Welcome, prospective students! On this page, you will find everything prospectives need to know about our department. Below are answers to the most common questions that prospective students ask us. You can also the quick links to access all the information you need on our web site. If you have any questions not addressed on this page, please feel free to email:   Katie Glasner (212) 854-2952 kglasner@barnard.edu   To schedule a tour of Barnard contact:   The Barnard Office of Admissions: www.barnard.edu/admiss (212) 854-2014   Quick Links   Mission Statement Course Descriptions Download Class Schedule Major & Minor Requirements Read the Dance Teacher article about department of chair, Mary Cochran. READ REVIEWS: American College Dance Festival, Sugar Salon and More Time Out New York The Wall Street Journal The New York Times Attitude Magazine New York Times review of Fall 2005's The Barnard Project at DTW   Prospective Students FAQ's To read more FAQ's click here.   Do I need to audition to participate in the Department of Dance? No. Audition tapes that are sent to the Department of Dance or the Admissions Office will not be reviewed or returned. Admission to both Barnard and Columbia is primarily based on a student's academic standing. Once admitted, a student can take any dance course that is appropriate for their level.   How can I take a tour of Barnard ? Contact the Admissions Office at (212) 854-2014 or visit their website at http://www.barnard.edu/admiss   Can I observe and/or participate in a dance class? How do I know what level I am? Yes. Please consult the course schedule first.  A prospective may participate or observe in levels III, IV, V & VI in both ballet and modern, all Styles courses (African, Indian, Jazz, Spanish/Flamenco or Tap) and any academic course in session.  Once you know which course you would like to observe/participate in, please contact Katie Glasner (kglasner@barnard.edu or 212.854.2952).  You'll want to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the class at the department (second floor Barnard Annex) so that someone can direct you to the dressing room and/or classroom.  If you are interested in Columbia University or the School of General Studies you should contact Lynn Garafola, lg97@columbia.edu ,(212) 854-9770. You must attend the entire class from beginning to end. If you are confused about what the proper level for you is please take in consideration that Level I courses are beginning dance courses for those who have never taken a dance class before while Level VI courses are pre-professional. So if you have been dancing you're whole life, you probably want to take/observe a Level V or Level VI class.   How many dance studios are there? The Department has three dance studios and dressing facilities. All studios have sprung, marley floors, equipped with stationary and portable bars, mirrors, and audio visual systems.   How big are the dance classes? This is largely dependent on the size of both the studio and the course being taught. On average, there are 15-18 students per technique class. Lower Level courses (Modern I, Ballet I) tend to have the biggest population. Academic courses also range in class size: the Applied Anatomy for Human Movement course may have10-20 students, Dance in New York City course may have 18-50 students, Solo Repertory may have 8-10 students.   Is there live accompaniment for dance courses? Yes. All technique courses have live accompaniment. Gilles Obermayer acts as coordinator for the musicians. Richard Bennett, Robert Boston, Marlon Cherry, Jonathan Hancock, Tomoko Kawaguchi, Michael McFredrick, Gilles Obermayer, Ken Pierson, Jonathon Rich, Dred Scott, and Mangué Sylla provide live accompaniment for the students and the instructor. Are there more modern or ballet courses? There are six levels of ballet and modern every semester. It is common for there to be more than one section of each level due to the high demand. The department does not work within one syllabus of a discipline (Vaganova, Cecchetti, Graham or Limón, for example). This allows the department to reflect the breadth of theory in the dance world and offers the student multiple choice in determining her study.   Who can take a dance course? The Department of Dance provides academic and technical studies in dance for undergraduates. All courses, except for Senior Seminar in Dance which is only open to Barnard majors, are open to Barnard College, Columbia College, the School of General Studies of Columbia University, and SEAS. Note: As a rule, dance majors and minors have priority for admittance to all dance courses.   Back to top