Department Philosophy
The CSULB Dance Department is a rigorous training ground for dance students and is committed to educating students with a broad scope of studio and theory courses in dance at the undergraduate and graduate level. It is a comprehensive program of dance studies with coursework available to both majors and non-majors.
The dance major is designed to train dancers as well-rounded performers and scholars with a technical emphasis on modern dance and ballet. Coursework includes: technique classes, history and theory, improvisation, dance teaching methods, composition, production and performance. The majors’ curriculum is designed to give students a dance background that prepares them for a performing career, a choreographic career and/or the teaching profession. The undergraduate curriculum also prepares students for graduate study in dance.
Non-major studio classes in ballet, modern dance, jazz, tap, and world dance forms are open to all students on campus. Students interested in dance may also take several theory courses (DANC 101, 102, 104, 110, 373i, and 435i) that meet General Education requirements as well as Exploration and Capstone designations.
Beginning and low intermediate (non-major) studio classes (DANC 105, 106, 108, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 216, 217, 316 and 317) are open to all students with no audition. Intermediate and advanced level studio classes are open to non majors through audition.
Dance concerts with choreography by faculty, students, and visiting choreographers are held in the Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theatre.
* To view a video clip of our most recent Faculty Concert, please click here (all video files are MPEG)
Dance majors and minors are encouraged to participate in activities of the Dance student organization, Off 7th Dancers.
Students wishing to major or minor in dance must audition for placement prior to starting the program. (See audition dates and information.)
The CSULB Dance Department is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance. There are 130 undergraduate dance majors, 8 M.F.A. candidates, and 15 M.A. candidates. These students come from throughout the United States and from many foreign countries.
About Us
California State University, Long Beach was the first University within the California State University system to offer a B.A. in Dance degree. Today it is the only CSU campus to grant the Master of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance (professional degrees), as well as a Master of Arts degree designed for dance educators. The Dance Department has enjoyed steady growth since its inception in 1970, and now has 130 undergraduate dance majors, and 30 graduate candidates.The Department offers serious dance students the opportunity to develop their dance potential in an environment dedicated to the highest artistic standards. In keeping with the demands of an ever changing dance world, dance theory and technique courses are rich in contemporary concepts, supported in 90,000 sq. ft. of space designed specifically for dance instruction and production. The comprehensive education students receive prepares them for careers in performance, choreography, and teaching, as well as graduate work in many aspects of dance.
Full-time faculty include Judy Allen, Karen Clippinger, Colleen Dunagan, Keith Johnson, Lorin Johnson, Dori Levy, Susan McLain, Sophie Monat and Andrew Vaca; a large group of part-time faculty enhance curricula in their areas of specialization. Together, these individuals bring a wealth of expertise in directing, choreographing, performing, designing, and teaching to their courses and artistic or research activities.
Numerous performing opportunities exist for dance majors in five formal and two informal productions scheduled throughout the academic year. Guest choreographers re-stage or create new works for students each semester. Recent choreographers have included Twyla Tharp (staged by Shawn Stevens), Jodie Gates, George Balanchine (staged by Zippora Karz), Sean Greene, David Dorfman, Andrea Woods, Laurence Blake, Holly Williams, David Parsons, Robert Moses, Bill Young, Della Davidson, Janis Brenner, Lar Lubavitch, Dan Wagoner, Jose Limon, Martha Graham, Laura Dean, and Bella Lewitzky. The Department also participates annually in the regional festivals of the American College Dance Festival Association, with invitations in 1994, 1998 and 2000 to perform at the National College Dance Festival held at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.
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. It has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance since 1982.
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