Students majoring in Dance must apply and be accepted into both the Department of Dance and Western Michigan University. You can apply concurrently to both; you do not have to wait until you are accepted by WMU.
STEP 1: APPLY TO WMU
For dual enrollment students, please see our dual enrollment policy.
STEP 2: APPLY & Audition TO YOUR PROGRAM
You can audition for the program in person or virtually. Click below to begin your dance application and see details. The application opens on September 1, 2021.
In-person auditions will be held on October 15, November 12, and February 4.
*Students who submit audition materials and have been accepted by the university by January 31 will be considered for dance scholarships. Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA to be eligible for need-based financial aid and scholarships through both the university and dance program.
Dance minors are not required to audition.
For further information on auditions, please contact the Department of Dance Academic Advisor Debra Gambino at debra.gambino@wmich.edu or (269) 387-6171. Please leave your valid email address in your message. Email is our most effective way to communicate with you.
Please add the email address debra.gambino@wmich.edu to your address book so that our communications with you do not go into a spam folder.
Audition results
Virtual audition materials will be reviewed by dance faculty in three groups.
· Materials received by November 15, 2021 will receive notification by December 20, 2021
· Materials received between November 16, 2021 and February 15, 2022 will receive notification by March 1, 2022
· Materials received between February 16 and April 1, 2022 will receive notification by April 20, 2022
Audition results will be mailed and emailed to you. Those accepted into the program will be given their placement level in ballet, jazz and modern technique. The Department of Dance has designed the entrance audition process to focus solely on judging prospective students' potential to thrive and succeed in its dance curriculum. Because of that, the department has made a decision not to provide individual feedback to the over 150 students who audition each year.
Scholarships
All students who submit completed audition materials and have been accepted by the university by January 31 will be considered for dance scholarships. All students are encouraged to complete their application to WMU by December 15 to be considered by the university for many competitive academic scholarships. Awards range from $1,000 to $4,000 per academic school year, some of which may be renewable. Scholarships are awarded based on demonstrated skill and potential. Notification of dance scholarship awards will be emailed in early March 2022.
Department of Dance Scholarships
Dance Minor
Prospective dance minors do not audition but may seek placement beyond the beginning level by:
- Enrolling in the beginning-level class and indicating to the instructor that you are a dance minor or on the dance minor waiting list. The instructor then places these students on the form provided and returns it to the dance academic advisor. The advisor keeps these forms on file for quite a few years so that when students on the waiting list are offered a space in the minor, those lists may be referenced to determine placement for those students.
- If you are already a dance minor you may contact the instructor of the Technique I course to arrange a day to come and take that level. The instructor of that course will inform the dance academic advisor if you have the skills and may register for Technique I level course. If the instructor approves you for the course without having to first take the beginning level course, you would need to see the advisor at or after your time to register in the WMU registration system as those are restricted enrollment classes.
Due to excessive enrollments, the department is currently placing prospective dance minors on a waiting list for entrance into the dance minor program. To be placed on the dance minor waiting list, please email your name, local phone number and current email address to debra.gambino@wmich.edu. You will be contacted by email when space is available for you to enroll in the dance minor program.
If you have further questions, please call (269) 387-6171 or email debra.gambino@wmich.edu.