Sharon Stokes Oberst is the Secretary of CORPS de Ballet International and the Professor of Dance at the Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon. According to Professor Oberst, the Dance Program at Western Oregon University, provides the opportunity to develop creative, technical, pedagogical, and performance skills under the guidance of professional faculty in a supportive environment. She believes the dance curriculum offers learning experiences that introduce the student to historical, practical, technical, and creative aspects of dance. The degree offers a broad scope of applied dance skills and theoretical knowledge, preparing students for graduate study, teaching, and for a wide variety of professional opportunities in the performing arts.
In Professor Oberst’s opinion, their dance program is set apart from other programs due to the fact that they are part of the Department of Theatre and Dance and the Division of Creative Arts, their dance students have unique opportunities for performance in plays, musicals, and faculty and student projects. They also have opportunities to collaborate with other students and faculty from the other arts disciplines. The team brings in regionally and nationally renowned choreographers each year to set repertory works, historical works or create new works on their students. In addition, they have a men’s dance group that allows the male dancers to have an opportunity to work and perform together.
The dance team’s program is very innovative. They perform traditional forms of dance such as modern, ballet, hip-hop, jazz and tap. They also have world dance forms such as African, hula and Salsa and they experiment with the latest technology using special lighting apparatus and light design. They have a strong health and wellness component to their curriculum. They offer courses in Kinesiology for Dance, Wellness for Dancers, and Conditioning for Dancers as well as Dance Somatics and Pilates for Dancers.
Professor Oberst believes that the one thing that the seniors tend to know about dance that the freshmen still have not learned has to do with choreography most freshman dance majors arrive having good technique and performance skills. When they come directly from a dance studio
or dance team setting but they often haven’t had a lot of opportunity to choreograph. Junior and senior students in their program take a year and a half series of improvisation and composition courses. The students learn a great deal about the creative process, and about themselves as dancers, as individuals and as choreographers.
Rather than having program goals, the dance program’s emphasis is on helping each individual 
dancer achieve his or her goals. The faculty and the dancer meet one-on-one several times a year in order to chat about goals, progress and how they can support them in their dance education, academic and career goals.
Additionally, the Rainbow Dance Theatre, a professional modern dance company, is affiliated with the Western Oregon University’s dance program. Western Oregon University offers the opportunity to the students to take dance classes with the company. Each year, the Rainbow Dance Theatre auditions for apprentices and full memberships. They tour throughout the year.
As part of the Department of Theatre and Dance and the Division of Creative Arts, dance students have opportunities for performance in plays, musicals, and faculty and student projects. Students also have opportunities to learn and practice their art in collaboration with students and faculty from the other arts disciplines. Additional performance and choreographic opportunities include student choreography for both formal and informal productions, senior thesis projects, repertory ensemble performances and annual dance concerts. Regionally and nationally renowned choreographers annually set repertory works, historical works or create new works for Western Oregon University students. Emphasis is in modern dance with strong support classes in ballet. Course work includes improvisation, composition, jazz, tap, world dance, dance history, rhythmic awareness, creativity, dance and technology, dance production, pedagogy, creative dance for children, kinesiology, wellness for dancers, notation, musical theater, and repertory.
Resources include two full-time studios, a main stage theater which seats 619 and houses a scene shop and lighting, sound, costuming and makeup areas. Western has four full-time and three part-time dance faculty. Guest artists are invited to choreograph, offer workshops, performances and lectures throughout the year for the campus community and the general public. Internationally famous dance companies frequently appear on campus as part of the Edgar H. Smith Fine Arts Series, many offering workshops and master classes including Pilobolus Dance Theatre, Martha Graham Dance Company, St. Petersburg Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and The David Parsons Dance Company. Auditions for placement are required.
If you would like more information about The Dance Program at Western Oregon University, visit their website at http://www.wou.edu, call them the Department of Theatre and Dance at 503 838-8461 or email them at eliassl@wou.edu. You can also like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and connect with them on Instagram.
Please post a comment if you have had any experience with Sharon Stokes Oberst of Western Oregon University.
Written By Cyndi Marziani
Owner
BDancewear.com
