Dance
BFA
Express yourself in Canada’s most comprehensive dance program at York AMPD. Our BFA Dance program balances movement and theory, guiding you to become a skilled and reflective dancer, choreographer or teacher. With opportunities to perform, explore production and design, and gain real-world experience, this program prepares you for a vibrant career as an engaged leader in diverse dance communities.
Program Overview
Incoming dance students take a common first-year curriculum in which they gain a foundation of various areas of dance. Upper-year students may audition to join the department’s resident company, the York Dance Ensemble. Students also have the opportunity to gain valuable training in lighting design and dance production, to embrace emerging media and integrate technology into their dance practices, and to extend their professional experience through field placements, collaborative research and guest teaching.
Sample Courses
As a Dance student you can take courses like:
- Ballet/Contemporary Dance
- Dance Production
- Traditional and Current Dances of Sub-Saharan Africa
- Movement Foundations and Conditioning for Dancers
Career Possibilities
As a Dance student you can become:
- Choreographer
- Performer
- Dance teacher
- Dance scholar and researcher
- Movement therapist
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Department
Theatre, Dance & Performance
Duration
4 years
Evaluation process
Questionnaire and Audition
Entry Options
Fall, Summer
Next Steps
We’re excited that you’re considering applying to York University's School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD). Check out our step-by-step guide to submitting an application.
Student & Alumni Testimonials
Something that I love about our program is how close we all are. Not only with our peers, but also with all our professors and even our musicians. This program offers so many opportunities and shows you that there are so many different career options within dance, some that I didn't know were possible.
Kristina Paulovits
Fourth-Year Dance Student
Being a dance student at York University has given me countless opportunities to both train, perform, and create at an advanced pre-professional level. As a second year student in the Choreography and Performance stream, I already have been able to perform in nearly 6 shows as well as create and train within my normal school hours. The teachers and fellow students in the dance program all foster individual expression as well as share the common goal of furthering ourselves as artists, no matter which area of the dance world peaks your interest, which is unlike any other program in the province.
Hanna T
Third-year Dance Student
My time at York was actually amazing. I never put myself in a box and nor did York University and it opened up so many doors. York has everything to do with my success now.
Debra Brown (BFA ’78)
Principal Choreographer, Cirque du Soleil
Program Highlights
First and most comprehensive dance program in Canada.
Experience many forms of dance. Students learn about the rich history and traditions of dance from across the globe and present-day global perspectives.
Access to state-of-the-art studio and performance facilities.
Supportive environment that fosters optimal learning and development.
Students have the opportunity to not only perform and create dance pieces but to produce and manage the many aspects of public performances and performance-based events.
Develop skills for a rich and rewarding career. Students experience a well-integrated curriculum that explores the many facets of dance artistry, opening up career possibilities.
Learning Outcomes
Share your story, find your vision, build the future
- Engage creatively with initiating, forming, presenting, and teaching dance;
- Demonstrate a range of artistic and scholarly practices in Performance/Choreography and Education;
- Perform/create dance works across a range of forms; develop and teach dance classes to diverse communities and populations; research and write about dance in various contexts;
- Acknowledge and work with their own strengths and limitations and be able to apply technical and expressive abilities, and critical awareness in class and performance; and
- Work within a collaborative creative team to provide production and design support for a dance performance.
How to Apply
Get Ready to Apply
Make sure you have all the information in hands
IMPORTANT DATES
Stay informed about all the key dates and deadlines for applying. Make sure to submit your application by the specified deadline to ensure guaranteed consideration. Note that some programs require a supplementary application, so be sure to check the deadlines for those as well.
TUITION, FEES & FUNDING
Tuition and Fees will be paid to York University. For information on Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, please see the Future Students Website. Entrance Awards, Scholarships and Bursaries are available each year to support your education.
REQUIREMENTS
Our programs are open to students directly from high school, those with previous post-secondary studies, international students, exchange students, and mature applicants.
Get in Touch
Reach out to us for more information on our programs, upcoming events, open houses, and applying to AMPD. We're here to assist you with any questions you may have and to help guide you through the application process.
