Founded in 2015, the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance embodies excellence in the interdisciplinary study of dance creation and performance. Dance in the twenty-first century is a dynamic art form, and the professionals who will shape the future of the field will need to move seamlessly within this changing landscape. These thought and practice leaders will embrace innovation alongside tradition, study classical genres as well as new dance forms, and engage with new technologies while respecting traditional mediums. USC Kaufman is creating a new model for dance in which intersecting dance techniques create hybrid art forms that may be expressed through performance, choreography, media and/or scholarship. USC Kaufman students, faculty and staff are at the forefront of The New Movement.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance provides students a rigorous conservatory experience at one of the world’s leading private research universities. The BFA curriculum includes world-class dance training in ballet, hip hop, and contemporary dance, a robust performance repertory, exposure to world-renowned practicing artists, opportunities to pursue interdisciplinary projects, and training in wellness, dance science, and strategic career venture skills, while also providing access to an invaluable liberal arts education.  

Led by Dean Robert Cutietta, USC Kaufman faculty are highly regarded in the field and have an unparalleled depth and diversity of experience. The school’s renowned Artists in Residence include leading dance innovators such as Aszure Barton, Marjani Fortè-Saunders, Zippora Karz, Fiona Lummis, Barak Marshall, Victor Quijada, Desmond Richardson, and Jermaine Spivey. Under the faculty’s tutelage, including celebrated choreographer William Forsythe, USC Kaufman students receive the highest caliber of training. Students have worked with and performed repertoire by some of the most profound artists in dance, including George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Martha Graham, Jiří Kylián, Crystal Pite, Paul Taylor and many more. 

Established relationships with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center, Dance Camera West, the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, the USC Thornton School of Music, and the USC School of Cinematic Arts afford significant opportunities to collaborate with acclaimed artists, scholars and institutions. The school’s location in Los Angeles, a global center for the arts and entertainment, provides additional artistic and professional opportunities.

In addition to its BFA, USC Kaufman offers a wide variety of classes open to all USC students. Technique classes are offered in Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop, Commercial Dance, African-Dance, Tap, Bollywood and Ballroom. General Education courses on the history and culture of dance provide a rewarding introduction to the field. USC students may also pursue minors in Choreography for Stage and Screen; Dance; Hip Hop, Street and Social Dance Forms; and Dance in Entertainment.