The Iowa Center for the Arts Scholarship Program in Dance will grant scholarships to entering freshmen who demonstrate exceptional talent in dance. Each scholarship winner will receive a $5,000 freshman-year grant.

How to Apply:

The ICA Scholarship Application is within the online BFA and BA applications. This is available on each application under the heading, Scholarship Opportunities.

To complete the ICA portion of the application:

• Answer yes to 'Are you interested in applying for the Iowa Center for the Arts Scholarship?'  
• Additional questions and fields will pop up on your application for you to complete.  

Only completed BFA, BA, and ICA applications will be considered. 

Required Materials:

Two Letters of Recommendation:  two letters of recommendation (one academic and one dance related) should be uploaded to your online application.  You will see an option to do this at the bottom of the application form. If your letters are confidential and cannot be uploaded please have them send to the Department of Dance.

• Who should write my letters of recommendation for the ICA Scholarship? ​One letter should come from either a director, choreographer, or teacher of your current dance studio/school, and one letter should come from a high school guidance counselor, teacher, or mentor.

Solo Requirements:  a two minute solo is required to be preformed on audition day. Solos can be in any genre and cannot exceed two minutes. You must provide your own music on your phone, portable USB drive, or compact disc. Your piece can be self-choreographed or choreographed by another. If you have questions about the solo please contact Molly Dahlberg.

Essay: Submit an essay based on the following prompt:

Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations” premiered in 1960 on the brink of the American Civil Rights Movement. In a 2017 review by Lauren Warnecke for the Los Angeles Times, she writes, ”’Revelations’ represents more than the Ailey dance company. It represents the faith, beauty, and complexity of African-American culture. It imbues pain, humanity, and joy. And, for some, it is the best possible representation of how Dance (capital ‘D’) can bring people together.” 

Reflect on the significance of dance in the world, and provide an example of when dance (or bodily movement) has made a difference. Consider how dance and the body have contributed to social, cultural, and/or political change over time: from concert dance works like “Revelations,” to political movements that leverage the power of bodies in space to provoke change, such as marches, sit-ins, and other forms of protest. 

Be sure to frame your response with a main idea, supported by specific examples. If you cite additional sources, be sure to include a reference list at the end of your essay.