MFA Choreography: Admission Requirements (Dance)

Create an account to begin the application process. This is where you’ll complete each step in the application and receive updates on your application status. Add your personal background and academic history.

Three complete works including a minimum of one example of group choreography, and one example of documentation of a live performance can be submitted in the Portfolio/Audition submission “upload media” section of the application website.

Each work sample must include a caption with the title, date completed, and a brief description (up to 100 words / 750 characters). Use this space to provide context for your work and explain how it connects to your artistic practice and application. 

You may provide contextual information to help reviewers focus on the elements that you want to highlight. For example, “You are watching  the first 3 minutes of a 45-minute composition. Please focus particularly on the rhythmic choices. This section highlights some phrasing choices that I plan to investigate further.”  

If the sample does not fully represent your current artistic direction, explain why you selected it and how it relates to the work you hope to pursue in the MFA Choreography program.

If you experience technical difficulties while uploading your media, please email admissions@calarts.edu.

• Provide a short artist statement and some context for your work. Describe your influences. How has your work developed over time? What defines your voice as a creator? (2,500 character limit)
• What do you see as your next step as an artist? How does the MFA in Choreography at CalArts support and facilitate that development? (1,500 character limit)
• What do you bring to our community? What skills, insight, or specific point of view can you share with our BFA students and your MFA cohort? Briefly describe the study, practice, and/or life experience that informs this knowledge. (1,500 character limit)
• CalArts values experimentation and collaboration. Describe the collaborators you hope to attract and the research you’d like to pursue. (1,500 character limit)
• Optional: Is there anything else you would like us to know about you or your work? (1,500 character limit)

Applicants should upload their resume as a part of the online application.

Three letters of recommendation are required.

All letters of recommendation should be received by the application deadline, so it’s important that you contact your recommenders months before. We request that you submit the requests for your letters of recommendation through the online application, as it will allow you to track when we receive your requested letters.

If this is not possible, you may download the Letter of Recommendation Form (pdf) and have your recommender send their letters by mail to the Office of Admissions. Please choose only one method - either through the online application (preferred) or by mail - per recommender. Letters of recommendation will not be accepted via credentialing services such as Parchment or Naviance.

Mailed letters of recommendation should be sent to:

CalArts Office of Admissions
24700 McBean Pkwy.
Valencia, CA 91355
United States of America

All letters of recommendation must be written in English or accompanied by a certified English translated document.