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DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND DANCEChair: Penelope A. Hasekoester (936) 294-1330 The performing arts require the collaborative efforts of many talented individuals. Every dramatic, musical, or dance performance by an artist on stage or screen requires years of training and practice. Just as important to each performance are the individuals who work behind the scenes to make it happen. The playwrights, choreographers, stage make-up artists, costume designers, sound technicians, scene and lighting designers, stage managers, and directors all play vital roles in any theatrical effort. The Department of Theatre and Dance gives opportunities for all individuals who are interested in the performing arts to develop their talents and discover new skills. MissionThe Department of Theatre and Dance at SHSU is committed to providing high quality performance, choreographic design, technical curricula of artistic and scholarly pursuits. Individual programs are sufficiently balanced and integrated to allow students to choose from a wide variety of theatre and dance related careers and prepare them to compete successfully in the chosen area of artistic, commercial or educational specialization. DANCE PROGRAMCoordinator: Jennifer Pontius (936) 294-1300 Faculty: Cindy Gratz, Dana Nicolay, Kista Tucker, Melissa Wynn Website: https://www.shsu.edu/~dnc_www/ ‘The Dance is the mother of the arts.’ — Curt Sachs Dance is the most ephemeral and immediate of the arts. It exists in the moment of its performance and is then gone. To be successful, a dancer must learn to be totally focused in the moment of the dance. This requires extraordinary awareness, sensitivity, imagination, and discipline. A dancer must approach both his/herself and his/her field with curiosity, diligence, excitement, and honesty. In the process, the dancer finds a vibrant, energizing life of experiences, while developing skills, interests, and personal qualities that can lead to a variety of satisfying careers. The Dance Program provides a supportive environment and a performance-oriented curriculum of sufficient scope and depth to allow graduates to discover this life. Through the exploration of movement as an expressive language, and the training of the body as the instrument of that language, the dance curriculum balances rational and intuitive qualities in the developing dance professional. Courses such as ballet and modern dance technique, choreography, pedagogy, World Dance, and Dance History, give dance majors an awareness of the world that is both aesthetically sophisticated and academically sound. Academic Programs
Admission to both the BA and the BFA is by audition only. One audition is held each semester. Teaching certification is available with either the BA or BFA in Dance through the College of Education. Certification with either the BA or BFA requires a designated 18-24 hour minor in preparation for a second teaching field. The BFA curriculum is designed to lead to a performing career. BFA candidates must complete a minimum of 77 hours in Dance. The BA is more academically based and typically leads to a career in teaching. BA candidates must complete a minimum of 59 hours in Dance and must satisfy requirements for an official minor. HighlightsThe Dance Program is housed in spacious facilities that provide five large studios, a semiformal Dance Theater, costume construction and storage facilities, audio and video editing capabilities, a body conditioning studio and a dance library. Career Opportunities
Suggested Minors
Student OrganizationsChi Tau Epsilon, the prestigious national dance honor society, recognizes, supports, and promotes superior achievement in dance and in the performing arts. Membership in the society is recorded on the student’s transcript. Each year, Chi Tau Epsilon is an active student organization, sponsoring the student choreography showcase, Dances @ 8, conducting recruitment workshops for the dance program, and sponsoring community support activities including Adopt a Highway, food drives, and participation in the Special Olympics. Chi Tau Epsilon also awards annual scholarships for outstanding choreographic and academic achievement. ScholarshipsThe Dance Program awards scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,500 per academic year. In addition the Mary Ella Montague Endowed Scholarship is awarded to the outstanding returning Dance major each year and the Kelley Barber Award is given annually to a Dance major for outstanding performance. Applications are available in the dance office. Program Specific RequirementsBIO 245 & PHY 135/115 are required for all dance majors. CurriculumRequired Courses for Major All dance majors must repeat DNC 110 for four semesters. Bachelor of Arts Candidates must complete one semester each of DNC 333, 334, 430, and be registered in either ballet or modern technique every semester. Candidates for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree must be registered in both ballet and modern dance technique each semester after the freshman year. They must also complete at least two semesters each of DNC 430, 433, and 434. DNC 233, 234, 333, 334, 430, 433, and 434 are open only by audition or permission of the instructor. Candidates for the BA must complete requirements for a minor field of study to graduate. The BFA does not require a minor. Major
in Dance
Note: Students should use elective and/or minor hours to satisfy the 42 advanced hour requirement. Major
in Dance
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