UW Dance Department

A long-established leader of dance in higher education, our department is founded on the belief that dance is an intellectual art that should be accessible to all. Our aim is to create dance that engages both its practitioners and its local and global communities, seeking to illuminate those aspects of ourselves and our cultures that are uniquely manifested in human movement. We foster an investigative approach that integrates practice and theory and furthers dance as creative and social action with communicative, educational, and transformative power.

About the UW-Madison Dance Department

Profile
The UW-Madison Dance Department is a leader and innovator in the field of dance. Emphasizing the development of the well-rounded dance artist living and working within a global and technological community, we are taking the concept of the "thinking dancer" into the 21st Century. Contemporary dance is at the heart of the program, which is enhanced by the study of somatic practices and other dance forms such as ballet and cultural dance. Physical practice is deepened by rigorous study of conceptual frameworks, history and critical theory. The spirit of creative investigation, originality, innovation, and productivity are main themes in the Dance Department, within a greater context of social awareness. Courses stress personal creativity, individual growth, and strong dance training. With two main undergraduate streams currently available within the Dance major, a student may concentrate his/her focus more directly toward choreography, performance, and/or a hybrid combination. An undergraduate major in dance is an excellent means of gaining in-depth knowledge of the art form and its related fields.

History
In 1926, under the leadership of Margaret H'Doubler, UW-Madison became the first university to offer a degree program in dance. The Dance Department housed one of the first Interarts and Technology programs in the country and currently offers a BS and BFA in Dance. Located near Lake Mendota, the state capitol, and downtown Madison in Lathrop Hall, our facilities include the state-of-the-art Margaret H'Doubler Performance Space, four spacious dance studios, a multimedia lab, and resource center. Madison is a major center for dance in the Midwest and has a strong history of community patronage. Recent graduates have taught in the schools (K-12 and higher education); started their own companies; danced with major dance companies throughout the U.S., including Urban Bush Women, Pat Graney, and Nikolais/Louis; and run their own studios. Annually, the Department produces 5-6 faculty and student concerts.

Master Classes and Professional Dance Performances
The Department regularly schedules master classes and residencies by active professional dance artists to complement the class training given by our excellent faculty. Recent master class teachers have included Bill T. Jones, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar of Urban Bush Women, Jan Erkert, Meredith Monk, Joe Chvala, and members of the David Parsons Dance Company, Ohio Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Ko-Thi Dance Company. The Dance Department encourages students to attend area dance concerts and, whenever possible, presents or co-sponsors dance concerts and artists' residencies on campus. Madison attracts such well-known dance companies as Eiko & Koma, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, Joe Goode Performance Group, Pilobolus, Kibbutz Dance Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Nikolais/Louis Dance Company, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Feld Ballet/NY, Martha Graham Dance Company, Dance Brigade, and Les Ballets Africains.

Career and Professional Opportunities
Students who earn a B.S. or B.F.A. degree in an area of dance study will have a strong liberal arts foundation with which to dance and teach professionally, to continue their studies in dance on the graduate level, or to enter a variety of other fields after graduation. Possible dance-related careers include teaching in universities, and private studios; performing, choreographing for the stage, video, and film; dance therapy, dance criticism, dance research, and many others.


	UW-Madison Dance Department Mission Statement A long-established leader of dance in higher education, our department is founded on the belief that dance is an intellectual art that should be accessible to all. Our aim is to create dance that engages both its practitioners and its local and global communities, seeking to illuminate those aspects of ourselves and our cultures that are uniquely manifested in human movement. We foster an investigative approach that integrates practice and theory and furthers dance as creative and social action with communicative, educational, and transformative power. About the UW-Madison Dance Department Profile The UW-Madison Dance Department is a leader and innovator in the field of dance. Emphasizing the development of the well-rounded dance artist living and working within a global and technological community, we are taking the concept of the "thinking dancer" into the 21st Century. Contemporary dance is at the heart of the program, which is enhanced by the study of somatic practices and other dance forms such as ballet and cultural dance. Physical practice is deepened by rigorous study of conceptual frameworks, history and critical theory. The spirit of creative investigation, originality, innovation, and productivity are main themes in the Dance Department, within a greater context of social awareness. Courses stress personal creativity, individual growth, and strong dance training. With two main undergraduate streams currently available within the Dance major, a student may concentrate his/her focus more directly toward choreography, performance, and/or a hybrid combination. An undergraduate major in dance is an excellent means of gaining in-depth knowledge of the art form and its related fields. History In 1926, under the leadership of Margaret H'Doubler, UW-Madison became the first university to offer a degree program in dance. The Dance Department housed one of the first Interarts and Technology programs in the country and currently offers a BS and BFA in Dance. Located near Lake Mendota, the state capitol, and downtown Madison in Lathrop Hall, our facilities include the state-of-the-art Margaret H'Doubler Performance Space, four spacious dance studios, a multimedia lab, and resource center. Madison is a major center for dance in the Midwest and has a strong history of community patronage. Recent graduates have taught in the schools (K-12 and higher education); started their own companies; danced with major dance companies throughout the U.S., including Urban Bush Women, Pat Graney, and Nikolais/Louis; and run their own studios. Annually, the Department produces 5-6 faculty and student concerts. Master Classes and Professional Dance Performances The Department regularly schedules master classes and residencies by active professional dance artists to complement the class training given by our excellent faculty. Recent master class teachers have included Bill T. Jones, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar of Urban Bush Women, Jan Erkert, Meredith Monk, Joe Chvala, and members of the David Parsons Dance Company, Ohio Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Ko-Thi Dance Company. The Dance Department encourages students to attend area dance concerts and, whenever possible, presents or co-sponsors dance concerts and artists' residencies on campus. Madison attracts such well-known dance companies as Eiko & Koma, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, Joe Goode Performance Group, Pilobolus, Kibbutz Dance Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Nikolais/Louis Dance Company, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Feld Ballet/NY, Martha Graham Dance Company, Dance Brigade, and Les Ballets Africains. Career and Professional Opportunities Students who earn a B.S. or B.F.A. degree in an area of dance study will have a strong liberal arts foundation with which to dance and teach professionally, to continue their studies in dance on the graduate level, or to enter a variety of other fields after graduation. Possible dance-related careers include teaching in universities, and private studios; performing, choreographing for the stage, video, and film; dance therapy, dance criticism, dance research, and many others.
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