Dance
Department of Theatre & Dance
College of Arts and Sciences
285 Alumni Arena
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-5030
Phone: 716.645.6898
Fax: 716.645.6992
Web: www.cas.buffalo.edu/depts/theatredance
Robert Knopf
Chair
Thomas Ralabate
Director
M.A. Casarella
Assistant to the Chair; Director, Undergraduate Advising
Tressa Gorman Crehan
Associate Director
About the Department
The dance faculty focuses on developing versatile artists who are as creatively and intellectually exciting as they are technically skilled. Majors are expected to study equally in ballet, jazz, modern, and tap dance. The student who wishes to teach, write, administrate, or work as a therapist, is as important as the one who wishes to perform or choreograph. The importance of interdisciplinary arts and sciences is stressed in the making of a well-rounded dance career. In concert with the training, the program values the individual as simultaneously unique and responsible to his or her colleagues and constituents. Department productions provide excellent pre-professional experience.
Emphases are: Dance performance, preparation in dance for adaptive application, preparation for dance teaching and musical theatre dance. A joint theatre & dance major is available as are special majors combining dance with other disciplines. All dance courses have outside reading, writing and attendance requirements, and written and practical examinations.
An audition is required for acceptance into the dance program.
Performance spaces include the Center for the Arts on the Amherst campus and the Katherine Cornell Theatre.
The Center for the Arts building provides a centralized location for the study of art, media study, music, theatre, and dance. The close proximity of these disciplines facilitates increased opportunities for collaboration, interdisciplinary education and creativity. This $50 million facility features state-of-the-art technical capabilities in five theatres and multiple scene shops.
The 400 seat Drama Theatre is the Theatre & Dance department's primary performance space. The Black Box and Rehearsal Workshop allow for smaller scale and experimental productions to be presented.
The Main Stage consists of an 1,800 seat house where professional theatre and dance companies perform. These companies also present master classes and workshops, offering a unique experience for all UB students.
Degrees Offered
Undergraduate: B.A., B.F.A.
Graduate: M.A. in Humanities (combines dance with other disciplines)
About Our Degrees
Acceptance Criteria
Minimum GPA of 2.0 overall.
Minimum GPA of 2.5 in the following six prerequisite courses: TH 101,
TH 106; TH 135 or TH 136; THD 202, THD 214, THD 264.
Minimum grade of “C+” in all required courses.
Audition.
Interview with program director.
Foreign language requirement: 0-16 credits
Proficiency in a foreign language through the second semester of the second year or its equivalent, to be demonstrated through classroom courses or through alternatives outlined under the General Education requirements (B.F.A. programs are excluded). S/U grading may not be selected for courses taken to fulfill this requirement.
Acceptance Information
Number of applicants/year: 180 (majors)
Number of accepted majors/year: 35
Total number of majors currently enrolled: 115
Advanced Placement
When lower level courses are waived because of prior training, aulitional upper level courses in the same area are assigned.
Degree Requirements
See the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Courses
Suggested Introductory Courses:
- TH 101 Introduction to Theatre
- TH 106/TH 135 Introduction to Technical Theatre/lab
- THD 201 Modern Dance 1
- THD 210 Tap Dance 1
- THD 213 Ballet 1
- THD 263 Jazz Dance 1
The typical class size for:
Freshman/introduction courses is: 25-30
Sophomore/intermediate courses is: 15-30
Upper level/advanced courses is: 15-20
In the Dance program, what do student teaching assistants (TA’s) do?
They serve as demonstrators, give corrections, and generally assist in the studio classes.
For course descriptions, please see the Undergraduate Catalog.
About Our Faculty
The dance faculty is intensely involved in a wide range of theatre and dance-related activities extending beyond the campus, including: American College Dance Festival Association, Black College Dance Exchange, choreography for state Miss America pageants, Greater Buffalo Opera, Irish Classical Theatre, Shakespeare in the Park, MusicalFair, Studio Arena, Tennessee Reparatory Co., the Buffalo Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts, the Joffrey Ballet, the Western New York Institute for Arts in Education, and master classes and workshops across the country and abroad. The faculty's multifaceted activities have won the program widespread recognition.
The UB Center for the Arts is the home of the National Dance Masters of America Teachers’ Training School and has the distinct honor of having hosted the Jazz Dance World Congress for three unprecedented years: 1999, 2000, and 2003.
Special Academic Opportunities
Internships
Internships in dance teaching are available. The Department of Theatre & Dance encourages students to seek out this opportunity, and expects it of majors. A partnership with the Arts in Education Institute of Western New York places qualified dance majors in public school teaching residencies.
Awards
- Amanda C. Occhino Award
- College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Department Award
- College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Senior Award
- Departmental Honors
- Julia Pardee Prize [Awarded for excellence in writing in theatre, dance or music theatre]
- Performing and Creative Arts Scholarships
- Talent Scholarships
Extracurricular Activities
The principle performing spaces for all of the following are the theatres and studios in the Center for the Arts. See http://www.cas.buffalo.edu/depts/theatredance/performstudiospaces.
Dancers Workshop
Dancers Workshop is a student organization that offers non-credit performing and related opportunities for the university community at various levels of ability and interest. Workshop advisers are members of the dance faculty.
From the Wings
From the Wings is a student organization that offers non-credit performance opportunities for, but not limited to, music theatre majors. Faculty advisors are members of the music theatre faculty.
The Guild
The Guild is managed entirely by students. It hosts opening night receptions, is the liaison among department faculty, staff and students and produces evenings of new works by students.
Young Choreographers Showcase
Young Choreographers Showcase is faculty directed/mentored. Advanced level student choreographers are invited by the faculty to present a concert of their works.
Zodiaque Dance Company
The Zodiaque Dance Company is a performance training company that requires a major time commitment. Membership for the year is by audition early each fall.
Zodiaque Studio Dance Ensemble
The Ensemble is a performance training company with a fall semester commitment.
For more information on the above, please see Performance Opportunities.
See the UB Student Association.
Complementary Programs and Courses
Majors that Complement Dance
- All Arts and Sciences
- Architecture
- Business Administration
- Education
- Engineering
- Public Health and Health Professions
Minors that Complement Dance
- All Arts and Sciences
- Management Science and Systems
Courses Outside the Major that Could Improve Employment Opportunities
- All visual and performing arts
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Education
- English
- Exercise Science
- Law
- Management
- Psychology
- Sociology
Advising Information
First-semester students are required to meet with the Director of Undergraduate Advising.
Prospective majors should also arrange for an interview with the Director of Undergraduate Advising to ensure they taking courses in the proper sequence and to obtain the most benefit from departmental advisement.
Career Information
Career Choices
- Arts manager
- Choreographer
- Company director/artistic director
- Dance consultant
- Dance critic
- Dance historian/writer
- Dance notator
- Dance performer
- Dance teacher
- Dance therapist
- Stage director
- Studio owner/teacher
Alumni in Dance have been employed in the following ways:
Positions in dance at Disney World, Disney Studios & Universal Studios (Florida), Tokyo Disneyland, Eric Hawkins Dance Co, Hubbard St. Dance Co, Giordano Dance Co. River North Dance Co. and Murray Louis Dance Co.; and performers/choreographers in several national and international touring companies of major musicals, television, music videos, Las Vegas, and cruise ships. They also teach for colleges, universities, elementary/secondary schools and studios. They are dance company producers/directors, Broadway and Off Broadway performers/choreographers.
What percentage of graduates goes on to graduate school?
30%
What percentage of graduates goes on to find related employment?
70%