Dance Schools and Programs in The United States

Dance Studies in The United States

You can study dance in the USA at the North Carolina School of Arts

In the United States dance is a university subject as well as a conservatory art. Departments of dance, often joined with theatre in one school, combine daily technique classes with choreography, dance history and theory, and stage several productions a year in which students perform. The styles taught vary by school: the University of California, Irvine, for example, describes rigorous training in ballet, modern, jazz and hip hop combined with academic inquiry, while Butler University in Indianapolis teaches ballet, modern and jazz with an emphasis on classical ballet.

How the degree is organised

Undergraduate study leads to a bachelor's degree, usually completed in four years of full-time study according to EducationUSA. Two types are common. The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) places dance within a broad liberal arts education and is often chosen by students who want to combine it with another subject. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) is a more intensive studio-based training for future performers and choreographers. Some universities offer both: UC Irvine lists a B.A. in Dance, a B.F.A. in Dance and an M.F.A. in Dance, and Texas Tech University in Lubbock a BA/BFA in Dance. New York University's Tisch School of the Arts describes its BFA as emphasising the techniques of ballet and contemporary dance, with equal emphasis on performance and choreography. At The University of California Los Angeles the B.A. in Dance integrates composition, training and improvisation, and the University of Maryland offers a B.A. in Dance.

Besides technique, students take academic courses. Butler mentions choreography, improvisation, Laban Movement Analysis, music for dance and dance history, paired with liberal arts coursework.

The graduate degree for practising artists is the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.). Duke University's MFA in Dance is a two-year, full-time terminal degree; the University of Maryland and the University of Washington also offer an M.F.A. in dance, and UCLA has an M.F.A. in Choreographic Inquiry and a Ph.D. in Culture and Performance.

Admission and language

EducationUSA states that undergraduate applicants generally must have completed high school and be at least 17 years old, and that US universities require an English language proficiency test before admission. Applications for a September start are typically due between November and January, so the search should begin 12 to 18 months before the academic year. Dance programmes usually add an artistic selection to the academic application: Texas Tech's School of Theatre & Dance has an audition/portfolio step for new undergraduates, and Butler has its own page on applying to dance. Teaching is in English.

Degree students normally use the F student visa, which requires acceptance by an institution certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). EducationUSA notes that an SEVP-certified institution may not hold national or regional accreditation, so accreditation should be checked separately.

Where to study dance in the United States

The schools on this page are spread across the country, from New York, with New York University and Fordham University, to California, with UCLA, UC Irvine, the University of California San Diego and The University of California at Berkeley. Large public universities with dance programmes include The Ohio State University, The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Michigan, Florida State University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Colorado at Boulder, whose dance division offers three degrees, a minor and a hip-hop studies certificate and has over 120 dance students. Smaller private colleges such as Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where students can study ballet, modern, jazz, tap and hip-hop, and Spelman College in Atlanta are also on the list, as are community colleges such as Santa Ana College and Bergen Community College.

Recognition of the qualification

US higher education is not centrally organised: institutions are accredited at national or regional level by independent accrediting bodies. Dance also has a specialised accreditor, the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). Hope College states that it has been accredited by the NASD since 1982, and the University of Florida that it is an accredited institutional member. Students who plan to teach or work in another country should ask the authorities there how a US degree is recognised.

Careers

Graduates work as dancers, choreographers and dance teachers, and in arts management. It is a small and competitive profession. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), dancers held about 13,800 jobs in 2025, and overall employment of dancers and choreographers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,200 openings a year. The BLS notes that a formal educational credential is not always required for dancers, but that some employers require or prefer a bachelor's degree in dance or a related performing arts field.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a B.A. and a B.F.A. in dance?

Both are four-year bachelor's degrees. The B.A. combines dance with a broad general education, while the B.F.A. devotes more of the curriculum to studio training, performance and choreography.

Do I need an audition?

Most dance programmes select students by audition in addition to the university's academic admission. Each department publishes its own procedure and dates.

Do I need a degree to work as a dancer?

Not always. According to the BLS, dancers typically need formal training and years of practice, and some employers require or prefer a bachelor's degree in dance.