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.

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. We are a community of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and visiting scholars and artists. We create and amplify access to rich, varied artistic and academic opportunities in dance.

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.

What We Do:

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
A dancer dances in a middle of a circle of people squatting. Their arms are outstretched. The lighting is dark but the dancers exhibit lots of energy.

Our House, choreographed by Shakia Barron, 2018 Mount Holyoke Fall Faculty Concert. Photo by Charles Flachs. 

A group of dancers in colorful clothing are arranged in a clump on stage. They are mid jump with their heads and arms towards the right side of the image.

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

Note that 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.

Fall 2023 Dance Courses: Movement and Rhythmic Analysis

Subject Course # Sect # Course Title Instructor(s) Institution Meeting Times
DANCE 287 01 Rhythmic Analysis Peter Jones Mount Holyoke College MW 03:15PM-04:30PM

Fall 2023 Dance Courses: Related Topics and Seminars

Subject Course # Sect # Course Title Instructor(s) Institution Meeting Times
THDA 125H 01 Craft of Speaking I Ron Bashford Amherst College M/W/F | 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM
CSI 0128 1 Choreographies of Protest Amy Jordan Hampshire College 01:00PM-02:20PM M;01:00PM-02:20PM W
HACU 0145 1 Moving, Making, Meaning Lailye Weidman Hampshire College 10:30AM-11:50AM TU;10:30AM-11:50AM TH
HACU 0239 1 Dance Production Matthew Adelson Hampshire College 09:00AM-10:20AM M;09:00AM-10:20AM W
DANCE 390 01 Senior Capstone Seminar Barbie Diewald Mount Holyoke College F 11:30AM-12:45PM
DAN 200 01 Dance Production Smith College
DAN 201 01 Dance Production Smith College
DANCE 261 01 Dance Education Introduction UMass Amherst W F 9:00AM 11:00AM
DANCE 365 01 Dance Production UMass Amherst M W 9:00AM 10:20AM
DANCE 368 01 Writing About Dance Aston McCullough UMass Amherst TU TH 2:30PM 3:45PM
DANCE 495A 01 Sem-Senior Project Molly Lynch UMass Amherst TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM

Fall 2023 Dance Courses: Graduate Courses

Subject Course # Sect # Course Title Instructor(s) Institution Meeting Times
DAN 521 01 Choreography/Creative Process Angie Hauser Smith College TU TH 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
DAN 540 01 History & Literature of Dance Smith College M 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Fall 2023 Dance Courses: Technique

Subject Course # Sect # Course Title Instructor(s) Institution Meeting Times
THDA 120H 01 Dance: Beg./Int. Ballet Eleanor Goudie-Averill Amherst College M/W | 12:30 PM - 1:50 PM
THDA 122H 01 Beg./Int. Hip Hop Djeffrey Jean-Philippe Amherst College M/W | 2:00 PM - 3:20 PM
THDA 145H 01 Dance: Beg./Int. Jazz Amherst College TU/TH | 2:30 PM - 3:50 PM
THDA 315H 01 Dance: Adv. Contemporary Jenna Riegel Amherst College TU/TH | 4:00 PM - 5:20 PM
CSI 0128 1 Choreographies of Protest Amy Jordan Hampshire College 01:00PM-02:20PM M;01:00PM-02:20PM W
HACU 0145 1 Moving, Making, Meaning Lailye Weidman Hampshire College 10:30AM-11:50AM TU;10:30AM-11:50AM TH
DANCE 107 01 Intro to Ballet & Modern Erin Kouwe Mount Holyoke College TTH 03:15PM-04:30PM
DANCE 133 01 Introduction to Breakin' Andres Ramirez Mount Holyoke College MW 11:30AM-12:45PM
DANCE 133 02 Introduction to Breakin' Andres Ramirez Mount Holyoke College MW 01:45PM-03:00PM
DANCE 216MA 01 Intermediate Modern Erin Kouwe Mount Holyoke College MW 10:00AM-11:15AM
DANCE 219 01 Intermediate Improvisation Erin Kouwe Mount Holyoke College TTH 01:45PM-03:00PM
DANCE 234 01 House Dance Shakia Barron Mount Holyoke College TTH 01:45PM-03:00PM
DANCE 272QF 01 Queer & Feminist Performance Erin Kouwe Mount Holyoke College MW 11:30AM-12:45PM
DANCE 305CR 01 Repertory: Contemporary Instructor To Be Announced,Tian Hui Ng Mount Holyoke College MW 06:00PM-09:00PM
DANCE 305RM 01 Repertory: Modern Barbie Diewald Mount Holyoke College TTH 06:00PM-09:00PM
DANCE 305ST 01 Repertory: Street Styles Shakia Barron Mount Holyoke College F 01:00PM-04:00PM
DANCE 318 01 Advanced Modern Barbie Diewald Mount Holyoke College TTH 10:30AM-11:45AM
DANCE 325 01 Advanced Ballet Barbie Diewald Mount Holyoke College TTH 09:00AM-10:15AM
DAN 101sf 01 T-Studio:Strength&Flexibility Smith College M W F 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
DAN 114 01 Beginning Contemporary Dance 2 Smith College W F 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM
DAN 119 01 Beginning Contact Improv Smith College M W 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM
DAN 120 01 Beginning Ballet 1 Smith College M W 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
DAN 121 01 Beginning Ballet 2 Smith College TU TH 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM
DAN 130 01 Beginning Jazz Dance Smith College M W 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
DAN 133 01 Dance for Every Body Maddy Sher Smith College TU TH 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM
DAN 142wa 01 T-West African Dance Smith College TU TH 4:10 PM - 5:25 PM
DAN 144 01 Tango I Laura Grandi Smith College M W 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
DAN 146 01 Beginner Hip Hop Dance Daniel Guzman Smith College M W 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM
DAN 215 01 Intermed Contemporary Dance 1 Angie Hauser Smith College TU TH 1:10 PM - 2:35 PM
DAN 219 01 Intermediate Contact Improv Chris Aiken Smith College W F 10:50 AM - 12:15 PM
DAN 222 01 Intermediate Ballet 1 Rodger Fleming Blum Smith College M W 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM
DAN 324 01 Advanced Ballet 1 Rodger Fleming Blum Smith College TU TH 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
DAN 327 01 Advanced Pointe Technique Eleanor Goudie-Averill Smith College M 3:05 PM - 4:30 PM
DANCE 113 01 Modern Dance I Duane Holland, Jr UMass Amherst TU TH 10:00AM 11:15AM
DANCE 120 01 Ballet I Thomas Vacanti UMass Amherst M W F 12:20PM 1:10PM
DANCE 130 01 Jazz Dance I Lauren Cox UMass Amherst TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM
DANCE 191P 01 S- Hip Hop Duane Holland, Jr UMass Amherst TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM
DANCE 215 01 Modern Dance III Aston McCullough UMass Amherst TU TH 4:00PM 5:15PM
DANCE 222 01 Ballet III Thomas Vacanti UMass Amherst M W F 1:25PM 2:15PM
DANCE 305 01 Advanced Dance in Repertory Molly Lynch UMass Amherst TU TH 10:00AM 11:15AM
DANCE 334 01 Jazz Dance V Lauren Cox UMass Amherst TU TH 2:30PM 3:45PM
DANCE 391D 01 S-Ballet Pointe/Variations Thomas Vacanti UMass Amherst M W 2:30PM 3:45PM

Fall 2023 Dance Courses: Creative Studies: Choreography, Composition, and Improvisation

Subject Course # Sect # Course Title Instructor(s) Institution Meeting Times
THDA 111 01 Language of Movement Jungeun Kim Amherst College TU/TH | 2:00 PM - 3:50 PM
THDA 218H 01 Dance: Contemporary Rep. Jenna Riegel Amherst College TU/TH | 5:30 PM - 6:50 PM
THDA 250 01 Bodies in Motion Jungeun Kim Amherst College TU/TH | 9:30 AM - 11:20 AM
HACU 0145 1 Moving, Making, Meaning Lailye Weidman Hampshire College 10:30AM-11:50AM TU;10:30AM-11:50AM TH
DANCE 151 01 Elementary Composition Shakia Barron Mount Holyoke College MW 01:45PM-03:00PM
DAN 207 01 Intermediate Repertory Sarah Shostak Konner Smith College M W 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
DAN 207 02 Intermediate Repertory Smith College M W 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
DAN 219 01 Intermediate Contact Improv Chris Aiken Smith College W F 10:50 AM - 12:15 PM
DAN 252 01 Intermediate Dance Composition Smith College W 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM; M 1:40 PM - 2:55 PM
DAN 252 L01 Intermediate Dance Composition Smith College W 3:10 PM - 4:00 PM; M 3:05 PM - 3:55 PM
DAN 305 01 Advanced Repertory Rodger Fleming Blum Smith College TU TH 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
DAN 309 01 Advanced Repertory Angie Hauser Smith College W F 1:20 PM - 3:20 PM
DANCE 192D 01 S-Improv & Mvmnt Exploration Lauren Cox UMass Amherst M W 1:25PM 2:15PM
DANCE 252 01 Intermed Composition Duane Holland, Jr UMass Amherst TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM

Fall 2023 Dance Courses: Scientific Aspects of Dance and Anatomy

Subject Course # Sect # Course Title Instructor(s) Institution Meeting Times
DAN 241 01 Scientific Foundation of Dance Chris Aiken Smith College TU TH 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM

Contact Us

Melinda Buckwalter

Melinda Buckwalter

Managing Director of Five College Dance

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