B.A. IN DANCE

The Dance major is distinctive for its outstanding faculty of nationally and internationally recognized artists and scholars who draw from a variety of creative and academic backgrounds, including dance making, choreography,  visual art, creative writing, literature, African diasporic ritual cultures, Hip Hop and streetdance, Indian diasporic dance, Indigenous studies, digital technologies, performance studies, queer studies, and cultural studies.

The B.A. degree requires students to take courses in both Choreography/Dance Making and Dance Studies, and eventually choose one track for their capstone project (i.e. performance-based and research paper respectively).  In some cases, students may opt to complete a capstone project in both tracks. The Dance major cultivates rigorous creative research practices as well as critical cultural and historical perspectives on dance, through courses in the studio and seminar. Students examine notions about aesthetics, compositional processes, the body, gender, race, class, and sexuality as part of ongoing conversations in the field. Students are expected to sustain their movement practice every quarter and can choose from courses in Hip Hop, Modern, Ballet, Jazz, West African, House, Capoeira, Somatics, Yoga and Latin American Social Dance, as well as other forms offered by guest artists.

Dance Majors, Minors and those interested in Dance have multiple opportunities to perform including in UCR is Dancing and Spring Forward, the annual concerts featuring original choreography and performance projects by students. Students can also apply to tour with the undergraduate ensemble for the Gluck Fellows Program of the Arts. Other opportunities include collaborating with graduate students on their projects, and in some cases with faculty and guest artists on their research.

In addition, visiting professional dancers, choreographers, and scholars come to UCR frequently to give special workshops, master classes, and lectures. Dance majors are eligible for the Chancellor’s Performance Award, a scholarship of up to $2,000. Student assistantships and other forms of financial aid are also available. Undergraduate majors may apply for research grants and stipends for summer dance studies. Selected students receive $1,500 Maxwell H. Gluck Fellowships.

COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

ADMISSION

Faculty Undergraduate Advisor
Jose L. Reynoso, He/Him/His
Associate Professor

ARTS 201
jose.reynoso@ucr.edu

Academic Advisors
Elaine Chacon, She/Her/Hers
(Last Names A-Hi)
INTN 3033A
(951) 827-3343
elaine.chacon@ucr.edu

Anthony Gonzalez, He/Him/His
(Last Names Ho-M)
Sproul 4127
(951) 827-6053
anthony.gonzalez@ucr.edu

Jennifer Garrison, She/Her
(Last Names N-Z)

INTN 3033
TBD
jennifer.garrison@ucr.edu

Links
Courses
Dance Minor
Apply

Student Advising Forms
DANCE Major Curriculum Checklist
Two Year Major Sample Plan

Productions
UCR is Dancing
Spring Forward

College Requirements

Students must complete the breadth requirements of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. For a detailed list of requirements, see Degree Requirements.

Major Requirements

All majors are required to complete the following courses before enrolling in their Capstone Research coursework.

Core Courses (44 units)

Lower-division requirements (8 units)
DNCE 014: Introduction to Choreography – only offered in the fall
DNCE 019: Introduction to Dance Studies – only offered in the fall

Dance Making (12 units) three courses from:
DNCE 115E: Dance as Storytelling
DNCE 115F: Dance as Scores
DNCE 115G: Dance as Ritual
DNCE 115J: Dance and Traces Past
DNCE 115K: Dance as Political Activation
DNCE 115M: Dance as Materials

Dance Studies (8 units) two courses from:
DNCE 131/GSST 127: Dance, Gender, Sexuality
DNCE 132: Dance, Citizenship, Location
DNCE 133: Dance, Space, Time
DNCE 134: Dance, Genre, Institution
DNCE 135: Dance, Race, Property
DNCE 136: Hip Hop Dance, Collectivity and Change

Production (4 units):
DNCE 140: Production Lab

Movement Practice (12 – 24 units):
Dance majors must enroll in at least one movement practice course per quarter, and must pursue a concentration in two different dance genres of at least 6 units each. Up to 24 units may be counted towards the major from:

DNCE 065A, DNCE 065B: Latin American Social Dance
DNCE 066A, DNCE 066B: West African Dance
DNCE 067A, DNCE 067B, DNCE067C: Modern Dance
DNCE 068: Somatics
DNCE 070A, DNCE 070B, DNCE 070C: Hip Hop Dance
DNCE 071A, DNCE 071B: Ballet
DNCE 073A, DNCE 073B: Jazz Dance
DNCE 074A, DNCE 074B: Yoga
DNCE 075A, DNCE 075B: Dance Techniques and Practices
DNCE 081: Dance Cultures, Culture in Dance

Choose an Emphasis (12 units)

All Dance majors are required to choose an emphasis of study in route to their final Capstone Research Project. Additional and different courses are required for each emphasis.  In some cases, students may opt to complete a project in both emphases.

DANCE MAKING EMPHASIS:

Additional Dance Making/Practice Electives (8 units):
DNCE 167, DNCE 168, DNCE 180(E-Z), DNCE 181*, or any DNCE 115(E-Z) not used to fulfill the Dance Making requirement above.

No more than 4 units may be drawn from the following movement practice courses to fulfill this eight-unit elective requirement:
DNCE 065A, DNCE 065B, DNCE 066A, DNCE 066B, DNCE 067A, DNCE 067B, DNCE 067C, DNCE 068, DNCE 069A, DNCE 069B, DNCE 070A, DNCE 070B, DNCE 070C, DNCE 071A, DNCE 071B, DNCE 073A, DNCE 073B, DNCE 074A, DNCE 074B, DNCE 075A, DNCE 075B, DNCE 081*

*DNCE 081 and 181 may be used to fulfill either the Dance Making or the Dance Studies requirement, but not both.

Additional Dance Studies Electives (4 units):
DNCE 155(E-Z), DNCE 161/MCS 161, DNCE 162/MCS 162, DNCE 171(E-Z)/MCS 151(E-Z), DNCE 172(E-Z), DNCE 173(E-Z), DNCE 181* or any of DNCE 131/GSST 127, DNCE 132, DNCE 133, DNCE 134, DNCE 135, DNCE 136 not used to fulfill Dance Studies requirement above.

*DNCE 181 may be used to fulfill either the Dance Making or the Dance Studies requirement, but not both.

DANCE STUDIES EMPHASIS:

Additional Dance Studies Electives (8 units):
DNCE 155(E-Z), DNCE 161/MCS 161, DNCE 162/MCS 162, DNCE 171(E- Z)/MCS 151(E-Z), DNCE 172(E-Z), DNCE 173(E-Z), DNCE 181* or any of DNCE131/GSST 127, DNCE 132, DNCE 133, DNCE 134, DNCE 135, DNCE 136 not used to fulfill the Dance Studies requirement above.

*DNCE 181 may be used to fulfill either the Dance Making or the Dance Studies requirement, but not both.

Additional Dance Making/Practice Electives (4 units):
DNCE 167, DNCE 168, DNCE 180(E-Z), DNCE 181*, or any DNCE 115(E-Z) not used to fulfill the Dance Making requirement above.

Practice classes may also be used to satisfy your elective requirements, including: DNCE 065A, DNCE 065B, DNCE 066A, DNCE 066B, DNCE 067A, DNCE 067B, DNCE 067C, DNCE 068, DNCE 069A, DNCE 069B, DNCE 070A, DNCE 070B, DNCE 070C, DNCE 071A, DNCE 071B, DNCE 073A, DNCE 073B, DNCE 074A, DNCE 074B, DNCE 075A, DNCE 075B, DNCE 081*

*DNCE 081 and 181 may be used to fulfill either the Dance Making or the Dance Studies requirement, but not both.

Capstone Coursework (4-6 units)

After students complete the core coursework and choose their emphasis, they will begin to develop their capstone projects by enrolling in the following capstone courses (or course if Dance Studies).  If approved, students may choose to do both.

Dance Making Capstone (6 units):
DNCE 188: Individual Projects in Creative Activity – only offered in the fall
DNCE 189E: Dance Making Project – only offered in the winter

Dance Studies Capstone (4 units):
DNCE 189F: Dance Studies Capstone – only offered in the spring

For Dance Making, it is likely students will take their final DNCE 115 (E-Z): Dance Making course during the same quarter as they are enrolled in DNCE 188: Individual Projects in Creative Activity (the 2-unit capstone prep course, offered only in fall). All DNCE 115 (E-Z): Dance Making and DNCE 13X: Dance Studies core courses must be completed prior to enrolling in DNCE 189E: Dance Making Project (the 4-unit capstone course, offered only in winter).

For Dance Studies, students are expected to complete all DNCE 13X: Dance Studies and DNCE 115 (E-Z): Dance Making core courses before enrolling in DNCE 189E: Dance Studies Capstone (only offered in the spring).