California State University, Northridge Debuts New Dance Major This Fall

California State University, Northridge is adding a new dance major to its well-established dance science program. The new major, fifteen years in the making, debuts this fall. I spoke to Dr. Paula Thomson, a professor of Dance and Kinesiology and the department’s founder and head, about what the process of bringing the new major into the university entailed, what the unique qualities of this particular program are, and how the program adds to the rich offerings of the numerous highly recognized universities in the Los Angeles basin.

 It is quite a process to establish a new major at a university. What was your motivation to do so?

The motivation to create a BA in Dance grew from the students who now attend or have attended CSUN. Many of our students are first-generation college students. They love dance and want to complete a degree that will prepare them for a career in dance or an allied dance-related field. Although we offer solid dance education for our students majoring in kinesiology (dance option), many of our dancers are not as strong in upper-division science courses. A BA in Dance gives these students the opportunity to study dance without taking upper-division science courses. Another motivating factor to establish a new major was rooted in the focus within our dance program, which is to train and prepare young dance artists with clear visions and messages. Our dancers have a voice and a point of view and are very talented. Many of our dancers have had minimal opportunities to study dance growing up, primarily due to financial constraints. With creative opportunities and academic support, these talented young artists can enter the dance profession. Many of our alumni have found professional success as dancers and choreographers. The third motivation to create a BA in Dance was simply based on geographic logistics. CSUN is located in the San Fernando Valley in LA. There are a plethora of dance schools in the Valley. CSUN should continue provide a BA in Dance for the many young dancers living in this area.

There are numerous prestigious dance programs in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Can you explain how the new program at CSUN fills a need different from those already in existence?

The CSUN dance program is unique because it offers an integrated arts and science perspective. With the new BA in Dance, we can now offer students a dance major that meets the criteria outlined by the National Association of Dance Schools (NASD). We continue to offer a BS in Kinesiology with a Dance Option and a Dance Minor for students studying different majors. As well, CSUN now has a credential program for the K-12 single-subject dance teaching credential. Our undergraduate students who are interested in teaching can complete the requirements to enter the credential program as well as begin working on some of the credential courses during their undergraduate senior year. The uniqueness of the CSUN program also includes the potential to move forward and complete an MS in Kinesiology with a Dance Option. Our graduate students can then teach at colleges or continue on to get their doctorate. Many of our alumni have gone on to complete their Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Medical Degree, or other allied medical fields. Next year, we plan to request accreditation from NASD; this will happen once we have successfully graduated students from our BA in Dance program, which should take place in the spring of 2025.

What was the process of establishing a new dance degree? I would assume that it took an army!

The process of establishing a new dance degree was long and fraught with many obstacles. In fact, it took me almost 15 years to finally reach success. A large group of faculty and administrators joined to ensure that the CSU Chancellor’s office would approve the new degree proposal. The viable new degree proposal required gathering massive amounts of data to support the proposal. Once there was sufficient support at the university, college, and department levels, the actual timeline to prepare and get approval for the new degree took almost 4 years, from start to finish. Now that we have succeeded, we face enrollment challenges and recruiting limitations as university enrollment numbers have diminished nationally, affecting many small programs in all universities. We remain hopeful that our program will grow. CSUN offers many great opportunities and has excellent programs that scaffold student success.

Your dance major is housed in Kinesiology rather than theatre, how does this affect the dancers’ programming and general education? What are the advantages of such unique positioning?

CSUN has beautiful dance studios and we have access to wonderful performing venues. Although we are housed in Kinesiology, we have strong working relationships with the departments of theater, music, and film/television, as well as with the Soraya Center. Being housed in Kinesiology provides rich opportunities to conduct dance science research. CSUN is regarded as one of the strongest international dance science research centers. The Kinesiology department provides first-class laboratories and the kinesiology faculty and students investigate research studies in exercise physiology, dance injury, biomechanics, and sport/performance psychology. Because we are housed in Kinesiology, we have been able to gather rich data and the findings are published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and presented at multiple international science conferences. The athletic training program is also offered in the kinesiology department, which enables us to access immediate treatment care (and education) for our dancers.

What does the class programming look like? Are there classes required for your majors that differ from other dance programs?

At CSUN, all students must complete 48 units of general education courses. To complete the BA in Dance, the students are required to complete 62 units in dance. The degree requirements include 21 units of dance technique (ballet, modern, contemporary dance forms, hip hop, jazz), 9 units in cultural literacy (understanding music, perspectives in dance, historical and cultural perspectives in dance), 11 units in body literacy (general biology, human anatomy, dance conditioning and somatic practice, dance science and analysis), 3 units in pedagogy, 9 units in choreography, 9 units in production and performance (including lighting). What makes the CSUN dance program different from other dance programs is the inclusion of dance science, and the opportunity to gain research skills.

 

The BA in Dance mission statement is as follows:

The BA in Dance enables students to realize educational goals related to achieving excellence in dance. Students graduating from this program will be prepared to enter the professional field as performers, choreographers, educators, or in performance-related fields. The BA in Dance is designed to help students develop academic competencies, professional skills, critical and creative abilities, and ethical values that will promote a deep and contemporary understanding of dance. Students will also be prepared to recognize and promote diversity and equity within the dance and dance-related fields.

Can you explain your research and that of your colleagues? We know that CSUN has a vibrant dance medicine and dance psychology component to the program and that ongoing research is essential. How does it fit into the national narrative of dance wellness?

CSUN has a strong dance science research program. Currently, biomechanical research on dance injury and fatigue is directed by Dr. Danielle Jarvis. Her LEAAP (Laboratory for Evaluating Athletic & Aesthetic Performance) laboratory is strong and active. The performance psychophysiology laboratory is directed by Dr. Victoria Jaque (exercise physiologist), Dr. Jacob Jensen (sport and performance psychologist), Dr. Mariko Iwabuchi (sport, performance and clinical psychologist), and Dr. Paula Thomson (sport, performance and clinical psychologist). In this research laboratory, the psychophysiological effects of stress (positive and negative) on performers and athletes are investigated as well as research studies on proprioceptive strategies in hypermobile and non-hypermobile dancers and bone density/body composition in dancers. In these laboratories, our undergraduate and graduate dancers are given opportunities to intern in the labs and actively participate in research studies. This exposure is invaluable for our dancers and often stimulates their desire to seek graduate education, which they can do at CSUN or any other university of their choice. What is wonderful about our dance science program is that our research faculty directors are active members within the following international organizations: International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS), Performing Arts Medical Association (PAMA), Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), National Dance Education Organization (NDEO).

You have a relatively small faculty; will you be augmenting with additional full-time or adjunct positions?

Our tenured and tenure-track faculty is relatively small. We have two tenured faculty and one who is in the tenure-track process. We also have five solid and dedicated adjunct faculty who have remained at CSUN for over 15 years, as well as one staff pianist, and several teaching assistant graduate students. We would love to employ another tenure-track faculty but that will take time because these positions are limited across the university.

How does your student demographic differ (if it does) from the other UC and CSU campuses in Southern CA? How does that affect your program?

Our student demographic at CSUN and in the dance program does not differ that much from other UC and CSU campuses located in Southern California. According to the Wall Street Journal, CSUN was named the number 2 public university in California and number 12 in the US. CSUN was ranked first among public four-year universities for both the percentage of Latinx students enrolled and the greatest number of bachelor’s degrees earned by Latinx students. Equity, diversity and inclusion is a primary focus at CSUN and the dance program is deeply involved in supporting and promoting these policies. This is reflected in all our academic classes and teaching practices.

And from the high-profile programs at USC and Chapman?

Those programs are BFA programs and more focused on a conservatory experience.

Finally, what are you most excited about?

I am most excited to see our students thrive. Across our campus, we have positive support and recognition. Our department and our dance faculty are dedicated to training and guiding our dancers.

If you would like more information on CSUN’s new Dance Major, please visit their website here.

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Written by Nancy Dobbs Owen for LA Dance Chronicle.

Featured image: CSU, Northridge Dance and Kinesiology – Photo by Lee Choo.