Dance Program

Excellence | Leadership | Creativity

As an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Dance for our BA and BFA in Dance, our diverse program offers training in contemporary and ballet with enhanced studies in jazz, hip-hop, tap, and musical theatre dance.

You will deepen your dance education with further studies in teaching dance, kinesiology, body conditioning, somatics, and a professional internship. In all four years of study, you will be a part of an intimate creative process through choreography classes, guest artists, residencies and faculty dance works.

Through dance history, you'll learn the foundation of dance as an art form which will enrich your current practices and prepare you to contribute to the field of dance.

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Degrees We Offer

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance

A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) will give you a well-rounded dance education in a variety of contemporary styles and approaches. You will train like a professional and gain real-world experience in on-campus productions, community performances, and throughout Kansas' center of arts and culture—preparing you for a successful performance career.

Plan of study & checksheet

Bachelor of Arts in Dance

A Bachelor of Arts (BA) will give you a well-rounded dance education with a triple-emphasis on modern dance, ballet, and jazz. You'll train like a professional and gain real-world experience in on-campus productions and throughout Kansas' center of arts and culture—preparing you for a successful performance career.

Plan of study & checksheet

Minor

A minor will expose you to the basic techniques of modern dance, ballet and jazz. It's a great asset for many majors and careers—from the performing arts to education.

Certificate

Commercial Dance: Plan of study & checksheet

As A Dance Major

Prepare for your Career

Be prepared to meet the diverse challenges of a professional dance career.
With annual opportunities to present your choreographic work in the Litwin Theatre.
With the Mid-American Dance Theatre, you will produce concerts, create artist residencies, help support & funding student travel.

Mid-America Dance Theatre

Guest Artists & Residencies

Train with world-renowned guest choreographers and artists such as:
Darrell Grand Moultrie
Doug Varone
David Parsons
Charlotte-Boye Christensen
Doug Nielsen
Nathan Trice

Follow the legacy of dancers who have gone on to dance in companies such as:
Diavolo
Tanztheatre Wuppertal Pina Bausch
Jazz Roots Dance Company
Dallas Black Theatre II
The Martha Graham Dance Ensemble

Opportunities to work with professional community companies and organizations - Alithea Mime Theatre, Ballet Wichita, Regina Klenjoski, Dance Company, Chandler Dances, Music Theatre Wichita.

Dance Company, Touring, and Additional Training

You will perform with the resident faculty company, Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre (WCDT)

You will have an opportunity to tour abroad with WCDT to places such as Italy, Taiwan and Mexico

Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre (WCDT)

Travel Opportunities

You will have opportunities to travel to national conferences, hosted by organizations such as the American College Dance Association and the National Dance Education Organization

Our Faculty

Denise Celestin Cheyla Clawson Chandler Mina Estrada, Program Director Sabrina Vasquez

A Brave New World

Brave New World was not only designed to stretch the boundaries of conventional theatre-based performance but also create an event that breaks these boundaries while including the WSU campus as an entire, single, social, organic entity. This is an original experimental dance theatre production written, directed and produced by Nicholas Johnson and the School of Performing Arts Dance Program, Wichita State University. The audience will rotate in sequence through four locations, Heskett Pool, outside Hubbard Hall, Rhatigan Center, Shocker Courtyard and back to conclude in the pool. This experimental work of physical theatre will, similar to the book by Aldous Huxley, examine the the effects of a conformist society when confronted by the behavior of an outcast individualist. The work is written and directed by Nicholas Johnson, Director of Dance and includes choreography from Denise Celestin, Sabrina Vasquez and Cheyla Chandler.

BRAVE NEW WORLD
an interpretation of the book by Aldous Huxley
CONCEIVED & DIRECTED BY: Nicholas Johnson CHOREOGRAPHY: Denise Celestin, Cheyla
Chandler, Sabrina Vasquez
LIGHTING DESIGN: Ben Roose Nick Johnson
SET DESIGN: Dan Williams ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSITION: Aleks Sternfeld Dunn
Chris Reichmeier
COSTUME DESIGN: Renea Goforth “The Voices” - Sam Raimey,
Sabrina Vasquez
STAGE MANAGER: Maddie Nevins ADDITIONAL SOUND DESIGN: Sabrina Vasquez
VIDEOGRAPHY: Greg Matthias, Kurt Rierson, Gerrick