BA.DAN - Dance
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Joe Madrigal (department head)
Art and performance training expands the capabilities of the human body and imagination, developing capacities for persistence, invention, and communication. Dance minors learn self-confidence and refine their ability to conceive and enact new ideas, practices, and solutions through the performative body. Collaborative performances and studio environments stimulate active learning, and promote body and mind development to reflect what it means to be human. This approach equips students with skills for dealing with a complex world, and engaging with and contributing to the dance world as performers, choreographers, teachers, and collaborators.
The dance minor is appropriate for the student who is continuing their study of dance, reentering dance, or accessing dance for the first time. The discipline of dance at Luther is based in the experiential and analytical study of Movement FundamentalsⓇ (MF), three courses rooted in somatic (body-based) rather than dance style education. These three courses educate the dance artist through the MF paired principles of: Alignment and Function; Range and Efficiency; and Vocabulary and Intention. Along with Movement Fundamentals, Contact Improvisation is a core component in shaping this holistic and distinct foundation for dance technique. This somatic approach to dance brings suppleness and refinement to skills attained in prior studio training and daily life movements while adding sophistication to dance-making and performing.
Dance minors become dance artists, dance or movement teachers, or continue on to become dance scholars. Dance minors pursue graduate and professional studies, certification and employment in performance; choreography; dance or movement therapy; dance studio or company management; somatic practices; somatic psychology; massage therapy; medicine; and chiropractic arts.
Required for a minor: A minimum of 20 credits in dance. These 20 credits must include at least one 300-level course or three DAN-100 courses.
Movement Fundamentals® Certification is available to Luther students.
For more information please visit the Movement Fundamentals Institute at movementfundamentals.org and contact Professor Hawley at hawleyja@luther.edu or jane@movementfundamentals.org.
Dance Management: Students may combine a major in Management and a minor in Dance in order to create a course of study suitable for those interested in Dance Management.