This fall, LMU Dance became one of the first and only programs in Los Angeles where students can earn a teaching credential alongside their degree in dance.
LMU’s B.A. in Dance Pedagogy and Social Action is designed for students who want to teach dance, own or manage a studio, or bring dance to diverse communities. The degree allows students to pursue the California Single Subject Teaching Credential in Dance, which qualifies them to teach in secondary schools. Students will take courses in the College of Communication and Fine Arts and the School of Education and can pursue a built-in education minor and an accelerated 4+1 option to earn an M.A. in education. One of three distinct dance degrees offered at LMU, this pathway combines rigorous technical training with educational theory, social impact practice, and hands-on community engagement.
The launch of this program coincides with the appointment of three dynamic artist-educators to LMU’s tenure-track faculty: Laura Ann Smyth (jazz), Wilfried Souly (West African), and Kara Jenelle Wade (street styles). In addition to training across contemporary, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and West African dance, and the option to immerse oneself in a co-curricular commercial dance program, this pathway offers professional development opportunities, including fieldwork and practicums with LA schools, nonprofits, and community partners—linking pedagogy to real-world impact. Students in this pathway also enjoy priority opportunities for internships, scholarships, and leadership roles with organizations such as the Dance Education Laboratory and Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Company in New York City.
“This new degree path opens a critical avenue in the field of dance for our students after graduation. We urgently need more dance educators who can nurture the next generation of artists, choreographers, and creative leaders. Our graduates will enter a landscape that is hungry for skilled, compassionate teachers who understand both the rigor of the studio and the broader social justice impact of their work,” says Associate Professor and Chair of Dance Taryn Vander Hoop.
Learn more about LMU Dance and the B.A. in dance pedagogy and social action.
