learn more about dance

REED’S DANCE PROGRAM emphasizes dance as an

art that both responds to and influences the shifting artistic

and that cultural landscape of society. The program fosters

a contextual approach to dance that integrates theory with

practice and values seeing, making, and moving—along with

reading, writing, and speaking—as modes of investigation.

Working both in and out of the studio, Reed dancers learn and

create movement vocabularies and find new perspectives by

which to see, question, understand, and evaluate the expressive

possibilities of the human body moving in space and time.

Reed dance majors can pursue an emphasis in dance studies—

history, theory, critical and cultural studies—or in dance studio—

technique, choreography, improvisation, and performance.

The curriculum includes courses in contemporary dance,

choreography, improvisation, critical dance studies, dance

history, Latin American dance, and Southeast Asian dance.

Additional technique classes in ballet, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-

Cuban, Argentine tango, hip-hop, lyrical jazz, and other dance

forms are also offered. Students at all levels of experience are

offered opportunities to choreograph, perform, and participate

in workshops with visiting artists and scholars. Recent visitors

include Urban Bush Women, Dancenorth Australia, Ronald

K. Brown, and Sean Dorsey Dance. Reed dancers also have

the opportunity to participate in dance-intensive exchange

programs in New York, Paris, Jerusalem, and Havana.

PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES

Student Dance ConcertsEach semester the dance department

produces a concert of Reed student

choreography created both in and out

of class.

Contemporary Performance EnsembleOpen through audition, Reed dancers

perform in works choreographed and

directed by dance faculty and guest

choreographers.

Reed Dance TroupeThe student-run Reed Dance Troupe

rehearses weekly and presents

choreography throughout the year.

Senior Thesis ProductionsAs part of their thesis work, senior

dance majors choreograph and direct

original works for fully produced

thesis shows. All Reed students are

invited to audition and be cast in

these performances.

reed.edu/dance

Learn more about

DANCE

Professor Minh TranSOUTHEAST ASIAN DANCE & CULTUREBorn in Vietnam, Professor Minh Tran immigrated to the United States in 1980 as a political refugee. He received dance training in classical Vietnamese opera at the National School of Fine and Performing Arts in Saigon and has an MFA from the University of Washington. Minh joined Reed’s dance department in 2008.

Minh has created over forty choreographic works, performed throughout the United States and internationally in Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His work has received numerous grants and fellowships. Since joining the Reed faculty, Minh has taught courses in intermediate and advanced contemporary dance technique, choreography, Southeast Asian dance, and Balinese dance.

INDEPENDENT PROJECTS

Reed students pursue many

independent projects with the

support of

• the dance department’s Mellon Funds for Dance;

• Reed Arts Week;

• Kaspar T. Locher Summer Creative Scholarship;

• Reed President’s Summer Fellowship;

• Reed Fellowship for Winter International Travel.

DANCE

reed.edu/dance

Product Manager Basis Technology Hannah MacKenzie-Margulies ’16

Frontend Developer MarketMuse Grace Poetzinger ’16

Director and Company Member sub.set dance Claire Thomforde-Garner ’12

Founder and Director Sparkplug Dance Educational Resources Rachel Carnes ’93

What do alumni do?

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