Dance curricula in higher education

This thesis will review ten undergraduate dance curricula in the United States, and the theoretical perspectives of psychologist, Howard Gardner and educator, Elliot Eisner. By looking at curriculum content, this analysis will attempt to draw conclusions based on the relationship between curricula reviewed, and the theories of Gardner and Eisner. Gardner and Eisner are monumental figures in the contemporary educational movement that emphasizes the expansion and deepening of human intelligence, cognition, meanings, and knowledge. This study will begin with a discussion of educational theories developed by Gardner and Eisner, and is followed by a review of four undergraduate dance programs in state schools, four undergraduate dance programs in private, liberal arts schools, and two undergraduate conservatory-style schools. A review of dance curricula shows both similarities and differences, among curriculum content, elective study, flexibility, and the kinds of educational experiences provided to students. The final chapter offers conclusions, and further considerations in the development of undergraduate dance curricula. It is important to understand how the reviewed curricula does, or does not, reflect the theoretical perspectives of Gardner and Eisner, and what types of questions should be asked in the future, as dance educators move toward the twenty-first century.