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Ballet BALLE Course Descriptions |
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University of Utah General Catalog 2003-2004
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| Accredited by the
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges; Affiliate School of Ballet
West
College of Fine Arts Department Office: 112 Marriott Center for Dance, 581-8231 Mailing Address: 330 S. 1500 E., Rm. 112, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0280 Web Address: www.ballet.utah.edu. Faculty Distinguished Professor Emerita. B. Arnold. Professors Emeriti. W.F. Christensen, G. Paxman. Professors. B. Hamblin, C. Iwasaki. Associate Professors. A. Ficzere, M. Laird, S. Lane, C. Ludlow, R. Wacko. Associate Professor/Lecturers. J. Duffy, S. Rasmussen. Assistant Professor/Lecturer. K. Horowicz. Adjunct Professor. J. Kåge. Adjunct Associate Professors. B. Caldwell, J. Macintyre, R. Wood. Adjunct Assistant Professors. D. Dobson Kåge, P. Robinson. Adjunct Instructor. C. Burton. Advisers. Department Chair, 116 MCD, (801) 581-8231; Undergraduate Adviser, Barbara Hamblin, 211 MCD, (801) 581-8231; Graduate Adviser, Maureen Laird, 212MCD (801)581-8231 Undergraduate Program Degree. B.F.A. Students who major in ballet are trained for professional performing and teaching careers through technique and a variety of specially designed courses for dancers including music, dance fitness and conditioning, jazz, tap, acting, history, choreography, repertory, and pointe/men's classes. The program is housed in the Alice Sheets Marriott Center for Dance, one of the most beautiful and functional dance buildings in the nation. Performance Opportunities: Utah Ballet is the resident performing company of the Ballet Department and consists of 16 or more dancers selected by an audition of new and continuing students. The Company rehearses repertoire daily, gives concerts each year on campus, and tours to cities in the Intermountain West. Ballet Ensemble, featuring choreography by faculty and guests provides another performance opportunity for Ballet premajors and majors who are chosen by audition. Ballet Showcase, presented twice each year, features original choreography by students and other qualified choreographers selected by the producer/director. Dancers are invited to participate by the choreographers. Character Dance Ensemble is the newest company of ballet majors who are chosen by the artistic director. Performances take place on and off campus and scholarships are available to members of this group. Ballet West, a major national company based in Salt Lake City, selects ballet majors each year to rehearse, learn the Ballet West repertoire and perform with the company as needed. In addition to performing opportunities with Ballet West, there are departmental productions for which ballet majors are encouraged to audition. The department also provides ballet study for nonmajors and develops general appreciation for ballet as an art form through foundation and integration courses which fulfill general education requirements. Additional Sources of Information: Brochures, applications, instructions for video or in-person auditions, and departmental scholarship information are available through the department office. The Department of Ballet also publishes a yearly updated student handbook for undergraduate students containing four-year course schedules, graduation requirements for the various undergraduate emphases, department policies/procedures, and student advising information. Each student in the major program has a conference with his/her faculty adviser twice each semester. Undergraduate Programs Performing Emphasis: Students are prepared for performing careers in ballet, and character dance. There are courses in a variety of dance styles, two levels of partnering classes, and many opportunities to perform and choreograph. Preparation of individual resumes for audition purposes is also available. Advisor, Barbara Hamblin. Teaching Emphasis: The Teaching Emphasis Program provides a valid and unique course of study for dance teacher preparation and fosters high-quality teaching as a profession. Students in this emphasis are regarded as premajors until they have been judged to have the aptitude and ability to teach ballet and one other dance style approved by the faculty. The decision to allow or invite a student to major in this area is made no later than the end of the sophomore year. Contact the department for information. Adviser, Barbara Hamblin Character Dance Emphasis: This emphasis offers students more varied performance/production opportunities. Membership in Character Dance Ensemble plus three years of character dance are required. Contact the department for information. Adviser, Richard Wacko Admission to the Major: Acceptance as a pre-major is not official until the department has been notified that the student has been accepted for admission to the University and the student successfully passes an audition in ballet technique. Pre-University Major Programs. Two programs offer high school students the opportunity to study ballet at the University: Early Admission. High school seniors with outstanding scholastic records may apply for early admission to the University. Students so designated register as fully matriculated freshman students even though they have not received their high school diplomas. High School University Student Status. Students attending an accredited high school and ballet classes at the University of Utah concurrently must be high school sophomores and at least 15 years old. Prospective students must audition in person to qualify for ballet classes. Admission is limited, as the program is intended for the exceptionally gifted ballet student. Acceptance, in addition to qualifying first for general admission to the University, is dependent on the judgment of the faculty and on the student's attainment of a high school GPA of 3.2 for high school seniors, a 3.5 for high school juniors, and a 3.7 for high school sophomores. A decision is based on an in-person audition and faculty interviews with the student and parent(s). Students must meet academic standards and conduct themselves according to high school and University behavioral codes. High School University Program students pay the fee for the number of credit hours for which they are registered (five). Credit and grades are awarded by the University. For application instructions or to make arrangements for an audition, write or call the department office. Freshman Admissions. Students entering as freshmen must submit a departmental application and two photographs in ballet attire and poses before scheduling an in-person audition or mailing a videotape. Since the program is intensive, students are advised to have at least six years of continuous and concentrated study in ballet prior to enrolling in the department. Entering students are admitted in Fall Semester with midyear entrance granted only in exceptional cases due to many course sequences that begin in the Fall Semester. Transfer students must: (1) submit a copy of their transcripts before arriving to audition, (2) take an audition class, and (3) interview with the chair and selected faculty. Sophomore transfers, to be accepted, must qualify for BALLE 2290 Technique, or above. Junior transfers, to be accepted, must qualify for BALLE 3290 Technique. Transfer students may graduate with a ballet major only if they fulfill all requirements and spend a minimum of two full years in residence at the University. Placement Classes. All students entering the program for the first time or those who did not take the previous spring semester examination are required to attend a placement class held immediately prior to the beginning of Fall Semester. Faculty assign students to the appropriate ballet technique class according to the level of individual accomplishment. Spring Semester entrance is granted only in exceptional cases. Candidates are placed by auditioning in major technique classes. Premajor Probationary Period. All ballet students are designated premajors upon entrance, signifying probationary status. Full ballet-major status is achieved by being promoted into an upper-division technique class (BALLE 3290 or above) by the sophomore year. Students assigned to upper-division classes before their sophomore year may establish major status by completing one year of upper-division ballet technique, pointe/men's class with grades (3.0) qualifying for retention. High School University Students. (see High School University Student Status, above) are not designated as majors until they are fully matriculated. Exams. At the end of each year, the entire faculty evaluates all students in a special practicum examination and recommends the technique level to which each is assigned the following year. At all technique levels a student must have an average grade of B or better in two semesters of technique and pointe/variations (women) or men's classes to be promoted. Graduation Requirements. In order to graduate as ballet majors, students must be approved for major status by the beginning of their sophomore year. In special cases an additional one-semester probation is granted to those who do not meet the above qualifications for designation as majors. In order to be eligible to graduate using the old quarter system degree requirements for the ballet major, a student must have entered before Fall Semester 1998. Students entering in autumn quarter of 1997 or earlier must complete 45 credit hours of course work including all first year major courses: elements of music, ballet fitness and injuries, a year of ballet technique, pointe or mens class, and a year of character dance. In addition, a year of modern dance must be completed during the second year for teaching emphasis majors. Scholarships Contact the Department of Ballet for information about scholarship opportunities. The deadline to apply for a departmental scholarship is February 1 for students planning to enter the following Fall Semester. Utah Ballet members are granted special departmental scholarships provided certain criteria are met on a semester basis. Students applying for departmental scholarships must be accepted for admission to the University by March 1. Prospective students are advised to audition for scholarships by mid-February in order to have the best opportunities for awards. Requirements for the Major: B.F.A. Students who qualify have three options from which to choose: performing, character dance, and teaching Performing Emphasis First Year
Spring Semester
Second Year
Spring Semester
Third Year
Spring Semester
Fourth Year
Spring Semester
Recommended Electives
Teaching Emphasis First Year
Spring Semester
Second Year
Spring Semester
Third Year
Spring Semester
Fourth Year
Spring Semester
Recommended Electives:
Character Emphasis First Year
Spring Semester
Second Year
Spring Semester
Third Year
Spring Semester
Fourth Year
Spring Semester
Recommended Electives:
Graduate Program Degrees. M.A., M.F.A. Graduate Adviser: Maureen Laird, 112 MCD. Admission to Candidacy. Applicants must audition in person or by videotape. The application deadline is April 1 for fall semester and November 1 for spring semester. Degree Requirements. There are four non-thesis M.F.A. programs. Each is a two-year residency program in which the candidate must complete 48 credit hours. In the choreography/teaching emphasis, the candidate must present three major projects and one minor choreographic project in the first three semesters. The three major choreographic projects are accompanied by written documentation explaining the choreographer's creative process. The written work is expected to be completed in the candidate's final semester. Videotapes of the choreography and/or teaching project must accompany this text. The M.F.A. in character dance includes the study of European character dance forms, perspectives, ethnology, and character dance history. Written documentation explaining some aspect of character dance and a videotape of character dance projects are required for this emphasis. The performing emphasis requires written documentation relating to the candidate's performing career and a videotape may accompany the written text. The scholarly research emphasis requires extensive, well-documented research resulting in a written text. The M.A. degree is a scholarly research thesis program. It requires a one-year residency and completion of 36 credit hours of approved work, including a research-based thesis. The M.A. candidate must also pass a language examination with an advanced proficiency. The Modern Language Exam (MLA) is offered in French, German, Italian, and Russian languages. Areas of Specialization. Each emphasis is flexible, allowing the candidate, with the faculty, to design his/her individual program. We also offer an M.F.A. degree which is a combination of various components. Candidates in the character dance emphasis must qualify for the Character Dance Ensemble. The performance emphasis is available exclusively to Ballet West and Utah Ballet dancers. Financial Aid and Scholarships Departmental scholarships are available to graduate students. A technique audition is required of all candidates and may be done by videotape. The teaching/choreography program requires submission of a videotape of choreographic works. Technique, criteria for application, and deadlines are the same as for the undergraduate students. A limited number of teaching assistantships which include tuition waivers and hourly stipends for teaching assignments and other duties are also available. Work-study is an option for students who meet the work-study application deadline in January. |
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