Dance (BA, BFA)
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York's dance program has the largest number of full-time dance professors and staff and is the only dance program in Canada with a wide array of world dance courses.
Dance can be described as a series of "rhythmical motions and steps, usually to music" but no matter how you define it, dance is a very significant part of our history and culture. Anywhere you look, you can see humans expressing themselves through dance: on TV, in the theatre, on the streets. We dance for joy, for sorrow, for ourselves and for others. . . . and we've been dancing since the dawn of time.
York's Department of Dance is the oldest and largest university-level dance program in Canada. The program offers you an integrated education in dance, combining intensive studio training with academic studies in dance and other fine and liberal arts.
Courses dealing with the creative processes of performance, choreography and repertory are offered alongside theoretical studies in dance history and criticism, notation, teaching methodologies, and body therapy. Daily technique classes in ballet and modern dance are complemented by special offerings in jazz and tap, as well as workshops and guest lectures in world performance traditions such as African, East Indian, Chinese and Native dance.
Featured Facilities:
- Five spacious rehearsal studios
- Two choreography studios
- One black box dance theatre-studio
- A 600-seat thrust stage
- Strate Dance Studio Theatre
- Pilates conditioning equipment
- Extensive costume collection
- Audio and video recording facilities
- Extensive library collection of dance books and periodicals
- Dance-specific computer software and peripherals
Students can select between a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts. The Bachelor of Arts is a theory- and research-oriented program, with opportunities to pursue studies of the history, aesthetics, criticism, social role, science & anthropology of dance. The program will admit a small number of students each year. For more information, contact the Department of Dance 416-736-5137,dance@yorku.ca.
Explore your many exciting career option in the Dance career guide.
What makes this program unique:
- Students have the opportunity to explore the increasingly important field of computer applications in dance studies, in areas such as notation, history and dance science.
- We also offer a joint teaching program with the National Ballet School of Canada's Teacher Training Program and with York's Faculty of Education. As well, you may participate in exchanges with dance programs at British universities or, with the help of York International, with universities in other countries.
- The York Dance Ensemble is a young company featuring outstanding student performers, creative artists and production crew from York University's Department of Dance. This company regularly premieres works by guest choreographers, faculty and students, offers selected upper-year students a unique pre-professional training and performance experience.