The Wichita State University School of Performing Arts Dance Program, located in Wichita, Kansas, offers a unique approach to preprofessional training culminating in a B.F.A. in Performing Arts - Dance. WSU prepares dancers for the diverse demands of professional careers with a triple emphasis degree program in modern, ballet and jazz. Other dance curriculum includes kinesiology, dance history, three levels of choreography, music for dance and mime theatre. In support of the Musical Theatre program the Dance Program offers classes in tap and musical theatre dance. The degree culminates with a senior choreography project. The program is the only dance program in Kansas that is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. The campus student population is 15,000.

A balance between professional faculty and nationally recognized guest artists stresses strong technical training, regular performances, choreographic opportunities, and additional course work in an effort to develop both an educated and artistic performer. The Dance Program's faculty trains students in the craft of dance as a performing art in order to establish careers as performers, choreographers, and educators. Past guest choreographers have included Andrew Palermo & Taye Diggs, Doug Varone, Douglas Nielsen, David Parsons, Della Davidson, Janice Garrett, Mitzi Adams, and Kennet Oberly.

The Dance Program annually sponsors professional touring companies. Performances have included master classes with Aspen Sante Fe Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Doug Varone & Dancers, Hubbard Street Dance Company, Parsons Dance Company, Pilobolus, Momix, Ballet Folklorico, Marcel Marceau and Paco Peña Flamenco Company.

The program organizes tours for the Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre (WCDT), the program's resident touring company, and for the Alithea Mime Theatre, a professional company in residence at Wichita State University. WCDT and Alithea have been accepted on the Kansas Arts Commission touring roster and have toured abroad to Warsaw, Poland, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Shanghai, China, and Taiwan in May 2008.

Performances during the year include two main-stage dance concerts, an undergraduate concert, senior concerts, informal showings, lecture-demonstrations, American College Dance Festival and involvement with opera and musical theater productions. Students also have opportunities to perform with company arts organizations such as Ballet Wichita. Scholarship auditions are held in November of each year or can be completed by appointment.

There is always something new and exciting happening in the Dance Program at Wichita State University. There are also a number of ways you can get involved. Whether you are interested in taking classes, performing, joining the student dance organization (MADT), majoring in dance, working with guest artists, supporting the Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre (WCDT), building dance audiences, or attending exciting performances by professional dance companies and student performers, the Dance Program has a way for you to be a part of the excitement.

Every year, WSU hosts the Kansas Dance Festival (KDF). This festival invites dancers from dance programs throughout the region (and beyond) to join the WSU dancers for a weekend of classes and performances that celebrate the dance community's diversity and excellence.