Oswego State students are leaping over the news of the newest minor being offered: dance. This minor will be available for students to declare in the near future.

According to the proposal, the goal of the dance minor is to “provide students with in-depth experiences in the studio, classroom and performance that will enhance their skill and knowledge of the field within the context of their specific needs.”

Added under Oswego State’s theatre department, the minor will be available to all students, regardless of previous dance experience. With that being said, many students currently interested in declaring the dance minor have taken lessons previously and/or have participated in Del Sarte Dance Club, one of Oswego State’s largest organizations on campus.

“I decided to declare a dance minor because I feel like it will help me in my major, and also dance is just something I’m really passionate about,” said Sydnei Williams, a freshman theatre major. “I’ve always wanted to pursue dance in secondary education and I was hoping that I could find a school that offered a dance minor, and now, Oswego does.”

Ligia Pinheiro, the ballet instructor on campus, has been a major advocate for the dance minor since its conception.

“I hope it grows,” Pinheiro said. “I hope we get more performance opportunities coming out of it.”

With the potential of growth in the minor, it is possible dance courses may count for general education courses, so students of any area may be able to benefit from courses supported by the dance minor.

“We’re getting the [dance] history hopefully approved as either a history or western [civilization course] or performing arts,” Pinheiro said.

Some of the courses required for the dance minor include anatomy for dancers, modern dance I, jazz dance I, ballet I and dance history, which bring in a mix of traditional academic courses and studio time, something some dancers may be interested in.

“I’m so excited to have it here, and I’m ready to get back into the hardcore classes you need to get through it,” said Alexandria Korzeniowski, a health promotion and wellness major. “I’m ready to learn dance history and more of the academics, not even just the dancing itself, because I’ve had access to that my whole life. The Dancer Anatomy [class] is something I’m really excited about because I really just want to learn how everything works that I’m using in class.”

The dance minor can provide a way for students who did not attend school originally for dance to continue pursuing a passion they have, staying active in a fun, different way or trying something they always wanted to do. It allows students to see how what they learn in the classroom can help them out in the studio, in real time.

“I think it will make me really happy to be in school, and I’ll focus and I’ll work harder by having something I really enjoy in my schedule,” Williams said.

More than anything, it is a new way for students to learn about the dance program at Oswego State, continue growth by learning different styles and histories behind dance moves, and reignite passion for a popular art form.

“Dance has structured who I am today, so I feel like it’s just going to continue to do that,” Korzeniowski said.

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian