College of Wisconsin-Madison Dance MFA

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The program has two named options–a Dance MFA in Screendance and a Dance MFA in Creative Research, Culture, and Practice. Applications for the inaugural cohort will open in Fall 2025. The program will officially welcome its first class of students to campus in Fall 2026.

“This program is for dance artists whose work is grounded in critical inquiry, cutting-edge performance-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration,” said Jin-Wen Yu, professor of dance and chair of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Dance Department. “It is another example of our department’s commitment to shaping the future of the field.”

UW-Madison, the birthplace of the first dance degree in higher education in 1926, will offer the first terminal degree in screendance, a hybrid art form at the intersection of dance and digital media.

“Screendance is exploding, especially post-pandemic,” said Li Chiao-Ping, professor of dance and director of the MFA program, whose work combines multiple art forms to explore themes of culture and identity, both on stage and on screen, is core faculty for this new program. “Empowering the next generation to investigate these possibilities deeply and seriously will transform the dance field across the globe.”

Along with Li, Douglas Rosenberg, professor of art at UW-Madison and Omari Carter, assistant professor of dance at UW-Madison will be among the core screendance faculty. Rosenberg is an award-winning filmmaker, scholar, and leading voice in screendance who has published seminal books in the field including “Screendance: Inscribing the Ephemeral Image” and “The Oxford Handbook of Screendance Studies.” Carter, whose work has been selected for festivals across the globe, is a screendance maker, choreographer and body-percussionist.

The MFA in Creative Research, Culture, and Practice embraces the emerging scholarship and theories of practice which are characteristic of a 21st Century postmodern, globally connected, technological world. For this option, “We’re seeking artists who will engage with emerging technologies while remaining rooted in culture—interrogating histories, reimagining identities, and challenging systems. Their work must navigate a cross-national landscape where multiple ideologies coexist, and where dance continues to be a powerful force for social insight, cultural preservation, and transformation,” said Chris Walker, professor of dance and Special Assistant to the Provost on the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Walker’s work investigates African Caribbean dance as a lens for engaging environmental activism, social justice, and cultural preservation.

The department received endowed funding to make this program possible. “This endowment is a profound investment into the future leaders of the field,” said Yu, “and it’s timely.” The first cohort will arrive during the department’s 100th Anniversary, “It’s a perfect time to celebrate this program, which will be another great addition to our legacy.”

Nestled near the scenic Lake Mendota, the vibrant state capitol, and downtown Madison, the UW–Madison Dance Department stands as a beacon of innovation and leadership in dance education. Housed in the historic Lathrop Hall, their state-of-the-art facilities include four expansive dance studios, a multimedia lab, a resource center, and the dedicated Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space.

Since 1926, when dance pioneer Margaret H’Doubler established the nation’s first dance degree program at UW–Madison, they have redefined dance as a rigorous academic discipline, using the body as a gateway to scientific inquiry, self-discovery, creativity, and civic engagement. Guided by a world-class, diverse faculty, their department is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and community impact through the Wisconsin Idea, enriching lives through the transformative power of dance.