As the University of Wisconsin–Madison Dance Department prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2026, it is also stepping boldly into the future with the launch of a new Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Dance program.
This fully funded, two-year graduate degree program will allow exceptional artists to engage in advanced creative and scholarly explorations that position dance as a vital cultural, aesthetic, and intellectual force in the 21st century.
“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 Dance Department. “It is another example of our department’s commitment to shaping the future of the field.”
The MFA program has two distinct tracks — one in Screendance and another in Creative Research, Culture, and Practice. Designed with a uniquely collaborative structure and significant overlap in the core curriculum, students will have ample opportunities to work together.
“They will influence and inspire one another,” said Li Chiao-Ping, director of the MFA program.
“We’re looking for the change-makers of the future, the next leaders — we want to help them get there,” added Li, the Sally Banes Professor of Dance and a Vilas Research Professor within the Dance Department.
Applications for the inaugural cohort will open Sept. 3, with the first class arriving on campus in fall 2026.
As a fully funded program, all accepted students will receive full tuition remission, a competitive monthly stipend through teaching, lecturing, or project assistantships, comprehensive health benefits, and access to additional annual funding opportunities.
Two dynamic named options
UW–Madison’s program will be the first in the nation to offer a terminal MFA degree with a dedicated focus on screendance — a hybrid art form at the intersection of dance and digital media.
“Screendance is exploding, especially post-pandemic,” said Li, whose work combines multiple art forms to explore themes of culture and identity, both on stage and on screen. “Empowering the next generation to investigate these possibilities deeply and seriously will transform the dance field across the globe.”
Core faculty in screendance include Li; Douglas Rosenberg, Vilas Distinguished Professor of Art; and Omari Carter, assistant professor of dance. Rosenberg is an award-winning filmmaker, scholar, and leading voice in screendance, with seminal books 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 that 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,” said Chris Walker, professor of dance and UW–Madison’s special assistant to the provost on the arts. Walker’s work investigates African Caribbean dance as a lens for engaging environmental activism, social justice, and cultural preservation.
“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,” he added.
A profound investment
The program has received endowed funding to make this program possible, including from the estate of UW–Madison Professor Emerita Buff Brennan — a pioneering scholar in dance and former department chair.
“This endowment is a profound investment into the future leaders of the field,” said Yu, “and it’s timely.” With the first cohort arriving during the department’s 100th anniversary year, “It’s a perfect time to celebrate this program, which will be another great addition to our legacy.”
Learn more about UW–Madison’s MFA in Dance program.