Dance

Program Description

The Department of Theatre Arts offers one of the most successful training degree programs in Colorado. The Bachelor of Arts in Dance is focused on helping students acquire a sound understanding of the performing arts in dance.

Dance at CMU is thriving, with an array of dance styles, performance opportunities, and travel. Equal emphasis is placed on Modern, Jazz, Ballet, and Hip Hop with course offerings from beginner to advanced levels. Other courses include Tap, Dance Composition, Improvisation, Pedagogy, Dance History and Philosophy, Healthy Dancer, and Repertory Performance. Dance at Colorado Mesa University features courses with an emphasis on physical inquiry and cultural relevance in diverse dance forms with faculty that value and teach methods of embodied awareness, strong technical foundation, and performance as a practice.

The faculty members have professional backgrounds across multiple forms of dance. With three dance concerts a year, Colorado Mesa University faculty and students choreograph and invite visiting guest artists from the professional dance world. Students annually travel to American College Dance Association, conferences, and engage in local and state outreach.

The BA in Dance is constructed to help students meet the rigorous demands of a professional dance career and provide a strong foundation and practical experience for future dance artists. With smaller class sizes, students are given the personal attention and mentorship that will better prepare them for careers in the field of dance. 

Special Requirements

Students seeking admission as dance majors must successfully audition for acceptance into the program. Admission to the University does not guarantee admission into one of these programs. Prospective theatre majors should consult the department’s website or contact the department directly for information regarding audition dates and requirements. Prospective students interested in departmental scholarships must audition no later than April 15 of the year they seek admission.

Contact Information

Department of Theatre Arts
Moss Performing Arts Center 141
970.248.1242

DANC 115 Dance Appreciation-GTAH13 Credits

Exploration of the roots and trends of the art of dance from the primitive to the contemporary. Introduction of esthetic guidelines for looking at dance as it relates to America and the world.

Essential Learning Categories: Fine Arts
Colorado Guaranteed Transfer (GT) Pathways General Education Curriculum

DANC 140 Dance Company2 Credits

Experience in rehearsal, performance, collaborative creative practice, and community engagement. For first year students.

Terms Typically Offered: Spring.

DANC 154 Dance Team1 Credit

Participation on the Mavettes Dance Team at the freshman standing level. Audition or permission of instructor required. Only one credit hour of DANC 154 counts as a KINA activity credit.

DANC 156 Dance Performance1 Credit

Student participation in the production of a dance supervised by faculty or guest artist. Students must audition.

Corequisites: one technique class.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 160 Beginning Ballet1 Credit

Includes alignment, balance, endurance, flexibility, and strength in elementary technical proficiency.

DANC 169 Beginning Modern Dance1 Credit

Includes alignment, balance, endurance, flexibility, and strength in elementary technical proficiency.

DANC 174 Beginning Jazz Dance1 Credit

Including terminology, theory, history & critical analysis of the Art Form.

DANC 177 Beginning Tap Dance1 Credit

Including terminology, theory, history & critical analysis of the Art Form.

DANC 180 Beginning Hip Hop Dance1 Credit

Fundamentals of Hip Hop, including alignment, balance, endurance, flexibility, and strength, in elementary technical proficiency.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 181 Ballet I2 Credits

Beginning ballet technique for students intending to progress to an intermediate level.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 182 Jazz I2 Credits

Beginning jazz technique for students intending to progress to an intermediate level.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 183 Contemporary Modern I2 Credits

Study of various styles of modern dance at the beginner level.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 184 Tap I2 Credits

Beginning tap technique for students intending to progress to an intermediate level.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 185 Hip-Hop I2 Credits

Study of hip-hop dance and the styles explored within the elements of hip-hop dance at the beginner level.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 196 Topics1-3 Credits

Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 15 credit hours.

DANC 220 Moving Anatomy and Wellness3 Credits

Introduction to principles of embodied wellness, experiential and functional anatomy, and somatic conditioning practices.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

DANC 225 The Healthy Dancer3 Credits

Exploration into conditioning, nutrition, injury prevention, basic anatomy and motivational techniques unique to the dance student.

DANC 230 Contemporary Modern IIA2 Credits

Study of various styles of modern dance at the advanced beginner level.

Prerequisites: DANC 183.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 231 Contemporary Modern IIB2 Credits

Continued study of various styles of modern dance at the advanced beginning level.

Prerequisites: DANC 183.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 232 Jazz IIA2 Credits

Intermediate jazz dance technique.

Prerequisites: DANC 174, or permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 233 Jazz IIB2 Credits

Intermediate jazz dance technique.

Prerequisites: DANC 232 or permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 234 Ballet IIA2 Credits

Intermediate ballet technique.

Prerequisites: DANC 160, or permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 235 Ballet IIB2 Credits

Intermediate ballet technique.

Prerequisites: DANC 234 or permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 236 Tap IIA2 Credits

Intermediate tap dance technique.

Prerequisites: DANC 177 or permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 237 Tap IIB2 Credits

Intermediate tap dance technique.

Prerequisites: DANC 236 or permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 240 Dance Company2 Credits

Experience in rehearsal, performance, collaborative creative practice, and community engagement. For second year students.

Terms Typically Offered: Spring.

DANC 250 Dance Improvisation2 Credits

Introduction to and application of basic theories of dance improvisation.

DANC 254 Dance Team1 Credit

Participation on the Mavettes Dance Team at the sophomore standing level.

DANC 256 Dance Performance1 Credit

Student participation in the production of a dance supervised by faculty or guest artist. Students must audition.

Corequisites: one technique class.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 260 Movement Analysis and Improvisation3 Credits

Introduction to the functional and expressive elements of human movement with a specific emphasis on Laban Movement Analysis, improvisation, and creative practice.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

DANC 285 Hip-Hop II2 Credits

Study of hip-hop dance and the styles demonstrated within the elements of hip-hop dance at the intermediate level.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 290 Choreography Practicum I1 Credit

Student practice in choreography and producing an original dancework. May be repeated once for credit.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 296 Topics1-3 Credits

Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 15 credit hours.

DANC 310 Dance Pedagogy3 Credits

Theory and application of methods of teaching dance techniques.

Prerequisites: 4 semester hours of dance technique (ballet, jazz, modern and/or tap).

DANC 315 History and Philosophy of Dance3 Credits

Study of the history and development of concert and theatrical dance, emphasizing 20th and 21st century dance.

Prerequisites: ENGL 112.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

DANC 316 History and Philosophy of Dance II3 Credits

Cultural, historic, and aesthetic exploration of dance in the 20th Century.

Prerequisites: DANC 315.

DANC 330 Contemporary Modern IIIA2 Credits

Study of various styles of modern dance at the intermediate level.

Prerequisites: DANC 230 or DANC 231.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 331 Contemporary Modern IIIB2 Credits

Continued study of various styles of modern dance at the intermediate level.

Prerequisites: DANC 230 or DANC 231.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 332 Jazz IIIA2 Credits

Intermediate to advanced jazz dance technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 333 Jazz IIIB2 Credits

Intermediate to advanced jazz dance technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 334 Ballet IIIA2 Credits

Intermediate to advanced ballet technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 335 Ballet IIIB2 Credits

Intermediate to advanced ballet technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 336 Tap IIIA2 Credits

Intermediate to advanced tap dance technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 337 Tap IIIB2 Credits

Intermediate to advanced tap dance technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 340 Dance Company2 Credits

Experience in rehearsal, performance, collaborative creative practice, and community engagement. For third year students.

Terms Typically Offered: Spring.

DANC 354 Dance Team1 Credit

Participation on the Mavettes Dance Team at the junior standing level.

DANC 355 Choreography and Creative Practice3 Credits

Investigation and application of theories of choreography and creative practice, including critical analysis of the art form.

Prerequisites: DANC 260.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

DANC 356 Dance Performance1 Credit

Student participation in the production of a dance work supervised by faculty or guest artist.

Prerequisites: by audition, DANC 256, or permission of instructor.

Corequisites: one technique class.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 385 Hip-Hop III2 Credits

Study of hip-hop dance and the styles demonstrated within the elements of hip-hop dance at the advanced level.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 390 Choreography Practicum II1 Credit

Student practice in choreography and producing an original dance work. May be repeated once for credit.

Prerequisites: DANC 290 or permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 395 Independent Study1-3 Credits

Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 6 credit hours.

DANC 396 Topics:1-3 Credits

Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 15 credit hours.

DANC 430 Contemporary Modern IVA2 Credits

Study of various styles of modern dance at the advanced level.

Prerequisites: DANC 330 or DANC 331.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 431 Contemporary Modern IVB2 Credits

Continued study of various styles of modern dance at the advanced level.

Prerequisites: DANC 330 or DANC 331.

Terms Typically Offered: Fall, Spring.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 432 Jazz IVA2 Credits

Advanced jazz dance technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 433 Jazz IVB2 Credits

Intermediate to advanced jazz dance technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 434 Ballet IVA2 Credits

Intermediate to advanced ballet technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 435 Ballet IVB2 Credits

Advanced ballet technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 436 Tap IVA2 Credits

Intermediate to advanced tap dance technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 437 Tap IVB2 Credits

Advanced tap dance technique.

Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 440 Dance Company2 Credits

Experience in rehearsal, performance, collaborative creative practice, and community engagement. For fourth year students.

Terms Typically Offered: Spring.

DANC 454 Dance Team1 Credit

Participation on the Mavettes Dance Team at the senior standing level.

DANC 456 Dance Performance1 Credit

Student participation in the production of a dance work supervised by faculty or guest artist.

Prerequisites: by audition, DANC 356, or permission of instructor.

Corequisites: one technique class.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 490 Choreography Practicum III1 Credit

Student practice in choreography and producing an original dance work.

Prerequisites: DANC 390 or permission of instructor.

Course may be taken 2 times for credit.

DANC 494 Senior Dance Capstone3 Credits

Exploration of and preparation for dance professions/careers for upper division dance students.

DANC 495 Independent Study1-3 Credits

Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 6 credit hours.

DANC 496 Topics1-3 Credits

Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 15 credit hours.

DANC 499 Internship1-9 Credits

Course may be taken multiple times up to maximum of 15 credit hours.