Student  Success

​Since its inception in 2013, the Alabama State University Department of Theatre and Dance’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance Program has demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence in professional dance training, performance, choreography, dance education, creative scholarship, and career preparation.

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The program’s inaugural class graduated in 2017. Since that time, ASU BFA Dance students and alumni have pursued professional careers and advanced training in concert dance, commercial entertainment, musical theatre, film and television, cruise line entertainment, professional sports, K–12 dance education, higher education, choreography, directing, arts administration, entrepreneurship, and graduate study.

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Professional Dance Companies

ASU BFA Dance students and alumni have performed, apprenticed, trained, or worked with professional dance organizations including:

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Anthony Burrell Dance Company

AROVA Contemporary Ballet

Atlanta Dance Connection
Axam Dance Theatre Experience

Ballethnic Dance Company

City Gate Dance Theatre
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance II

Collage Dance Collective
Columbia City Ballet
Dallas Black Dance Theatre
Dallas Black Dance Theatre Encore
Dance Iquail!
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II (DCDC2) Dissonance Dance Theatre
Eleone Dance Theatre
Elisa Monte Dance Trainee Program

Evidence  (Ron K. Brown) – Apprentice

Giordano Dance Chicago

Hiplet Ballerina
Jubilation Dance Ensemble
Komansé Dance Theater

Montgomery Ballet
PHILADANCO! (The Philadelphia Dance Company)

PHILADANCO! II (The Philadelphia Dance Company) Pulse Dance Theatre
South Carolina Ballet
Southern Danceworks
STEP AFRIKA!
Techmoja Dance and Theatre Company
Viver Brasil Dance Company
Watershed Dance Company

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Commercial Dance, Concerts, Tours, and Live Entertainment

Students and alumni have expanded their professional careers into commercial dance and the entertainment industry. Professional opportunities include the following:

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NFL Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders
NBA College Park Skyhawks Dance Team

WNBA Connecticut Sun Dance Team

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Graduates have participated in significant entertainment events, concerts, and tours, including the Kelly Rowland Black Out Tour, Coachella 2022 with City Girls, the BET Awards 2023 with Migos, MIA Rolling Loud 2023 with City Girls, the BET Hip Hop Awards 2023 with Sexyy Red, and the Hood Hottest Princess Tour 2023.

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Alumni have also appeared as the leading lady in Usher’s “RUIN” music video and participated in the BET Awards 2024 and Sexyy Red’s 4 President Tour 2024, Kanye West’s Donda First Listening Party (2021), and Kelly Rowland Black Out Tour.

Additional high-profile performance credits include Beyoncé in Dubai (2023); the BET Awards 2023 with Busta Rhymes, John Legend, Victoria Monét, and Coco Jones; and the Grammy Awards Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop, featuring artists including Latto, Teyana Taylor, Summer Walker, GloRilla, Flo Milli, and Keith Sweat.

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Recent professional opportunities also include an R&B tour featuring Usher and Chris Brown in 2026 in Birmingham AL.

Cruise Line and International Entertainment Careers

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Students and alumni have secured professional performance contracts and entertainment opportunities with:

Carnival Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean International
Walt Disney World Entertainment – United Kingdom

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Film, Television, and Major Entertainment Productions

ASU BFA Dance students and alumni have appeared as dancers, featured performers, and extras in film, television, and major entertainment productions, including:

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A Different World sequel series (2026) Coming 2 America (2021)
David Kamal Late Night Show
HBO Max’s Rap Sh!t

Music videos and commercial entertainment projects
Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show (2022)
Super Bowl LV Halftime Show featuring The Weeknd (2021) The Color Purple (2023)

Alumni participated in the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show (2021), featuring The Weeknd, and the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show (2022), featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar.

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Additional major entertainment credits include Kanye West’s first Donda Listening Party, held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on July 22, 2021.

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Musical Theatre and Stage Productions

ASU BFA Dance alumni have secured professional opportunities as performers, dancers, and assistant choreographers in musical theatre and professional stage productions, including:

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Alabama Shakespeare Festival

Goddess: A New Musical Hairspray – Musical Tour National Tour of Hamilton Red Mountain Theatre

Alumni have also served as performers and assistant choreographers in professional theatrical productions, including Red Mountain Theatre’s production of *The Wiz and productions with the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, including Blues in the Night (2024) and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat* (2024).

Choreography, Directing, Arts Administration, and Entrepreneurship

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Professional accomplishments extend beyond performance and include:

Arts Administration Artistic Directors Assistant Choreography Dance Captain Positions Dance Studio Instruction Directing

Independent Artistic and Creative Projects
Oscar-Qualifying Directing and Multidisciplinary Artistic Work Professional Choreography
Professional Dance Career Coaching and Entrepreneurship Social Media Management
Teaching Master Classes and Workshops

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Professional Representation

Graduates have secured professional representation through talent agencies including:

Block Agency LA Xcel Talent Agency

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Graduate Education – Graduate Degrees Earned

ASU BFA Dance graduates have continued their education and earned advanced degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels in dance and related professional fields.

Institutions and degrees earned include:

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Alabama State University – MBA, Business Administration Georgia Southern University – M.S., Sports Management Hollins University – MFA in Dance
Sam Houston State University – MFA in Dance

Trevecca Nazarene University – Doctorate in Leadership & Professional Practice

UNC Greensboro – M.A. in Dance
University of Alabama – MFA in Dance
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – M.A. in Dance

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Alumni Currently Pursuing Graduate Degrees

Additional ASU BFA Dance graduates are currently advancing their education through graduate-level study at:

Florida State University – MFA in Dance

Temple University – MFA in Dance

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Public-School Dance Educators

ASU BFA Dance graduates are contributing to dance education through teaching positions in public schools, magnet schools, and arts education programs throughout the United States. Alumni have taught or currently teach within schools and school systems including:

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Atlanta Public Schools
Birmingham-area Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools
Detroit Public Schools

Connecticut Public Schools, New Haven

Florida Public Schools,Hollywood/Fort Lauderdale area

Huntsville-area Public Schools
Montgomery Public Schools

Mobile-area Public Schools
Texas Public Schools

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Summer Intensives and Advanced Professional Training

ASU BFA Dance students have been accepted into and, in many cases, awarded partial or full scholarships to nationally and internationally recognized summer dance intensives and professional training programs.

Programs include:

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater School – Summer Intensive Alonzo King LINES Ballet – Summer Intensive
American Dance Festival – Summer Intensive
Anthony Burrell – Breaking Barriers Dance Intensive

Atlanta Ballet School Summer Intensive
Atlanta Dance Connection Summer Intensive
Bates Dance Festival
Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
Collage Dance Collective
Cuyahoga Community College / Tri-C Summer Dance Intensive Dallas Black Dance Theatre Summer Intensive
Dance Theatre of Harlem Summer Intensive
Deeply Rooted Dance Theater
Emerge 125 Summer Intensive
Gus Giordano Dance School Summer Intensive
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Summer Intensive
Innergy Dance Summer Intensive
International Summer Dance Institute (ISDI)
Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet NYC Summer Intensive
Red Clay Dance Company Summer Intensive

Ruth Page Center for the Arts

THE FILES Arts Project

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Program Impact and Career Preparation

The accomplishments of ASU BFA Dance students and alumni demonstrate the breadth of professional and educational pathways available to graduates of the program.

Students and alumni have established careers and continued their education as:

Arts Administrators
Assistant Choreographers
Choreographers
Commercial Dancers
Concert Dancers
Cruise Line Performers
Dance Captains
Directors
Entrepreneurs
Film and Television Dancers
Graduate Students
Higher Education Professionals
K–12 Dance Educators
MFA, M.A., M.S., MBA, and Doctoral Degree Recipients Musical Theatre Performers
Professional Dancers
Professional Sports Dancers and Cheerleaders
Studio Instructors and Owners
Teaching Artists

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Through rigorous technical training, performance, choreography, dance production, academic study, professional development, summer intensives, conferences, festivals, and engagement with nationally recognized artists and organizations, the Alabama State University BFA Dance Program continues to prepare students for professional careers, graduate education, entrepreneurship, and leadership in the evolving field of dance.

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ASU Alumni

MAY 2017

Courtney Coleman, Jarren Foster, Jaylon Givan, Sharve  Kelley, Laquangela Littleton, Darius Marshall, Asia Martin, Mitchell, Brandon, Bridgette Moore, Zori Patrick, Bria Robinson, Lauren Smith, and Anthony Spivey

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December 2017

Nyisa Casado, Teyawnna Lawson

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May 2018

Jamar Bell, Jaylen Clay,  Whitney Coleman, Trinity Cox, Psalm Gadson, Hannah Glenn,

Ashlee Houston, Jaitlyn Sherrod, Latoya Siplin, Quiantae Thomas,

Justine Tucker, and  Colbie Zeno

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May 2019

Chanelle Bryant, Brieona Carter, Jordan Cowan, Akosua Gloria Green, Cory Nicole Hinton, Amari Hollins, and Delon Woods, Brown Shelby (Minor)

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December 2019

Alicia Batieste

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May 2020

Miyana Bennett, Endya Boyd, Davis Kaylynn, Erwin Lauren, Janae Harrington, Taron Harris, Ashley Hurst, Amari Murray,

Stephanie Northern, Keyana Paradise-Robinson, Chelsea Pettiford,

Jaela Roe, Emory Smith, Sequoyah Smith, Jhaianne Cooper (Minor)

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December 2020

Aysiah Mahone

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May  2021

Amiya Fuqua, Jhordyn Nelson, Jordan Pope,  and Tierra White

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May  2022

Orlando Gresham, Alexus   Lovejoy, and Tashara Slaughter

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December 2022

   Israel Hilton

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May 2023

Jamiah Baker, Ashlyn Burroughs,  Brooklyn Cade, Zoe Chichester,  Malia Henderson, Tyjah Holden,

Simone Matchett,  Jazmun McCoy,  Olivia Mckinstry, Rosalyn Mitchell, Tianna  Smith,  and Zaria Smith

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December 2023

Jaime Calloway, Makayla McKenney, and Te' Yvion Powell

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May 2024

Damundrick Burrell-Franks, Jaela Deadrick, Janiya Douglas, Joshua Francis, Akeia Fuqua, Asia Houston, Donovan McFadden, Michaela McKenzie, Te' Yvion Powell, and Kamaria Roberson

December 2024

Isaac Vilbrun and  Azya Warrick

December 2025 Graduates

Aarin Carver and Zuri Stokes 

May 2026 Graduates

Chesley Aniya
Nijah Cherry
Kaitlin Owens-Connors
Micaela Elizabeth Smith-Waller
Alexandria Jordan Williams
Kenedi Najah Williams
Naveah Sanders

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