Minor in Dance
A minor in dance can lead to numerous opportunities within the field of dance performance and education. You can obtain the necessary tools to teach, choreograph and direct in:
- High schools
- Private studios
- Performance groups
- Dance/drill teams
- Dance companies
- Community outreach programs
You can also utilize your minor studies to pursue degrees in dance.
Dance is considered to be an important part of the visual and performing arts educational experience. Studies of dance performance, education and history can enhance your academic experience.
This 18-credit-hour minor can be paired with almost any major at Texas A&M University.
Auditioning for Dance Programs at Texas A&M
Performance
Students in our dance science programs have multiple opportunities to perform, including:
- An annual dance concert (Perpetual Motion)
- Faculty Arts Showcase
- Choreographers’ Showcase
- Senior Concerts
- Informal performances
- Student organization concerts
- Performances throughout the community
- On campus and state, regional, and national/international gala performances
Other Opportunities
Dance faculty often receive grants for other performances throughout the university in collaboration with faculty from other colleges. Students are also given the opportunity to attend various festivals and conferences.
The Dance Program also offers students the capability to work with guest artists in master classes, watching performances and learning repertory. This gives students a unique opportunity to work with a variety of professionals in the field while building their resumes.
Curriculum
The dance minor consists of 18 hours of classes which are all dance based. Courses include lecture courses on Dance History, Production, Composition, and Career Preparations in Dance and four dance technique courses (2 ballet and 2 modern).
Required Courses
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DCED 203 | Dance Production | 3 |
| DCED 306 | Dance Composition I | 2 |
| DCED 405 | Career Preparation in Dance | 1 |
| KINE 175 or KINE 199 | Gender Neutral Partnering or Required Physical Activity | 1 |
Electives
Choose one of the following list:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DCED 304 | Creative Dance for Children | 3 |
| DCED 308 | Safe Practices in Teaching Dance | 3 |
| DCED 410 | Dance Teams in Secondary Education | 3 |
Ballet Selection
Choose two of the following list:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DCED 260 | Ballet I | 4 |
| DCED 361 | Ballet II | 4 |
| DCED 462 | Ballet III | 4 |
| KINE 361 | Movement Lab: Ballet II | 4 |
| KINE 462 | Movement Lab: Ballet III | 4 |
Modern Dance Selection
Choose two of the following list:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DCED 271 | Modern Dance I | 4 |
| DCED 372 | Modern Dance II | 4 |
| DCED 473 | Modern Dance III | 4 |
| KINE 372 | Movement Lab: Modern DanceII | 4 |
| KINE 473 | Movement Lab: Modern Dance III | 4 |
Careers
A few examples of career options with the dance minor include:
- Outreach Director: Many business majors go into nonprofit work with outreach programs. By having a dance minor, a student may choose to work, run or create an outreach program that involves dance in some capacity.
- Communication: Communication majors may choose to work in outreach programs or even companies in an administrative role. By having studied dance in college, these students will appear more marketable for these types of jobs.
- Teacher: Some students want to become teachers and obtain an education degree in a specific content area but would like to sponsor dance clubs at the school they teach. The dance minor gives them the knowledge to be a helpful sponsor for clubs in public education.
Note: If you are looking to teach dance in schools or direct drill teams, it is recommended you enter the B.S. in Kinesiology: Dance Science which provides a track for dance certification.