The Dance Department offers a minor, joint major, or full major leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree, or the opportunity to take courses in dance for academic credit. Middlebury students also have the opportunity to dance in guest artists’ master classes and in faculty- and student-choreographed concerts.
The Dance Department at Middlebury College focuses on the creation of original creative work in a context that is interdisciplinary and deeply connected to the current dance field. The department distinguishes itself through a rich curricular tradition of improvisation, somatic learning, and utilization of the arts in the quest for connected, and courageous embodiment.
Our core curriculum consists of a series of courses in contemporary approaches to technique, composition and performance, anatomy and somatics, dance history and cultural study, creative process, and improvisation. Depth and range of the creative process are achieved through study in theatre, art, music, philosophy, and other disciplines represented in the larger Middlebury curriculum.
Joint and full dance majors propose thesis projects in their senior year. These projects often culminate in performance but can take any form of artistic scholarship. Many of our students study abroad during their junior year joining programs all over the world that support their globe understanding of dance and culture. Pre-professional training is provided through the Dance Company of Middlebury, a curricular grounded faculty lead internationally touring program.
