Requirements
Theater and Dance Major
The major consists of ten credits (eleven if a student pursues honors).
Theater Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Two introductory theater courses at the 1000 level | 2 | |
| One theater course in design or stagecraft at the 13XX level | 1 | |
| Two theater courses at the 2000 level | 2 | |
| One dramatic literature course a | 1 | |
| One performance theory course at the 2000 level or higher, such as THTR 2410, 2500—2599 or 3500—3599 or DANC 2500—2599 or 3500—3599 | 1 | |
| One elective at the 2000 level or higher theater or dance | 1 | |
| One elective at the 3000 level in theater | 1 | |
| One capstone credit at the 3000 level or higher b | 1 | |
| a | Examples of courses that fulfill the dramatic literature requirement: THTR 1806 Introduction to Drama, THTR 2410 Modern Drama in Theory and Practice, THTR 2510, Performing America: Identities on Stage, THTR 2550, Performance Histories, THTR 2800-2899, THTR 3500-3599, CLAS 2232 Ancient Greek Theater, FRS 3204 French Theater Production, HISP 2409 Introduction to Hispanic Studies: Poetry and Theater. With prior approval of the major advisor, additional options for fulfilling this requirement include an alternate course in theater or dance at any level, a course from another department or program at Bowdoin, or a course transferred from another institution. |
| b | This requirement may be filled in one of the following ways: THTR 3401 Ensemble Devising: The Art of Collaborative Creation, a 3000-level studio course, an independent study in conjunction with a student's work in a department show, a research-based independent study on a subject of the student’s choosing, or an honors project. For more information on how best to fulfill this requirement, please speak to an advisor in the department. |
Dance Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Two credits of dance technique courses, one of which must be at the 2000 level or higher, such as: | 2 | |
DANC 1104 | Dance Improvisation: Practices, Forms, and Structures | |
DANC 1211 | Introduction to Modern Dance | |
DANC 1213 | Introduction to Caribbean Dances and Cultures | |
DANC 2204 | Intermediate Improvisation and Partnering | |
DANC 2211 Modern II: Technique | ||
DANC 2221 Intermediate Ballet and Beyond | ||
DANC 2241 | Afro-Modern II Techniques and Histories | |
DANC 3211 | Advanced Modern Dance | |
DANC 3212 | Advanced Repertory and Performance | |
DANC 3223 | Advanced Dancing for Challenging Times | |
| Two credits of creative process, of which one must be at the 2000 level or higher, such as: | 2 | |
DANC 1101 | Making Dances in the Digital Age | |
DANC 2401 | Choreography for Dancers: Improvisation and Invention | |
DANC 3210 | Movement, Breath, and Healing: The Politics and Practices of Self-Care | |
DANC 3242 | Advanced Afro-Modern: Dancing Towards Social Change | |
DANC 3404 Advanced Dance Composition | ||
| Two credits of repertory courses at the 2000 level or higher, such as: | 2 | |
DANC 1212 Modern I: Repertory & Performance | ||
DANC 2212 | Modern II: Repertory and Performance | |
DANC 2242 Afro-Modern II: Repertory & Performance | ||
DANC 3212 | Advanced Repertory and Performance | |
DANC 3222 Modern IV: Repertory & Performance | ||
DANC 3405 | Advanced Dance-Theater Company: Repertory and Performance | |
| Two performance theory classes, of which one must be at the 2000 level or higher, such as DANC 1500—1599, DANC 2500—2599 or 3200—3299, or THTR 2500—2599 or 3200—3299 | 2 | |
| One elective in dance or theater at any level | 1 | |
| One capstone credit at the 3000 level or higher a | 1 | |
| a | This requirement may be fulfilled in one of the following ways: Advanced Dance Project (DANC 34XX), a research-based independent study (THTR/DANC 39XX), or an honors project (THTR/DANC 40XX) |
Interdisciplinary Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Three courses at the introductory level; one in dance (1000—1299, 1400—1999), one in theater (1000—1299, 1400—1999), and one in design or stagecraft (1300—1399) | 3 | |
| One theater course at the 2000 level | 1 | |
| One dance course at the 2000 level | 1 | |
| One dramatic literature course a | 1 | |
| One Performance Theory class at the 2000 level or higher that examines formal and informal performance as a way to interpret the world. THTR 2410, 2500—2599 or DANC 2500—2599, THTR 3500—3599 or DANC 3500—3599 | ||
| One elective in theater or dance at the 2000 level or higher | 1 | |
| One elective in theater or dance at the 3000 level | 1 | |
| One capstone credit at the 3000 level or higher b | 1 | |
| a | Examples of courses that fulfill the dramatic literature requirement: THTR 1806 Introduction to Drama, THTR 2410 Modern Drama in Theory and Practice, THTR 2510, Performing America: Identities on Stage, THTR 2550, Performance Histories, THTR 2800-2899, THTR 3500-3599, CLAS 2232 Ancient Greek Theater, FRS 3204 French Theater Production, HISP 2409 Introduction to Hispanic Studies: Poetry and Theater. With prior approval of the major advisor, additional options for fulfilling this requirement include an alternate course in theater or dance at any level, a course from another department or program at Bowdoin, or a course transferred from another institution. |
| b | This requirement may be filled in one of the following ways: THTR 3401 Ensemble Devising: The Art of Collaborative Creation, a 3000-level studio course, Advanced Dance Project (DANC 34XX), an independent study in conjunction with a student's work in a department show, a research-based independent study on a subject of the student’s choosing, or an honors project. For more information on how best to fulfill this requirement, please speak to an advisor in the department. |
Theater Minor
The minor consists of five credits to include the following required courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| One course at the 1000 level (1000—1049, 1100—1399, 1501—1599) | ||
| One history/theory course (THTR 1501—1599, 2500—2599, 3500—3599) | ||
| Three additional courses, including at least two taken at the 2000 level or above c | ||
| c | One of the three additional courses may be taken in dance. One 2000-level course taken abroad may count toward the minor. |
Dance Minor
The minor consists of five credits to include the following required courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one creative process course: | 1 | |
DANC 1101 | Making Dances in the Digital Age | |
DANC 1102 | Cultural Choreographies: An Introduction to Dance | |
DANC 1104 | Dance Improvisation: Practices, Forms, and Structures | |
DANC 2401 | Choreography for Dancers: Improvisation and Invention | |
| One history/theory course (DANC 1501—1599; THTR 1501—1599, 2500—2599, 3500—3599) | 1 | |
| Select one full credit of studio technique courses: | 1 | |
DANC 1211 | Introduction to Modern Dance | |
DANC 2211 Modern II: Technique | ||
DANC 2221 Intermediate Ballet and Beyond | ||
DANC 2241 | Afro-Modern II Techniques and Histories | |
DANC 3221 Modern IV: Technique | ||
| Select one full credit of repertory and performance courses: | 1 | |
DANC 1212 Modern I: Repertory & Performance | ||
DANC 2212 | Modern II: Repertory and Performance | |
DANC 3212 | Advanced Repertory and Performance | |
DANC 3222 Modern IV: Repertory and Performance | ||
| One elective (DANC 1000—3999) | 1 | |
Interdisciplinary Major
The department participates in an interdisciplinary major in English and theater. See the Interdisciplinary Majors.
Additional Information and Department Policies
- Students may not count more than one full credit toward major or minor requirements from courses graded Credit/D/Fail Only.
- Students must earn a grade of C- or better to have a course count toward major or minor requirements.
Students may earn a grade of CR (credit) in THTR 1700 Department Production and have it count toward major or minor requirements. We no longer offer half credit courses.
- Typically, one course taken at another college or university may count toward the major or minors with departmental approval. No more than one course taken outside the department may be counted toward the major or minors, except by advance departmental permission.
- One course cannot fulfill more than one requirement for the major or minors.
- One first-year writing seminar can count toward the major and minors.
- One credit of independent study can count toward the major or either minor. If a student elects to pursue an independent study to fulfill their capstone for the major, two credits of independent study can count toward the major.
- Deadlines for Honors proposals are due May 1 for students beginning their senior year in the fall and December 1 for students beginning their senior year in the spring.
- No credit is given for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate.
- Majors and minors may not double-count any courses with another department or program.
Information for Incoming Students
Dance
- Students with little or no dance experience should enroll in: DANC 1101 Making Dances in the Digital Age or DANC 1105 Introduction to Hip-Hop . These courses are open to all students regardless of experience and do not have any prerequisites.
- Students with previous dance experience may enroll in an upper level course by audition: DANC 3212 Advanced Repertory and Performance. Please reach out to Professor Gwyneth Jones for more information.
Theater
- Students with or without prior experience in theater should enroll in: THTR 1201 Acting I: Developing Presence, THTR 1203 Performance and Narrative THTR 1302 Principles of Design, and/or THTR 1303 Visual Storytelling for Theater and Dance. Please note that these courses fulfill a requirement in the theater major concentration and should be completed as early as possible.
- Auditions for the spring 2024 department production will occur during the fall 2023 semester. Interested students should contact Rani Long for more information. Auditions will be publicized on the student digests.
This is an excerpt from the official Bowdoin College Catalogue and Academic Handbook. View the Catalogue