Dance courses have been offered at the UO for over a century, and predate the first academic dance major programs in the country by more than a decade. The UO Department of Dance has evolved into a collaborative, dynamic laboratory in which student performers are given the tools—academic, artistic, technical, and social—to hone their craft to professional caliber. For general questions about the Dance Department contact Dana Gorman at dgorman@uoregon.edu.
Studio courses—offered from beginning to advanced levels—are also available in a variety of other idioms, including jazz, tap, hiphop, African, ballroom, tango, swing, improvisation, and contact improvisation.
Dance faculty members encourage a rigorous physical, theoretical, and creative investigation of dance. They regularly advise dance majors and partner with students for independent studies, internships, and senior projects to facilitate personal research and performance interests. UO dancers are encouraged to collaborate with musicians, composers, and other visual and performing artists on campus to create new works.
Residencies and master classes allow students to dance alongside, and under the direction of, artists such as Holly Johnston, Darrin Wright, Gabe Masson, Heidi Duckler, Alito Alessi, and Ronald K. Brown.