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Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
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2020-2021

Dance and Choreography

School of the Arts

Concentration(s):
Performance/Richmond Ballet
Program description

VCU’s Department of Dance and Choreography offers a four-year degree concentration within the B.F.A. specifically designed for Richmond Ballet trainees. This unique program bridges trainee experience with the Richmond Ballet professional company and rigorous pre-professional training with a focus in modern/contemporary dance. During the first two years, students receive VCU credit for their work at the Richmond Ballet while taking general education courses, dance history and improvisation at VCU. Students then complete the degree with two years at VCU, taking courses in modern/contemporary dance, ballet, composition, dance science, teaching methods and more. There are many opportunities to perform throughout the four years. This B.F.A. program is designed for disciplined students who are interested in attaining versatility in both ballet and modern/contemporary dance while exploring creative, historical and global perspectives of the field.

A very small number of students in this degree program are offered the opportunity to join Richmond Ballet II after their first two years. Students are encouraged to discuss professional and academic plans with their advisers should this occur.

Career opportunities

The BFA Richmond Ballet Trainee concentration at VCU Dance and Choreography is specifically designed to prepare students for a professional ballet career and a variety of options within the field. Many alumni are actively dancing in professional companies, including but not limited to Company E, the Richmond Ballet II, Fort Wayne Ballet, and Gin Dance Company. Alumni have started their own dance companies as choreographers and directors. Some alumni have embraced arts administration, serving in directorial, managerial, or operations roles at well-known organizations. Many alumni are actively teaching dance and fitness in a variety of educational and studio settings.

Change of major requirements

Students who meet the following qualifications are encouraged to submit an application to: http://arts.vcu.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/current-vcu-student/

Talent and potential as an artist in the field of dance; Prior training and the ability to demonstrate knowledge of modern dance and/or classical ballet techniques; Ability to demonstrate musicality and dynamic range; A healthy, physically conditioned body that is injury free and Openness to new ideas and the ability to engage in creative problem solving.

An audition is required.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Arts Administrator: Development Associate, Marketing Associate, Box Office Associate
  • Grant Writer
  • Professional Choreographer
  • Professional Dancer
  • Rehearsal Assistant
  • Screendance: Director, Videographer, Editor
  • Stage Manager, Theater Manager, and Lighting Designer
  • Teacher: Dance, Yoga, Pilates, Physical Fitness
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Art Manager
  • College or Conservatory Instructor
  • Dance/Movement Therapist
  • Nonprofit Director
Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 131
Science required
  • Core only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0

Contact information

Department name:
Department of Dance and Choreography
Building/room location:
VCU Dance Center
Phone:
(804) 828-1711
Email:
steppll@vcu.edu
http://arts.vcu.edu/dance/
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
Major map compass icon
Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend Ready, Set, Go – Sophomore Transition Experience.  
  • Map out a 4-year course plan in Degree Works' Student Educational Planner.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to review your CSI self-report, start goal planning, and to discuss tutoring, electives, & degree progression.
  • Take a tour to learn about library spaces, services, & how to get research help.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Complete your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study (FWS) job on- or off-campus through Handshake.
  • Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation with the da Vinci Center.
  • Create a draft resume and meet with a career advisor in VCU Career Services to discuss it.
  • Submit choreography for the Salon and for adjudication in VCU Dance NOW every year.
  • Audition for Fall and Spring Senior projects and volunteer for Junior projects.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide. Ask questions about how to use the library.
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor and explore minors, certificates, and skills-based value added courses.  
  • Talk to your professors about research interests, picking future classes, and strategies for success in your program.
  • Through the diverse guests, alumni, and students you have engaged with thus far, observe and make note of the many shapes dance careers can take, and reflect on what excites you most.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Explore peer leadership opportunities or apply for the New Leaders Retreat or Alternative Spring Break.
  • Find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Meet with a faculty member to discuss your personal and professional interests.
  • Take a service-learning class or volunteer to address a social issue (Hands on Greater Richmond).
  • During your 2nd and 3rd years: volunteer to dance in the Fall and Spring Commencements; share news and learn about opportunities in Friday Workshop class.
  • Volunteer to be a Dance Student Representative.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider short-term, semester and year-long Study Abroad opportunities.
  • Get to know other VCU students and meet new friends from all over the world at a monthly Global Café.
  • Join a cultural or identity-related organization.
  • Research Study Abroad options specific to the Dance Department and meet with your Academic Advisor to discuss credits.
  • Register for West African Dance, Hip Hop, Salsa, Ballroom, Tap, or Jazz.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs and other professional development events. 
  • Complete a “Gap Analysis” Strategic Plan with your academic or career advisor.
  • Create an ePortfolio to document academic/professional experiences, accomplishments, and reflections.
  • Gain practical experience related to career goals through internships, shadowing, part-time work, or independent skill building.
  • Present research at the Student Research Forum in the Spring.
  • Apply for VCUarts Undergraduate Research Grants to support creative work every year.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct an informational interview or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would ask to serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.   
  • Get plugged into VCULink to connect with students and alumni.
  • Meet with a coach at The Money Spot to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Audition for Fall and Spring Senior projects and volunteer for Junior projects.   

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Deepen your expertise at finding information in your discipline by working with your subject expert librarian & using research guides.
  • Enhance your business, software, technology and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • See your academic and career advisors regularly to discuss your progress towards graduation and career planning.
  • Start planning and conducting research to prepare for your Senior Project Proposals.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood associations, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Continue to find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Create a community-engaged research project.
  • Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities, such as the Fulbright Student Scholarship.
  • Participate in the Minds In Motion Independent Study to assist Richmond area 4th grade teachers. 
  • Volunteer to be a Dance Student Representative for your Junior class.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Apply to be a Diversity Ambassador with the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
  • Richmond is known for hosting a wide array of festivals! Learn about new cultures, food, and music by attending one of these events.
  • Update your resume to include how you have developed your communication and interpersonal skills for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
  • Study abroad in the spring in opportunities in Paris, London, Jerusalem, Ghana, and more.  
  • Enroll in African American Presence in Dance and/or Dance and World Cultures and courses.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • Seek research opportunities and apply for funding through VCU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
  • Apply for internships in the field of dance.   
  • Explore Dance Career electives to deepen your skill set in particular areas of interest.
  • Audition for Fall and Spring Senior projects. 
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Research graduate/professional schools at least 1 year in advance of deadlines. Study for and complete any exams the summer before senior year. 
  • Talk to advisors, faculty, and VCU Career Services about graduate school versus a job.
  • Consider applying for and attending summer programs to make connections and further develop your interests.
  • Update your “Gap Analysis” Strategic Plan with your academic advisor

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor a semester before your anticipated graduation to ensure all graduation requirements will be met. 
  • Build a personal website containing your artistic statement, resume, biography, video reel/samples, and photos in the Senior Project class.
  • Build a teaching portfolio. 
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Apply for a year-long service or fellowship opportunity after graduation through programs like Peace Corps, Fulbright Student Scholars, Literacy Lab, Richmond Teacher Residency, or AmeriCorps.
  • Attend professional conferences that offer student rates or scholarships (see professional organizations listed above).
  • Continue to find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus or as a board member of a local community organization.
  • Teach in Richmond-area dance schools to get teaching experience. 
  • Volunteer to be a Dance Student Representative for your Senior class.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Reflect on your own cultural competency, and be prepared to answer interview questions that outline how you have worked with diverse populations.
  • Consider how identity impacts art-making and career-building.
  • Continue to engage in research, workshops, or skill-building opportunities that will deepen and further your unique journey in the field of dance.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Continue to engage in research to create more content for your ePortfolio.
  • Present your research at conference/meeting such as UROP Undergraduate Research Symposium or other conferences. 
  • Reflect on the experiential learning you have engaged in thus far, and discuss with current or potential mentors (peers, faculty, advisors, alumni, professionals).
  • Gain practical experience related to your career goals by applying for internships, fellowships, and scholarship opportunities.
  • Submit work to the Richmond Dance Festival and other choreographic festivals nationally.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Complete exams, applications, or self-marketing activities for after graduation.
  • Consider training to become an educator through programs like RTR, which prepares graduates from a variety of majors to become effective teachers in high-need schools.
  • Engage with the VCU Alumni Association at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and by joining a VCULink Industry Network and alumni chapter as you prepare to graduate.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed and do a mock interview through InterviewStream or with a career advisor.
  • Research prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Prepare headshots, a video reel, and a finalized resume for auditions and applications.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Dance and Choreography

School of the Arts

Concentration(s):
No concentration | Performance/Richmond Ballet
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend Ready, Set, Go – Sophomore Transition Experience.  
  • Map out a 4-year course plan in Degree Works' Student Educational Planner.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to review your CSI self-report, start goal planning, and to discuss tutoring, electives, & degree progression.
  • Take a tour to learn about library spaces, services, & how to get research help.
  • Complete your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study (FWS) job on- or off-campus through Handshake.
  • Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation with the da Vinci Center.
  • Create a draft resume and meet with a career advisor in VCU Career Services to discuss it.
  • Submit choreography for the Salon and for adjudication in VCU Dance NOW every year.
  • Audition for Fall and Spring Senior projects and volunteer for Junior projects.
Experience Year 2
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide. Ask questions about how to use the library.
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor and explore minors, certificates, and skills-based value added courses.  
  • Talk to your professors about research interests, picking future classes, and strategies for success in your program.
  • Through the diverse guests, alumni, and students you have engaged with thus far, observe and make note of the many shapes dance careers can take, and reflect on what excites you most.
  • Explore peer leadership opportunities or apply for the New Leaders Retreat or Alternative Spring Break.
  • Find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Meet with a faculty member to discuss your personal and professional interests.
  • Take a service-learning class or volunteer to address a social issue (Hands on Greater Richmond).
  • During your 2nd and 3rd years: volunteer to dance in the Fall and Spring Commencements; share news and learn about opportunities in Friday Workshop class.
  • Volunteer to be a Dance Student Representative.
  • Consider short-term, semester and year-long Study Abroad opportunities.
  • Get to know other VCU students and meet new friends from all over the world at a monthly Global Café.
  • Join a cultural or identity-related organization.
  • Research Study Abroad options specific to the Dance Department and meet with your Academic Advisor to discuss credits.
  • Register for West African Dance, Hip Hop, Salsa, Ballroom, Tap, or Jazz.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs and other professional development events. 
  • Complete a “Gap Analysis” Strategic Plan with your academic or career advisor.
  • Create an ePortfolio to document academic/professional experiences, accomplishments, and reflections.
  • Gain practical experience related to career goals through internships, shadowing, part-time work, or independent skill building.
  • Present research at the Student Research Forum in the Spring.
  • Apply for VCUarts Undergraduate Research Grants to support creative work every year.
  • Conduct an informational interview or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would ask to serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.   
  • Get plugged into VCULink to connect with students and alumni.
  • Meet with a coach at The Money Spot to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Audition for Fall and Spring Senior projects and volunteer for Junior projects.   
Year 3
  • Deepen your expertise at finding information in your discipline by working with your subject expert librarian & using research guides.
  • Enhance your business, software, technology and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • See your academic and career advisors regularly to discuss your progress towards graduation and career planning.
  • Start planning and conducting research to prepare for your Senior Project Proposals.
  • Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood associations, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Continue to find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Create a community-engaged research project.
  • Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities, such as the Fulbright Student Scholarship.
  • Participate in the Minds In Motion Independent Study to assist Richmond area 4th grade teachers. 
  • Volunteer to be a Dance Student Representative for your Junior class.
  • Apply to be a Diversity Ambassador with the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
  • Richmond is known for hosting a wide array of festivals! Learn about new cultures, food, and music by attending one of these events.
  • Update your resume to include how you have developed your communication and interpersonal skills for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
  • Study abroad in the spring in opportunities in Paris, London, Jerusalem, Ghana, and more.  
  • Enroll in African American Presence in Dance and/or Dance and World Cultures and courses.
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • Seek research opportunities and apply for funding through VCU Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
  • Apply for internships in the field of dance.   
  • Explore Dance Career electives to deepen your skill set in particular areas of interest.
  • Audition for Fall and Spring Senior projects. 
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Research graduate/professional schools at least 1 year in advance of deadlines. Study for and complete any exams the summer before senior year. 
  • Talk to advisors, faculty, and VCU Career Services about graduate school versus a job.
  • Consider applying for and attending summer programs to make connections and further develop your interests.
  • Update your “Gap Analysis” Strategic Plan with your academic advisor
Excel Year 4
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor a semester before your anticipated graduation to ensure all graduation requirements will be met. 
  • Build a personal website containing your artistic statement, resume, biography, video reel/samples, and photos in the Senior Project class.
  • Build a teaching portfolio. 
  • Apply for a year-long service or fellowship opportunity after graduation through programs like Peace Corps, Fulbright Student Scholars, Literacy Lab, Richmond Teacher Residency, or AmeriCorps.
  • Attend professional conferences that offer student rates or scholarships (see professional organizations listed above).
  • Continue to find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus or as a board member of a local community organization.
  • Teach in Richmond-area dance schools to get teaching experience. 
  • Volunteer to be a Dance Student Representative for your Senior class.
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Reflect on your own cultural competency, and be prepared to answer interview questions that outline how you have worked with diverse populations.
  • Consider how identity impacts art-making and career-building.
  • Continue to engage in research, workshops, or skill-building opportunities that will deepen and further your unique journey in the field of dance.
  • Continue to engage in research to create more content for your ePortfolio.
  • Present your research at conference/meeting such as UROP Undergraduate Research Symposium or other conferences. 
  • Reflect on the experiential learning you have engaged in thus far, and discuss with current or potential mentors (peers, faculty, advisors, alumni, professionals).
  • Gain practical experience related to your career goals by applying for internships, fellowships, and scholarship opportunities.
  • Submit work to the Richmond Dance Festival and other choreographic festivals nationally.
  • Complete exams, applications, or self-marketing activities for after graduation.
  • Consider training to become an educator through programs like RTR, which prepares graduates from a variety of majors to become effective teachers in high-need schools.
  • Engage with the VCU Alumni Association at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and by joining a VCULink Industry Network and alumni chapter as you prepare to graduate.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed and do a mock interview through InterviewStream or with a career advisor.
  • Research prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Prepare headshots, a video reel, and a finalized resume for auditions and applications.