History

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 B.F.A Program was inspired by former Dean Tommie Stewart’s vision to formally bring dance to the forefront at Alabama State University.  The former Dance Professor, Brian T. Vernon wrote the proposal, and it was brought to fruition and developed by Michael Medcalf, James R. Atkinson, Jr., and Kavin T. Grant in 2013 to offer the BFA degree. The ASU BFA Dance Program is one of only two higher learning institutions in the entire state of Alabama to offer a BFA in Dance. The program is the second HBCU in the nation to offer a degree specifically in dance and is currently ranked number one among HBCU Dance programs and departments.

 

ASU’s BFA Dance Program attracts talented students from across the United States. Since the conception, the BFA Program has created dance concerts for the Eclectic Dance Company, Alabama State University Dance Company, and presently offers a Fall and Spring Dance Concert. In addition, students performed in opportunities, such as ASU Fall Convocation, Founders Day Convocation, Connection Day,  The President’s Gala, CVPA MLK Celebration, ASU Gospel Concert, and much more.

 

Students of the BFA Dance Program are also offered opportunities  to attend conferences in the state and across the nation each year that  provides them with an opportunity to showcase the work and dance program of talented students and choreography. Currently, our Freshmen attend the Alabama Dance Festival, sophomores attend the American College Dance Association, and the Juniors and Seniors attend the International Blacks in Dance Conference.

 

Over the course of the past seven years, the BFA Dance Program has been selected to present at the American College Dance Association Gala Performance and selected to perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. ASU has been invited three times to perform at The National Festival, normally a biennial event held to showcase dancers selected by the adjudicators from each of the regional conferences based on their outstanding artistic excellence and merit.

 

BFA Dance Program provides a rigorous and comprehensive dance curriculum designed to produce high caliber, diverse, and technically proficient dance artists, who contribute to the field of dance regionally, nationally, and globally. With Ballet, Modern, African, as foundational techniques, students can further choose Jazz, Tap, or Hip-hop as a focused elective. With comfortable classroom size and student to teacher ratios, individualized attention is given to each student’s professional dance development and unique talents within the BFA/Dance Program at Alabama State University. Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA to participate in the program and are provided with an annual program Jury. 

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