Hope College

Description of Program: The Hope dance program is a place to grow artistically, intellectually, physically and spiritually. The Dance Department stresses rigor and activity, and thrives in the liberal arts environment. It is carefully balanced to provide a foundation in theoretical and technical dance studies, offering opportunities for the individual student to aspire, dream and accomplish. Whether a student majors or minors in dance, they'll get intense instruction and training, regular participation in performances and endless opportunities to explore every aspect of life alongside a comprehensive dance program.

The Hope College Department of Dance is one of only a few institutions in the United States where students can study five dance techniques (ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and hip hop), and receive a BA in Dance, pursue a variety of dual majors, or minor in dance, dance production, or dance pedagogy. Hope College also offers additional classes in choreography/composition, history, improvisation, dance therapy, and production. The program boasts an extensive list of graduates who have gone on to serve in many dance-related fields, including performance (concert and commercial), choreography, dance medicine, dance therapy, and dance pedagogy. Accredited through the National Association of Schools in Dance, Hope College seeks to prepare students for career opportunities in dance while maintaining the highest standards for technique, composition, production, and academic quality. The department hosts semester-long guest teachers and choreographers both from the United States and abroad, offers semester-long internships in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and many additional cities, and includes over 200 study-abroad opportunities in more than 60 countries through the college’s Semester Abroad program. All of this is offered on the academically rigorous campus of Hope College, which is listed in Loren Pope’s book Colleges That Change Lives, and Elaina Loveland’s book Creative Colleges. Performance opportunities provided by the department include four annual student-choreographed concerts, a faculty-choreographed concert, two resident pre-professional companies with regional, national, and international performance opportunities, and Sigma Omicron (dance honors fraternity). In addition to the many performance opportunities, the department holds auditions for dance scholarships offered to 18 incoming freshmen each year ($12,000 for four years), and boasts a faculty that has toured and produced works throughout North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and Europe.

Graduates of the Hope College Dance Department have received great success in a variety of fields, due to the professional preparatory training and mentorship in the program. The program boasts an extensive list of graduates who have gone on to serve in many dance-related fields, including professional performance (concert and commercial), choreography, dance medicine, dance therapy, and dance pedagogy.