Theatre, Dance, and Performance

Website: www.iup.edu/theater
Carrie J. Cole, Chair

The Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance leads innovation to transform local, regional, national and global communities through diverse artistic practices. A classic, eclectic, and broad education provides a foundation for innovative, leading-edge courses and career path preparation led by an experienced faculty. It is dedicated to both theatre and dance as collaborative and highly disciplined fields offering an extended view of the world as a part of a liberal and humanistic education. The department takes a broad view of performance in its traditional, applied and experimental forms. Study and practice includes design, technology, management and dramaturgy as requisite knowledge and skills. As a result, successful students develop an artistic sensibility, critical analysis, creative orientation, and a disciplined work ethic, skills necessary in most endeavors. They will be able to:

apply an aesthetic sensibility through informed and knowledgeable critiques of live performance
create work of artistic expression or technical craftmanship in at least one area of production
engage diverse audiences by transforming knowledge into understanding, and understanding into social impact
utilize the skills, knowledge and techniques of theatre, dance, and performance to gain and keep employment in the performing arts, or in other fields in which these attributes can be gainfully applied.

The department offers a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre with concentration and a concentration in Musical Theatre, providing for the study of theatre within a broad liberal arts education. The department offers a Dance minor and a Theatre minor. The Dance minor and Theatre minor each require 18 controlled credits. Also offered are Certificates in Pre-Dance Therapy and Wellness, Dance Leadership and Women’s and Gender Studies, Dance Pedagogy and Leadership, and Applied Theatre and Performance.