Scott Jovovich is the Associate Program Head of the BFA Commercial Dance Program, and oversees the ballet and theater dance curriculum.
Commercial Dance, BFA
Take center stage with Pace’s Commercial Dance BFA—one of the top programs in the country and the first bi-coastal BFA program of its kind. Train in everything from ballet and hip hop to aerial arts and jazz all while developing acting and vocal skills that make you a well-rounded performer. Collaborate with industry-leading choreographers and gain exposure to the New York and Los Angeles markets.
Location
New York City
Number of Credits
128
Start Date
Fall
F1 Visa Eligible
Yes
STEM Designated Program
No
Step into the Professional Dance World with a BFA from Pace
The BFA in Commercial Dance at Pace’s Sands College of Performing Arts blends technical excellence with real-world preparation for a thriving dance career. As one of the top dance programs in the country, this program trains dancers in ballet, jazz, hip hop, tap, theater dance, and more while integrating acting, vocal training, and choreography. As a commercial dance major, you will select one of two concentrations—performance or choreography—to customize your experience to your career goals. The BFA also is the first bi-coastal commercial dance program and requires a semester in Los Angeles in the Junior year. The unique curriculum bridges the gap between classical dance technique and the demands of commercial dance, ensuring graduates are highly versatile and marketable.
Located in the dance capital of the world, students train with current industry leaders and choreographers while gaining performance experience in student productions, mainstage showcases, and faculty-led projects. Annual productions such as Dance Out Loud and Dance sPace expose students to guest choreographers like Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton) and Mandy Moore (Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, La La Land), providing opportunities to perform new works and repertory from major contemporary companies.
Graduates of the program are highly sought after in the entertainment industry, landing jobs on Broadway, national tours, TV shows, and music videos. Many sign with agencies while still in the program, gaining real-world experience before graduation. With exposure to industry professionals and diverse training, students leave ready to take on the professional dance world.
Top 10
Did You Know?
Pace is one of the most represented colleges on Broadway, ranked #4 for the 2023–2024 season (Source: Playbill.com)
Top 27
one of the Top 27 acting colleges in America of 2024 (Source: Backstage.com)
Among the Best
named one of the best college dance programs for 2024 in America (Source: DanceUS.org)
Top 13
one of the 13 best musical theater colleges in America of 2025 (Source: Backstage.com)
Curriculum
The Commercial Dance, BFA curriculum is thoughtfully designed to bridge the gap from classical dance technique to the professional world of commercial dance.
Take Courses Like
Get Unparalleled Access
Access to current industry professionals is a cornerstone of the Commercial Dance, BFA program. As a student, you’ll have multiple performance opportunities in student-driven shows as well as mainstage productions. Mainstage productions feature faculty and guest artist works, everything from new world premieres to noted repertory from major contemporary companies.
Past companies include Paul Taylor (Company B), Jose Limon (Psalm), and residencies with Jessica Lang Dance, 10 Hairy Legs, and others. Additionally, numerous guest artists have created pieces in all genres of dance for the annual productions, Dance sPace (Fall) and Dance Out Loud (Spring). They include: Andy Blankenbuehler, Mandy Moore, Josh Bergasse, Jason Samuels Smith, Anthony Morigerato, Bo Park, Chloe Arnold, Ephrat Asherie, Boi Boy, Al Blackstone, Ayodele Cassel, Chloe Arnold, Karla Puno Garcia, and Shannon Lewis
Careers
As a commercial dance major, you’ll be fully prepared for a career in entertainment, and you’ll be able to access professional opportunities even before you graduate. Students gain additional “real-world” experience and many sign with agencies during the program or shortly after graduation.
As a Pace student, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with our robust career services team to develop a career plan that best fits your goals.
Where You've Seen Pace Graduates Shine:
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- Hamilton
- Outsiders
- Cabaret: The Kit Kat Club
- MJ, Michael Jackson Musical
- Sunset Boulevard with Nicole Scherzinger
- Wicked
- Radio City Rockettes: Radio City Christmas Spectacular
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- Spirited (Feature Film)
- IF (Feature Film
- Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
- Mean Girls (Feature Film)
- Fosse Verdon (FX network)
- In The Heights (Feature Film)
- NBC Upfronts
- Superbowl half-time show
- Awards shows such as the Oscars, TONY’s, Grammy’s VMA’s and more
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- Beyonce: Renaissance World Tour
- Lil’ Nas world tour
- Lindsey Stirling World tour
- Sofie Tucker world tour
- Beyonce: Dubai
- Arianna Grande music video
- Kim Petras world tour
- Katy Perry Vegas Residency
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- Hubbard Street
- Camille A Brown and dancers
- Parsons dance company
- Indianapolis Ballet
- Giordano Dance Chicago
Featured Faculty
Holly Evans is a full time faculty with focused teaching in Graham technique, ballet, jazz, dance pedagogy, and dance history.
Admission and Financial Aid
Ready to take charge of your future? Pace is with you every step of the way, providing a world class education and the skills your industry will be looking for far into the future.
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To learn more about requirements to apply to the Sands College of Performing Arts and what each program requests to include in your application, visit the Sands admission webpage.
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All prospective students to the Sands College of Performing Arts must submit an application for admission to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions before beginning the audition or interview process.
1. Application Deadlines
- November 1: Early Decision—provided that the audition or interview is completed before December 1.
- December 1: Application Final Deadline—no application will be accepted after this date.
- January 3: Pre-screen Deadline—all pre-screens must be in by this date for callback consideration.
- May 1: Deposit Deadline—commitment date for all admitted students, no new decisions will go out after this date.
2. Submit Your Audition Or Portfolio Media On Acceptd
Once prospective students have applied for admission to Pace, they should create a profile on Acceptd and upload the pre-screen requirements to all programs in which they wish to audition/interview.
NOTE: Applicants will need to know their Application ID number (sent via email once the application is processed).
3. Get Your Callback
Our faculty will review each digital submission and issue decisions on all submissions. For those issued callbacks, the faculty will need to see the applicant for a live audition or interview. Students will be notified via Acceptd of the faculty’s decision within two weeks from time of submission and, if given a callback, will be invited to schedule their audition or interview via Acceptd. Students who are not called back will also be notified in the same time frame.
If a student does not hear back from the College of Performing Arts within three weeks, they may email performingarts@pace.edu.
4. Attend The Callback Audition Or Interview
If granted multiple callbacks, the student will need to attend all auditions/interviews. (All programs audition/interview separately).
5. Get The Academic And Artistic Decision
Students will receive one decision letter with their academic and artistic acceptance together. Early Decision applicants will receive their decision by December. All other applicants will be reviewed for academic admission and notified of both the academic and artistic decision beginning in mid-March. In all instances a student must be academically admissible to qualify for admission to the Sands College.
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Understanding the value of a degree is essential, especially in terms of return on investment (ROI). According to The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Pace University is in the top 6% of U.S. colleges that provide the best return on tuition investment.
For the 2024–2025 academic year, full-time undergraduate tuition is $56,382. However, many students pay significantly less due to our generous merit scholarships, which offer up to $33,000 annually, as well as need-based scholarships, grants, on-campus employment opportunities, and loans. Pace is more affordable than you think. Financial assistance can come from many places, including scholarships, grants, on-campus employment, and loans.
Merit Scholarship Estimator
Estimate your merit scholarship eligibility based on your academic achievements to see how much merit aid you may receive.
Net Price Calculator
Use our Net Price Calculator to estimate your annual education costs and financial aid package.
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For any inquiries, please email Wayne Petro, Director of Enrollment and Incoming Advisor. He’s here to help answer your questions and guide you through the enrollment process.
Top 6%
Did You Know?
Pace is ranked in the top 6% nationally for return on investment (Source: The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce)
Contact Us
Admission Contact
Office of Undergraduate Admission
Phone: (212) 346-1323
Email: undergradadmission@pace.edu
Departmental Contact
Jesse Carlo
Phone: (212) 618-6104
Email: jcarlo@pace.edu