Why Earn a Degree in Dance at PBA?
The dance major at PBA will allow you to master a variety of dance techniques, display articulate verbal and non-verbal communication, understand dance from a historical and cultural perspective and perform with a unique artistic voice. PBA’s dance program offers concentrations emphases in dance ministry, dance pedagogy, or dance studies and requires a minor of study or secondary major.
B.A. in Dance
There are only a handful Christian universities in the United States and globally that offer B.A. degrees in dance. PBA’s B.A. in Dance offers three concentrations (Dance Ministry, Dance Pedagogy, and Dance Studies) and the total required dance credits range from 38 to 47 credits. B.A. in Dance students are required to study a minor unless they opt to add a secondary major. It is a perfect fit for dance students who are seeking intensive preparation a dance-related career with a strong emphasis on Christian character.
What Can I Do with the Degree?
- Professional Dancer
- Choreographer
- Art Administrator
- Dance Performer in productions such as musical theatre, major amusement parks and cruise lines
- Pilates / Fitness instructor
- Dance Company / Theatre Director
- Dance Studio Proprietor
- Dance Therapist
- Dance Journalists
- Dance Ministry
- Dance Teachers
“PBA’s Dance department restored my love for dance. Through the curriculum, professors and students, I learned that dance was more than a means to entertain or share art, it was a way I could worship Jesus and bring hope to the nations.” – Ali Darr ’18, Dance B.A.
Program Details
Our Dance Department
PBA’s dance program offers classes and master classes appropriately sized to enhance individual instruction. Students have had opportunities to work with local and global professional dance companies and perform in NYC, South Korea, France, and Canada. Dance students collaborate with students from other majors and disciplines, including music, visual arts, theatre, and more. Select students have presented their dance research at the Florida Dance Education Organization Conference (FDEO) and many PBA dance students are members of National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) and National Honor Society of Dance Arts (NHSDA). While a lot of these opportunities are not required for the B.A. in Dance degree, students are still welcome to be part of these amazing opportunities that PBA’s dance program offers.
PBA’s dance department is proud to have an internationally renowned faculty whose foundation is not only diverse, but also rooted in biblical truth. Eileen Hebron, a former American Ballet Theatre (ABT) company member who is ABT certified, was hand-picked by Mikhail Baryshnikov during her study at the School of American Ballet.
Stella Almblade, certified in Horton Pedagogy, Limon Dance Technique, and Graham Technique, performed with Alvin Aliey American Dance Theatre, and Ad Deum Dance Company. Jin Lee Hanley, former principal dancer with Park Premier Ballet in South Korea, and a guest artist with Ballet Florida, is a second-generation Master of Joseph Pilates, certified by Lolita San Miguel. Amy Hamel, PBA alumni and current adjunct, danced on Broadway in Cats.
Internship Opportunities
PBA and the dance department have extensive relationships with many professional organizations. The most recent internship opportunities include:
- Palm Beach County:
- Ballet Palm Beach
- Ballet Florida
- Dancing Waters
- The Kravis Center
- The Dancers Space
- Many local dance studios
- South Florida:
- Other Opportunities:
Noteworthy faculty:
- Randall Flinn: The artistic director of Ad Deum Dance Company and Scholar in Residence with the PBA dance department who often sets choreography for PBA Dance Ensemble.
- Eileen Hebron: Artist in Residence at PBA, a former dancer with American Ballet Theatre (ABT) who is our full time faculty.
To major in dance at Palm Beach Atlantic University, you’ll need to:
Note: All application materials and auditions need to be completed at least six weeks before student’s first term as a dance major. All dance major students will be required to audition, which includes ballet and modern group classes, and a solo presentation of the students’ own choice of dance style.
Learn more about your classes and requirements in the course catalog.
PBA awards over three million dollars in scholarships every year and 97% of PBA undergraduate students receive financial aid.
Explore Our Community
Everything PBA has to offer—pristine beaches less than a mile from campus, access to world-class culture and internship opportunities in West Palm Beach, state-of-the-art facilities, and a caring community of faculty and friends—is the empowering backdrop to something much bigger: the purpose you were chosen for. Schedule a virtual or in-person visit today.
