Theater and Dance Department

Welcome to Theater

The study of Theater Arts has as its core the presentation of live performances. Student actors, writers, designers, directors, and technicians apply skills of critical thinking and creative interpretation to a wide range of dramatic literature and to the cultures and periods that produce that literature; they undertake the nuanced research necessary to construct a contextual frame for dramatic literature; and they exercise the imaginative reach to make those fictional worlds come to life. 

• Students completing the Associate in AA-T in Theatre Arts for Transfer degree will have satisfied the lower division major preparation at most CSUs in Theater, Theatre Arts, and Drama.
• Students earning the Theater Arts AA degrees with an option in Acting, Directing, and Technical have obtained skills for entry-level employment in theater or for career advancement.

Welcome to Dance

The LAVC Dance Program is part of the Department of Theatre and Dance located in the North Gym. we offer day and evening classes in a variety of dance disciplines, including: Hip-Hop, Ballet, Modern, Tap, Jazz, Salsa, Pilates, Choreography, Dance Production, Dance History, and Dance for Film and Stage.  In our commitment to serving the entire community, our classes provide opportunities to experience dance in a supportive educational environment, and include personal attention, faculty and peer evaluation, and numerous performance and choreographic opportunities. We provide an outstanding comprehensive curriculum for the student who aspires to become a professional dancer, the student who wants to complete a general education, or for someone who just wants to dance better throughout life.

Located in the heart of the entertainment industry, our program provides both an opportunity for beginning level students to learn basic dance fundamentals, and for the more experienced students to perfect and expand their current skills. Our students range from beginners to advanced professionals, from teenagers to senior citizens. Our faculty's vast experience in the professional, educational, and performance aspects of the art form allow us to provide a rich and diverse curriculum.

Each dance technique class is a one-unit course, therefore an entire semester's worth of classes costs only $46, as compared to the average cost of $15 per class in private studios. Our 4000 square foot dance studio with a state-of-the-art sound system, and our fully equipped theater, provide rich and flexible environments for exploring a wide variety of dance activities and programs.

We welcome your interest in our program, and look forward to dancing with you soon!