30 Colleges With The Best Dance Programs

Are you searching for the top outstanding colleges with the best dance programs?, Gisterz has made a great compilation of the best dance colleges in the world, with some vital information about those schools that might interest you to know.

Being a professional dancer or choreographer is notoriously difficult because it takes both natural skill and a lot of training. You must have a great talent for dancing to enable how far you will go in the industry because dance is not just a common thing to do, but among the hardest career path that can blow you to the world if you are good at it.

Top 30 Colleges With The Best Dance Programs

Although we have numerous lists of the best and outstanding dance programs in the world, below are our top 30 best you can enroll in.

1. Bellhaven University

First on this list of colleges with the best dance programs, is the Belhaven University Dance Department, which is known for outstanding performances, and the institution provides its students with the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge and practical experience in the field of dance.

In addition to a Bachelor of Arts (BA), a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), and a Dance Minor, this institution also offers a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree, and one of the sole aims of this school’s Dance Department is to prepare students technically, academically, and aesthetically to enter the world of dance and associated careers in a manner that is congruent with the mission of the institution.

Additionally, the dance program at Belhaven University provides intense technical training, ample performance opportunities, individualized instruction, and focused career preparation, with particular attention paid to the blending of faith and study.

Another great thing about this institution is that its facilities are up-to-date and state-of-the-art and provide one of the most beneficial learning environments for dance and performance, and every semester, the Dance Department welcomes internationally acclaimed guest choreographers and master professors who are eager to pass on their knowledge to the department’s students.

To prepare students for careers in dance performance, dance education, dance ministry, dance production, choreography, and other disciplines related to dance, undergraduate students receive a wide liberal arts education as well as an in-depth dance education.

Lastly, graduate students have the opportunity to expand their professional abilities via the study of a variety of curricular offerings, including technique, performance, choreography, teaching, research methods, kinesiology, and critical inquiry, which makes this institution rank among the best dance colleges in the world.
In this school, students will study:

Ballet, Modern, and Pointe techniques
Pas de Deux, Variations, and Non-traditional partnering
Improvisation, Composition, and Choreography
Pedagogy and Teaching Methods
Dance Kinesiology, Nutrition, Conditioning, and Injury Prevention
Dance History, Research, and Theory
Dance Production
Dance Technology

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2. Arizona State University

Next on our list of the best dance colleges in the world, is Arizona State University, known for its outstanding performances over the years. You should know that studying dance at ASU allows you to develop your understanding of dance and your views about what it can do in the world.

The dance program offered by this institution tends to promote the development of the various abilities required for success as a dance artist. All admitted students in this dance school, develop as creative artists, scholars, and educators in an inclusive, dynamic, and culturally diverse learning environment in the School of Music, Dance, and Theatre.

Additionally, the BFA in dance degree provides a stimulating curriculum that stresses teamwork and a holistic approach to movement and education. The curriculum promotes 21st-century artists to build numerous skills for success in the arts and related industries.

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3. Boston Conservatory at Berklee

If you have a good passion for dance, then consider enrolling in the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, as it ranks among the best dance colleges, and teachers at this dance school and acclaimed guest artists have a profound depth of knowledge and an impressive portfolio of real-world dance experience.

Another great fact about this school is that all teachers are as passionate about their students as they are about their craft. The Conservatory fosters the development of young artists who are at the forefront of their field by encouraging students to think in unconventional ways and providing them with opportunities to do so.

The outstanding technical training offered by the Conservatory, along with the thought-provoking coursework, helps guide the development of dancers into “whole artists.”

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4. California Institute of the Arts

CalArts Dance acknowledges a history of injustice, inequality, and violence that affects all aspects of society, including institutions of higher education and the arts, which has kept this institution ranked high among the best dance colleges you can think of applying to.

You might love to know that the CalArts Dance is committed to anti-racist pedagogy and art-making to ensure justice, equality, and safety for all members of its community.

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5. Barnard College

Another great dance college in the world is the Barnard College Department of Dance, which is located in the world’s dance capital, provides an interdisciplinary program that incorporates the study of dance within the context of a liberal arts environment that encourages intellectual and artistic discovery.

This great institution allows students’ creative work to develop in dialogue with a critical inquiry into the history, culture, theory, and forms of western and non-western performance, which is typically enhanced by study in other disciplines.

Admitted students in this institution not only learn from distinguished researchers but also collaborate with well-established artists whose work contributes to the advancement of modern American dance. Students who are not dance majors may also try out for the department’s performances. To connect students with the real world of work, the Department collaborates with many cultural institutions located in New York City.

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6. Chapman University

You should consider Chapman University if you have the interest to excel as a dancer because the Department of Dance at Chapman University provides rigorous professional training along with high-caliber shows, famous teachers and guest artists, a brand-new state-of-the-art dance center, and all of the amenities that come along with attending a small liberal arts university.

Located in beautiful Orange, California, Chapman frequently hosts master classes, performances, and auditions with L.A.’s top artists and talent agencies, which has helped the institution grow greatly among others.

Both the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees emphasize providing students with a balanced and comprehensive education in ballet, jazz, and contemporary technique, as well as other dance styles such as tap, hip hop, and ballroom.

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7. Butler University

Another great dance institution you can apply to is Butler University, known to have a unique dance program that has aired the school to the world.

The department’s philosophy and training in this institution are solely built on the performances of these masterpieces from the 19th and 20th centuries, and these performances are also an essential part of the artistic development of the department’s students.

All admitted students in the Dance program put in a lot of hours honing their craft, studying art, and preparing for live performances. They also benefit from the guidance, pressure, and encouragement of their professors, who help them get ready to work at the top dance companies in the country.

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8. Florida State University

Established more than eight decades ago and has provided students with the opportunity to major in professional dance for more than half of those decades, the FSU dance program remains a pioneer and a leader among college dance programs, and also has standard building structures/learning facilities to help students do better.

This great institution is globally known for being a center for the creation, reconstruction, and production of outstanding dance repertory.

The School of Dance’s primary objective is to provide students with first-rate creative training in addition to a well-rounded education in the liberal arts.

In addition to the classes offered for students majoring in dance, approximately 400 students are instructed in dance each semester as part of the general studies program in classes that are open to community dancers from our university.

Students majoring in dance at FSU have the opportunity to watch working artists in residence at MANCC. These artists are engaged in various creative endeavors.

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9. Fordham University

The Ailey School and Fordham University have collaborated to create a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in dance that is both cutting-edge and groundbreaking.

The BFA program is designed to give students the best of both worlds: The artistic preeminence of the official school of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater combined with an exceptional education in the liberal arts that is rooted in the Jesuit tradition of academic excellence, and also got a spot among the best dance colleges in the world.

Both of these institutions can be found in the Lincoln Center neighborhood of New York City, which is widely considered to be the global epicenter of the dance world.

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10. Indiana University

You can also consider enrolling in Indiana University, as it also ranks among the best dance colleges in the world for its outstanding academic performances over the years and well-equipped learning facilities.

You might love to know that students at Indiana University who are interested in delving deeper into the art of dance can take advantage of a variety of opportunities made available through the Contemporary Dance Program.

In this dance school, you will gain the foundational information and skills necessary to become a dance professional who is both knowledgeable and effective thanks to our rigorous academic and theoretical core.

The mission of the faculty members in the Indiana University Contemporary Dance Program is not only to instruct but also to act as mentors and to create a robust theoretical foundation from which each dancer can develop and work as an independent artist.

For students to be adequately prepared for a successful career in the professional and academic fields of dance, they are strongly encouraged to find their unique venues for expression, such as performing, choreographing, teaching, producing, or doing scholarly work.

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11. Montclair State University

12. Oberlin College

13. New York University

14. Ohio State University

15. Oklahoma City University

16. Pace University

17. Rutgers University

18. Skidmore College

19. Point Park University

20. Marymount Manhattan College

21. Slippery Rock University

22. Southern Methodist University

23. SUNY Purchase College

24. The Juilliard School

25. Towson University

26. University of Arizona

27. University of Michigan

28. University of North Carolina School of the Arts

29. University of South Florida

30. University of Southern California

Bonus: University of the Arts (PA)

Conclusion

Anyone who has a passion for dance, and pick from our above best dance colleges and get the proper training needed to be a great dancer, including a certificate.

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