Dance Program

Western's Dance Program is proud to offer a BA and BFA in Dance, as well as a dance minor and teaching endorsement. Western's Dance Program is focused on performance and choreography. Over the course of their studies, students are assessed in their ability to function in a variety of artistic roles: to perform in public as dancers, to develop visual and aural perceptions, to become familiar with and develop proficiency in modern and competency in ballet techniques. Students also have the opportunity to advance their choreographic potential in studies that include traditional and/or experimental approaches. Our goal is to teach a physical and intellectual understanding of the language of movement art.

The outcomes of these studies are measured by successful audition and performance in faculty-directed dance events. Western's Dance Program additionally offers experiences in performing, directing, teaching, producing and choreographing. These experiences include everything from experimental movement theatre productions, to collaborations between art and music departments to strictly traditional dance concert events. Students also have the opportunity to choreograph and perform for the dance touring program that visits the public schools in Washington as well as regularly attending the American College Dance Festival.

This year, the Dance Program is proud to present a reconstruction of Mark Morris's choreography New Love Song Waltzes (restaged by company member Kraig Patterson) as part of the annual Faculty Concert. The reconstruction of New Love Song Waltzes was made possible by American Masterpieces: Dance, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, which is administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts with Dance/US.

The faculty concert will also feature premieres of original dance faculty choreography and musical composition, and performances by both dance students and faculty. Further concert information is available at www.wwu.edu/depts/dance/performances.html