Dance
Five College Dance comprises the dance departments of our member campuses, with each offering its own distinctive program while collaborating as a uniquely rich inter-campus consortium with abundant possibilities for dance students.
Boats Leaving, choreographed by Doug Varone, 2019 UMass Amherst Fall Faculty Concert. Photo by Derek Fowles.
On This Page
Mission
Five College Dance advances embodied practice as a critical mode of inquiry, expression, and civic engagement across cultural and historical contexts. We cultivate new generations of artists, scholars, and practitioners to shape the field of dance and dance studies.
Historical
Established in 1978, Five College Dance (FCD) is a creative and intellectual collaboration organized between the dance departments and programs at Amherst, Hampshire, Smith, Mount Holyoke Colleges and University of Massachusetts Amherst. A community of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, musical accompanists, visiting scholars and artists, we create and amplify access to rich, varied artistic and academic opportunities in dance.
Our House, choreographed by Shakia Barron, 2018 Mount Holyoke Fall Faculty Concert. Photo by Charles Flachs.
Our member dance departments and programs collaborate by:
- Coordinating a shared undergraduate dance curriculum with diversely trained faculty and varied course offerings in dance technique, performance, composition and theory
- Producing at least one major repertory project most years, open to all five college students
- Providing performance opportunities on each campus for all five college students
- Opening the great majority of campuses’ events, workshops, professionalization opportunities, masterclasses, residencies, symposia, and field trips to all five college students
Reflect/Respond: A Limón Dance Legacy Concert at UMass Amherst, 2019. Photo by Derek Fowles.
Five College Dance Provides
- Production management and technical supervision for all FCD concerts, events, and auditions, as well as for any FCD contributions to the annual American College Dance Association conference.
- Annual production workshop for students producing their own shows, plus additional production-related learning opportunities
- Annual lecture by a major scholar and/or artist in the field
- Annual concert with a faculty- and guest-choreographed work submitted from each school, featuring students from all campuses
- News from the departments, FCD, and alumni
- Masterclasses from professional dance artists on the UMass Center for Fine Arts season
- Centralized communication hub (social media, listserv, website) to share with students and faculty dance-related events, professional opportunities, news, and programs from the campuses, FCD, the local community, and beyond
- Coordination and facilitation of musician accompanists for most campuses’ technique classes
- Photographing and archiving professional photos of FCD performances and events
- Collaborations with non-dance departments/units and external arts organizations
- Support for the work of individual departments, students, and faculty that benefit the consortium
Links to Campus Dance Programs
Dance Course Grid & New Classes
Please Note: If you don't see classes from all campuses currently listed, they will appear as the campuses release their course schedules for the semester. The five campuses release their schedules on different dates. Visit this page for specific dates. These course listings are meant for advising periods. During the corresponding semester, please check the college course websites for the most up to date listings.
-
Fall 24 Travel Packages for Dance Classes by Campus.
-
Meet the New Dance Faculty at Five College Dance.
HACU-0239-1: Dance Production with Matthew Adelson
Tuesdays, 1:00 - 3:50PM
In this course, students will be introduced to many aspects of dance production practices and techniques. This includes multiple areas of design (lighting, costumes, audio, video and scenery) and issues arising in production management; including budgeting,
pre-production planning, scheduling, rehearsal and staff supervision as well as conflict
resolution. Additionally, there will be some classes devoted to the larger field of arts
management, specifically related to dance presentation and producing. These will be
presented by the instructor, as well as by guest lecturers, sourced from the professional
world in the western Massachusetts area and beyond, including New York, Boston, etc.
Dance 237: Intermediate Tap Dance with Ian Berg
Tuesday, 7:15-10:05 pm; MHC Kendall Studio 2
Intermediate Tap expands the movement vocabulary and technical skills of the beginner. Students increase rhythmic accuracy, coordination, and speed by practicing tap rudiments and double-time patterns. The class also includes satisfying time steps and breaks, traveling combinations, and some creative improvisation to deepen the dancer's connection to music. Students will learn at least one complete dance from the traditional tap dance repertory. Video performances by tap masters, past and present will be shown in class or assigned for out-of-class viewing.
DANCE 268: Dance, Performance, and Text with Michael Ofori
Tuesday/Thursday, 10:30-11:45; MHC Kendall Studio Theater
In this course, students will explore the various ways in which dance and embodied performance generate, adapt, and incorporate text in practice. Our endeavor envisions and engages with text as a permanent artifact that is enlivened through the crucible of the dance-making process. Students will take inspiration from other logocentric forms such as plays, poetry, prose etc.
Fall 2024 Dance Courses: Technique - The Continuum of Black American Dance Forms - West African/Jazz/Hip Hop
| Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANCE | 142 | 01 | Intro to West African Dance | Mustapha Braimah | Mount Holyoke College | MW 03:15PM-04:30PM |
| DANCE | 234 | 01 | House Dance | Shakia Barron | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 01:45PM-03:00PM |
| DANCE | 237 | 01 | Intermediate Tap | Instructor To Be Announced | Mount Holyoke College | T 07:15PM-10:05PM |
| DAN | 146 | 01 | Beginner Hip Hop Dance | Daniel Guzman | Smith College | M W 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM |
| DAN | 246 | 01 | Intermediate Hip Hop | Smith College | TU TH 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM | |
| DANCE | 130 | 01 | Jazz Dance I | Lauren Cox | UMass Amherst | TU TH 2:30PM 3:45PM |
| DANCE | 191P | 01 | S- Hip Hop | UMass Amherst | M W 1:25PM 2:15PM | |
| DANCE | 232 | 01 | Jazz Dance III | Lauren Cox | UMass Amherst | TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM |
| DANCE | 334 | 01 | Jazz Dance V | Lauren Cox | UMass Amherst | TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM |
Fall 2024 Dance Courses: Technique - Ballet
| Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANCE | 107 | 01 | Intro to Ballet & Modern | Eleanor Goudie-Averill | Mount Holyoke College | MW 11:30AM-12:45PM |
| DANCE | 222 | 01 | Intermediate Ballet | Eleanor Goudie-Averill | Mount Holyoke College | MW 01:45PM-03:00PM |
| DAN | 120 | 01 | Beginning Ballet 1 | Smith College | TU TH 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM | |
| DAN | 210 | 01 | Hybrid Techniq:ModerntoBallet | Smith College | M W 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM | |
| DAN | 222 | 01 | Intermediate Ballet 1 | Smith College | M W 10:50 AM - 12:15 PM | |
| DAN | 324 | 01 | Advanced Ballet 1 | Smith College | TU TH 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM | |
| DANCE | 120 | 01 | Ballet I | Thomas Vacanti | UMass Amherst | TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM |
| DANCE | 222 | 01 | Ballet III | Thomas Vacanti | UMass Amherst | M W 11:15AM 12:05PM |
| DANCE | 324 | 01 | Ballet V | Thomas Vacanti | UMass Amherst | M W 11:15AM 12:30PM |
| DANCE | 391D | 01 | S-Ballet Pointe/Variations | Thomas Vacanti | UMass Amherst | M W 12:20PM 1:10PM |
Fall 2024 Dance Courses: Technique - Modern/Contemporary
| Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THDA | 315 | 01 | Dance: Adv. Contemporary | Jenna Riegel | Amherst College | TU/TH | 4:00 PM - 5:50 PM |
| THDA | 315H | 01 | Dance: Adv. Contemporary | Jenna Riegel | Amherst College | TU/TH | 4:00 PM - 5:50 PM |
| DANCE | 107 | 01 | Intro to Ballet & Modern | Eleanor Goudie-Averill | Mount Holyoke College | MW 11:30AM-12:45PM |
| DANCE | 318 | 01 | Advanced Modern | Barbie Diewald | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 09:00AM-10:15AM |
| DAN | 113fn | 01 | Contemporary:T-Fundamentals | Smith College | TU TH 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM | |
| DAN | 210 | 01 | Hybrid Techniq:ModerntoBallet | Smith College | M W 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM | |
| DAN | 215 | 01 | Intermed Contemporary Dance 1 | Angie Hauser | Smith College | TU TH 10:50 AM - 12:15 PM |
| DAN | 317 | 01 | Adv Contemp Dance 1 | Angie Hauser | Smith College | F 10:25 AM - 12:15 PM |
| DANCE | 215 | 01 | Modern Dance III | Duane Holland, Jr | UMass Amherst | M W 5:30PM 6:45PM |
Fall 2024 Dance Courses: Technique - Additional Technique Offerings
| Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAN | 133 | 01 | Dance for Every Body | Smith College | TU TH 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM | |
| DAN | 141sw | 01 | Forms:T-Swing | Caitlin Angela Canty | Smith College | W 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM; M 3:05 PM - 4:20 PM |
| DAN | 144 | 01 | Tango I | Laura Grandi | Smith College | TU TH 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM |
Fall 2024 Dance Courses: Creative Studies: Choreography, Composition, and Improvisation
| Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THDA | 111 | 01 | Language of Movement | Amherst College | M/W | 2:00 PM - 3:50 PM | |
| DANCE | 151 | 01 | Elementary Composition | Shakia Barron | Mount Holyoke College | MW 11:30AM-12:45PM |
| DANCE | 268 | 01 | Dance, Performance and Text | Michael Ofori | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 10:30AM-11:45AM |
| DANCE | 390 | 01 | Advanced Seminar | Barbie Diewald | Mount Holyoke College | F 01:45PM-03:00PM;F 01:45PM-03:00PM |
| DAN | 252 | 01 | Intermediate Dance Composition | Angie Hauser | Smith College | TU TH 1:20 PM - 4:00 PM |
| DAN | 252 | L01 | Intermediate Dance Composition | Angie Hauser | Smith College | TU 4:10 PM - 5:00 PM |
| DANCE | 192D | 01 | S-Improv & Mvmnt Exploration | Lauren Cox | UMass Amherst | M W 2:30PM 3:45PM |
| DANCE | 252 | 01 | Intermed Composition | Duane Holland, Jr | UMass Amherst | TU TH 2:30PM 3:45PM |
| DANCE | 353 | 01 | Adv Composition | Thomas Vacanti | UMass Amherst | TU TH 4:00PM 5:15PM |
Fall 2024 Dance Courses: Scientific Aspects of Dance
| Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANCE | 241AM | 01 | Anatomy of Movement | Barbie Diewald | Mount Holyoke College | MW 10:00AM-11:15AM;MW 10:00AM-11:15AM |
Fall 2024 Dance Courses: Music, Movement, and Rhythmic Analysis
| Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANCE | 387 | 01 | Rhythmic Analysis II | Peter Jones | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 03:15PM-04:30PM |
Fall 2024 Dance Courses: Related Topics and Seminars
| Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THDA | 218 | 01 | Dance Technique and Rep. | Jenna Riegel | Amherst College | F | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
| THDA | 218H | 01 | Dance Technique and Rep. | Jenna Riegel | Amherst College | F | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
| HACU | 0239 | 1 | Production Management for Danc | Matthew Adelson | Hampshire College | 01:00PM-03:50PM TU |
| DANCE | 305ST | 01 | Repertory: Street Styles | Shakia Barron | Mount Holyoke College | M 06:00PM-09:00PM |
| DANCE | 390 | 01 | Advanced Seminar | Barbie Diewald | Mount Holyoke College | F 01:45PM-03:00PM;F 01:45PM-03:00PM |
| DAN | 171 | 01 | Dance History: Politicl Bodies | Lester Tomé | Smith College | M W 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM |
| DAN | 207 | 01 | Intermediate Repertory | Smith College | M W 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM | |
| DAN | 207 | 02 | Intermediate Repertory | Smith College | TU TH 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM | |
| DAN | 305 | 01 | Advanced Repertory | Chris Aiken | Smith College | W F 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM |
| DAN | 377ci | 01 | Adv Studies: Contact Improv | Chris Aiken | Smith College | M 1:30 PM - 2:55 PM; W 1:10 PM - 2:35 PM |
| DANCE | 272 | 01 | Dance And Culture | Ann Biddle | UMass Amherst | M W 2:30PM 3:45PM |
| DANCE | 368 | 01 | Writing About Dance | Ann Biddle | UMass Amherst | M W F 1:25PM 2:15PM |
| DANCE | 495A | 01 | Sem-Senior Project | Molly Lynch | UMass Amherst | TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM |
Fall 2024 Dance Courses: Graduate Courses
| Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAN | 500pc | 01 | Grad Sem:T-Philosoph Contemp | Lester Tomé | Smith College | M 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM |
| DAN | 553 | 01 | Choreography By Design | Chris Aiken | Smith College | TU TH 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
Follow us on: Facebook, Instagram; sign up for our newsletter!
