Dance

At a Glance

I’m interested in this field of study. Can you tell me more about it?

The Scripps Dance Program focuses on the study of bodily movement as it conveys and informs individual experience and expression and teaches us about ourselves and other cultures. The program is designed for the student who loves dance but also wants a broader education than a conservatory would provide, either because you have varied strong interests and do not want to restrict your options or want to explore other ways of channeling your passion for dance.

Dance at Scripps also serves the general student body by connecting to other disciplines and increasing awareness of the importance of movement as a medium of expression and representation. Although excellence in technical dancing is encouraged and supported, the program is more concerned with helping you find your personal tie to the artform than with mastery of a particular dance style.

What are some courses appropriate for first-year students interested in exploring this field of study?

• Intro to Dance/Dance Studies
• Modern Dance I/II
• West African Dance
• Intro to Latin Hustle
• Language of the Body Composition I
• Jazz Dance I
• Dynamics of Human Movement

If I decide to major or minor in this field, are there certain courses that need to be taken in a specific sequence?

To major in dance, you must develop a physical, historical, and theoretical understanding of the discipline. You can choose from two tracks to prepare for different career paths or graduate study, and you have the flexibility to design a personal track in collaboration with your dance adviser. You may declare a dance major, minor, dual major, or self-designed major, combining dance study with another area.

A dance major consists of 11.5 upper division dance courses, including Senior Seminar and Senior Thesis, as well as other courses which are determined by the track you choose to complete. The two curricular tracks for the dance major are choreography/performance and movement studies. Classes do not need to be taken in a designated sequence.

Can students who major or minor in this field complete a second major or minor (as a double major or a major/minor combination)? If so, what are some common pairings?

Yes, students who major or minor in dance often double major or complete another minor or major. These include biology, psychology, foreign languages, and computer science

What other useful information should I know about this field of study?

You will have many cocurricular opportunities to perform in formal and informal dance concerts each semester. In the fall, students create their own original dances in the Pomona and Scripps Dance Department joint program, In the Works. In spring, Scripps presents its own fully produced show at Garrison Theater where you can dance in works choreographed by faculty, guest artists, and students. A third concert, Fast Forward, is produced solely by students at the end of each year and comprises immersive performances, gallery installations, original dances, and crossdisciplinary works.

Normally, students are expected to take Dance Composition I before, or concurrent with, choreographing for a Scripps Dance production. Students must choreograph for an informal concert (i.e., In the Works, Fast Forward, or independent project) before their work will be considered for inclusion in a mainstage production. We also encourage you to volunteer for production roles and learn the skills of stage managing, lighting, crewing, and managing the box office.

About Dance at Scripps

The Scripps dance program centers on the interdisciplinary study of dance and movement. Advanced technical training is provided, but we focus on developing integrated individuals who can think, feel, and speak with their bodies and minds. Graduates have careers in performance, choreography, arts administration, criticism, education, dance ethnology, dance history, film and video, movement therapy, somatics, physical therapy, and medicine.

Noted for individualized instruction and course work, Scripps dance classes are open to all students regardless of their majors. Crossdisciplinary connections are encouraged. Technique classes may be repeated until you’re ready to advance to the next level. Customarily this takes two semesters.

Although Scripps dance classes are non-competitive and emphasize sound warm-up and stretching techniques, dance is a strenuous physical pursuit that places greater demands on the body than everyday activity. If you have a history of injury or health problems, we advise you to consult a physician prior to participating.

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