In this minor, you’ll engage with dance on multiple levels—creative, intellectual, and physical. 

Guided by our outstanding faculty, you’ll receive conservatory-caliber training in a small class setting. As a Dance Minor, you’ll gain a broad understanding of the historical, theoretical, and cultural roots of dance, while also learning and performing a variety of styles and choreography, from Ballroom to Traditional West African to Hip Hop. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to attend shows throughout the Bay Area and work with a diverse range of guest artists. 

Our students grow tremendously in their critical thinking, writing, and verbal communication skills, all valuable skills for any future career. Some of our graduates head for careers in dance, theatre, and the arts. Many continue onto graduate studies. Others put their critical and creative skills to work outside of the arts, in education, health care, and beyond.

Myriad possibilities await you, and we are here to prepare you for them!

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Get to know our well-respected faculty and their specialties, as artists and scholars. Or explore scholarship opportunities and an array of performance possibilities.

Dance: Baile Folklórico, Minor

The minor in Baile Folklórico allows the student to have concentrated study in Baile Folklorico/Mexican Folk Dance and other dance genres of the Latine diaspora. Students will take 9 units in movement courses and a minimum of 9 units in theory courses that further support studies in Latin culture, history, literature and/or religion. Most theory classes will also count for the Core.

Requirements

Lower Division

The following lower-division courses are required for the minor.

  • Choreography I (2 units)
  • Global Music and Dance (3 units)

LD Movement Classes

Take three movement classes from the following list. Courses may be repeated.

  • Baile Folklorico (1 units)
  • Intermediate Baile Folklorico (1 units)

UD Movement Classes

Take Dance-323 four times.

  • Advanced Baile Folklorico (1 units)

UD electives

Take a minimum of 6 units from the following list. For courses with prerequisites, Latin Dance minors should contact the instructor of the course before registration to seek a prerequisite waiver. GRS 306 may be petitioned to count as an elective if the topic covers Latin America.

  • World Cultures: Caribbean (4 units)
  • World Cultures: C America (4 units)
  • World Cultures: S America (4 units)
  • Choreography II (2 units)
  • Choreography III (2 units)
  • Dance History: Antiracist Appr (3 units)
  • Dance and Performance Studies (4 units)
  • Independent Study (1-4 units)
  • Senior Project (4 units)
  • Women in Lat Am History (4 units)
  • Revolutions in Latin America (4 units)
  • Chicano/Chicana Literature (3 units)
  • Culture & Civilization: Lat Am (3 units)
  • Culture & Civilization: Mexico (3 units)
  • Latin American Literature I (4 units)
  • Latin American Literature II (4 units)
  • Contemp Latin American Lit (4 units)
  • 20th Century Mexican Literatur (4 units)
  • Our Lady of Guadalupe (3 units)
  • Latinx Religious Exp./Theology (3 units)
  • Latinx Spirituality (3 units)
  • Lower Division Production
  • The Art of Acting (3 units)
  • Perceiving the Performing Arts (3 units)
  • Global Music and Dance (3 units)
  • Special Study in Design (1 units)

Saint Mary's Testimonials

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“The SMC Dance program has always provided a positive learning environment for its students and me. They offer a lot of diverse dance classes such as Modern, Ballet, West African, Ballet Folklorico and many more. The dance professors are always very warm, positive, caring and fun to be around within the studios. They are always there for their students and help push them to achieve their goals.”

Eesha Shah, Class of 2022

School and Department Information