Dance
Let’s Dance!
Does dance move you in ways that drive creativity and fuel your passion? Master dance techniques, study, choreograph, perform, and create with a B.A. in Dance from Georgian Court University. Dancers leverage their degrees to work as instructors, performing artists, choreographers, researchers, and as difference-makers in the arts, education, and even in social justice settings.
GCU dance majors are active learners who study in the classroom, practice in GCU’s state-of-the-art studios, and perform under the direction of world-class master artists. In addition, you’ll choreograph your own works for your peers to perform on campus and at local venues.
You can also combine your major with a second major/minor in art, music, exercise science, or communication to customize your B.A. in Dance. The opportunities are endless for putting your talent and degree to use.
Dance Program Highlights
91%
Faculty have doctoral degrees
11:1
Max Student-to-Faculty Ratio
90%
Students receiving financial aid from gcu
2
state-of-the-art dance studios
55+
Clubs and Organizations within the Georgian Court Community
5+
performance opportunities
Program Information
To earn this degree, students must successfully complete at least 120 credits, including General Education requirements and the major requirements below.
Major Sequence
Students will complete a placement evaluation during the first week of school, and will be placed in the appropriate technique level accordingly.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| DA100 | Dance Essentials & Wellness | 3.0 |
| DA150 | Dance Improvisation | 2.0 |
| DA201 | History of Dance | 3.0 |
| DA202 | Music for Dance | 3.0 |
| DA250 | Choreography I | 3.0 |
| DA280 | Kinesiology & Experiential Anatomy | 3.0 |
| DA360 | Laban Movement Analysis | 3.0 |
| DA400 | Capstone Project | 3.0 |
| or DA450 | Choreography Project | |
| DA471 | Internship in Dance | 1.0 |
| Total Credits | 24.0 | |
Performance Track
Students who choose a performance emphasis must take 18 credits of Ballet or Modern technique at the 300 level or above, including at least one semester of DA321 Ballet III and DA331 Contemporary Movement Practice 3. Students must also complete DA350 Choreography II, and two consecutive semesters of DA370 Dance Ensemble.
Note: Dance majors in the performance track are required to take Ballet and Modern Technique every semester either for credit or dance audit.
Dance Studies Track
Students who follow a dance studies emphasis must take 16 credits of Ballet or Modern Technique at the 200 level or above, including one semester of DA221 Ballet II and DA231 Contemporary Movement Practice 2. In addition to the required courses for the major, students choose 9 credits in an area of interest such as choreography, history, criticism, therapy, arts administration, production, or business. The dance studies track is designed for students who are double majors.
A percentage of the grade of each dance technique course reflects the student’s technical competency, as assessed by the stated competency skills for the course. Students who receive an A in the technical component of their grade will be eligible for promotion to the next level of technique.
It is the department’s policy that any course in which a major receives a grade lower than a B- cannot be applied toward the major requirements.
For more information on program requirements, consult the Undergraduate Catalog.
Minor Sequence
The dance minor is a 21-credit minimum. It is geared toward the entering first-year student with intermediate technical skills, who wishes to major in another discipline while studying dance. The required courses are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DA100 | Dance Essentials & Wellness | 3.0 |
| DA150 | Dance Improvisation | 2.0 |
| DA201 | History of Dance | 3.0 |
| DA221 | Ballet II 1 | 2.0 |
| DA231 | Contemporary Movement Practice 2 2 | 2.0 |
| DA250 | Choreography I | 3.0 |
| DA280 | Kinesiology & Experiential Anatomy | 3.0 |
| Any dance technique course or dance elective | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits | 21.0 | |
- 1
DA221 Ballet II has a prerequisite of DA121 Ballet I or permission of the instructor.
- 2
DA231 Contemporary Movement Practice 2 has a prerequisite of DA131 Contemporary Movement Practice 1 or permission of the instructor.
For more information on program requirements, consult the Undergraduate Catalog.
Propel the power of movement to help others express themselves and heal from a myriad of conditions. A minor in dance therapy gives you a distinctive specialty area that can drive lasting impacts in yourself and others.
Minor Sequence
The dance therapy minor will supplement majors such as Dance, Music, Education, Psychology, Special Education, and anyone interested in movement used as a therapeutic intervention. This is an interdisciplinary minor offering courses from dance and psychology. It consists of 23 credits: 12 credits from psychology and 11 from dance.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Dance Courses | ||
| DA150 | Dance Improvisation | 2.0 |
| DA310 | Dance/Movement Therapy: Fundamentals | 3.0 |
| DA360 | Laban Movement Analysis | 3.0 |
| DA410 | Dance Move Therapy: Working w/Groups | 3.0 |
| Psychology Courses | ||
| PS111 | Introduction to Psychology | 3.0 |
| or PS113 | Foundations of Psychology | |
| PS221 | Child & Adolescent Development | 3.0 |
| PS223 | Psychopathology 1 | 3.0 |
| PS270 | Theories of Personality 1 | 3.0 |
| Total Credits | 23.0 | |
- 1
Prerequisite: PS111 Introduction to Psychology or PS113 Foundations of Psychology
For more information on program requirements, consult the Undergraduate Catalog.
Erin Q. Bonczek
Dance Program Coordinator
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Wellness Center (403)
ebonczek@georgian.edu
732-987-2171
Silvana M. Cardell, M.F.A.
Associate Professor
School of Arts, Sciences, and Education
Wellness Center (402)
scardell@georgian.edu
732-987-2170
First-Year Students
Submit:
- Completed application.
- Official high school transcript.
- Required two letters of recommendation.
- Required essay.
Please apply via the Common App.
Transfer Students
Submit:
- Completed application.
- Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities.
- Students with fewer than 24 credits must also submit their high school transcript and SAT or ACT scores.
Please apply via the Common App.