University of South Carolina Betsy Blackmon Dance Program

Bachelor of Arts Dance

It is the mission of the University of South Carolina Betsy Blackmon Dance Program to prepare emerging leaders and future professionals who can successfully function in a variety of career paths within and outside of the field of dance. To achieve this mission, curriculum, pedagogy, and faculty research focus on dance as a catalyst for critical thinking, community outreach, and advocacy while maintaining high-quality artistic collaborations at the core of educational experiences.

Our undergraduate program combines a rigorous studio environment with the depth and breadth of liberal arts education. The program maintains an active guest-artist program bringing in professional directors, choreographers, actors, dancers, and designers from all over the world to work with students. As a dance major, students will be exposed to experiences that will help them develop professional training, performance, technique, and pedagogical experiences.

Emphasis in Performance and Choreography

The B.A. in Dance with an emphasis in Performance and Choreography is designed for those who wish to obtain a broad undergraduate liberal arts experience and grow as an artist in a rigorous dance classroom and studio environment. Students are provided with a variety of dance studies that stress performance and choreography, and, at the same time, intellectual depth and scope. The program offers a diverse repertory that provides the opportunity to gain a sound foundation of guided practice in the disciplines and principles of ballet and contemporary dance. Degree requirements include courses in ballet & contemporary technique, dance history, dance anatomy and kinesiology, performance, choreography, improvisation, and a senior capstone project. The Performance and Choreography emphasis also requires that students pursue a minor or cognate in another discipline outside of the dance, allowing the students to combine their interests and build upon their University experience. 

Admission for the B.A. in Dance with an emphasis in Performance and Choreography is dependent upon a qualifying dance audition in ballet plus dance in a genre outside of ballet (modern, contemporary, jazz). Students must also meet the University of South Carolina undergraduate admission requirements and academic standards. For information on these requirements, visit www.sc.edu/admissions.

Emphasis in Dance Education with K-12 Certification

In conjunction with the College of Education, the University of South Carolina Betsy Blackmon Dance Program offers an opportunity to pursue South Carolina K-12 Teacher’s Certification in addition to pursuing a degree in dance. Dance Education students participate fully in technique classes, performances, and coursework listed above while also earning a certification to teach dance as an educator in a public or private school in South Carolina or your home state. The teacher certification program does require additional education coursework, including practicum hours and a semester of student teaching. 

Over the course of four years of study, our program ensures that students will:

Experience teaching at every level. We ensure that students have the opportunity to teach at the elementary, middle and high school levels before graduating. Levels of placement will mirror the course curriculum in each Dance Education course so that students may implement what they are learning in the classroom directly in a realistic environment.

Teach in a variety of school settings. Placements take students to a variety of K-12 schools that utilize various approaches to dance as a performing art and academic discipline. Experiences include learning how to integrate other subjects into dance teaching, using dance to support learning in other subject areas, teaching dance as a discrete discipline, and designing and managing productions in elementary, middle, and high school environments.

Work with a diverse body of students. We guarantee practical experience teaching in diverse environments. Beyond-the-classroom learning and field placements are designed to ensure that our students have opportunities to work with K-12 students from a variety of backgrounds, abilities, and districts to ensure that they will be prepared for challenges and opportunities in any work environment they may encounter once they enter the field.

While most students who pursue the B.A. in Dance with K-12 Teacher Certification are teaching in public school dance programs, some students choose to pursue further study and other career paths related to dance performance and education. Again, students must meet University of South Carolina undergraduate admission requirements and academic standards. For information on these requirements, visit www.sc.edu/admissions.

Dance Minor

The Dance Minor requires (18) hours of study. Auditions are not required for prospective dance minors. All dance minors must complete the level I coursework in both ballet and contemporary before requesting approval to enroll in higher level dance technique courses.

Find out more

Find out more about B.A. in Dance in the undergraduate bulletin.  Click on major map to explore a sample program of study in the Performance and Choreography concentration or Dance Education with K-12 Certification.

MA in Dance Studies

The Master of Arts in Dance Studies is a 36 semester-credit hour hybrid program designed for working professionals that consists of online coursework mixed with brief summer residencies, thus allowing participants to continue outside employment while advancing their education.  The program's accelerated coursework leads to degree completion in six semesters, including two summers of study. Students do not need to possess an undergraduate degree in dance, but they must demonstrate substantial educational and/or professional experience to avoid completing additional coursework outside of the requirements for the MA.  

For more information, visit the MA in Dance Studies page in the Graduate Bulletin.
For additional information please contact us at Dance@sc.edu .

Mailing Address: 
University of South Carolina, Betsy Blackmon Dance Program                                   
Department of Theatre and Dance                                   
324 Sumter Street                                   
Columbia, SC  29208                                   
Phone: (803) 777-5636

https://youtu.be/8YsszGVe-co


For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk. For fee waiver requests, please review this Acceptd Help Desk article to see if you qualify and to submit a request to the Acceptd Support team.