The Dance major is distinctive for its outstanding faculty of nationally and internationally recognized artists and scholars who draw from a variety of creative and academic backgrounds, including dance making, choreography, visual art, creative writing, literature, African diasporic ritual cultures, Hip Hop and streetdance, Indian diasporic dance, Indigenous studies, digital technologies, performance studies, queer studies, and cultural studies.The B.A. degree requires students to take courses in both ChoreographyDance Making and Dance Studies, and eventually choose one track for their capstone project (i.e. performance-based and research paper respectively). In some cases, students may opt to complete a capstone project in both tracks. The Dance major cultivates rigorous creative research practices as well as critical cultural and historical perspectives on dance, through courses in the studio and seminar. Students examine notions about aesthetics, compositional processes, the body, gender, race, class, and sexuality as part of ongoing conversations in the field. Students are expected to sustain their movement practice every quarter and can choose from courses in Hip Hop, Modern, Ballet, Jazz, West African, House, Capoeira, Somatics, Yoga and Latin American Social Dance, as well as other forms offered by guest artists.Dance Majors, Minors and those interested in Dance have multiple opportunities to perform including in UCR is Dancing and Spring Forward, the annual concerts featuring original choreography and performance projects by students. Students can also apply to tour with the undergraduate ensemble for the Gluck Fellows Program of the Arts. Other opportunities include collaborating with graduate students on their projects, and in some cases with faculty and guest artists on their research.In addition, visiting professional dancers, choreographers, and scholars come to UCR frequently to give special workshops, master classes, and lectures. Dance majors are eligible for the Chancellor’s Performance Award, a scholarship of up to 2,000. Student assistantships and other forms of financial aid are also available. Undergraduate majors may apply for research grants and stipends for summer dance studies. Selected students receive 1,500 Maxwell H. Gluck Fellowships.
