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Performance Opportunities

The Department of Dance produces numerous concerts and special performances throughout the year. These include all forms of dance with choreography by faculty, students and guest artists.

Great Works Dance Project

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A hallmark of the department is the Great Works Dance Project, a program designed to give students the opportunity to perform dances created by master choreographers.

Winter Gala Dance Concert

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 A fully-produced dance concert that features faculty and select student choreography, as well as guest artist choreography performed by our students, including Great Works and commissioned new works such as those of the winner of the National Choreography Competition.

Western Dance Project

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The Western Dance Project is the touring ensemble of the Western Michigan University Department of Dance. This group of 10 to 12 students provides concert performances, lecture-demonstrations and masterclasses in schools, community centers, and at festivals statewide, regionally, and nationally. Each year students learn repertoire from guest choreographers from across the United States.

National Choreography Competition

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In 2011, Western Michigan University's Department of Dance developed the National Great Works Choreography Competition to identify and promote emerging choreographers and bring their work to campus. The winner of the competition is commissioned to create an original work for the WMU dance students that is performed in the department’s Gala Concert and may be chosen to represent the department in regional ACDA adjudication.

Graduating Presentations

Dancers Perform the work of Kirsten Smits' Graduating Presentation

Each year students completing the BFA in dance, produce a concert of their own. In addition to choreographing individual dances, the students work together on all aspects of the production including artistic direction, design, administration, publicity, and promotion.

Student Organization Showcase

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 Each semester, the Resident Student Organizations (RSOs), in conjunction with the department, produce a concert composed entirely of student work.

Learn more about RSOs

Fall Showcase

Dancer's perform the work of Melanie George for their First Year Performance Class

 A free concert featuring the choreography of our WMU dance majors performed by first-year students.

Senior Capstone Projects

Dancers perform in a Senior Capstone Project

Presentations of the culminating projects of students completing the BA in dance; including choreography, performance, dance for camera, and scholarly research.

Noon Dance Showings

Dancers perform student choreography

 Free informal showings of choreography and works in progress by our students on Friday afternoons.