Dance: Future Students

Throughout all four years of study, you will receive intensive professional training, with daily dance classes in various forms, including classical and contemporary ballet; American and Afro-Cuban modern; concert and vernacular jazz; Western-based contemporary; West African; and street styles.

Years 1 & 2: Foundation & Mainstage Debut


The first two years establish a rigorous foundation where technical training meets critical inquiry. Courses like Anatomy, Music, and Global Performance History ground your physical practice, while Interdisciplinary Performance Creation and Creative Practice provide the tools to manifest an original artistic voice. Performance opportunities begin during your second year, when you are performing in our mainstage productions and presenting your own choreographic research in a professional stage environment.

Years 3 & 4: Professional Specialization & Leadership


In the upper years, intensive studio training continues alongside an expansion of performance and creative leadership. You will take centre stage in large-scale mainstage productions while completing the required Professional Preparation for Dancers, which includes grant writing, resumes, and artistic statements. To define your unique signature, you will specialize through forward-thinking electives such as Dance Film and Creative Producing, ensuring you graduate as a resilient, multi-dimensional artist ready for the global stage.

1. Refine your craft through daily, intensive practice within a rigorous conservatory framework.
2. Bridge the gap between studio and stage by collaborating with internationally-acclaimed guest artists and industry leaders.
3. Develop a broad movement literacy, ranging from ballet, modern, and jazz to West African and Street styles.
4. Perform live in annual mainstage productions, studio shows, and choreographic workshops.

By merging high-level, elite technical proficiency with the resources of a university, we prepare you for a 21st-century career where physical versatility and intellectual leadership are equally vital.

Situated in Canada’s cultural heart, Performance Dance at TMU is a transformative ecosystem where the rigour of a world-class conservatory seamlessly integrates with the intellectual excellence of a university. Here, the city of Toronto becomes an extension of your studio—offering immediate proximity to major theatres, industry leaders, and a vital professional network from day one.

We recognize that the contemporary artist must be physically, intellectually, and artistically versatile. To this end, we cultivate a broad movement literacy that balances intensive training in ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary forms with West African and street dance. Beyond technical proficiency and artistic inquiry, we equip you with the entrepreneurial skills and academic knowledge essential for long-term career sustainability. This holistic approach ensures you emerge not just as an outstanding performer, but as a resilient, innovative leader prepared to shape the future of the arts.

Our curriculum is a vibrant dialogue between tradition and innovation. You will engage in a rigorous physical practice spanning classical and contemporary ballet, American and Afro-Cuban modern, Western-based contemporary, concert and vernacular jazz, West African, and Street Styles—most supported by the kinetic energy of live accompaniment and a commitment to multidisciplinary versatility.

This technical foundation serves as the springboard for your own creative inquiry. Throughout the program, various choreographic and collaborative opportunities allow you to synthesize these diverse genres, encouraging you to venture into new territories to define your unique signature as an original artist.

Yes, prior dance experience is essential to thrive in our intensive professional environment. However, we value a diversity of artistic backgrounds and do not expect fluency in every style before you arrive. We are looking for individuals who demonstrate foundational physical intelligence and a commitment to growth. One applicant might stand out for their classical technical background, while another may be accepted for their exceptional improvisational skills, presence, or interpretive power. What matters most is your potential to evolve into a versatile professional and your willingness to engage with the wide range of movement styles offered in the Performance Dance program.

Your performance journey is a purposeful arc of artistic maturation. From intimate studio showings in your first year to the high-stakes environment of our mainstage productions starting in your second year, you will learn to manifest complex creative visions before a live audience.

This evolution extends to your choreographic voice, which moves from experimental studio research in your first year to professional-scale stages as you progress. This journey culminates in a fourth-year capstone project—a self-produced, student-choreographed showcase that synthesizes your technical mastery, creative vision, and entrepreneurial skills. By the time you graduate, you will have moved beyond the role of a student to become a fully realized creator, capable of producing your own work and leading in the global arts industry.

Our conservatory model prioritizes intensive studio immersion, where 75% of your time is dedicated to the physical and creative laboratory of training, rehearsal, and choreographic inquiry. Typically, this translates to 20 to 30 hours per week of rigorous studio-based practice, encompassing daily technique classes and rehearsals for our various shows.

The remaining hours are dedicated to lecture-based courses and electives that provide the intellectual foundation for your career. These classes allow you to step outside the studio to engage with the theory, history, and business of the arts. This balance ensures that while your body is trained to an elite level, your mind is equally prepared to navigate and lead within the global creative economy.

Your first year is an immersive entry into a world-class conservatory environment, designed to build the physical stamina and versatility required for the global stage. A typical week is anchored by over 12 hours of intensive dance training within your core curriculum. This includes a rigorous rotation of foundational techniques—ranging from ballet, modern, and jazz to West African, street styles, movement improvisation, and performance creation.

These technical hours are balanced with academic and liberal studies that provide the intellectual framework for your practice. By engaging with both the 'how' and the 'why' of movement, you begin to bridge the gap between physical discipline and critical thought. Ultimately, the first year is an invitation to redefine your physical, creative, and intellectual boundaries, where intensive technical training meets the foundational study of performance and artistic creation.

You can expect vigor in our comprehensive training - there is a 75:25 ratio, so you’ll be spending approximately 75% of your time in the studio dedicated to your craft and approximately 25% of your time in lecture based classes. Our programs are intensive and challenge our students to be prepared for the high demands of the industry. As a student, you are expected to commit to your studies, but the world is your oyster! Minor degrees are available to Performance students and there are no restrictions against part-time occupations. These are definite possibilities, but balancing commitments is a personal responsibility. 

Yes! Of course, remaining on campus means there is less back-and-forth, but because of Toronto’s elaborate transportation system, you are able to commute easily to and from school. A number of our students are commuters who can successfully maneuver through their courseload, commitments, and thrive in our program. 

The world of performance is much bigger than you may think! Even if you’re pursuing a specified Performance degree, your career can hold many possibilities. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts, some general fields of expertise include but are not limited to performer, director, producer, stage manager, photographer, designer, teacher, screenwriter, playwright, public speaker, arts administrator, museum exhibitions officer, or multimedia artist. You can also use your BFA to pursue graduate studies, teacher’s college, law school, medical school, and other post-graduate study opportunities.