Innovative Dance-Making, Teaching & Learning
Dance is your calling. You’re ready to expand your artistic voice and share your gifts with new audiences. Take the next step with a Master of Fine Arts in Dance degree from Belhaven University.
Our unique program integrates a Christian worldview with pedagogical, theoretical, and artistic inquiry in dance studies. At Belhaven, you will learn, create, and perform in a beautiful environment, working with experienced faculty, renowned guest artists, and talented students who work together to build a thriving community.
Explore your artistry and craft through advanced training and inspired innovation. Find your haven here in the Belhaven Dance Department.
Collaboration & Community
Why You’ll Love the MFA in Dance Program at Belhaven
Creative Community
Belhaven University is internationally renowned for our commitment to the arts.
World-Class Facilities
Create and learn with the best equipment in state-of-the-art dance studios.
Caring Mentors
Small class sizes mean close connections with faculty and peers.
Christian Worldview
You are challenged to think critically and analytically about who God is — and who you are — as we equip you to fulfill your calling to glorify God and be a blessing to the world.
13:1 Student/Faculty Ratio
Small class sizes mean big opportunities
9 Full-Time & Specialty Faculty
Learn from experienced and inspiring dance artists and educators
6 Annual On-Campus Dance Concerts
Innovative Collaborations, Choreography, and Performances
What Can You Do with an MFA in Dance?
- Professional positions in dance performance and choreography
- Teaching at studios, performing arts schools, and universities
- Dance executive and administrative positions for companies and arts organizations
- Ministry and global missions
- Dance production positions in stagecraft, film, or photography
How Will You Grow as An Artist & Teacher?
Develop and integrate an in-depth understanding of a Christian worldview with your dance studies, and critically assess your practice from such a perspective.
Cultivate advanced skills in technique and performance which reflect a synthesis of practice-based and theoretical approaches to dance practice.
Deepen your theoretical and scholarly understanding of dance and its influence in past and present cultures and the ways in which these influences interact with your own body of work.
Practice a sense of artistry, craft, and voice through exploration, innovation, and development of advanced skills in dance-making.
On-campus teaching positions: Hone your pedagogical practice as an adjunct instructor within the Dance Department. Your advisor can give you more details about a Graduate Teaching Assistant Position.
Pilates certification: As an MFA in Dance student, you can pursue a Pilates Certification in Mat and/or Reformer, a necessary step in pursuing a career as a Pilates Instructor. Talk to your advisor to learn more.
National Accreditation
The Belhaven University Department of Dance is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD).
MFA in Dance: What You'll Learn
The Master of Fine Arts in Dance is a 60-credit terminal degree that equips you for a career as leader in higher education, choreography, performance, ministry, and scholarship.
Dance MFA students develop professional skills through curricular offerings in technique, performance, choreography, pedagogy, research methodology, kinesiology, and critical inquiry, among others.
Build a professional portfolio, tailored to your interests and thesis project, complete with fully produced choreography, CV, teaching materials, research findings, writing samples, and more.
Getting Started: The Admission Process
The application process for acceptance into Belhaven University and the MFA in Dance are two separate items. Before auditioning, you must submit your application to Belhaven, along with the required MFA documentation.
Save the Dates!
- January 31, 2023: Priority application deadline
- May 31, 2023: Final application deadline
Academic Requirements
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in dance or a dance-related area
- An undergraduate GPA of 2.8 overall and 3.0 in dance-related studies
Additional Materials
- A 500-word letter of intent articulating your interest in graduate dance studies, including an example of how you incorporate your Christian faith in a dance context
- Your professional resume; a minimum of two years of field-related experience is preferred
- Two letters of recommendation (one academic and one dance-related)
- A writing sample (no more than 15 pages) which demonstrates analytical and verbal ability, preferably related to the field of dance
- Links to current (within the last five years) choreography and/or performance samples (YouTube or Vimeo preferred)
Send the required materials to mfadance@belhaven.edu after you apply and before you audition.
Getting Started: The Admission Process
The application process for acceptance into Belhaven University and the MFA in Dance are two separate items. Before auditioning, you must submit your application to Belhaven, along with the required MFA documentation.
Save the Dates!
- January 31, 2023: Priority application deadline
- May 31, 2023: Final application deadline
Academic Requirements
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in dance or a dance-related area
- An undergraduate GPA of 2.8 overall and 3.0 in dance-related studies
Additional Materials
- A 500-word letter of intent articulating your interest in graduate dance studies, including an example of how you incorporate your Christian faith in a dance context
- Your professional resume; a minimum of two years of field-related experience is preferred
- Two letters of recommendation (one academic and one dance-related)
- A writing sample (no more than 15 pages) which demonstrates analytical and verbal ability, preferably related to the field of dance
- Links to current (within the last five years) choreography and/or performance samples (YouTube or Vimeo preferred)
Send the required materials to mfadance@belhaven.edu after you apply and before you audition.
Auditioning for the MFA Program
Save the Date!
- When: February 10, 2024
- Where: Bitsy Irby Visual Arts & Dance Center
- Email mfadance@belhaven.edu to discuss other possible audition dates.
What to Expect
- Your audition will include ballet and modern technique classes, a five-minute solo performance, and a discussion with our graduate faculty.
- You must place in a Level III in either ballet or modern technique and demonstrate the scholarly and creative capacity necessary to complete the MFA course work.
- We evaluate on an individual basis — our admission policies are flexible to encourage promising candidates who show significant ability and potential in choreography and/or performance.
For more information or to schedule a private audition on another date, please email mfadance@belhaven.edu or call 601-965-1400.
MFA in Dance at Belhaven: What You Need to Know
The 2024-2025 tuition rate for the Master of Fine Arts in Dance program is $585 per credit hour.
Get an in-depth view into graduate dance studies at Belhaven University with a sample plan of study, program goals and objectives, department policies, and more.
Meet Our Faculty
Dean of the School of Fine Arts and Professor and Chair of Dance
Krista Bower
Dean of the School of Fine Arts and Professor and Chair of Dance
Speciality Instructor of Dance
Carleigh Dunbar
Speciality Instructor of Dance
Adjunct Instructor of Dance
Marlita Hill
Adjunct Instructor of Dance
Speciality Instructor of Dance
Arianna Marcell
Speciality Instructor of Dance
Adjunct Professor of Dance
Cynthia Newland
Adjunct Professor of Dance
Assistant Professor of Dance
Kellis Oldebnburg
Assistant Professor of Dance
Assistant Professor of Dance; Director of the International Center for Musicianship in Dance
Owen Rockwell
Assistant Professor of Dance; Director of the International Center for Musicianship in Dance
MFA Program Director and Professor of Dance
Erin Rockwell Scheiwe
MFA Program Director and Professor of Dance
Adjunct Instructor of Dance
Emma Salinas
Adjunct Instructor of Dance
Senior Instructor of Dance
Elizabeth Sweatt
Senior Instructor of Dance
Professor of Dance
Ravenna Wagnon
Professor of Dance
Associate Professor of Dance
Clara Watts
Associate Professor of Dance
Meet the Dance Staff
Contact Us
Dance Department
Phone: 601-965-1400 Belhaven University
1500 Peachtree St., Box 314
Jackson, MS 39202
Bitsy Irby, 2nd Floor
Contact Us
Office of Admission
Phone: 601-968-5940Mailing Address:
1500 Peachtree Street, Box 153
Jackson, MS 39202
For campus visit:
Jimmy Hood Welcome Center
855 Riverside Drive
Jackson, MS 39202
Fax: 601-300-2932
Verse of the Year
For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Psalm 100:5