About the Department of Dance
York University's Department of Dance is one of North America’s premier centres for dance training and scholarship, and the largest and most comprehensive dance program in Canada. Our integrated curriculum prepares students for a wide range of careers through a dual focus on critical/creative minds and bodies. Degree programs include the BFA, BA, MA, MFA and PhD, as well as joint programs with Canada’s National Ballet School and the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. Our alumni represent the full range of active dance professionals––creative and performing artists, scholars, educators and administrators––who contribute significantly to diverse cultural scenes locally, nationally and internationally.
York U Dance fosters the development of creative, articulate
dance professionals.
Earning a dance degree from York is challenging; students
emergewith a strong, nimble skill set in the dual areas of
embodied learning and critical thinking.
York U Dance teaches students the skills they need to thrive
in creative, innovative, and practical ways as they move into
their professional lives.
Connection to the Faculty of Fine Arts
The Department of Dance is part of Ontario's only Faculty of Fine Arts, which also houses degree programs in Design, Digital Media, Film, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts. Dance students can enrich their educational experience by drawing on courses and resources in these areas as well as the University at large. York’s interdisciplinary strength means that dance majors can gain knowledge and skills in other arts as part of their training, which can enhance their professional opportunities in the future.
Connection to the Dance Community
York’s Department of Dance is home to a stellar collection of practicing artists and scholars with international reputations. Full and part-time faculty are active in the areas of creation, research, writing, performance, stage design and guest teaching––at home and abroad.
Guest artists and scholars from the local, national and international dance communities contribute regularly to our programs through workshops, guest classes and lectures, performances and residencies. Our partnership with Harbourfront Centre allows us extraordinary access to world-class guest artists.
We maintain close connections with educational partners including The School of Toronto Dance Theatre (STDT) and Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) through our Joint Diploma/Degree Programs. We also like to keep in touch with the hundreds of York Dance Alumni, many of whom who are teaching, creating, researching, writing, administrating and performing all over the world.
