Dance Program

Mission Statement

Dance integrates the creative, intellectual, physical and emotive spheres and leads one to apprehend, understand, analyze and acquire knowledge in a way unique among disciplines. Therefore, the Dance Program emphasizes a balanced integration between the creative/performance and the historical/theoretical aspects of dance in order to develop creative, analytic and critical ability in students; and provides a learning environment that challenges the student's intellectual, expressive, and physical capabilities. Three tracks of learning represent the Program’s strengths: Choreography and Performance; Dance in the Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries; and Dance and Human Movement in its Cultural Context. 

The Duke University Dance Program offers its students the opportunity to study in an environment that challenges the student's intellectual, expressive, and physical capabilities. Dance classes are open to all Duke undergraduate students and the Dance Program provides beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of classes in order to meet the varied needs of undergraduate students. For those interested in seeking formal recognition for their involvement in the Dance Program, we offer a Major and a Minor in Dance. and students may also pursue a major through the University's Program II.

The Curriculum

Dance Program courses are part of the university's regular curriculum and fulfill graduation requirements. Dance courses are open to all students, and auditions are only required for repertory courses. Live music accompanies all studio classes.

Studio Course Offerings:

• modern dance technique - four levels
• ballet technique - four levels
• African Dance technique - 2 levels
• jazz - 2 levels
• modern dance repertory
• ballet repertory
• African dance repertory
• swing dance, tap, kathak and flamenco offered on a rotating basis

A Few of our Theory Course Offerings

• Freshman seminars
• The Focus Program courses (The Focus Program is an interdisciplinary learning & living experience for select first & second-year students.
• Indian Dance and Hindu Cosmology
• West African Rootholds in Dance
• The Victory of the Iconoclasts: Postmodern dance 1950-2000
• The Diaghilev Ballet: 1909-29
• Functional Anatomy for Dancers
• Music and Movement

Additional Study Opportunities

• Through the Duke in New York Arts Program, students may spend the fall semester of their junior or senior year studying the arts in New York City.
• During the summer, Duke is home to the American Dance Festival six weeks of intensive study and performances by major national and international dance companies.