Creating a Dance Course: Navigating the Transition into Higher Education for Freshmen

Dancers enter into their first year of higher education with different levels of knowledge, both within their area of study and as well as understanding who they are as a person. The transition between high school and higher education will never be the same for each student, which leads to the question of whether the resources that are available are sufficient to help a diverse population of students navigate their first-year experiences within a dance program? What exactly do students need as they enter into their first year of higher education and how can their interests be molded into a career path that makes sense for every dance student? Some Freshmen Seminars are being utilized in higher education dance departments, however not every seminar may focus on these four crucial topics: student responsibility, wellness both mentally and physically, community vs autonomy, and identity.This thesis paper takes these four themes and develops them through two different processes; a choreographic component and an outline that can be developed into a Freshmen Seminar