The Department of Dance at CSULB is a rigorous program that provides training in dance with a strong foundation in modern and ballet technique and choreography. Physical practice interfaces with theoretical study, placing dance in a historical, pedagogical, scientific, and cultural context. The varied degrees offered in the Department of Dance (BA, BFA, BA with Option in Dance Science, MA and MFA) challenge students to grow and contribute to society as artists and individuals.

Full-time faculty include Karen Clippinger, Colleen Dunagan, Keith Johnson, Lorin Johnson, Dori Levy, Susan McLain, Sophie Monat, Cyrus Parker-Jeannette and Andrew Vaca.   A large group of highly achieved part-time faculty enhances curricula in their areas of specialization. Together, these individuals bring a wealth of expertise in performance, choreography, directing, design, research, technology, and teaching to the studio, stage and the classroom.
 
Numerous performing opportunities exist for dance majors in several formal and informal productions scheduled throughout the academic year. Guest choreographers re-stage or create new works on dance majors each semester, student choreographers create many new works and there are several opportunities to perform in faculty works.  Recent guest choreographers include Twyla Tharp (staged by Shawn Stevens), Jodie Gates, Holly Johnston, George Balanchine (staged by Zippora Karz), Sean Greene, David Dorfman, Maria Gillespie, Andrea Woods, Laurence Blake, Holly Williams, David Parsons, Robert Moses, Bill Young, Della Davidson, Janis Brenner, Lar Lubovitch, Dan Wagoner, Jose Limon, Steve Koester, Martha Graham, and Laura Dean. The Department also participates annually in the regional festivals of the American College Dance Festival Association, and has been honored by being selected to perform in the National Festival many times.
 
The Department has been named for two consecutive years as one of the top 10 university departments for undergraduate dance education in a survey of dance department chairs in Canada and the U. S. sponsored by Dance Teacher Now and is listed as one of the top dance departments in Creative Colleges over the last several years.
 
The CSULB Department of Dance is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD).

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