Department of Dance General Information

Founded 1974

Dr. Robert T. Stroker, Dean
Temple University Department of Dance
1700 N. Broad Street, Suite 309
Philadelphia, PA 19122-0843
215-204-8710

dance@temple.edu

www.temple.edu/boyer/academicprograms/dance/index.asp

Mission
Accreditation
Admissions
Financial Aid
Awards

Academic Advising

Policies

Graduation Requirements

Student Contact Information

Faculty

Mission

The Dance Department is committed to artistic and scholarly excellence through fostering a creative, reflective and inclusive learning environment. Through embodied practice, the Dance Faculty and students seek to honor traditions while exploring new ways of knowing dance. In recognition that we experience through the body, the programs encourage students to consider how bodies in motion contribute to knowledge, transform our social world and facilitate community engagement.

Return to menu

Accreditation

Full accredited Member of the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD).

Return to menu

Admissions

Admission into the dance program requires the submission of four items:

• A general university application submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
• Official transcripts / standardized test scores submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
• A dance application submitted to the Department of Dance.
• Attendance at an audition located on Temple University Main Campus in Philadelphia, or other arrangements to complete the audition requirements.

A dance audition cannot be scheduled until all other required application materials have been submitted.  Please note that Temple University will not make an admission decision until applicants attend a dance audition.

The dance audition consists of technique classes divided into sections of ballet, modern, and African dance; a one minute solo of an applicant's own choreography; and an interview. The faculty attempts to choose students with physical, artistic, and intellectual potential to enter and complete the dance program and the university curriculum. The faculty is concerned that potential students' goals and aspirations are supported by the department philosophy, maximizing success in the program.

For additional information regarding dance admissions and for an application, please visit: www.temple.edu/boyer/admissions/index.asp

Return to menu

Financial Aid

Entering Student Scholarships are offered by the Dance Department following successful entrance auditions and are based on artistic talent and potential for success in the dance curriculum. No separate application is necessary.

Return to menu

Awards

BFA Performance Award - Honors a graduating B.F.A. student who has demonstrated excellence in dance performance during the academic year.
BFA Choreography Award - Honors a graduating B.F.A. student who has demonstrated excellence in choreography during the academic year.
BFA Scholar Award - Honors a graduating B.F.A. student who has demonstrated excellence in overall academic achievement during the academic year.

Return to menu

Dance Academic Advising Center

Academic advisors attempt to avoid errors when advising students about their program requirements, but schools and colleges cannot assume liability for errors in advising. Therefore, students must assume primary responsibility for knowing the requirements for their degree and for acquiring current information about their academic status. It is not the responsibility of the advisor to monitor the academic rosters of individual students for errors in registration.

Return to menu

Dance Program Academic Policies

Please see the Undergraduate Academic Policies. Students are responsible for complying with all university-wide academic policies that apply to their individual academic status. Additional and unique policies, or exceptions for the Boyer College of Music, Department of Dance, appear below.

Dean's List

Each fall and spring semester, those undergraduates who have met the credit hour and academic criteria for their school or college are placed on the Dean's List. See the Dean's List policy for specific GPA and credit-hour requirements.

Leave of Absence

Students must submit the Leave of Absence form to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator in advance of the semester in which the leave is to take place, stating the reason(s) why the leave is necessary. A Leave of Absence must be authorized by the Undergraduate Program Coordinator and Department Chairperson, who will process the leave in accordance with the university's leave of absence policy. (Policy # 02.10.16)

Injury Policy

An injury may affect a student’s ability to successfully continue in a course.  A student who is injured is expected to immediately contact their instructor and the Undergraduate Program Coordinator to discuss the possibility of continuance in the course.  Injured students are responsible for seeking appropriate medical attention for their injuries.  Students must provide an official doctor’s note recommending non-participation in class to their instructors.  Failure to provide a doctor’s note verifying an injury may result in the student’s violation of applicable absence policies or may otherwise impact the student’s grade. 

Any student who is advised by a doctor to refrain from dancing for three weeks or more may be required to withdraw from studio courses that focus on dance technique, composition, repertory and improvisation.  For students who will miss fewer than three weeks of classes due to their injury, and who are physically able to do so, must attend all classes to observe and take notes. Instructors may assign additional written work if appropriate. If a student is unable to participate in midterm or final examinations due to an injury, the student is responsible for working with their instructor to develop alternate assignments at the discretion of the faculty member.

Persons subject to this policy may have the option for a medical withdrawal or an incomplete in their courses.  Students should review Temple University policy number 02.10.14 (Withdrawal from Classes) and policy number 02.10.13 (Incomplete Coursework Policy).

Independent Study and Field Experience

Students who wish to register for Independent Study or Field Experience must submit a written proposal to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator no later than two months in advance of the semester in which the study is to be accomplished. A student who is on academic probation may not register for Independent Study or Field Experience. Credits will not be granted retroactively, and no more than 4 credits will be awarded over the course of a student's undergraduate study.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

The semester load for full-time undergraduate students is 17 credits. Undergraduate students must carry at least 12 credit hours to be classified as full-time. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance requires matriculated students to attend on a full-time basis each semester. Students who have been full-time for at least four semesters may petition the Undergraduate Program Coordinator no later than two months in advance for approval to enroll in the subsequent semester on a part-time basis. All requests for part-time status must be approved by the dance faculty. Part-time status is granted for one semester only. Students who are on academic probation are not eligible for part-time status. If a student is granted part-time status and is then placed on academic probation, part-time status will be revoked.

Academic Overloads (18 or more semester hours)

Academic overloads need special approval from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Students interested in pursuing an academic overload should contact their Faculty Advisor no later than 2 months prior to the start of the semester in which they desire to overload.  Students who are on academic probation are not eligible for academic overloads.

Technique Standards

Temple University's Department of Dance recognizes the necessity of technical training in building professional quality performers, choreographers, and teachers.  Our technique classes include a diverse range of dance forms, including ballet, modern, jazz, and African.  Each of our technique teachers draws from an array of influences and styles, preparing students for the eclecticism found within the contemporary dance world today.  Through four years of technical training, our students gain an understanding of and apply the following principles in reaching their expressive potential and minimizing injury:

•  Alignment and Core Connection
•  Physical Strength and Flexibility
•  Upper and Lower Body Integration
•  Clarity in Articulating Various Body Parts
•  Sensitivity to Qualitative Range and Expressivity Inside Movement
•  Rhythmic Awareness and Musicality
•  Incorporation of Weight and Breath
•  Spatial Awareness
•  Critical Thinking
•  Self Motivation and Discipline

Modern Technique represents the core of our students' technical training.  Students in the Performance & Choreography Focus are required to advance to Modern Technique IV, while students in the Dance Education Focus are required to advance to at least Modern Technique III.  In all technique classes, video evaluations occur at the mid-term and final periods of each semester.  Following these evaluations, students receive verbal and written feedback from their instructors.  This process provides a method of looking at a student's progress in developing the target competencies for each level of technique.

Technique Placement Class

All entering undergraduates are placed into modern and ballet technique levels based on their audition and supplemental dance application.  Adjustments to level placement may be made during the first week of classes.  Returning undergraduates should consult with their faculty advisor about level placement prior to registering for classes.  Students may repeat a level up to two times, and are not allowed to regress in level.

First Semester Program Review

At the end of the first semester, each student's progress will be formally evaluated in the following categories to determine suitability for continued study within the dance program.

Academic Progress

Students must meet and maintain the minimum academic standards listed below:

•  2.50 grade point average (GPA) in dance courses each semester.
•  2.25 grade point average (GPA) overall each semester.
•  No more than one grade below B- in a dance course is permitted.
•  No withdrawals or incompletes are permitted in dance courses.
•  Successful completion of the following dance courses:

      1. Dance 1801: First Year Seminar in Dance

      2. Dance 1811: Movement Improvisation I

      3. Dance 1813: Dance Repertory I or Dance 1819: Dance Production

      4. Dance 1841: Music for Dancers or Dance 1851: Global Dance Traditions

      5. At least two modern technique classes

      6. At least one ballet technique class

Technical Growth

Students must be able to demonstrate and articulate verbally a conceptual understanding of alignment, strength, and mobility. They must be able to assimilate sequential movement materials, and successfully perform basic movement phrases.

Improvisation

Students must demonstrate their ability to spontaneously create solo movement, and demonstrate their understanding of basic partnering techniques and improvising in groups. Students will be able to generate movement material that both explores and expands their expressive range as dancers.

Creative Engagement

Over the course of the first semester, students must:

• Participate in one performance or audition one finished work for the student concert.
• Demonstrate consistent attendance, focus, intellectual curiosity, and openness to new approaches, as reflected in faculty evaluations of student coursework.
• Demonstrate receptivity to feedback and in-class evaluation from instructors, and apply this information in subsequent work.
• Demonstrate healthy life practices as part of a disciplined approach towards one's work as a dancer.
• Maintain positive professional interactions with peers and faculty.

Second Semester Program Review

At the end of the second semester, each student's progress will be formally evaluated in the following categories to determine suitability for continued study within the dance program.

Academic Progress

Students must meet and maintain the minimum academic standards listed below:

• 2.50 grade point average (GPA) in dance courses each semester.
• 2.25 grade point average (GPA) overall each semester.
• No more than one grade below B- in a dance course is permitted.
• No withdrawals or incompletes are permitted in dance courses.
• Successful completion of the following dance courses:

     1. Dance 1801: First Year Seminar in Dance

     2. Dance 1811: Movement Improvisation I

     3. Dance 1813: Dance Repertory I

     4. Dance 1819: Dance Production

     5. Dance 1841: Music for Dancers

     6. Dance 1851: Global Dance Traditions

     7. At least four modern technique classes

     8. At least two ballet technique classes

Technical Growth

Students must be able to apply, demonstrate, and articulate verbally a conceptual understanding of alignment, strength, and mobility. They must be able to assimilate sequential movement materials, and successfully perform movement phrases that deal with the following elements:

• Movement efficiency and proper alignment
• Shifting off the vertical line of balance and returning to center
• Basic rhythmic structures and patterns
• Basic locomotor movement and some inverted movement
• Variable spatial planes, directions, and levels
• Assimilation of sequential movement material
• Concepts of body organization:  such as breath support, core to distal/head to tail patterning, upper-lower/body half integration, and cross-lateral patterning 
• Differing energy qualities:  how energy is directed within the body and projected out into space

Creative Engagement

Over the course of the second semester, students must:

• Participate in one performance or audition one finished work for the student concert.
• Demonstrate consistent attendance, focus, intellectual curiosity, and openness to new approaches, as reflected in faculty evaluations of student coursework.
• Demonstrate receptivity to feedback and in-class evaluation from instructors, and apply this information in subsequent work.
• Demonstrate healthy life practices as part of a disciplined approach towards one's work as a dancer.
• Maintain positive professional interactions with peers and faculty.

Third Semester Program Review

At the end of the third semester, each student's progress will be formally evaluated in the following categories to determine suitability for continued study within the dance program.  As part of this process, students apply for entrance into either the Dance Education Focus or the Performance & Choreography Focus. 

Artistic Portfolio

By December 1st, students will submit to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator a portfolio containing the following:

• Concert Programs:  copies for each production in which the student has participated as a performer or stage crew.
• DVD:  videos of all choreography and performances in previous three semesters.
• Essay:  a personal statement of 1-2 pages that identifies the track the student wishes to pursue, how that track will impact their professional goals and development, and assesses their artistic and professional development within the curriculum to date.

Academic Progress

Students must meet and maintain the minimum academic standards listed below:

•  2.50 grade point average (GPA) in dance courses each semester.
•  2.25 grade point average (GPA) overall each semester.
•  No more than one grade below B- in a dance course is permitted.
•  No withdrawals or incompletes are permitted in dance courses.
•  Successful completion of the following dance courses, in addition to those listed for the first and second semester reviews:

      1. Dance 2813: Dance Composition I

      2. Dance 2814: Dance Composition II

      3. Dance 2872: Foundations of Dance Education or Dance 3851: Lighting Design for Dance

      4. Dance 4874: Dance Repertory III or Dance 4811: African Dance Repertory

      5. At least six modern technique classes

      6. At least three ballet technique classes

Technical Growth

Students must demonstrate awareness of alignment issues and articulate personal strategies for addressing them.  They must be able to assimilate and retain movement material sequentially and qualitatively, and successfully perform movement phrases that deal with the following elements:

•  Increased movement efficiency and proper alignment
•  Basic kinesiological principles in technique and conditioning contexts
•  Increased facility in shifting off the vertical line of balance and returning to center
•  Incorporation of weight into on-balance and off-balance movement involving momentum and weight release
•  Increased rhythmic acuity:  ability to work with shifting accents, structures & patterns
•  Embodiment of musicality and more complex phrasing
•  Movement initiation and follow-through
•  Ability to risk and expand one's spatial parameters: demonstration of an increased drive through space
•  Modulation between different energy states with breath support inside metric and non-metric phrasing
•  Developing confidence in one's creative engagement with movement material
•  Ability to adapt when experiencing new teaching methods and styles

Choreography

Students must also be able to discuss their work and the process by which they created it.  Students must be able to create and perform a dance that:

•  Successfully communicates an idea of personal significance;
•  Demonstrates the ability to develop thematic movement material;
•  Investigates movement imaginatively;
•  Explores a range of dynamic qualities; and,
•  Reflects a basic understanding of choreographic structure.

Creative Engagement

By the end of the third semester, students must:

• Audition one piece of their choreography for a student concert and participate in three performances.
• Demonstrate consistent attendance, focus, intellectual curiosity, and openness to new approaches as reflected in faculty evaluations of student coursework.
• Demonstrate receptivity to feedback and in-class evaluations from instructors, and apply this information in subsequent work.
• Maintain positive, professional interactions with peers and faculty.
• Demonstrate healthy life practices as part of a disciplined approach towards one's work as a dancer.
• Participate in one audition or recruitment event.

Special Course Sequences

The courses listed below must be taken in the specified sequence, and cannot be taken out of order or during the same semester.  All courses must be completed before students register for Senior Choreographic Project or Dance Education Project.

•  Composition:  Movement Improvisation I, Composition I, Composition II, Creative Process
•  History:  Dance Modernism, Dance Post-Modernism
•  Repertory: Dance Repertory I, Dance Repertory II, Dance Repertory III*
•  Technical Theater:  Dance Production, Lighting Design for Dance

 *Enrollment in Dance Repertory III is by audition, and only required in the Performance & Choreography Focus.

Return to menu

General College Graduation Requirements

1. Dance required GPA for graduation: 2.25 cumulative, 2.5 in dance major

2. Dance Contact Information: 1700 N. Broad Street, Suite 309 / Main Office Phone: 215-204-8710

3. Dance Requirements & Special Course Sequences: Please see dance program of study

• Must be taken in the required sequence
• Cannot be taken out of order or during the same semester
• All must be completed before students register for Senior Choreographic Projects.

University Requirements

All new students are required to complete the university's General Education (GenEd) curriculum.

All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. See the Dance Major page for the specific courses that are required for dance majors.

Return to menu

Important Student Contact Information

Contact information for the Dance Department is listed below. Contact information for other Boyer College of Music and Dance departments can be found on the college's Student Contact Information page.

Dance Department

Department Chairperson

Dr. Sherril Dodds

1700 N. Broad Street, Suite 309

215-204-5169

sherril.dodds@temple.edu

Undergraduate Program Coordinator

Dr. Laura Katz Rizzo

1700 N. Broad Street, Suite 309

215-204-2328

lkatz@temple.edu

Recruitment & Admissions

Mary Garcia

1700 N. Broad Street, Suite 309C

215-204-0533

dance@temple.edu

Academic Advising

Margo Jackson

Presser Hall, 2001 N. 13th Street, Main Office

215-204-2229

margo@temple.edu

Conwell Dance Theater

Nanette Hudson Joyce

1700 N. Broad Street, Suite 309

215-204-6177

njoyce@temple.edu

Department Coordinator

Gloria Scott

1700 N. Broad Street, Suite 309

215-204-5169

gscott71@temple.edu

Return to menu

Faculty

Dance Department (Full-time Faculty)

Dr. Karen Bond, Associate Professor

Dr. Sherril Dodds, Chair and Professor

Dr. Mark Franko, Professor

Jillian Harris, Assistant Professor

Kun-Yang Lin, Associate Professor

Dr. Joellen Meglin, Associate Professor

Merián Soto, Professor

Dr. Kariamu Welsh, Professor

Dr. Laura Katz Rizzo, Assistant Professor (Instructional)

Faculty contact information and biographies can be found at: www.temple.edu/boyer/about/people/faculty.asp#dance.

Return to menu