Dance Major in Pennsylvania
Explore the Dance program designed for passionate students eager to express themselves through movement in a Christian setting. Perfect for those aiming for careers in performance, choreography, teaching or arts administration, this program combines creativity and faith to prepare you for a dynamic future.
100%
of first-year
students receive financial aid
students receive financial aid
98%
of the class of 2025 were
employed or in a graduate program
within 6 - 9 months after graduation
employed or in a graduate program
within 6 - 9 months after graduation
12:1
student to faculty ratio
Study Dance at a Christian University
At Messiah University, one of the top Christian universities in the U.S., dance is much more than movement, rhythm and fitness; it's a creative form of worship. You'll participate in dance as a significant form of human expression and communication. If you desire to major in dance and pursue a career on stage, or you want to dance publicly as an expression of worship or you wish to continue honing your skills, Messiah can accommodate your goals.
While earning your Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in dance, you'll come to better know and understand the world through dance while serving God and others. You can take dance classes to work towards a dance major, dance minor or musical theatre major. Messiah’s dance program offers a breadth of experiences in ballet, musical theatre, jazz, modern, tap, pedagogy, choreography, dance ministry and dance history. Dance classes also help to fulfill your physical education credits. As an audition-based program, all applicants seeking admission to the Department of Theatre and Dance must audition or interview with the department’s faculty.
As a dance major or minor at Messiah University, you’ll be able to:
- Pair this major with the B.A. in business administration as a secondary (double) major, if you wish. Within your primary field of study, learning critical business skills can open up additional opportunities for you after graduation
- Take courses by professional dancers who have studied and performed at venues such as Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, University of Utah, University of Arizona's School of Dance and Sight and Sound Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Master a variety of techniques, including ballet, tap, jazz and modern
- Put what you learn into practice in the University’s theatre productions and numerous dance ministry groups – GiViM, Acclamation or Footprintz
- Perform in a variety of venues such as chapels, on-stage musicals, recitals, on-and off campus ministry opportunities, including three full-mounted concerts produced by our program
- Learn to choreograph for both Messiah's dance ministry groups and for the University's theatre productions
- Take dance pedagogy and instruct others in the art and techniques of dance
- Double major, such as pairing dance with art, theatre or the humanities
- Perform and rehearse in the Grace Pollock Dance Studio, which has a sprung Marley dance surface, mirrors, bars, blackout curtains and stage lighting
- Receive athletic training support through weekly physical therapy and athletic training sessions with faculty in our AT program
- Spend a semester at one of several exciting programs in the U.S. or abroad
Your classes and performance experiences will prepare you to express yourself in dance performance, attend graduate school, pursue a career in choreography or dance instruction or worship God through a career in dance ministry.
As a graduate of the dance program, you will be equipped to secure positions such as:
- Dance educator
- Dance performer
- Dance minister
- Graduate student in dance, performance or choreography
For more information on career planning for the dance program, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center.
Messiah’s nationally recognized internship program places students in a variety of dance internships. A few examples include:
- Dance Administration – Harrisburg Dance Conservatory
- Marketing - Rebecca Davis Dance Company
- Performing Arts Administration - Philadelphia Dance Alliance
Interested in being a dance teacher?
If you have a passion for dance and a calling to teach the next generation, you may wish to inspire students in PreK-12 classrooms. Messiah also offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Dance Education with PreK-12 Teaching Certification.
Programs related to Dance
In the Dance program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.
Course options for Dance:
Dance (B.A.)
Careers and outcomes
Where our grads work
Graduates of this program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.
Where they work
- Sight and Sound Theatres
- Touchstone Theatre
- MSNBC
- Touchstone Theater
- Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble
- Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
- Gamut Theatre Group
- Wayside Theatre
- Olney Theatre Center
- My Little Gym
What they do
- Electrician/sound engineer
- Costume tailor
- Theater assistant
- Video/lighting associate
- Apprentice
- Acting intern
- Acting apprentice
- Costume intern
- Production management intern
- Dance teacher
Graduate school
- Alvernia University
- Towson University
- Emporia State University
98% of the Class of 2025 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.
Our Alumni
Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.
Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning
Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.
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