Dance

Minor

The art of dance is both a powerful means of self-expression and an enjoyable route to physical well-being. Knox offers a minor in dance to students who wish to explore the art of dance in all its forms. All aspects of training are covered, from technique to choreography to performance and concert production. Students who immerse themselves in the Knox College Dance Program gain a well-rounded dance education that can later be applied to further study in dance at graduate school or at the professional level.

There are several performance opportunities available to students each year. Every term the student dance organization, The Terpsichore Dance Collective, hosts an informal dance concert that is open to all students who are interested in choreographing or performing. Every spring there is also a formal dance concert that includes works created by faculty, guest artists and advanced dance students.

The Program
The dance program at Knox is intended to allow students to explore the range of dance expression beginning at their own level, while emphasizing both aesthetic expression and practical technique within the historical context of each. Introductory courses in dance include ballet, modern theory and improvisation, and jazz. Advanced courses include dance composition, dance ensemble and dance performance.

Knox offers a minor in dance to all students, whether they intend to continue studying dance at the graduate level or for personal fulfillment as they pursue other career paths. The minor in dance, with its focus on aesthetic expression and technique, compliments any major in the liberal arts. The dance minor at Knox includes five credits in courses such as theory and improvisation, composition, history and contemporary choreography.

Resources
Major dance performances are presented in Harbach Theatre, a 599-seat venue with revolving proscenium, thrust stage configurations and a computer-controlled lighting system. Rehearsals and informal dance concerts are held in Auxiliary Gymnasium, with a marley dance surface laid over a wood floor.

Knox brings professional dance companies to campus to conduct both teaching and performance residencies. In most cases these residencies include dance technique classes open to the entire Knox community and a performance given by the company in Harbach Theatre. In some cases students have performed in these concerts as well. Recent dance residencies have included the Chicago Moving Company, Jan Erkert and Dancers, Jellyeye Drum Theatre , Eisenhower Dance Ensemble and Richard Bull Dance Troupe.