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four dancers on stage during a performance
Dance – Somatic Studies
Minor

Dance – Somatic Studies Minor

The Dance – Somatic Studies Minor explores the body’s movement, function, and awareness through both physical practice and theoretical analysis. Students engage with various somatic methodologies, deepening their understanding of movement efficiency, injury prevention, and mind-body integration.

The minor considers the particular bodily kinesthetic knowledge that dancers develop in the course of their education. Students perform physical activities and analyze movement practices from a variety of somatic theory perspectives, learning about the body’s operations through both theory and practice. 

Study in the minor augments degree work in psychology, pre-physical therapy, exercise physiology, recreational therapy, and physical education. Somatic Studies minors have also gone into the field of Dance/Movement Therapy.

  • Admission to the Minor

    Students must have sophomore standing, a 3.0 GPA in their major, and meet with an advisor in the School of Dance to declare the minor. No audition is required. Students must complete the college's program update form:

  • Courses & Curriculum

    The Dance – Somatic Studies minor requires a minimum of 21 credit hours. Coursework includes studio dance technique, movement analysis, dance kinesiology, and somatic practices such as Pilates, Bartenieff Fundamentals, and yoga.

Careers with a Dance – Somatic Studies Minor

The Dance – Somatic Studies Minor prepares students for careers or graduate studies in dance therapy, clinical psychology, physical therapy, dance kinesiology, and recreational therapy. The knowledge gained in somatic studies is valuable for any profession focused on movement, wellness, and rehabilitation.

ºìÐÓÊÓÆµ students perform Coming Together at the 2026 Winter Dance