Dance (BFA)
Under the leadership of Donna Faye Burchfield, the School of Dance at University of the Arts in Philadelphia is a community of 300 talented, expressive students and an exceptional faculty of world-recognized artists with expansive and far-reaching abilities and experiences.
The school reimagines and reinvigorates curricular approaches to reflect the ever-expanding landscape of dance, while training and supporting the futures of young dance artists. Students are encouraged to discover their interests; articulate their perspectives; and situate themselves as participants capable of developing critical approaches to dance, performance and study. The curriculum takes the depth and rigor of a discipline-based dance conservatory, while actively interweaving practice and theory and maintaining international collaborations and exchanges at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
UArts was named one of the Best College Dance Programs in the US for 2022–2023 by DanceUS.
Faculty & Mentors
Your classes will be led by passionate instructors who love dance as much as you do. From ballet to hip-hop, jazz to modern, you'll have the opportunity to learn from instructors with a variety of dance backgrounds and expertise. Click on the images below to meet faculty of the Dance program.
Recent News
UArts Assistant Professor of Studio Practice Tommie-Waheed Evans was named a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow in choreography. Read more about Evans' plans for the fellowship.
Curriculum
The School of Dance’s major course of study takes the depth and rigor of a discipline-based dance conservatory while engaging students in open discussions within their own practice, valuing their voices as capable of developing new and critical perspectives in dance. These strategies give way to student driven pathways and expand the ways students can access and think about the practices and techniques of making and performing dance.
It is divided into two parts: Foundation Series (freshman and sophomore years) and Portfolio & Research Series (junior and senior).
The faculty of the School of Dance have developed five essential learning goals that help to shape the school’s curriculum and the young dance artist and professional.
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Mutuality: Students will activate relationships in dance on personal, collective, regional and global levels.
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Relationality: Students will engage with the world through multiple lenses of collaboration, exchange and difference.
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Expressivity: Students will develop tools and ideas of expression to speak, write, and dance about/with/of/alongside.
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Sustainability: Students will be immersed in anatomically sound technical training that consistently weaves and references both historical and emerging techniques, forms and styles through informed somatic practices.
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Resourcefulness: Students will develop and sharpen skills of reciprocity, relationship and network building through consistent contact with professional artists in the expanded field both within their communities and in the world.
These learning goals are mapped across courses in six different categories: Studio Practice; Body Pathways; Thinking, Making, Doing; History, Theory and Criticism; Capstone Experiences; and Performance Pedagogies of Dance.
Sample Curriculum
First Year
Studio Practices (includes a wide range of offerings, such as ballet, traditional modern dance techniques, hip hop, jazz, contemporary forms and more)
Body Pathways I & II
Intro to Improv Performance Practice
Contemporary Art Practices
Languaging Dance, Thinking Choreographically
First-Year Performance Workshop
Writing Placement I & II
Free elective (student choice)
Second Year
Studio Practices (includes a wide range of offerings, such as ballet, traditional modern dance techniques, hip hop, jazz, contemporary forms and more)
Sophomore Performance & Coaching Project
Body Pathways Movement Lab
Critical Dance Studies I
Thinking, Making, Doing (student choice - course offerings include Activism, Social Justice & Choreography; Choreography & Alternative Media; Drawing objects: Extending the Choreographic; Duet Forms; Improvisation as Research in Performance; Solo Studies and more)
Critical Studies (student choice)
Free elective (student choice)
Third Year
Studio Practices (includes a wide range of offerings, such as ballet, traditional modern dance techniques, hip hop, jazz, contemporary forms and more)
Junior Seminar I & II
Body Pathways Research Lab
Critical Dance Studies II
Pedagogies of Performance in Dance
Thinking, Making, Doing (student choice - course offerings include Activism, Social Justice & Choreography; Choreography & Alternative Media; Drawing objects: Extending the Choreographic; Duet Forms; Improvisation as Research in Performance; Solo Studies and more)
Critical Studies (student choice)
Free elective (student choice)
Fourth Year
Studio Practices (includes a wide range of offerings, such as ballet, traditional modern dance techniques, hip hop, jazz, contemporary forms and more)
Senior Seminar
Senior Thesis Workshop
Pedagogies of Performance in Dance
Thinking, Making, Doing (student choice - course offerings include Activism, Social Justice & Choreography; Choreography & Alternative Media; Drawing objects: Extending the Choreographic; Duet Forms; Improvisation as Research in Performance; Solo Studies and more)
Critical Studies (student choice)
Free elective (student choice)
Explore the Full Curriculum
Dance (MFA)
With the goal of educating thinking artists as world citizens, The University of the Arts in Philadelphia sets in motion a new Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program in Dance that extends the context of learning from the studio, theater and classroom to the international festival environment as a space for learning.
HomeSchool
A virtual performance and exhibition space presented by the School of Dance at the University of the Arts.
Knowing Dance More Series
Presented by the UArts School of Dance, Knowing Dance More is a series of lectures, conversations, and informal showings led by important artists and scholars in the international field of dance. This series brings into focus current issues within the production, performance, and practice of dance works and will hopefully foster ongoing conversations about knowing dance (more).
Upcoming events TBA.
Visiting Artists
BFA '17
Alumni Spotlight
BFA '13
BFA '13
BFA '14
BFA '15
BFA ' 15
BFA '16
BFA '16
BFA ' 16
BFA '17
BFA '17
BFA '17
BFA '17
BFA '17
BFA '17
BFA '18
BFA '18
BFA '18
BFA '17
BFA ’20
BFA ’21
BFA ’21
How to Apply
UArts offers recommended priority deadlines; students who apply and submit all required materials by the priority deadline will receive first consideration for scholarship aid from UArts. Applications received after the priority deadline will be reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis.
International students requiring an F-1 visa for study in the U.S. might be subject to earlier deadlines to provide time for completion of the visa process. Contact Admissions for guidance if you are an international student who wishes to apply after the priority deadline.
Spring 2024 priority deadline: Oct. 15, 2023
Fall 2024 priority deadline: Feb. 15, 2024
We cannot accept spring 2024 applications after Jan. 8, 2024, and cannot accept fall 2024 applications after Aug. 16, 2024.
The following materials are required for your application.
Start or resume your application.
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The application includes two required short-answer questions: What excites you about UArts? What inspires you?
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If you qualify for a fee waiver from NACAC, CollegeBoard, UArts or another source, indicate that on your application. If the cost of the application fee is a barrier, contact Admissions to request a fee waiver code.
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Official transcripts must be sent directly from your school by mail, email or a secure electronic document-delivery service.
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International transcript requirements
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If you’ve attended high school outside the U.S., read the additional guidelines for international transcripts.
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Transfer student transcript requirements
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High school transcripts may be waived for transfer applicants who have completed a minimum of 24 credits of college-level coursework, including a minimum of 18 academic, non-studio credits.
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Official college transcript(s)
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Official transcripts must be sent directly from all the colleges you have attended by mail, email or a secure electronic document-delivery service.
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If you’ve attended college outside the U.S., you are required to have an official course-by-course evaluation of your college coursework sent to UArts. Additional guidelines for international transcripts are available.
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Auditions are required for the Dance program. After submitting your application, go to your applicant status portal to register for your virtual or on-campus audition day. View a full list of audition requirements.
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Letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors are optional and may be submitted by the recommender via email to undergradcredentials@uarts.edu or by your high school through a secure electronic document-delivery service.
Get Started
Start your application
Begin your application today. Our admissions team will help you throughout the process.
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The best way to get to know UArts is by visiting our campus in person. Come see a show, visit a gallery, and get to know the neighborhood.
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