Performance: Dance (BFA)
Alumna Joins the National Ballet of Canada
Recent Performance: Dance graduate, Vania Dodoo-Beals, has joined the ballet company as an assistant choreographer. She shares that, "Once you’ve entered the rooms you want to be in, you will quickly realize you are all artists sharing the same goal, to make your best work.”
Read more: Dance alum Vania Dodoo-Beals Assistant Choreographer at the National Ballet
Is It for You?
Prepare for a professional career as a performer, choreographer or teacher at Canada’s premier post-secondary dance program. This one-of-a-kind, conservatory-style program offers rigorous professional training in multiple dance styles including ballet, modern, jazz, West African, street styles and contemporary styles. You’ll study in Toronto, home to the third-largest English language theatre district in the world and internationally renowned professional dance companies, and a North American film and television hot spot. With our innovative curriculum, you’ll learn and dance in direct collaboration with highly acclaimed guest artists and major arts organizations. Thanks to experienced faculty and plenty of opportunities to participate in studio and public performances, you’ll graduate as a skillful, versatile dance artist empowered to become part of the next generation of creative leaders!
Faculty
The Creative School
Program Format(s)
Full Time: Four Year
Degree Earned
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Minimum Grade Range
72-75%+*
Non-Academic Requirements
Audition/interview, photograph, resumé, reference forms
Experiential Learning
Studio and public performances
Stay Connected with Our Community
Our student ambassadors are on board to give you a taste of all that Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) has to offer. Learn about the city of Toronto, transitioning to university, the student experience and more!
What You Need to Know
Thinking of applying? Make sure the program is still accepting applications.
*Actual minimum grade ranges required for fall 2023 admission/wait list consideration will be determined based on grades and qualifications presented by the applicant pool as they become available. Required grade ranges may fluctuate from year to year (up or down) as a result of competition. Applicants not educated in Ontario may present the equivalent of the Ontario requirements. TMU reserves the right to determine equivalency at its sole discretion.
Tuition and Fees 2022/2023
Domestic Ontario Students Fees Range: $7,103 - $7,821
Domestic Out-of-Province Students Fees Range: $7,600 - $8,328
International Students Fees Range: $31,841 - $32,453
For detailed fees information visit Tuition and Fees by Program.
Academic Requirements
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent with a minimum of six Grade 12 U or M courses including the following program specific requirements.
Typically, a minimum overall average of 70% establishes eligibility for admission consideration; subject to competition individual programs may require higher prerequisite grades and/or higher overall averages:
- English/anglais (ENG 4U/EAE 4U preferred).
- The minimum grade required in the subject prerequisite (normally in the 65-70% range) will be determined subject to competition.
Academic admission requirements for all other applicants are available at:
Admission Requirements.
Non-Academic Requirements
In addition to meeting competitive academic requirements, you are required to submit the following non-academic requirements. Your ability to follow and adhere to the requirements is part of the assessment of your application.
Your non-academic requirements are due by February 1, 2023 or 10 business days from your application submission date, whichever comes later.
Applicants may attend an in-person audition OR submit all components of their non-academic requirements (including the audition) online. The audition panel strongly recommends that you audition in person, as a digital file is sometimes a flat, two-dimensional medium, which may not demonstrate your full potential.
In-person auditions will commence in February 2023. The Performance Dance program will contact you via email with an invitation to sign up for an audition date after you have applied to the program.
Please ensure you have paid the $50 assessment fee online prior to attending your audition. This fee is in addition to your application fee. You will not be able to proceed with the audition if the fee is unpaid. Please see the Assessment Fee tab below for instructions on how to pay.
Please read the instructions carefully. Incomplete packages will not be assessed. You are required to bring the following with you to your audition (do not submit prior):
- Photograph: Bring a recent photograph of yourself with your name, TMU Student Number and audition date printed on the back.
- Resumé: Prepare a current resumé/curriculum vitae highlighting your dance training. Be sure to include the names and addresses of your dance schools and the names of your dance teachers.
- Reference Letters: Two reference letters are a requirement for admission consideration. The reference letters should be from dance instructors, either from your high school or your dance studios.
- Note: The School of Performance will not return submitted materials. It is recommended that you submit copies rather than originals.
Audition
Dress Code for In-Person Auditions
Please wear tights, leotard/fitted T-shirt and ballet slippers for ballet. Form-fitting clothing is required for jazz and modern/contemporary. If you have jazz shoes, feel free to bring them. You may also be asked to work in bare feet. Hair must be up and off your face.
Expectations for the In-Person Auditions
Be prepared for:
- 45-minute ballet class
- 30-minute jazz class
- 30-minute modern/contemporary class
- Solo component
Solo Component: You may be asked to perform a solo as part of the audition process. Please prepare a one-minute solo in the dance form of your choice. Faculty would prefer to see contemporary movement in the solo, if possible (no pointe work). Please ensure your music source is reliable.
Important Notes
- All candidates must have some prior training in at least one of the following disciplines: Ballet, Modern, Jazz or Contemporary Dance
- All candidates will audition in the presence of other candidates taking part in the session as well as the audition panel
- All candidates must commit several hours to the audition process
In order to submit your non-academic requirements online, you are required to email audition@torontomu.ca first. The required items will then be added to your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal allowing you to submit. You must submit all components (including the audition) via the ChooseTMU Applicant Portal if selecting this option. See the Submission Instructions tab below.
These requirements are due by February 1, 2023 or 10 business days from your application submission date, whichever comes later. We therefore ask that you send the above email well in advance of this date.
Assessment Fee
Please ensure you pay the $50 assessment fee online, along with uploading your non-academic requirements. This fee is in addition to your application fee. Your submission will not be assessed if the fee is unpaid. Please see the Assessment Fee tab below for instructions on how to pay.
Materials for Online Auditions
The faculty will assess your performance based on the materials that you include. With this in mind, we encourage you to present your best self in your audition material.
1) Photograph
Submit a recent photograph of yourself.
Please save the image as a .pdf file and upload this via the ChooseTMU Applicant Portal.
2) Resumé
Prepare a current resumé/curriculum vitae highlighting your dance training. Be sure to include the names and addresses of your dance schools and the names of your dance teachers.
Please save your resumé as a .pdf file and upload this via the ChooseTMU Applicant Portal.
3) Two Reference Letters
Two reference letters are a requirement for admission consideration. The reference letters should be from dance instructors, either from your high school or your dance studios.
Please upload your reference letters via the ChooseTMU Applicant Portal.
4) Audition
Please provide a YouTube or Vimeo link to your audition video in a .pdf document and upload this file following the Submission Instructions below. Make the link public OR be sure to include the password in your .pdf file. Confirm that your link works and will not expire.
At the beginning of your video, state your name, where you are from, your age and height. Tell us why you are auditioning for TMU’s School of Performance: Dance Program.
Part I - Ballet
Dress Code: Tights, leotard/fitted T-shirt and ballet slippers, hair off your face
Required Elements: Please refer to the table below.
| A) Barre Work (10 minutes maximum) | B) Centre Work(10 minutes maximum) * everything both sides |
|---|---|
|
|
Part II - Modern/Contemporary/Jazz Sequences
Dress Code: Form-fitting dance clothing. Hair must be up and off your face.
Required Elements:
- Simple phrase showing torso articulation (e.g. side curve, forward curve, spirals, high release/lift)
- Short floor work phrase highlighting your flexibility and including rolls and level changes
- Short phrase highlighting use of isolations, musicality and movement with rhythmicity
Part III - Choreographed Solos
Please include two (2), one-minute combinations or choreographed solos of contrasting styles in jazz, modern/contemporary and/or any other discipline of dance you have studied. The panel is looking for the following in your online audition:
- Alignment and posture
- Mobility and flexibility
- Clarity and articulation
- Coordination and agility
- Stability, balance, and control
- Strength and power
- Projection and presentation
- Musicality and phrasing
- Expression and performance quality
- Efficiency and freedom of movement
- Flow/fluidity/transition in movement
- Use of turnout
- Use of breath
- Rhythm
- Groundedness/earthiness
- Nuance and sensitivity
- Use of dynamics
Showcase your technique, movement and performance qualities, artistry, passion, and versatility.
Important Notes
- All candidates must have some prior training in at least one of the following disciplines: Ballet, Modern, Jazz or Contemporary Dance
- Applications will not be considered if incomplete or the video link provided does not work
The non-academic requirements assessment fee is $50 CDN and must be paid in order for your submission to be reviewed. Here’s how to pay:
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Access your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal account (instructions to access the portal can be found below under Submission Instructions).
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Click on the button to link to the eForms Centre.
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Next, click on the eForms Centre tile.
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Then click on the Non-Academic Fee Form link.
Applicants are required to submit all components of their non-academic requirements via the ChooseTMU Applicant Portal. Due to the volume of applications received and our system performance, we strongly encourage you to submit your documents well in advance of the noted deadlines.
Admission decisions are provided via the ChooseTMU Applicant Portal. The selection committee’s decision on admission is final. Unfortunately, re-evaluation/reassessment of the non-academic requirements or individual feedback will not be available.
Here’s how to access your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal account:
- Get your TMU Student Number in the email acknowledgement of your application
- Activate your TMU Online Identity. Fill in the Activation Form on the Accounts website. When asked for your Student/Applicant ID, enter your nine-digit TMU Student Number. Keep a record of your user name and password
- 24 hours after activating your TMU Online Identity, visit the ChooseTMU Applicant Portal
Instructions on how to upload documents, as well as common questions and answers, can be found on our Ready to Submit Your Documents? web page.
If you are applying for readmission or reinstatement, you may not be required to submit non-academic requirements. You must inform Undergraduate Admissions of your intentions.
Contact ServiceHub at 416-979-5036 by and ask to speak with the admissions officer by February 1, 2023, or 10 business days from your application submission date (whichever comes later).
After Graduation
Enrich the arts community with the depth of knowledge, training and creativity you’ve developed. Explore roles as a performer, choreographer, director, arts administrator or dance teacher. You may work on stage, in film, television, festivals, concerts and more. Or, pursue graduate studies in the arts. Graduates are skillful, versatile dance artists who are thoughtful collaborators empowered to become the next generation of creative leaders.
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