Shenandoah’s dance programs provide the academic and professional preparation demanded by a wide variety of careers. The Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees are designed for you — the highly-motivated, pre-professional dancer who is seeking a career as a concert performer, choreographer or dance educator. The Bachelor of Arts program is designed for dancers who are interested in a broad general education while continuing their dance studies.
You will be immersed in the art from the moment you arrive on campus. The intimate conservatory approach at Shenandoah provides a focused environment for study, while the supportive atmosphere encourages your individual growth and creativity.
Graduates from Shenandoah work on Broadway, in regional theatres, on national and international tours, and on cruise ships.
Dance at Shenandoah
All degree programs present the opportunity to develop creative and production skills while enriching philosophical and theoretical perspectives in close, mentoring relationships with the dance faculty.
Shenandoah Conservatory students dance a wide repertoire of artistic styles and techniques. They perform in original choreography created by faculty and internationally recognized guest artists. New works choreographed by students are performed both on campus and in a wide variety of touring opportunities, including professional showcases in Washington, D.C., and New York City.
Dance EnsembleDance News

Dance Students and Faculty Shine at ACDA Mid-Atlantic South Conference
Shenandoah Conservatory dance students and faculty recently returned from attending the American College Dance Association's (ACDA) Mid-Atlantic South Conference held at Sweet Briar College from March 10 through March 12. Three faculty members and ... Continue Reading Dance Students and Faculty Shine…

Senior Dance Students Travel to New York City and Los Angeles for Professional Development
ShenCo Labyrinth (the class of 2023 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Bachelor of Arts in Dance majors) participated in professional development trips to New York City and Los Angeles, California, during Shenandoah University’s winter break. New ... Continue Reading Senior Dance Students Travel to…

Shenandoah Conservatory Receives $23,800 in Grants from Mid Atlantic Arts
Shenandoah Conservatory has received $23,800 in grant support from Mid Atlantic Arts in support of performances and engagement by internationally acclaimed guest artists during its 2022/23 season. Grants will provide support for guest artist visits ... Continue Reading Shenandoah Conservatory Receives $23,800 in…
Dance Alumni

Senior Dance Students Travel to New York City and Los Angeles for Professional Development
ShenCo Labyrinth (the class of 2023 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Bachelor of Arts in Dance majors) participated in professional development trips to New York City and Los Angeles, California, during Shenandoah University’s winter break. New ... Continue Reading Senior Dance Students Travel to…

DanceWorks Chicago and Rivette ’21 Participate in Brief Residency at SU
The contemporary dance company DanceWorks Chicago participated in a half-day residency with the Shenandoah Conservatory dance program on Monday, Sept.12. The residency included masterclasses in contemporary dance, an informal showing with Q&A, ... Continue Reading DanceWorks Chicago and Rivette ’21…

McGill ’17 Joins Backhaus Dance and Completes M.F.A. in Dance
Following graduation from Shenandoah University, Kelly McGill ’17 (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance) moved to Arlington, Virginia, where she joined D.C.-based contemporary dance company Motion X Dance. McGill was a company member with Motion X for ... Continue Reading McGill ’17 Joins Backhaus Dance…
Dance Faculty
Caring and Accomplished
Shenandoah Conservatory’s dance faculty are dedicated to cultivating the individual artist within each student. They emphasize technical excellence and stylistically diverse performance artistry while nurturing intelligent physical practice and imaginative creativity. Deeply committed to collaborative work, our faculty engage dance majors in creative projects with the Theatre and Music divisions on a frequent basis. Our faculty present choreography at prestigious showcases in New York City and at professional engagements in other major cultural centers in the United States and abroad. They are actively performing, choreographing and teaching around the world with recent guest artist engagements in Taiwan, Columbia, Germany, Spain, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Italy, France and England... and they take our students with them!
Meet the Dance FacultyShenCoLAB
Shenandoah Conservatory turns over the programming and facilities to its students for a week of unbridled exploration, collaboration and creativity.
ShenCoLAB is the only such week of its magnitude and scope offered by a university performing arts program in the United States.
The week culminates in an extraordinary event: the Festival of Arts, Ideas & Exploration, which featured 27 performances and five presentations in the inaugural year!
Take a Virtual Tour of Shenandoah Conservatory
Shenandoah Conservatory is an exciting hub of collaboration and innovation. Here's a chance to take a quick look at all the spaces in which our students engage in rich and rewarding creative experiences in music, theatre, and dance.
We're an All-Steinway School
Great music stirs the heart and inspires the soul, and Steinway pianos are celebrated as the instruments used by renowned artists to cultivate their talent and produce great music. Similarly, uncompromising excellence in performing arts education sparks the imagination and inspires the future.
