The Department of Dance places its focus on the establishment of curriculum that helps students adapt to various artistic activities related to dance. It aims to foster creative, professional dancers equally through theoretical and practical knowledge coupelled with cultivating maturity in aspiring performers, and to help students to adapt to various kinds of art activity related to dance. The aims of the department are achieved through developing the natural abilities of students and training them to become active members of society with excellent attitudes to study and life, and who contributes to the advancement of society.
More detailed majors are open for dance majors such as; Korean Dance, Contemporary Dance and Ballet. Each major not only improves their practical skills and creative abilities (through practice classes and performance activities), but also expands academic areas through theory classes.
The entrance quota in our departmet is; 13 ballet majors, 13 contemporary dance majors and 14 Korean dance majors, and the current enrollment includes 160 students (including freshmen).
In addition, about 40 students graduate every year and work as:
- professional dancers in dance companies
- attend graduate schools as critics for in-depth knowledge of dance studies
- become dance historians and dance philosophers
- work in areas related to dance such as; art administration, management, planning, lighting and makeup
Department in Detail
Ballet
Ballet major in the Department of Dance aims to cultivate abilities for stage performance by instilling proper attitudes, skills and expression through ballet technique training.
Contemporary Dance
Contemporary dance refers to the dance style in contrast to traditional dance, formed by focusing on the USA and German forms of the early 1920's. However, contemporary dance of today accepts all forms of performance, more comprehensive and free beyond the initial meaning. Accordingly, modern dance is more meaningful in the manifestation of the artistic world of dancers, beyond the simple arts of movement.
Korean Dance
This area educates students in the basic movements of Korean dance, to understand traditional dance better, to learn techniques required for creative dance, and to gain more practical experience of stage and choreography.
Why choose us?
Reputations
Established in 1988, the Department of Dance has raised young artists with the aim to foster professional dancers equipped with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills; and every year, about 40 students graduate. So far, students and alumni are showing many fine results in the field such as; winning awards from BIDF (Busan International Dance Festival), Korea International Modern Dance Competition, Seoul Performing Arts Festival and Bilbao ACT Festival in Spain. Recently, one of the department’s professors =, Euisook Chung, was appointed as a new member of the ARKO (Arts Council Korea).
International Engagement
The Department of Dance is actively interacting with Meiji University, Japan, and since 2014, SKKU and Meiji University have collaborated on joint research projects. Every year, professors and graduate students from SKKU visit Meiji University and spend time presenting their performances and research. Visitors from Meiji University also visit SKKU and participate in the research Council of Convergence and examine research papers together. Also, the department encourages undergraduate students to participate in exchange programs exclusively arranged for students in the Department of Dance.