Overview

Dance is an art form critical to providing balance to the work of the aforementioned majors. It provides an opportunity, for example, for the science-driven student to balance modes of learning in a holistic manner. A convergence of dance and other disciplines enhances students’ knowledge base as well as open more doors of opportunity regarding career choices. It enables all members of the college community to benefit from an experience in the Performing Arts. Courses provided engage students in the exploration of ideas which affect society and the human condition. Nu Delta Alpha, the dance honor society, provides students the opportunity of civic engagement through community outreach. The Cedar Crest College student who majors in dance is an independent thinker and displays self-initiative through creative projects both in research and performance.

Program Mission Statement

The mission for this Bachelor in Dance program is to provide multiple perspectives and experiences for understanding dance as a discipline of study. Emphasis is placed on how dance connects with other disciplines within a liberal arts Education. The dance program provides all students with a framework for the exploration of creativity and individual artistic and intellectual expression. The purpose of dance as a discipline of study in liberal arts education is to provide students interested in including dance in their education the opportunity to develop an understanding and appreciation for dance as art. Movement styles and technical understandings are used to support this philosophical and aesthetic concept of education through movement. The study of dance is used to develop discipline-specific technical skills, enhance perpetual and analytical skills, develop aesthetic and cultural awareness and explore new venues.

Student Learning Outcomes for the Dance Major

Student Learning Outcomes are articulated on all departmental course syllabi and are reinforced through production work (DNC 252 and 253) and through regular traditional classroom instruction. Technical and compositional work is the lab component of the entire dance program.  All courses essentially support production in some way. Experiential and practical training activities are grounded in the Student Learning Outcomes.

• The student will demonstrate knowledge of the historical development of different dance genres, specific movement styles and identify different cultural movement styles and cultural influence on movement.
• The student will utilize proper dance terminology, demonstrate solid skills of movement retention, execution of movement and reversal of movement and apply kinesthetic and anatomical awareness of movement
• The student will demonstrate the ability to recognize their personal movement style and demonstrate basic teaching skills of multiple dance genres.
• The student will demonstrate an awareness of the effects of political and societal influences on dance and the future of dance in education. The student will communicate the relationship between original work or research and defend the impact of their creative contributions.