Wake Forest University provides opportunities for students to continue their dance training through Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced technique classes in Classical Ballet, Modern Dance and Jazz Dance.

The talent and commitment of our dancers as well as the rich and varied backgrounds of our faculty members have earned the program a reputation for quality. Our faculty includes former dancers with the American Ballet Theater and the San Francisco Ballet. Guest artists and choreographers from professional companies across the country work with our company enriching the dance experience at Wake Forest.

The University offers a Dance Minor in Department of Theatre &Dance

Dance Minor (DCE)
A dance minor requires 18 hours and must include:
One Modern course - DCE 120 (1.5h), DCE 221 (1.5h), or DCE 222 (1.5h);
Dance composition - DCE 123 (3h);
One Jazz course - DCE 126 (1.5h), DCE 226 (1.5h), or DCE 227 (1.5h);
One Ballet course - DCE 127 (1.5h), DCE 229 (1.5h), or DCE 231 (1.5h);
One Dance Performance – DCE 128A (1h) or DCE 128B (1h);
Senior Dance Project - DCE 200 (1-1.5h);
One History of Dance - DCE 202 (3h) or DCE 203 (3h);
Improvisation – DCE 205 (1.5h);
Introduction to Design and Production – THE 150 (4h)

Divisional Courses – Division III
DCE 202 History of Dance
DCE 203 20th Century Modern Dance History

Introductory Course in Dance

The following courses have no prerequisites and may be taken as general electives. Ballet, Modern and Jazz courses count toward the Dance Minor.
DCE 101         Beginning Tap Dance
DCE 120         Beginning Modern Dance
DCE 124         Social Dance
DCE 126         Beginning Jazz Dance
DCE 127         Beginning Classical Ballet

Dance Course Descriptions-

Catalog Listing of Courses

Guest Artists

Guest Choreographers

Introductory Dance Courses

The Dance Program also offers introductory level courses that are available as general electives. All courses with the exception of DCE 124 Social Dance also fulfill some of the dance minor requirements. The classes teach the fundamentals of dance technique and are traditionally focused towards those students with a limited dance experience.

DCE 101 Beginning Tap Dance (does not fulfill minor requirement)

DCE 120 Beginning Modern Dance
DCE 124 Social Dance (does not fulfill minor requirement)
DCE 126 Beginning Jazz Dance
DCE 127 Beginning Classical Ballet

Dance Company Membership in the Wake Forest Dance Company is by auditions held each year at the beginning of the Fall semester. All former members of the company must audition each year and each company member is required to enroll in one technique class. Members of the company are not required to be a dance minor. The dancers come from a wide range of backgrounds and majors from Education and English to Chemistry and Business. Each dancer is unique to the company, brining different styles and talents. Dancers typically rehearse a few hours each week in the evenings throughout the semester. The dance company allows students to continue to perform during college and it also gives them the opportunity to choreograph. Many of the dancers have found the dance company at Wake Forest as a way to balance their love of dance with their future goals of becoming a doctor or lawyer. Student Run Dance Organizations on Campus Ballroom Dance Club and theTap Club Eleganza Print by Pattie Gabbert '06
Performance Opportunities for performance are offered through the Wake Forest University Dance Company. This company, under the Artistic Direction of Nina Maria Lucas, is comprised of students working in a semi-professional manner, and is committed to providing exciting and challenging dance experiences for its audiences. Each year the Wake Forest University Dance Company stages two productions in the Mainstage Theater, Scales Fine Arts Center, the Fall Faculty/Guest Artist Concert and the Spring Student Choreographic Concert. Experienced students are encouraged to apply to the company through auditions held at the beginning of the Fall semester each year. The company performs works by nationally renowned choreographers, Wake Forest Faculty members and selected student works, and their repertoire includes Classical Ballet, Modern Dance and Jazz works. The Company delivers to a packed house of students, faculty, administrators and dance lovers from the community a performance characterized by high energy, grace, virtuosity, emotion and artistry.
	The Fall Faculty/Guest Artist Concert gives students an opportunity to work with choreographers with a variety of styles and backgrounds. Guest artists are brought in from around the country to choreograph pieces for the dance company. The choreographers audition and rehearse the dancers throughout the semester. Having guest artists come to Wake Forest, gives students the chance to work with renowned choreographers with different styles of dance that the department may not offer. Faculty members also create their own original works for this concert, giving students the opportunity to work closely with Wake Forest’s faculty outside of regular technique classes.
	The Spring Student Choreographed Concert allows the students to experiment with their own choreography and creativity. The performance tends to be filled with a wide variety of styles from classical ballet and modern to hip hop and funk. The student works are closely monitored by the faculty, which is available for support and guidance throughout the process. Students are responsible for casting their piece, conducting rehearsals and working with the costumier and lighting designers. The concert enables students to develop and understand the creative process of choreographing a work. Past student choreographers have found this concert to be extremely rewarding especially seeing how their ideas evolved throughout the semester concluding with the performance.

Presidential Scholarship

Presidential Scholarships for Distinguished Achievement recognize up to 20 first-year students who demonstrate a solid academic background and extraordinary achievement in dance, music, art, theatre, writing for publication, debate, community service, leadership and entrepreneurship. These approximately half-tuition renewable scholarships are awarded on the basis of application and appropriate evidence of distinction.Though Presidential Scholars need not plan to pursue a major in the area of their talent, they are expected to participate actively in that activity on campus. Interested students must be prepared to present evidence of outstanding talent and are asked by the Presidential Scholarship Committee for documentation of that talent (such as portfolios, debate records, taped performances, published writings, etc.) and recommendations. The program, begun in 1987, further diversifies the interests and abilities of a campus and student body already rich in both. A separate Presidential Scholarship Application is due by December 1 of the senior year of high school.

Deadline is December 1st; a separate application is required. Contact the Office of Admissions for further application information.

for further information: Nina Maria Lucas

webpage by Jonathan Christman christma@wfu.edu 10-22-2007

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