Bachelor of Arts in Dance
Radford, USA
BA
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jul 2025
TUITION FEES
USD 25,633 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* out-of-state, commuter student | $12,548: in-state, commuter student. Additional fees may apply
Key Summary
The Dance program at Radford University prepares undergraduate students for lives and careers as dancers, teachers, choreographers, and scholars. Our curriculum fosters an environment committed to dance as an autonomous and major art form and realizes dance's many significant roles in world cultures.
Why Study Dance?
- You’ll learn technique, theory, teaching, and creative process.
- Students get the chance to perform in concerts.
- Learn dance production skills.
- You’ll have the flexibility to create unique academic paths with options in B.A, B.S., B.F.A., and Minor.
Mission Statement
The department nurtures critical and creative thinking through an academic, artistic, and physical support structure that promotes student and faculty excellence. Fulfilling its responsibility as an advocate for the arts, the department delivers meaningful dance experiences for the cultural enrichment of the university, local communities, the commonwealth, and beyond. Dance means many things to many people: an art form, social interaction, education, therapy, physical exercise, and spiritual expression. Philosophically, the Department of Dance views dance as a performing art first but firmly believes in a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to dance education.
Guest Artists
We are grateful to have guest artists come to campus each year, greatly enriching our students' dance experience. Past guest artists include:
- Kyle Abraham, Abraham in Motion.
- Alyce Finwall, Founder and Artistic Director of the Alyce Finwall Dance Theater residing in San Francisco, CA.
- Dance Theatre of Harlem, Company members.
- Darrell Grand Moultrie, Princess Grace Award winner and international choreographer for companies and theater.
- Melinda Jackson and Michael Kessler, Founders and Artistic Directors of the M&M American Dance Theatre.
- Mira Kingsley, Associate Professor of Dance, University of California at Santa Barbara.
- Valentina Kozlova, Former Company Member of the Bolshoi Ballet and New York City Ballet.
- Donald Laney, West Virginia Dance Company.
- Gemze de Lappe, Choreographer, and teacher, especially known for reconstructing the work of de Mille, Isadora Duncan, and Jerome Robbins.
- Keith Lee, Founder and Artistic Director of the Dance Theatre of Lynchburg, Former dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
- Natalie Marrone, Artistic Director of the Dance Cure.
- Christopher K. Morgan, Christopher K. Morgan, and Artists, A Contemporary Dance Company located in the D.C. area.
- Donald McKayle, Professor of Dance at UC Irvine, Internationally renowned modern dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and writer.
- Northwest Dance Project, Company members.
- Sherone Price, Principal Dancer with Chuck Davis African American Dance Ensemble.
- Reginald Yates, Dancer, choreographer, and educator with extensive affiliations with Alvin Ailey, the Juilliard School, and the New World School for the Arts.
- Keshia Wall, Matriarch Dance Company.
- Wesley Williams Jr., Former member of the Chuck Davis and the African American Dance Ensemble, is now the Artistic Director of Suah African Dance Theatre in Greensboro, NC.
Financial aid opportunities for undergraduate dance students consist of academic scholarships, work-study positions, and dance-specific scholarships.
The Mary Simon Blevins Scholarship
Targeted towards dance majors in good standing.
The Pegeen H. and David L. Albig Dance Scholarship
Targeted towards male dance majors in good standing.
The Bethany Lorraine Rooker Dance Scholarship
Targeted towards dance majors in good standing.
The Frano Jelincic Memorial Scholarship
Established and endowed in honor of the late Frano Jelincic, professor emeritus of dance, to assist deserving students with a strong classical ballet background.
The Horth Scholarship for Summer Study
Targeted towards returning dance majors in good standing, planning to attend a summer dance workshop.
Arts Society Scholarships
Ranging from five to 10 scholarships each year for dance majors. The primary goal of the arts society is to provide money for scholarship support for students in the College of the Visual and Performing Arts. Donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and others provide scholarship support for exceptional and deserving students. Must be a student majoring in a discipline within the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Dance, B.A. (E, L)
To be admitted to the Bachelor of Arts program in dance, students must demonstrate a level of proficiency for intermediate study in ballet and modern technique classes. All requirements for this degree and major are outlined below.
REAL Curriculum
This major fulfills the E and L areas of the REAL Curriculum. Students explore dance composition, choreographic studies, the history and philosophy of dance, and create original work presented in staged performances. Students explore professional practice through studio classes including ballet and modern dance techniques, and dance production that are applied in production participations, performance practicums, in faculty and national guest artist mainstage concerts every semester, and in senior seminar. Students complete reflection assignments on their learning, abilities, experiences, and role within professional contexts in production participation and performance practicum courses. Students need majors and/or minors to fulfill the R and A areas to complete the REAL Curriculum requirements.
REAL Foundational Requirements
- Foundational Writing (3 credits)
- Foundational Math (3 credits)
- REAL Cornerstone Requirements
- General Education Requirements
Major Requirements (53-58 credits)
- B.A. Degree Requirements (6-8 credits)
- Required Courses (47 credits)
- Theory Requirements (17 credits)
- Technique Requirements (18 credits)
- Composition Requirements (3 credits)
- Performance Requirements (3 credits)
- Dance Electives (6 credits)
Additional Degree Requirements
Students must successfully complete courses in the degree with a C or better to count toward the degree.
Students must successfully complete one semester of 300-level ballet or 300-level modern dance.\
Open Credit Hours (62-67 credits)
These credits can be used to fulfill additional courses, majors, minors, and/or REAL Curriculum requirements, including Foundational Writing and Foundational Math.
Total Credits Needed for Degree 120
Dance, B.F.A. (E, L)
REAL Curriculum
This major fulfills the E and L areas of the REAL Curriculum. Students explore dance composition, choreographic studies, the history and philosophy of dance, and create original work presented in staged performances. Students explore professional practice through studio classes including ballet, modern, and jazz dance techniques, and dance production that are applied in production participations, performance practicums, in faculty and national guest artist mainstage concerts every semester, and in senior seminar. Students complete reflection assignments on their learning, abilities, experiences, and role within professional contexts in production participation and performance practicum courses. Students need majors and/or minors to fulfill the R and A areas to complete the REAL Curriculum requirements.
REAL Foundational Requirements
- Foundational Writing (3 credits)
- Foundational Math (3 credits)
REAL Cornerstone Requirements
- Writing Intensive (WI) Courses (6 credits)
General Education Requirements
General Education courses will be denoted below with a (GE). Students are required to take at least 30 credit hours of general education designated courses within their degree requirements. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance program includes 10-13 general education credits.
Concentrations
Performance
To be admitted to the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in dance with a concentration in performance, students must demonstrate a level of proficiency for intermediate study in ballet and modern technique classes. All requirements for this degree and major are outlined below.
Major Requirements (78 Credits)
- Required Courses (78 credits)
Additional Degree Requirements
Students must successfully complete courses in the degree with a C or better to count toward the degree.
Students must successfully complete two semesters each of 400-level ballet and 300-level modern dance or 400-level modern dance and 300-level ballet.
Open Credit Hours (44 credits)
To be admitted to the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in dance with a concentration in dance education (entrepreneurship emphasis), students must demonstrate a level of proficiency for intermediate study in ballet and modern technique classes. All requirements for this degree and major are outlined below.
Total Credits Needed for Degree 120
Dance Entrepreneurship
To be admitted to the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in dance with a concentration in dance education (entrepreneurship emphasis), students must demonstrate a level of proficiency for intermediate study in ballet and modern technique classes. All requirements for this degree and major are outlined below.
Major Requirements (78 credits)
- Dance Core (63 credits)
- Entrepreneurship Requirements (15 credits)
- Additional Degree Requirements
- Open Credit Hours (57 credits)
Dance Minor (E, L)
Minor in Dance. No audition is required for the minor program in dance. All requirements for this degree are outlined below.
REAL Curriculum
This minor fulfills the E and L areas of the REAL Curriculum. Students explore dance improvisation, dance composition, dance appreciation, and the history and philosophy of dance. Students explore professional practice through studio classes including ballet and modern dance techniques, and dance production that are applied in a performance. Students complete reflection assignments on their learning, abilities, experiences, and role within professional contexts in ballet and modern technique courses.
REAL Cornerstone Requirements
- Writing Intensive (WI) Courses (6 credits)
- General Education Requirements
Minor Requirements (18 credits)
- Required Courses (12 credits)
- Dance Technique (6 credits)
Total Credit Hours for Minor 18