses for ballet majors. The minimum requirement for graduation is 122 credit hours, of which 36 to 39 hours must be fulfilled in general education courses.
The ballet major is a restricted major and admissions is highly competitive. Students currently attending the BFA program arrive with years of pre-professional advanced training with four or more years of pointe work and/or advanced pre-professional male training.
The Ballet Program has excellent production support that includes an outstanding technical production faculty and staff to oversee and facilitate performances, create stunning costumes for three-act classical ballets and contemporary works, and maintain the 330-seat Hayes-Christensen Theater and a fully equipped costume shop.
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The Ballet Program at the University of Utah has a history of excellence dating from 1951. In this groundbreaking year, Willam F. Christensen — noted dancer, teacher, and founder of the San Francisco Ballet Company — returned to his native Utah and founded one of the first ballet programs in an American university. As faculty was developed and the curriculum grew, the excellence of this program served as the foundation for other university ballet programs.
Faculty and graduates of the University of Utah’s Ballet Department were fundamental in the formation and growth of Ballet West, Utah’s major professional ballet company. Through the excellence and professional success of our faculty, students, and alumni, the School of Dance continues to attract a cosmopolitan enrollment of students from all 50 states and abroad. Numerous alumni are currently dancing professionally or working as ballet instructors and administrators in colleges, universities and other educational and professional organizations throughout the world.
In 1989 the beautiful, contemporary and ideally functional facility, The Alice Sheets Marriott Center for Dance was built specifically for dance. From 1996 on, surveys of dance administrators have consistently ranked the University of Utah undergraduate programs in Ballet and Modern Dance in the top 10% across the nation. In the summer of 2009 the first Utah Ballet Summer Intensive was created, creating a rigorous 4 week program combining classical training and creative exploration.
The School of Dance is an educational training center that prepares majors for professional performing and teaching careers, and encourages creative and scholarly research in undergraduate students. A balanced and comprehensive curriculum created for the 100-plus professionally-oriented students leads to the BFA Degree. The Department offers many opportunities for performance and/or choreography through participation in the Pre-Professional Trainee Program with Ballet West, Utah Ballet, Character Dance Ensemble, Ballet Ensemble, Ballet Showcase, Senior Concert.
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Opportunities abound for personal development at the University of Utah through intensive daily technique classes, pointe, variations, and men’s classes tailored to the student’s technique level. The department also offers vital experiences for students to develop artistically and creatively through numerous performances and choreographic opportunities.
The faculty is committed to teaching a wide spectrum of courses; and the department offers a curriculum designed to develop dancers who are versatile, technically articulate, and well prepared for their futures.
To accomplish this level of expertise, the curriculum includes courses in repertory and performance skills; partnering; pedagogy; music; character dance; ballet history; choreography; modern dance; kinesiology; dance conditioning; and technical theatre/lighting. While professional preparation and training is the main focus of undergraduate study, students also receive an excellent general education from exceptional teachers at the University of Utah in the physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, fine arts, and humanities. Contributing to a rich inner life are collaborative arts experiences within the college, and opportunities for internships and outreach activities.
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The Ballet Program supports the training of male dancers through our curriculum, which insures that male students may focus on their specific training needs through opportunities to enroll in Men's Class and Partnering courses every semester. Additionally, the program provides individual mentorship by male faculty members who bring their own impressive professional careers and backgrounds to their relationships with students. Further, there are multiple performance opportunities both on and off campus.
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The BFA in Ballet, Teaching Emphasis prepares students for a professional career in performance and teaching. The optional emphasis compliments the rigorous studio training of the BFA in Ballet with additional coursework in pedagogy, production, and human development, including hands on teaching experience with faculty mentoring. The curriculum includes a breadth of coursework in choreography, music, pedagogy, anatomy, dance histories and dance studies. Admission is by audition only and is highly competitive.
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One of the many things that makes the University of Utah School of Dance unique is that alongside a Ballet BFA or Modern Dance BFA major, it is possible to do a second major. From Business and Kinesiology to Education and English, our students are capable of anything they set their minds to; all it takes is a little bit of extra planning and organization to achieve all of your academic dreams at the U!
In a survey taken in 2021, approximately 60% of students in the School of Dance have a second major, and an additional one third are in the Honors College. The best way to learn more about doing a second major is to reach out to the school or department you would like to be a part of to learn more about their course requirements, and if applicable, additional applications.
Not sure if you want to do a second major? Feel free to explore our many major offerings, or reach out to our academic advising!
*All information here was provided by Outstanding Senior Megan Lynch (Ballet BFA ‘23)
Modern Dance BFA
Coursework is designed to prepare dancers for a professional career in performance, choreography, and teaching. The BFA is a four-year degree program requiring completion of 79 semester credit hours of approved course work in the dance major, in addition to University general education requirements. A teaching major in dance with secondary school certification is also available.
All incoming undergraduate students (including both incoming freshman and transfer students) must audition for admission into the Modern Dance Program as well as comply with regular University admission procedures. Incoming students must be aware that the faculty of the Modern Dance Program presumes that majors have professional aspirations and the physical stamina, coordination and appetite to successfully meet the rigors of the majors program.
Students are evaluated each semester with regard to:
Technical facility
Choreographic/creative ability
Academic performance
Motivation and commitment
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Modern Dance at the University of Utah has a long, distinguished history of excellence that unites the world of academia with the world of professional dance. Ranked as one of the top programs in the country, our alumni have gone on to work internationally and nationally as dancers, choreographers, artistic directors, teachers, videographers and administrators.
We are committed to creating an educational community in its finest form: one which invites diversity, embraces ambiguity, welcomes creative conflict, practices honesty, honors risk and experiences humility. Both our Bachelor and Master Degree programs offer a rigorous, in-depth inquiry into dance as a physical, aesthetic, intellectual and cultural practice.
Our Students
Many alumni are working with international, national and regional dance companies as dancers, choreographers, and artistic directors. Others are teachers and administrators in high schools, universities and professional studios.
Students from the University of Utah Modern Dance Program have been chosen to appear on many of the American College Dance Association’s (ACDA) National Gala Concerts. Our Program performers and choreographers are also consistently recognized for excellence at the regional festivals and have performed in Hong Kong, France, Panama, Berlin (Germany) and New York City.
This recognition is the result of an experienced, dedicated faculty, with standards of professional excellence, nurturing and challenging talented students through a rigorous and demanding program of study. In addition to daily technique classes and an extensive composition program, students receive training in dance kinesiology, dance history, philosophy, criticism, theater and video production, music for dance, teaching skills, dance repertory and improvisation. The undergraduate program leads to a BFA degree and an MFA degree is offered at the graduate level.
Performances & Presentations
An average of five fully produced performances and numerous informal presentations each year give dance majors substantial performance and choreographic opportunities. A variety of renowned guest artists are regularly invited to teach and choreograph for our dance majors. In addition, students and faculty are encouraged to collaborate with artists in other disciplines, fostering a rich creative environment. The Modern Dance Program’s Performing Dance Company provides a taste of the professional dance world within the university setting. Members are selected by audition twice a year and participate in a touring program that has taken them across the United States, to Britain, to Asia, and to Australia.
Dancers from all parts of the nation and from many foreign countries are drawn by the faculty’s philosophic commitment to the development of kinesthetic awareness, theoretical understanding, creative ability and aesthetic sensitivity in addition to technical accomplishment. It is the faculty’s conviction that such training not only prepares students to be vital and exciting artists but also creative human beings committed to the enrichment of society.
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Beginning in the fall semester of the freshman year, the BFA Program focuses on the students’ technical, creative, and theoretical development. This integrated development is achieved through the sequential progression of the entire undergraduate curriculum. In the beginning level studio work (workshop and technique courses), emphasis is placed on the acquisition of basic locomotor skills, movement sequencing, problem solving techniques, and improvisational abilities. During the freshman year, students are also introduced to body conditioning, somatic training, musical theory, and cultural dance forms. The intermediate level studio work focuses even more specifically on dance technique and conditioning, on individual/group performance, and on abstraction and thematic development in choreography. In the kinesiology courses, sophomore students pursue an in-depth scientific understanding of the mechanics and workings of the human body along with a clear and detailed understanding of the prevention and care of dance injuries. In the advanced level studio work, students continue to work on technique but focus more intensively on the creative process. During this time, students are more deeply involved in the production of their creative and/or scholarly research.
During their junior and senior years, students expand their critical thinking abilities by investigating dance within a contextual framework that incorporates history and cultural practice, philosophy, aesthetics, and musical theories. During this same time, students are given pedagogical experiences in the elementary and secondary public schools through the teaching methods courses (Children’s Dance and Secondary Teaching Methods). Our pedagogy supports the very basis of the BFA Program– improvisation, choreography, and performance with theoretical, pedagogical, and scientific support. Because of this integrated curriculum, the students experience and utilize interactive, relational, and process-oriented pedagogy. The program is both teacher-directed and student-centered.
Upon graduation from our undergraduate program, our students are fully prepared for the demands and expectations of the dance profession as future performers, choreographers, teachers, scholars, dance artists, and dance advocates.
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One of the many things that makes the University of Utah School of Dance unique is that alongside a Ballet BFA or Modern Dance BFA major, it is possible to do a second major. From Business and Kinesiology to Education and English, our students are capable of anything they set their minds to; all it takes is a little bit of extra planning and organization to achieve all of your academic dreams at the U!
In a survey taken in 2021, approximately 60% of students in the School of Dance have a second major, and an additional one third are in the Honors College. The best way to learn more about doing a second major is to reach out to the school or department you would like to be a part of to learn more about their course requirements, and if applicable, additional applications.
Not sure if you want to do a second major? Feel free to explore our many major offerings, or reach out to our academic advising!
*All information here was provided by Outstanding Senior Megan Lynch (Ballet BFA ‘23)
The Modern Dance BFA integrates the rigors of intellectual exploration, technical discipline, and creative investigation in order to prepare dancers for the opportunities and challenges of the profession. The undergraduate curriculum is the foundation upon which the graduate program rests.
The Modern Dance Program is a contemporary dance community which is distinguished by its sense of excellence, professionalism, humanism, and a proud commitment to a lively spirit of creative inquiry. Diversity is welcomed, respected and encouraged; creative and intellectual integrity is required; professional discipline is expected. The quality of faculty instruction, the rigors of the curriculum, the facilities available to the students, and the national/international reputation of the program all contribute to the high standards set by the department. As is noted in Dance Teacher Now, November 1997, our BFA undergraduate program is ranked third nationally and the graduate program is ranked first.
Modern Dance Teaching BFA
The Modern Dance Teaching BFA is a four-year professional degree that prepares students to teach dance in a variety of dynamic and challenging learning environments.
Here in the College of Fine Arts, we are committed to the teaching and learning of all humans in our educational and community spaces. The Modern Dance Teaching BFA prepares elementary, junior high, middle school, and high school dance educators. Competent K-12 dance teaching requires both in-depth knowledge of subject matter (dance) and skill in applying educational concepts and principles that are developmentally appropriate. The College of Education’s Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE) oversees teacher licensure at the University of Utah. UITE is located in SAEC 2264. Note the licensing is dictated by specific requirements:
Students pursuing an educator license should contact the UITE as soon as possible to learn about deadlines, background check requirements, and student teaching at uite.utah.edu/students/advising/ or 801-581-6818. Teaching is a credentialed position. Teaching jobs are available across the country and around the world. Once a teaching license is obtained in one state, transferring your credentials is sometimes as easy as filling out a form and paying a registration fee.
Modern Dance Minor
The Dance Minor in the University of Utah Modern Dance Program enables students to engage in the intellectual, technical, and creative investigation that we are nationally known for, while completing a major in another discipline.
Dance minors take a selection of classes from the non-majors and majors program, tailoring a curriculum based on each individual’s interests and abilities. Coursework is designed to enable students to fully engage in all aspects of a fine arts degree; requirements for the minor include dance technique, composition, and upper-division theory courses. Minors are also welcome to audition for modern dance program concerts. The Dance Minor requires the completion of 18 semester credit hours of approved course work in the dance minor, in addition to University general education requirements. These 18 credits may be taken throughout a four-year program of study or may be concentrated into a shorter time period.
All incoming minors must audition for admission into the Dance Minor program as well as comply with regular University admission procedures (review the information for Undergraduate Admissions & Auditions). Auditions are for acceptance only; at this time, we are unable to provide scholarships for dance minors. Candidates must audition in-person at one of our scheduled auditions; alternative auditions are not available for minor applicants.
Minors should expect to take pre-requisites in the non-majors program before attending majors’ courses; exceptions can be made for those who demonstrate exceptional proficiencies. It is possible for a student to receive their minor in dance without ever taking a majors’ studio class. Minors may not take upper-division theory courses until after his/her freshman year. Minors must place into any majors-level studio class, either with the permission of the faculty member, through a placement audition during the first week of classes, or must have proven his/her ability and preparation through previously taken non majors classes. Minors wishing to take a studio majors class must be aware that the faculty of the Modern Dance Program presumes that minors will have the physical stamina and coordination to take majors classes safely. If the faculty feels a student’s safety is in jeopardy, the student may be asked to drop out of the program. Minors meet regularly with their advisor to monitor progress through the program.
If a dance major has been out of the program for over a year and wants to return to complete a minor, he or she must re-audition for the program. Dance minors wanting to transfer into the major program must re-audition.
The Modern Dance Program is a contemporary dance community that is distinguished by its sense of excellence, professionalism, humanism, and a proud commitment to a lively spirit of creative inquiry. Diversity is welcomed, respected and encouraged; creative and intellectual integrity is required; professional discipline is expected. The mission of our Minor Program is to promote the growth and development of students as dance artists, critical inquirers, and community members. Through the breadth and depth of the curriculum, the students develop competencies in artistic expression, somatic literacy, critical thinking, empirical knowledge, self-esteem, collaboration, and problem solving.
Ballet Studio Teaching Certificate
The Ballet Studio Teaching Certificate prepares students for teaching in conservatory and commercial studio settings. The curriculum includes focused coursework in ballet pedagogy, production, human development, and business, with opportunities for student teaching with faculty mentorship.