Dance

Dance is integral to understanding the history and social life of many cultures, and offers a context for embodied learning about ourselves, how we relate to and communicate with others, and the world.
dance v2

Why study Dance?

Dance is experienced in many forms throughout Aotearoa in social, ritual, traditional and contemporary artistic contexts.

Dance students will develop creative skills and innovative teaching methods for dance in community settings, schools and professional contexts, informed by understandings of wellbeing and lifelong learning through the arts.

Learning dance offers the opportunity for focused practical engagement in contemporary movement practices, choreography and improvisation. It incorporates diverse approaches to understanding dance through ethnography, cultural studies, phenomenology and creative practice as research. The work and ideas of contemporary practitioners in New Zealand and in other cultures provides a context for specific discussions, to which students bring their own dance knowledge. Dance papers have public performances as final assessments and the learning process is embodied through practical classes and workshops, rehearsals and performances.

Note: We recommend taking Dance as a minor within the Bachelor of Arts (Theatre Studies).

Career Opportunities

  • Arts Administration
  • Community Arts Worker
  • Dancer
  • Director
  • Teacher

Hamilton

Dance can only be studied as a minor subject. This can be taken in many of our undergraduate degrees at the University of Waikato, alongside your selected Major.

Subject requirements

To complete a minor in Dance, students must complete 60 points (four papers), including DANCE101, DANCE201, DANCE202 and DANCE301, or other papers approved by the School.

Scholarships and prizes

Visit our Scholarship Finder for information about possible scholarships.

BA Papers

List A: Academic Foundations

  • ARTSC103 Rights and Reasons
  • ARTSC105 Language in Context
  • ARTSC104 Undergraduate Research Writing for ESL Students
  • ENSLA202 Oral Skills for Academic English

List B: Cultural Perspectives

Any Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies paper, or

  • ANTHY101 Exploring Cultures: Introduction to Anthropology
  • ANTHY102 Exploring Cultures: Aotearoa and the Pacific
  • ANTHY201 Patriots, Racists, and Foreigners: Ethnicity and Identity in Global Perspective
  • DSIGN252 Cultural Perspectives for Design
  • EDUCA200 Te Hononga Tangata
  • ENGLI200 Global Fictions
  • GEOGY219 Māori Lands and Communities
  • INTLC221 Understanding East Asia
  • INTLC225 The French-speaking World from Astérix to Zombies
  • LINGS203 Language, Society and Culture
  • Any MAORI paper
  • Any PACIS paper

List C: Work-Integrated Learning

  • ALPSS301 Work-integrated learning - Placements
  • ALPSS363 The Impact Lab
  • ARTSW300 Arts and Cultural Festivals
  • ARTSW301 Professional Practice in the Arts (prerequisites ARTSC110 - so open to all BA students)
  • ARTSW302 Work-Related Project in the Arts (prerequisites ARTSC110 - so open to all BA students)
  • GEOGY328 Geographical Information Systems
  • LINGS301 Research Apprenticeship
  • MEDIA307 Professional Studio Production
  • PHIL0318 Work Ethics
  • POLCY318 Global Environmental Politics and Policy
  • POPST300 Population Studies Work-related Project
  • PSYCH301 Psychology Research Assistantship
  • SOCSC301 Work-Integrated Learning - Work-Related Project
  • WRITE396 Writing Studies Work Placement

*Please consult our Student Advisors for the correct work-integrated learning paper.

Subject to approval

Dance papers

Contact us

International Enquiries

Monday to Friday 8:30am - 5pm

School of Arts

School of Arts, The University of Waikato, Ground Floor, J Block, Gate 1, Knighton Road, Hamilton