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Dance

Department Overview

Swarthmore’s Dance program brings together a talented group of students to perform a global repertoire of dance styles and simultaneously engage in critical thinking and writing. Our students are often double majors or special majors in fields such as Anthropology, Classics, Art History, English, Education, as well as Biology, Psychology, Math, and Computer Science. We welcome all students to join our dance community regardless of whether they are majors or minors in the program or have prior formal training in dance. We also offer special scholarships for our majors and minors to study specific styles with some of the finest master teachers and choreographers in Philadelphia or develop as art activists through immersion in an international or local community.

The state of the art Lang Performing Arts Center and our spacious dance studios are always buzzing with rehearsals and performances. The intimate Underhill library, dedicated to Dance and Music, offers the ideal nook to rest dancing feet and discover the world of dance scholarship through books, articles, and digital resources. Come and experience our vibrant and diverse community of artists and scholars as we pursue dance as a field of academic inquiry, artistic creation, and civic engagement.

Join us on the journey!

About the Dance Program

Two people editing a dance video.

Dance lab student Megan Patton '20 meeting with Kim Arrow in the Media Center to edit footage for a Dance Lab project.

Photo by by Sasha Fornari
Students rehearsing GISELLE for performance.

For this historically inspired version of GISELLE, students learned the pantomime choreography and used focused research for later writings about pantomime and music from many different lenses.

Photo by by Sasha Fornari
Students practicing African dance.

African dance students practice their technique with professor Saleana Pettaway in the Troy dance studio.

Photo by by Sasha Fornari
Dance academic class in front of a large window.

Pallabi Chakravorty pauses to listen to the "Dance in Diaspora" class in discussion.

Photo by by Lawrence Kesterson
Kathak dancers with projected video, blue costumes.

Professional Kathak dancers rehearse for performance on the LPAC mainstage with a digital backdrop.

Photo by by Sasha Fornari
Dancers in rehearsal doing a pose.

Contemporary ballet students Lia D'Alessandro '21, Zach Weiss '20, Katie Knox '22 and others practice their form in the Boyer dance studio.

Photo by by Sasha Fornari
A tapper spins in a blue dress, blurry

Molly Murphy '18 spins in her tap shoes during a dress rehearsal.

Photo by by Sasha Fornari
A dancer with arms upraised teaching other dancers

Doug Varone dance company teaches choreography to Zach Weiss '20 and others in a master class sponsored by the Cooper series program.

Photo by by Sasha Fornari
Taiko dancers with their drums

Zhijia Shirley Liu '22, Kira Emmons '20, and Jinwook Daisy Lee '22 at East Coast Taiko Conference 2020, University of Connecticut.

Photo by by Albert Huang, UConn Kodama Taiko.
A yoga class practices in the Troy Dance Studio.

Kim Arrow teaches a yoga class practice in the LPAC Troy Dance Studio for dance majors and non-majors.

Photo by by Sasha Fornari
Tap dancers in Star Wars costumes with a digital background

Dance repertory classes, such as tap shown here, rehearse and perform in a final concert each semester that highlights the many facets of our diverse program.

Photo by by Steve Weinik

Dance lab student Megan Patton '20 meeting with Kim Arrow in the Media Center to edit footage for a Dance Lab project.

Photo / by Sasha Fornari
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Attention First Year Students! Don't miss Dance Orientation!

Come learn about the breadth of course offerings in dance, performance opportunities, what courses you should take if you might be interested in a major or minor, how to apply for summer funding, study abroad opportunities, and meet our faculty! Plus, it is a great place to meet other students interested in dance.

All students are welcome in the Dance Program regardless of prior experience -- two very friendly placement classes will be held to help ensure that all students are in the best place for them to succeed, learn, and grow. Students with no prior experience who want to try out a form represented in the placement classes are also welcome in placement. Wear comfortable clothing you can move in and bring sneakers and either socks or ballet shoes. Students who already feel comfortable taking ballet class on pointe are encouraged to wear their pointe shoes for either or both the ballet barre or center portion of the placement. 

Swarthmore College Spring Dance Concert

 

Spring '23 Dance Concert


Friday 4/28 @ 4:30 PM
Saturday 4/29 @ 7:00 PM

Pearson-Hall Theater, Lang Performing Arts Center
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
 
The Dance Program sends a warm invitation to all to attend our Spring 2023 Dance Concert,  featuring dances and music from a variety of styles and cultural traditions.

Performances by faculty-directed repertory ensembles in Contemporary/Modern, African Dance and Drum, Ballet, Tap, Hip-Hop, Kalbeliya, Taiko, and student choreography by Ellie Tsapatsaris '24!

Can’t make it in person?
Live Stream: 
https://video.ibm.com/channel/NC4DHY6VReS

And, save the date for our Spring Dance Lab showing!
Monday, May 1st, at 5:00 PM in Troy Dance Studio, LPAC 002.
 

This event is sponsored by the Dance Program.
This event is taking place in person. All visitors must comply with the College's COVID policy. 
The closest parking lot to the event venue is the DuPont parking lot.

Accessibility Advance Notice
Swarthmore College encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the event sponsor, or Susan Smythe,  ADA Program Manager at 610-690-2063 in advance of your participation or visit.

 

 

Dance News

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