DANCE 280: Individual Dance Program Special Topics course
DANCE 280 is a permission-only course number that allows you some flexibility in scheduling existing technique class sessions when you have either a time conflict with other courses in your schedule, or you are close to the maximum allowable course load for an undergraduate.
If you are having difficulty scheduling a performance course, please review the procedure for a dance Performance Contract.)
When to Sign Up for DANCE 280
First, determine if DANCE 280 makes sense for you as a course of study. There are two situations where enrolling in DANCE 280 is the right choice:
- Schedule Conflict: Consider DANCE 280 if you are unable to fit all class sessions of a regularly scheduled course into your schedule because one or more of those class sessions conflicts with the rest of your schedule. For example: you want to take ballet technique classes more than two days a week but are unable to fit both DANCE 220/Ballet III or 320/Ballet IV into your schedule because of conflicts with other classes. However, you could fit three class sessions that crossed over those two courses (e.g. you could attend M/W of 320 and TH of 220). In this case you would sign up for DANCE 280 under the instructor with whom you'd have most of your class sessions.
- Course Load: If your course load is close to your absolute limit (5 course credits for first-semester freshmen; 5.5 course credits for second-semester freshmen; 6 course credits for sophomores through seniors) and you don’t have room to add a dance course, DANCE 280 may help. In some cases, we will allow you to combine more than one technique course under DANCE 280 because you do not have the available credit to take both. PLEASE NOTE: If you have the available credit to enroll in these courses separately, we cannot allow you to sign up for them under DANCE 280. (If applicable, to combine a technique & performance course, please use the Performance Contract.)
DANCE 280 is not intended to be a course sampler. For example, you could not take one class session of ballet and one class session of African dance per week under DANCE 280 because that makes no pedagogical sense. You will need to present an integrated course of study for consideration.
If you have further questions, please consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Jingqiu Guan, or the Assistant to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Adrienne Brandon.
Process for Enrolling in DANCE280
- Discuss your plans with the faculty involved (the course instructors) and receive approval from them before enrolling. DANCE280 is a permission only course. If you have questions or concerns about your particular scheduling or enrollment challenges, please don’t hesitate to discuss your situation with your Dance Program advisor, Director of Undergraduate Studies, or any member of the dance faculty.
- Once you receive approval from the dance faculty, complete the online DANCE 280 Contract form. The DANCE 280 Contract will usually encompass from two to five dance studio class sessions per week, and can combine complete courses only if you are unable to enroll in the courses separately.
- After you submit the form, all instructors named in your contract will be notified. You will not receive your permission number to enroll until the contract has been completed by all parties and approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. You will then be able to enroll in Dance 280. The section number for this course is 03.
How DANCE 280 is Graded
Your attendance and progress in class will be judged by all faculty involved in your DANCE 280. Each faculty member will report their assessment of your work to the DUS, Iyun Harrison. In-class requirements and evaluations (e.g. attendance, improvement, movement quizzes and exams) must be fulfilled as required by all faculty involved.