Contemporary Dance

An audition is required for acceptance into the dance major

Applying to be a student of Indiana University and applying for an audition to the Dance program are two separate processes. Please read the application page for step-by-step instructions. Read the audition page to prepare yourself for an audition with IU Contemporary Dance Program.

Learn how to apply

Our faculty excels at teaching groups, organizing ensembles, and mentoring individuals. They provide you with a strong base from which to grow and work as an artist. Our students are encouraged to develop expertise in areas of performance, choreography, teaching, production, and scholarship.

Our goal: extraordinary artistry, brilliant experimentation, and a solid foundation that prepares you for a successful career in the professional and academic field of dance.

Meet our faculty View the Dance B.F.A. requirements in our Student Portal

Practice & Performance

As a student in our program, you may become a member of the Indiana University Contemporary Dance Theatre, with the opportunity to perform in the Ruth N. Halls Theatre, as well as in other university and community venues. You also dance in our faculty/guest artist concert and in student works. Seniors produce a concert each fall.

Classes are held in our spacious dance studios and the dance facilities in the African American Arts Institute. The Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Center boasts three state of the art production spaces—the Ruth N. Halls Theatre, the Wells-Metz Theatre, and the Studio Theatre.

 Explore our facilities Check out our productions

Healing at the Source by Nyama McCarthy-Brown
Dance scene from winter dance show.
Undertakings In Three Parts by Angie Hauser
Dance scene from production of 'Wanted'.
Wanted by Nyama McCarthy-Brown
Dance scene from production of 'Radio Show'.
Radio Show by Kyle Abraham
Dance scene from production of 'Hunger Moon'.
Hunger Moon by Elizabeth Limons Shea
Dance scene from production of 'Wanted'.
Beyond the Armor by Claudia Hanna

Collaborative energy & opportunity

The guidance of our faculty provides for creative learning and academic engagement. Professors from the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, the Department of Kinesiology, and the Jacobs School of Music also teach in the major. Guest artists of national and international renown work with our students each year, setting choreography and teaching in the curriculum.

Learn more about our collaborations

As a student here at Indiana University, you will immerse yourself in the field of modern and contemporary dance. It is a challenging, yet ultimately fulfilling journey. After four years in the dance major, I am eager and well prepared to find my place in the worldwide dance community.

Kate Anderson, B.F.A. 2013