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.
Rennie Harris masterclass & "Popsicles can do so much" by Jungeun Kim, photos by Derek Fowles. Rehearsal of "Dance 1" (1979) by Lucinda Childs, photo by nikki lee.
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.
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Fall 25 FCD Combined Course Live Listings coming soon!
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Fall 25 FCD Combined Course Listings Google Sheet
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Meet the New Dance Faculty at Five College Dance.
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Fall 25 Travel Packages for Dance Classes by Campus.
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Approved Courses for Major / Minor / Concentration for Fall 25.
Confused about how to register for an FCD course?
Look no further! Five Colleges, Inc. wants to make your registration process as seamless as possible so they have made this cross-registration How To for you. Follow these steps and be sure to email the instructor to tell them of your interest. Happy Dancing!
Fall 2025 Dance Courses
Fall 2025 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 |
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THDA | 122H | 01 | Beg./Int. Hip Hop Dance | Amherst College | TU/TH | 1:05 PM - 2:20 PM | |
THDA | 126H | 01 | Dance: Afro-Cuban Dance | Neri Torres | Amherst College | M/W | 11:35 AM - 12:50 PM |
DANCE | 132 | 01 | Introduction to Hip Hop | Shakia Barron | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 01:45PM-03:00PM |
DANCE | 232 | 01 | Intermediate Hip Hop | Shakia Barron | Mount Holyoke College | MW 11:30AM-12:45PM |
DAN | 146 | 01 | Beginner Hip Hop Dance | Daniel Guzman | Smith College | M W 10:50 AM - 12:05 PM |
DAN | 245 | 01 | Intermediate Afro-Modern | Felipa Neri Torres | Smith College | TU TH 1:10 PM - 2:35 PM |
DAN | 246 | 01 | Intermediate Hip Hop | Miss Angelica Polk | Smith College | M W 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM |
DANCE | 130 | 01 | Jazz Dance I | Lauren Cox | UMass Amherst | TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM |
DANCE | 191R | 01 | S-Intro to Club & Street Dance | Michele Byrd-McPhee | UMass Amherst | M W 2:30PM 3:45PM |
DANCE | 232 | 01 | Jazz Dance III | Lauren Cox | UMass Amherst | TU TH 11:30AM 12:45PM |
Fall 2025 Dance Courses: Technique - Ballet
Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
THDA | 120H | 01 | Dance: Beg./Int. Ballet | Amherst College | M/W | 10:05 AM - 11:20 AM | |
DANCE | 107 | 01 | Intro to Ballet & Modern | Eleanor Goudie-Averill | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 03:15PM-04:30PM |
DANCE | 222 | 01 | Intermediate Ballet | Eleanor Goudie-Averill | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 01:45PM-03:00PM |
DAN | 120 | 01 | Beginning Ballet 1 | Smith College | M W 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM | |
DAN | 222 | 01 | Intermediate Ballet 1 | Rodger Fleming Blum | Smith College | M 3:05 PM - 4:20 PM; W 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM |
DAN | 324 | 01 | Advanced Ballet 1 | Rodger Fleming Blum | Smith College | TU TH 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM |
DANCE | 120 | 01 | Ballet I | Thomas Vacanti | UMass Amherst | W F 9:05AM 10:35AM |
DANCE | 222 | 01 | Ballet III | Thomas Vacanti | UMass Amherst | TU TH 2:30PM 4:00PM |
DANCE | 391D | 01 | S-Ballet Pointe/Variations | Thomas Vacanti | UMass Amherst | TU TH 4:00PM 5:15PM |
Fall 2025 Dance Courses: Technique - Modern/Contemporary
Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
THDA | 315H | 01 | Dance: Adv. Contemporary | Jenna Riegel | Amherst College | M/W | 4:05 PM - 5:20 PM |
HACU | 0145 | 1 | Moving, Making, Meaning | Lailye Weidman | Hampshire College | 02:30PM-03:50PM TU;02:30PM-03:50PM TH |
DANCE | 107 | 01 | Intro to Ballet & Modern | Eleanor Goudie-Averill | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 03:15PM-04:30PM |
DANCE | 318 | 01 | Advanced Modern | Barbie Diewald | Mount Holyoke College | MW 10:00AM-11:15AM |
DAN | 113fn | 01 | Contemporary:T-Fundamentals | Smith College | TU TH 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM | |
DAN | 215 | 01 | Intermed Contemporary Dance 1 | Smith College | TU TH 2:45 PM - 4:15 PM | |
DANCE | 215 | 01 | Modern Dance III | Duane Holland, Jr | UMass Amherst | M W 4:00PM 5:15PM |
Fall 2025 Dance Courses: Technique - Additional Technique Offerings
Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
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THDA | 129H | 01 | Dance: Contemp Floorwork | Amherst College | TH | 1:05 PM - 2:20 PM | |
DANCE | 269 | 01 | Dance & Storytelling | Michael Ofori | Mount Holyoke College | MW 01:45PM-03:00PM |
DAN | 119 | 01 | Beginning Contact Improv | Sarah Young | Smith College | TU TH 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM |
DAN | 133 | 01 | Dance for Every Body | Hannah Littman | Smith College | M 3:05 PM - 4:20 PM; W 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM |
DAN | 219 | 01 | Intermediate Contact Improv | Chris Aiken | Smith College | M W 10:50 AM - 12:15 PM |
Fall 2025 Dance Courses: Creative Studies: Choreography, Composition, and Improvisation
Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
THDA | 111 | 01 | Language of Movement | Angelica Monteiro | Amherst College | TU/TH | 2:35 PM - 4:25 PM |
THDA | 218 | 01 | Dance Technique and Rep. | Angelica Monteiro | Amherst College | |
THDA | 218H | 01 | Dance Technique and Rep. | Jenna Riegel | Amherst College | |
THDA | 218H | 02 | Dance Technique and Rep. | Angelica Monteiro | Amherst College | |
HACU | 0291 | 1 | Movement As Research | Lailye Weidman | Hampshire College | 10:30AM-11:50AM TU;10:30AM-11:50AM TH |
DANCE | 151 | 01 | Composition I | Barbie Diewald | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 09:00AM-10:15AM |
DANCE | 305CR | 01 | Repertory: Contemporary | Mustapha Braimah | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 07:00PM-09:45PM |
DANCE | 305RM | 01 | Repertory: Modern | Barbie Diewald | Mount Holyoke College | MWF 11:30AM-12:45PM;MWF 11:30AM-12:45PM |
DANCE | 305RT | 01 | Repertory: Tap | Ian Berg | Mount Holyoke College | T 07:00PM-09:45PM |
DANCE | 305ST | 01 | Repertory: Street Styles | Shakia Barron | Mount Holyoke College | F 01:30PM-04:20PM |
DAN | 207 | 01 | Intermediate Repertory | Eleanor Goudie-Averill | Smith College | TU TH 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM |
DAN | 207 | 02 | Intermediate Repertory | Smith College | TU TH 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM | |
DAN | 252 | 01 | Intermediate Dance Composition | Rodger Fleming Blum | Smith College | W 1:10 PM - 2:35 PM; M 1:30 PM - 2:55 PM |
DAN | 309 | 01 | Advanced Repertory | Angie Hauser | Smith College | F 1:10 PM - 2:35 PM; W 1:10 PM - 2:35 PM |
DAN | 309 | 02 | Advanced Repertory | Felipa Neri Torres | Smith College | TU TH 2:45 PM - 4:45 PM |
DANCE | 192D | 01 | S-Improv & Mvmnt Exploration | Lauren Cox | UMass Amherst | M W 12:20PM 1:35PM |
DANCE | 252 | 01 | Intermed Composition | UMass Amherst | W F 11:15AM 12:45PM | |
DANCE | 305 | 01 | Advanced Dance in Repertory | Michele Byrd-McPhee | UMass Amherst | M W 4:00PM 5:15PM |
DANCE | 309 | 01 | Advanced Dance in Repertory | Duane Holland, Jr | UMass Amherst | M W 5:30PM 6:45PM |
Fall 2025 Dance Courses: Scientific Aspects of Dance
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 |
Fall 2025 Dance Courses: Music, Movement, and Rhythmic Analysis
Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DANCE | 287 | 01 | Rhythmic Analysis | Peter Jones | Mount Holyoke College | TTH 03:15PM-04:30PM |
DAN | 137 | 01 | Beginning Tap | Smith College | W 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM; M 1:40 PM - 2:55 PM |
Fall 2025 Dance Courses: Related Topics and Seminars
Subject | Course # | Sect # | Course Title | Instructor(s) | Institution | Meeting Times |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
THDA | 255 | 01 | Global Dance | Neri Torres | Amherst College | M/W | 1:30 PM - 3:20 PM |
DANCE | 390 | 01 | Advanced Seminar | Shakia Barron | Mount Holyoke College | F 11:30AM-12:45PM |
DAN | 171 | 01 | Dance History: Politicl Bodies | Lester Tomé | Smith College | M W 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM |
DANCE | 261 | 01 | Dance Education Introduction | Ann Biddle | UMass Amherst | W F 9:05AM 11:00AM |
DANCE | 272 | 01 | Dance And Culture | Michele Byrd-McPhee | UMass Amherst | M W 12:20PM 1:35PM |
DANCE | 368 | 01 | Writing About Dance | Ann Biddle | UMass Amherst | M W F 11:15AM 12:05PM |
DANCE | 495A | 01 | Sem-Senior Project | Duane Holland, Jr,Molly Lynch | UMass Amherst | TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM |
Fall 2025 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 - 12:05 PM |
DAN | 540 | 01 | History & Literature of Dance | Lester Tomé | Smith College | M 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM |
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