Degree offered: MFA in Choreography
Website: https://dance.calarts.edu/
Audition and application deadlines:
https://calarts.edu/admissions/portfolio-audition/dance
Preferred deadline - Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Regular deadline - Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Average age range of the masters students: 25-45
Average length of time it takes to complete the program: 2 years
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Stephan Koplowitz, Dean of Dance at CalArts: http://blog.lifeasamoderndancer.com/2014/05/artist-profile-67-stephan-koplowitz-los-angeles-ca.html
Daniel Charon, MFA graduate: http://dancingwords.typepad.com/life_as_a_modern_dancer/2013/08/artist-profile-36-daniel-charon-salt-lake-city-ut.html
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The MFA Program in Choreography at CalArts is an intensive and rigorous two year course of study intended for dance artists who wish to either jumpstart their career as choreographers and educators or for returning professionals who wish to deepen their artistic and pedagogical practice while earning their degree. Interested and qualified graduate-level applicants to the School may apply to be considered for a supplemental concentration in Integrated Media (IM) — a course of study for interdisciplinary work with digital media.
The MFA curriculum is focused on art making, fortifying students for the professional world as independent artists and educators in higher education. The program is designed to enable each MFA student to develop and refine his or her own personal aesthetic. It includes seminars dealing with topics in professional dance — from organizing concepts in choreography to meeting the practical demands of producing concerts, to identifying larger artistic and career goals. There are three seminar courses on different aspects of teaching and pedagogical practices along with classes in contemporary technique, choreography, dance theory, costume design, dance production, dance on camera, and digital media and editing.
In the first year, MFA students are required to create and present three original works. All of the works get intensive feedback both from faculty and during our weekly Choreography/Performance Laboratory, which includes all students and faculty in a forum designed for presentation and feedback. The Thesis Concert is produced in the second semester of the second year, and MFA students are awarded a generous budget for the thesis project. What makes the CalArts MFA program unique is the opportunity to collaborate with artists and designers from all of the other Schools within the Institute in Theater (lighting, costume, scene/media design), Music (composers, sound designers, instrumentalists), Film/Video, and Visual Arts.
In addition, MFA candidates are given a variety of teaching opportunities during their residency. Institute dance classes are offered regularly. Qualified MFA candidates also teach selected classes within the undergraduate curriculum - thus gaining solid professional teaching credit and experience.
The MFA program is intentionally small; only 3 candidates are accepted a year for a maximum total of 6 MFAs per year enrolled. This ensures generous cash stipends and tuition scholarships for qualified candidates.
Some CalArts MFA alums include: Jacques Heim (Artistic Director, Diavolo), Yuan Yuan Wang (Artistic Director, Beijing Dance Theater), Daniel Charon (Artistic Director,Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company), Deborah Goff (Hampshire College), Jessica Gaynor (Artistic Director, Jessica Gaynor Dance), Becca Lemme (CalState Long Beach), Lisa Long (CalState Fullerton), Rebecca Levy, Bridget Dunn-Corpela (CalState Northridge), and Susan Rose (UC Riverside).
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