Dance Program

Dancing is the loftiest, the most moving, the most beautiful of the arts, because it is no mere translation or abstraction from life; it is life itself." -- Havelock Ellis

Some students enter the Dance Program with extensive dance experience, while others study dance for the first time when they come to William & Mary. Participation in the Dance Program is open to all students at the College. Students have opportunities to participate in both student and faculty choreographic research through Orchesis Modern Dance Company and Dance Minor concerts.

Students may choose to minor in dance or study dance on an elective basis. The minor curriculum includes dance composition, history, technique, and performance.

Many of our alumni have found that the skills developed through studying dance are an asset in many different fields. Students have commented that they learned a great deal about themselves through dance courses and that the close bond that develops between students and faculty through work on choreography projects is an especially valuable part of their college experience.

Alumni of the program often stay in touch during homecoming events, including the Theatre, Speech, and Dance Department's annual wine and cheese reception, and they are loyal contributors to the Roby-Sherman Dance Scholarship, which helps current students pursue summer studies in dance.

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