Department of Dance
Overview
The ACAPA Department of Dance has been central to the college's identity since the institution's founding in 1947. Rooted in the conviction that rigorous technical training and broad artistic inquiry are inseparable, the department prepares students for professional careers as performers, choreographers, educators, and movement researchers. Dance at ACAPA occupies a singular place in New England's conservatory landscape: a program small enough for intensive mentorship, yet diverse enough in its faculty expertise and guest artist programming to offer genuinely comprehensive training.
The department currently enrolls approximately 80 undergraduate and 18 graduate students. Classes are held in the Whitmore Dance Center, a purpose-built facility with five sprung-floor studios, a black-box performance space seating 120, full sound and lighting infrastructure, and a dance medicine consultation room maintained in partnership with the Eastbridge Regional Health System.
ACAPA dancers regularly perform at the Hargrove Pavilion, the college's 740-seat mainstage venue, as well as in site-specific and community engagement productions throughout Vermont and the wider Northeast. The department hosts an annual guest artist residency series and maintains ongoing relationships with regional professional companies.
Degree Programs
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance (BFA) — 4 Years, 120 Credits
The BFA program combines conservatory-level technical training with a liberal arts core, preparing students for careers as performing artists, choreographers, and arts educators. All BFA students audition for admission and must demonstrate prior training in at least one primary technique. The curriculum is organized around daily technique classes, composition and choreography, dance history and theory, anatomy for dancers, and mainstage performance.
Students choose a primary technique focus (Ballet, Modern/Contemporary, or Jazz/Commercial) in their second year while continuing cross-disciplinary training throughout all four years. By graduation, students will have performed in a minimum of four departmental productions, completed an independent choreographic project, and fulfilled a capstone presentation requirement.
| Year | Focus | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 (Foundation) | Technique survey (all styles), Introduction to Choreography, Dance History I, Anatomy & Kinesiology I | 30 |
| Year 2 (Development) | Primary technique intensification, Composition I & II, Dance History II, Repertory Performance | 30 |
| Year 3 (Advanced Practice) | Advanced technique, Choreographic Workshop, Pedagogy I, Dance Science, Electives | 30 |
| Year 4 (Capstone) | Senior Choreographic Project, Pedagogy II, Senior Seminar, Mainstage Production, Electives | 30 |
Concentrations available within the BFA:
- Performance (classical and contemporary focus)
- Choreography & Composition
- Dance Education & Pedagogy
- Experimental & Interdisciplinary Practice
Master of Fine Arts in Dance (MFA) — 2 Years, 60 Credits
The MFA is a terminal degree for established dance artists seeking to deepen and expand their creative research, refine choreographic voice, and develop skills in pedagogy and critical theory. Applicants are expected to have significant prior professional or performance experience; the program does not admit students directly from undergraduate study without exceptional circumstance.
The MFA curriculum is built around independent studio research under faculty mentorship, culminating in an evening-length thesis performance in the second year. Coursework includes advanced technique, critical theory seminars, choreographic research, teaching practicum, and interdisciplinary electives available across ACAPA departments (including Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts).
| Semester | Core Requirements |
|---|---|
| Year 1, Fall | Approaches to Practice (seminar), Advanced Technique I, Choreographic Research I, Teaching Practicum I |
| Year 1, Spring | Critical Theory in Dance, Advanced Technique II, Choreographic Research II, Teaching Practicum II |
| Year 2, Fall | Independent Studio Research, Thesis Development I, Elective, Teaching Practicum III |
| Year 2, Spring | Thesis Development II, Thesis Performance (evening-length), Written Critical Companion, Exit Review |
MFA candidates receive a full tuition fellowship and a teaching stipend in exchange for one section of undergraduate instruction per semester beginning in Year 2. Limited funding is available for Year 1 students; see the Admissions office for current financial aid information.
Styles Taught
The ACAPA Dance Department offers training across a wide spectrum of technique and practice. All BFA students receive foundational exposure to each area before concentrating; MFA students may engage any area in relation to their research focus.
| Style / Form | Description | Level(s) Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Ballet | Classical technique emphasizing proper body alignment, classical line, musicality, and ballet vocabulary at all levels. Includes pointe, pas de deux, and variations at advanced levels. Students engage both the Vaganova and Cecchetti approaches. | Beginning through Advanced; BFA & MFA |
| Modern | Rooted in classic modern techniques (Graham, Limón, Horton). Emphasizes floor work, fall and recovery, articulation of the spine, groundedness, and expression. Students develop fluidity of movement, shaping of the body, and range of dynamic quality through historical and contemporary lenses. | Beginning through Advanced; BFA & MFA |
| Contemporary | Evolving from postmodern and release traditions, contemporary technique at ACAPA emphasizes versatility, improvisation, contact-release, and somatic awareness. Students explore connections between ballet and modern foundations and current international movement practices. | Intermediate through Advanced; BFA & MFA |
| Jazz | Training covers a wide range of jazz styles including classic jazz technique, Broadway and commercial styles. Focus on strong lines, jazz terminology, the body’s center of movement, rhythmic awareness, dynamic variety, and individual expression. Students explore both vernacular and contemporary movement within jazz traditions. | Beginning through Advanced; BFA |
| Tap | Training in both Broadway and Rhythm Tap styles. Emphasis on body part isolations, weight shifts, initiation and follow-through, musicality, and individual style. Lower levels focus on foundational vocabulary; advanced levels engage syncopated rhythms, improvisation, and extended tap composition. | Beginning through Advanced; BFA |
| Experimental / Interdisciplinary | A studio and seminar hybrid course exploring movement outside established genre boundaries. Topics rotate by semester and have included site-specific performance, durational works, movement with text, digital/video integration, audience-participatory forms, and collaboration across ACAPA departments. Open to advanced BFA students and all MFA candidates. | Advanced BFA; MFA |
Additional offerings (elective/rotating): Partnering & Lifts Improvisation Dance Composition Somatic Practices African Diaspora Forms Pilates for Dancers Yoga & Conditioning Laban Movement Analysis Dance on Camera
Sample Course List
The following courses are offered in the current academic year. Scheduling and availability vary by semester. MFA students should consult their faculty mentor regarding which courses fulfill degree requirements.
| Course No. | Title | Credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNC 101 | Ballet Technique I | 2 | BFA Year 1 required |
| DNC 102 | Modern Technique I | 2 | BFA Year 1 required |
| DNC 103 | Jazz Technique I | 2 | BFA Year 1 required |
| DNC 104 | Tap Technique I | 2 | BFA Year 1 required |
| DNC 110 | Introduction to Choreography | 3 | BFA Year 1 required |
| DNC 120 | Dance History I: Pre-Modern to 1960 | 3 | BFA Year 1 required |
| DNC 121 | Dance History II: 1960 to Present | 3 | BFA Year 2 required |
| DNC 130 | Anatomy & Kinesiology for Dancers | 3 | BFA Year 1 required |
| DNC 201 | Ballet Technique II & III | 2 each | BFA Years 2–3 |
| DNC 202 | Modern Technique II & III | 2 each | BFA Years 2–3 |
| DNC 210 | Composition I & II | 3 each | BFA Years 2–3 |
| DNC 215 | Contemporary Technique | 2 | BFA Years 2–4; MFA elective |
| DNC 230 | Repertory Performance | 2 | BFA required; repeatable |
| DNC 310 | Choreographic Workshop | 3 | BFA Year 3; open to MFA |
| DNC 320 | Dance Science: Injury Prevention & Performance | 3 | BFA Year 3 elective |
| DNC 340 | Pedagogy I: Teaching Dance | 3 | BFA Year 3; Education concentration |
| DNC 341 | Pedagogy II: Curriculum Design | 3 | BFA Year 4; Education concentration |
| DNC 395 | Experimental & Interdisciplinary Practice | 3 | Advanced BFA; all MFA |
| DNC 410 | Senior Choreographic Project | 4 | BFA Year 4 capstone |
| DNC 420 | Senior Seminar: Dance in Context | 3 | BFA Year 4 required |
| DNC 501 | Approaches to Practice (MFA seminar) | 3 | MFA Year 1 required |
| DNC 510 | Choreographic Research I & II | 3 each | MFA required |
| DNC 520 | Critical Theory in Dance | 3 | MFA Year 1 required |
| DNC 590 | Independent Studio Research | 4 | MFA Year 2 |
| DNC 599 | MFA Thesis Performance | 6 | MFA Year 2 capstone |
Faculty
The Dance Department faculty are active artists and scholars with professional experience in performance, choreography, and research. Full faculty profiles are available on the ACAPA Faculty Directory.
Prof. Ferreira holds an MFA in Dance from New York University and trained professionally in Brazil and Europe before joining the ACAPA faculty in 2009. Her research and choreographic practice center on the intersection of contemporary and experimental movement, somatic methods, and site-responsive performance. She has presented work at venues in the United States, Portugal, and Brazil, and has taught master classes at programs throughout New England. At ACAPA, she teaches Advanced Contemporary Technique, Choreographic Workshop, and Experimental & Interdisciplinary Practice, and serves as the primary faculty contact for all Spring Showcase submissions and productions.
Office: Whitmore Dance Center, Room 214 | n.ferreira@acapa.edu | Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 1:00–3:00 pm or by appointment
Prof. Osei trained at the Royal Ballet School and danced professionally with several national companies before moving to academia. He joined ACAPA in 2004. He teaches Ballet Technique (all levels), Pas de Deux, and Dance History I & II. His research focuses on the African diaspora's influence on Western concert dance traditions.
Office: Whitmore Dance Center, Room 208 | g.osei@acapa.edu
A veteran of Broadway and touring productions, Prof. Kowalczyk brings extensive commercial performance experience to her teaching. She joined ACAPA in 2011 and teaches Jazz Technique (all levels), Tap Technique (all levels), Repertory Performance, and Pedagogy I. She is the faculty advisor for the student-run ACAPA Jazz Collective.
Office: Whitmore Dance Center, Room 206 | d.kowalczyk@acapa.edu
Prof. Vaillancourt holds an MFA from the University of Illinois and is a certified Laban Movement Analyst. He joined ACAPA in 2018. He teaches Modern Technique (all levels), Anatomy & Kinesiology for Dancers, Dance Science, and Somatic Practices (elective). His research investigates injury prevention frameworks for conservatory-trained dancers.
Office: Whitmore Dance Center, Room 210 | t.vaillancourt@acapa.edu
Prof. Singh is an independent choreographer and educator whose work has been presented across North America. She joined ACAPA in 2021. She teaches Introduction to Choreography, Composition I & II, and Improvisation (elective), and mentors BFA students in the choreography concentration.
Office: Whitmore Dance Center, Room 212 | a.singh@acapa.edu
The department also maintains a roster of adjunct instructors and visiting artists who teach elective and special-topics courses each semester. A current list is posted on the bulletin board outside Whitmore Dance Center Room 200.
Spring Showcase 2025
The ACAPA Spring Showcase is the department's primary student performance event of the academic year. Held each spring in the Hargrove Pavilion, the Showcase presents choreographic and performance work by currently enrolled BFA and MFA students. The 2025 Showcase is scheduled for Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26, 2025, with an 8:00 pm curtain both evenings. A matinee performance may be added pending enrollment; watch the departmental bulletin board and the ACAPA Events calendar for updates.
Eligibility
- All currently enrolled BFA Dance students in Years 2–4 are eligible to submit work.
- All enrolled MFA Dance students are eligible to submit work.
- BFA Year 1 students may appear as performers in submitted works but may not submit as primary choreographers.
- Collaborative works involving students from other ACAPA departments are welcome. The primary choreographer/director must be a Dance Department student.
- Faculty-choreographed works are not included in the student Showcase program (see separate Departmental Concert guidelines).
Work Format Requirements
| Category | Maximum Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Solo work | 5 minutes | One dancer on stage at any moment; does not preclude use of recorded voice, shadow, or projected elements |
| Duet | 7 minutes | Two performers maximum |
| Small group (3–6 performers) | 10 minutes | |
| Large group / ensemble (7+ performers) | 12 minutes | All performers must be ACAPA students unless prior approval granted by Prof. Ferreira |
| Experimental / installation-adjacent | 12 minutes | Must include a performance component; purely static installations are not eligible. Contact Prof. Ferreira in advance to discuss feasibility. |
What to Submit
- Submission form (available on the Dance Dept. intranet page for current students)
- Work title and brief program note (100 words maximum)
- Technical rider: list of audio/visual requirements, including music files (MP3 or WAV, 320 kbps or higher), video projection files, and any special lighting requests. Standard departmental lighting plots are available on request from the technical director.
- Rehearsal schedule request: list your three preferred tech rehearsal time slots from the options provided in the submission form.
- Performer roster: full names and student IDs of all performers.
- Costume and props summary: a one-paragraph description. The department does not provide costumes; students are responsible for all costuming. A limited inventory of basic blacks is available for loan on a first-come, first-served basis; contact the department office to check availability.
Selection Process
Submissions are reviewed by a faculty selection committee chaired by Prof. Ferreira. The committee evaluates works on the basis of artistic intent, production feasibility, and program balance (style, duration, and diversity of approach). Applicants will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance by March 15, 2025. Accepted works are not guaranteed their requested time slot; final program order is determined by the production team.
Students whose work is not selected for the Showcase are encouraged to present in the department's informal Works-in-Progress showing, held in Studio 3 on the Wednesday prior to the Showcase.
Tech Week & Rehearsal Schedule
Tech week runs April 20–24, 2025. All accepted works are required to attend their assigned tech rehearsal. A mandatory production meeting for all choreographers will be held on April 14, 2025 at 5:30 pm in Whitmore Dance Center Room 100. Attendance is required; failure to attend without prior notice to Prof. Ferreira may result in removal from the program.
Facilities
Dance facilities at ACAPA are housed primarily in the Whitmore Dance Center, a building opened in 1983 and renovated most recently in 2017. The center includes:
- Studio 1 — 2,400 sq. ft., sprung Marley floor, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, full barre installation; primary venue for technique classes
- Studio 2 — 1,800 sq. ft., sprung Marley floor, mirrors; used for composition, rehearsals, and adjunct classes
- Studio 3 — 1,200 sq. ft., black box configuration, flexible seating for up to 50, basic rep lighting and sound system; used for Experimental practice and Works-in-Progress showings
- Studios 4 & 5 — 900 sq. ft. each; available for student rehearsal by reservation
- Dance Medicine Room — staffed two days per week by a physical therapist from Eastbridge Regional Health; students may book appointments through the department office
- Video Library & Viewing Room — archive of performance recordings and reference materials; accessible to enrolled students during building hours
The Hargrove Pavilion (main building, 740 seats) is the department's primary venue for public performances, including the Spring Showcase and the annual Departmental Concert.
Auditions & Admissions
Admission to the BFA Dance program requires an audition. ACAPA holds in-person audition days in January and February each year, and accepts video auditions on a rolling basis through March 1. Applicants should prepare a 2–3 minute solo or excerpted technique demonstration in their primary style, and be prepared to participate in a technique class portion.
MFA applicants submit a portfolio including a 5–10 minute video of recent work, an artist statement (500 words), two letters of recommendation, and academic/professional CV. Finalists are invited to campus for an in-person interview and studio visit. See the Admissions page for current deadlines and application instructions.
Department Contact
| Department Chair | Prof. Nadia Ferreira — n.ferreira@acapa.edu |
| Dept. Office | Whitmore Dance Center, Room 200 Phone: (802) 555-0174 Email: dance@acapa.edu Hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Technical Director | Marcus Elwell — m.elwell@acapa.edu |
| Dept. Administrator | Rosa Tanaka — r.tanaka@acapa.edu |
| Mailing Address | Department of Dance, ACAPA 14 Hargrove Drive Eastbridge, VT 05401 |
For general college inquiries, visit the ACAPA Contact page. For performance and event information, see Events & Performances. For Hargrove Pavilion bookings and information, see the Hargrove Pavilion page.