Dance » School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design
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A group of dancers performing on stage, with the word "DANCE" prominently displayed on a red background.

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:

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

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.  

A collage of images showcasing a performance and filming in colorful, illuminated spaces.

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. 
Four dancers perform on stage, showcasing dynamic movements and colorful outfits against a dark background.

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.

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