Dance

Mission: The dance department affirms and promotes the transformative power of dance. Through opportunities to CREATE, PERFORM, RESPOND, AND CONNECT, the Dance Department invites students to grow artistically, physically, intellectually and spiritually.

Hope College has been accredited by NASD since 1982.

About The Program

Hope’s diverse resident and guest faculty, studios and performance facilities, performance and teaching opportunities and curriculum, divided among modern, contemporary, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and tap dance techniques, as well as dance theory courses, contribute to the department’s goal of developing well-rounded dancers who are prepared for careers in dance performance, production, pedagogy, therapy, medicine, and a variety of additional professions within the dance community.

Graduates of the program are currently:

Dance professors at colleges and universities
Dance instructors in studios
Professional dancers in major metropolitan centers, nationally and internationally
Students in professional company schools in major metropolitan dance centers
Managers, founders and artistic directors of dance companies
Dance instructors for recreational and fitness centers
Dance therapists
Dance historians
Arts media technicians and engineers
Pursuing graduate studies
Arts administrators
Dance physicians
Performing in theater and music theater productions nationally and internationally

Majors

Freshmen considering a dance major will meet with dance faculty members early in the academic year in order to plan their coursework. All incoming freshmen considering a dance major will be sent registration information from the Registrar which includes required dance courses to take the fall of their freshman year.

Assessment Evaluations by faculty in the fall of the sophomore and junior year, and an exit interview in the spring of the senior year is required for all students majoring in dance. At this time the department will assess the student’s ability and progress as it relates to the Departmental Goals and Objectives (Create, Perform, Respond and Connect). Students will be advised as to their potential success as dance majors; faculty will counsel dancers regarding their strengths, challenges, and future career opportunities. Additional information concerning the assessment is available from the department chairperson. All students pursuing the Dance major and/or dual majors are required to participate in these evaluations/exit interviews and Dance minors are highly encouraged to participate.

All students pursuing the Dance major, dual majors and/or dance minors are encouraged to audition for the annual faculty dance concert, affiliated pre-professional dance companies, and the bi-annual Student Dance Showcases.

Programs

Majors

Minors

Courses

Dance