Dance Minor

Open to undergraduates across Boston University, the dance minor is designed to enhance a student’s preparedness for a number of multidisciplinary fields, including dance aesthetics, dance history, movement education, musical theatre, and arts administration.

Degree Type

Undergraduate

Formats

In-Person

Availability

Full-Time

Location

On-Campus

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A dance minor provides students with classes in…

Theory and practice
Western classical dance forms, as well as dance styles of the African Diaspora
Contemporary and improvisation
Performance and repertory
Additional leveled dance technique classes in Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (including priority registration)
…and more!

No audition is required!

Program of Study

Dance minors develop an understanding of composition, dance history, and aesthetics. The theory classes enhance their technical and performance capabilities. There are three required dance technique courses but students can explore other classes at a level of their choosing in the Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Department. No audition is required.

The learning environment is supportive and always student-focused. Facilities and dance studios can be found in FitRec and at the College of Fine Arts (CFA).

Dance Minor Curriculum

The dance minor allows for the artistic expression and skill set developed in the field of dance as students develop communication skills, accountability, persistence, joy and responsibility. The cadre of courses offered allow students to expand their knowledge by being exposed to shared resources and expert instruction.

Curriculum details

Opportunities

Dance students increase their network of dance professionals who can facilitate their growth and development at BU and beyond. Performances each semester in the dance theater, as well as participation in student-produced showcases in theatres across campus. Master classes and residencies with guest artists are offered each year. Students may be selected to attend the New England Regional American College Dance Association Conference.

The annual Aurora Borealis: A Festival of Light and Dance program is a vibrant exploration of the relationship between light and form, focusing on collaboration and experimentation. Dance minors are under the direction of School of Theatre faculty members, Yo-EL Cassell and Micki Taylor-Pinney.

Faculty

Where are they now?

Upon completion of the dance minor, we’ve seen alums work for:

Dance companies as performers, choreographers, and administrators
Arts organizations as administrators, advocates, and volunteers
Dance studios as directors, teachers, and coaches
Public and private schools as arts educators
Universities as faculty, staff, and lecturers
Health professionals (physical therapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiologists, athletic trainers) with a specialization in dance
Dance therapists in schools, clinics, and therapeutic settings

Notable Graduates

Dr. Meredith Butulis is a licensed sport/orthopedic physical therapist, certified exercise physiologist, strength and conditioning coach, personal trainer, and yoga/Pilates instructor practicing since 1998. She is the creator of the ISSA Fitness Comeback Coaching Certification, author of the Mobility | Stability EquationM Books, and host of “The Fitness Comeback Coaching” Podcast.

Satu Hummasti, originally from Helsinki, Finland, is a dancer, choreographer, writer, and teacher who has performed, choreographed, and taught throughout the United States, Europe, South and Central America, and Russia. Her work has been commissioned by Compañía de Cámara Danza UNA in San Jose, Costa Rica; Repertory Dance Theater in Salt Lake City; Kannon Dance Company in St. Petersburg, Russia; and for the graduate dance pedagogy students at Teatterikorkeakoulu in Helsinki, Finland. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Modern Dance Department at the University of Utah.

Liz Roncka is a graduate of Boston University (BS in Health Sciences, MS in Physical Therapy). After over 10 years of practicing physical therapy, she shifted her professional career in the direction of dance and fitness. Roncka became a certified Pilates instructor, opened her own Pilates studio, and became an instructor of Dance Improvisation and Pole Dance Circuit at BU. A lifelong dancer, she has danced in local companies as well as presented work in New York City, Paris, and Budapest.