*Dance Studies Tracks include: Professional Dance Studies, Liberal Dance Studies or Dance Education

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Focus Areas

Professional or Liberal Dance Studies Focus Areas are designed to prepare the student in either additional studies in dance (Professional track) or in a focus area of the student's design (Liberal track).
Dance major students must select a focus area of emphasis and complete the required courses. Students are encouraged to select the focus area by the beginning of the Junior year at the latest.
Completing the B.A. in dance and the Education Minor satisfies requirements for teaching dance in Florida schools. The completion of the Education Minor requires the student to take additional course credits.

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 Major Studies

Dance Techniques . Students may count 24 credits in technique toward their degree. Dance majors must be enrolled in one technique class for each semester they are matriculating (advancing toward graduation). Dance majors MUST declare a major technique emphasis of either A : Ballet and African, or B : Modern and African Techniques. Dance majors must pass intermediate to advanced technique levels (Level 3) in both techniques within their declared emphasis with a grade of B or better.

• NOTE : Students entering with a technique deficiency may be advised to take additional credits in technique, these credits will NOT count toward the final total of credits necessary to graduate.

Ballet and Modern Technique classes 1, 2, 3 and 4 are offered each semester with limited offerings in Summer Sessions.
African Diaspora Technique classes 1 & 2 are offered Fall Semester, 1 & 3 offered Spring Semester with limited offerings in Summer Sessions.
Levels 2, 3 and 4 in African, Ballet and Modern are offered MWF for 1.5 hours.

Composition (9 Credits):
All majors take Composition 1, 2 & 3 . With your advisors approval, Composition 1 may be transferred in from another college or University. Composition 2 and 3 must be taken at FIU.
DAA 2610 Dance Composition 1 (Fall Semester only)
DAA 2611 Dance Composition 2 (Spring Semester only)
DAA 3614 Dance Composition 3 (Fall semester only)

Dance Major Core Courses Global Perspectives in Dance (6 credits):
DAN 4136 (Offered Fall Semester only) and DAN 4137 (Offered Spring Semester only)
Building Community (3 credits): DAE 3385 (Spring Semester only)
Music for Dance (3 credits): DAN 1600 (Fall Semester only)
Dance Kinesiology (3 credits): DAN 3714 (Fall Semester only)
Performance Studies (3 credits) DAN 3xxx (Fall Semester only)
Repertory (2 credits) DAN 3645 (Fall semester only)
Dance Production (2 credits): DAN 2500 (Spring Semester only)
Dance Practicum (1 credit) (Offered Spring Semester).

Professional Studies
DAA 4930 Seminar in Dance-Practice (3 credits, offered Spring Semesters).
DAN 4125 Contemporary Issues in Choreography (3 credits, offered Spring Semester only).
DAN 4930 Seminar in Dance-Theory (3 credits – offered Fall semester)
DAN 4930 Methods of Teaching (3 credits offered Fall semester)
DAN 4180 Senior Seminar (2 Credits, Offered Fall Semester only).
DAN 4970 Senior Thesis (1 credit, Offered Spring Semester only).
Plus: One Upper Division Elective Course. (3 credits)
Total Credits 18

Dance Studies - EDUCATION: meets MOST requirements for State of Fla. Dept. of Ed. Certification – www.firn.edu
EDF 1005 Introduction to Education (3 credits).
EDP 3004 Introduction to Educational Psychology (3 credits).
EDG 3321 General Instructional Decision Making (3 credits).
EDP 3218 Classroom Management (3 credits).
RED 5147 Reading in Discipline
DAN 4930 Special Topics: Methods of Teaching Dance (3 credits, Offered Fall Semester only).
DAN 4930 Dance Seminar-Theory (3 credits, Offered Fall semester only)
DAN 4180 Senior Seminar (2 Credits, Offered Fall Semester only).
DAN 4970 Senior Thesis (1 credit, Offered Spring Semester only).
Total Credits 21

Education requirements are in transition – new requirements have been mandated by the state. We will submit a complete certification program in dance in the fall of 2007, to be implemented in the fall of 2008. Students completing work TOWARD certification in 2007-2008 may be required to make state mandated classes beyond those listed above .

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Liberal Dance Studies

The Dance Studies Focus Area is designed for young scholar/artists who wish to study an individually planned sequence of courses. The experience is similar to graduate work.
12 Semester Credits are proposed by the student and in consultation with her/his advisors, as an identifiable Focus Area. The plan of study must be focused and should be planned early in the interested major's degree. This plan of study is for individuals who have demonstrated an ability to work well, independently, and are self guided.
Permission to follow this track is based on the clarity and substance of the student's proposed plan of study, the agreement of faculty outside the major who will work with the student, and the recommendation of the student's major advisor. In addition students must take:

DAN 4180 Senior Seminar (2 Credits, Offered Fall Semester only).
DAN 4970 Senior Thesis (1 credit, Offered Spring Semester only).
Plus: One Upper Division Elective Course. (3 credits)
Total Credits 18

Dance Minor Curriculum - 21 Credits: 15 Credits in “DAA” Studio Courses, 6 Credits in “DAN” Theory Courses, 10 Credits must be taken at FIU, 10 credits must be Upper Division – 3000 or above.
SEE: The FIU On-Line Course Catalogue for additional information.

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Senior Cap Stone Project:

DAN 4180 Senior Seminar (2 credits) and DAN 4970 Senior Thesis (1 credit) = 3 Credits total.

•  A Senior Thesis – or “Senior Project” - is required for all dance majors. The Senior Thesis is an exciting opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in the student's declared focus area. This handbook contains important guidelines and deadlines for developing and presenting a successful senior thesis project. The substance of a thesis in dance may include presentation of a major document ( Thesis ), the collection and presentation of a Portfolio ; the presentation of a Lecture Demonstration , the presentation of Dancing , or combination thereof – dependent on the student's thesis project and its associated focus.

•  Senior Theses are planned, produced and completed in the student's last academic year – final 2 semesters. Planning should begin before the beginning of the academic year of anticipated graduation – gathering plans and making preliminary preparations during the summer PRIOR to your senior year – may make the process that much more manageable, enriching, AND SUCCESSFUL.

•  Senior Thesis students work with a two member Thesis Committee. The Project Advisor (Thesis Committee Chair), and your Seminar Instructor (Committee Member). The Project Advisor oversees the Project itself and mentors you in your final semester of work. The Seminar Instructor works with you most closely in the first semester of your work, helping you plan and articulate your Project and its parts. In some select cases your Seminar Instructor may also serve as your Project Advisor. In this case, another full time dance faculty member in dance (or faculty member in another department, e.g., for students with a Dance Studies Focus), must be invited to serve as your 2 nd Committee Member. Your Thesis Committee should be contacted and agree to serve by the end of the 4 th week of the fall semester.

•  In the Fall Semester, senior students expecting to graduate in the spring of the academic year, or during the summer session immediately following, enroll for DAN 4180 (2 credits). In this course you will write and plan – you will be introduced to the formal rules of research and paper writing and will generate two important papers, the Point of View paper, which outlines your artistic or scholarly interests, discusses your artistic or scholarly influences and sources, and delimits the scope of your intended thesis project. The Statement of Intent paper, specifically outlines what you intend your project to be. Both papers are written in consultation with the Seminar Instructor AND your Project Advisor. Both papers serve as core material for the Thesis itself.

• In the Spring Semester, you enroll for DAN 4970, where you work with your Project Advisor to complete your project. Focus areas for senior projects may relate to the following Focus Areas and associated topics and be supervised by one of the following faculty:

The Senior Thesis is planned in Senior Seminar, the student discusses her/his Project ideas with the Project Advisor and secures an agreement to work with that Advisor following completion of requirements for Senior Seminar. The Project Advisor Chairs the Thesis Committee, directs the Thesis Project, and assigns the final Thesis grade.

Scheduling for the Senior Thesis

The Senior Thesis is proposed in the 1 st semester of the senior year, and is completed in the 2 nd semester of the Senior Year. Exceptions to this requirement may be considered if the Project is connected with a time specific departmental or community program. Project presentation dates will be set each semester and individual performances will be assigned to correspond with these time lines.

The Project

After the Project has been approved the major student produces and presents their Project in the second semester of the Senior Year. In this semester, the Project Advisor is the student's primary contact. Should the Project Advisor determine a student needs to meet with both Committee members the Project Advisor will call and schedule the meeting.

Completion of Senior Projects

Following completion of Senior Seminar and with written approval from the Project Advisor, students may delay completion of their Project no longer than 3 consecutive semesters following the semester in which they complete DAN 4180. A student must be enrolled at FIU the semester she/he completes the Thesis Project. If a student fails to meet University or Department requirements he/she must re-propose the Senior Project and begin the process again.

The format of the Thesis documentation will be determined in consultation with the Seminar Instructor and Project Advisor.

• Thesis Paper : Reserved for research (inquiry) based Thesis Projects in Education or Dance Studies, The Thesis Proposal Paper is lengthened with additional information regarding Project/Research Delimitations, an expanded Review of the Literature, Chapter on Methodology/ies, Conclusions and complete Bibliography: usually 30-40 pages in text length.
• Thesis Paper and Portfolio : For Education and/or Choreography Projects. Thesis Paper is usually 10-15 pages in text length: Thesis Proposal Paper with Conclusions, and Portfolio : Includes organized display of programs, artistic notes, letters of recognition, interviews and professional evaluations, pictorial and video/DVD documentation of the project itself.
• Thesis and Lecture Demonstration : For Education and selected Dance Studies based Projects. Written Thesis is 10-15 pages ( Thesis Proposal Paper with Conclusions), and Lecture Demonstration, 30 to 40 minutes in length) is performed in public forum
• Performance and Portfolio : For Choreography Theses only. May involve up to 30 minutes of public presentation of original new choreographic work, and the submission of a Portfolio : Includes organized display of programs, artistic notes, letters of recognition, interviews and professional evaluations, pictorial and video/DVD documentation of the project itself, and copy of Thesis Proposal Paper.

Finalized Thesis materials are submitted to the Project Advisor no later than 2 weeks before the end of the semester in which the Project is undertaken and completed. Upon approval of the Thesis materials, the Project Advisor will schedule a Project Defense. The Defense is a 30-minute session where invited guests and faculty may ask students questions regarding their work. Completion of the Defense will be scheduled during exam week of the Thesis Semester. Successful completion of the Thesis Project AND Defense completes the Senior Thesis sequence . The Project Advisor in consultation with the Committee member(s), assigns the final Thesis grade.