About Us
History
Established ninty years ago and offering a professional dance major for sixty of those years, FSU dance continues to be a pioneer and leader among college dance programs. The School has a reputation as a center for the creation, reconstruction, and production of outstanding dance repertory, ranging from traditional classical choreography to contemporary original works.
The core mission of the School of Dance is to combine exceptional artistic training with a liberal arts education. This dual dedication to art and learning has yielded graduates who are dancers, teachers, scholars, and leaders in companies, schools, universities, and art organizations in the United States and abroad. In addition to classes for dance majors, approximately 400 students are instructed each semester through the general studies in dance classes open to our university community dancers.
Montgomery Hall has six studio spaces, a conditioning studio, costume shop, centers for music and technology, a black box theatre, as well as the fully equipped proscenium Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre which seats 374. Several concert series are presented annually, including Days of Dance, An Evening of Dance, and Masters Projects.
The School of Dance is also the home of the internationally recognized dance research center, the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC). The mission of this unique and visionary center is to funnel creative activity capturing the interest in the dance field and encouraging the creation, dissemination, and documentation of new knowledge in dance and choreography. FSU dance majors have the opportunity to observe professional artists as they engage in projects while in residence at MANCC.
Mission
The mission of the Florida State University School of Dance is to provide an environment conducive to the highest caliber of dance training, art-making, and scholarship. Our approach encourages fluidity between the processes of making art, honing the craft, and deepening intellectual explorations. We cultivate the individual creative voice with exposure to diverse technical and philosophical approaches. Such an environment nurtures exceptional dance practitioners, allows us to make creative and intellectual contributions to the larger dance community, and fosters collaborative endeavors within and beyond our field.
Core Values
- Guided by former chair Dr. Nancy Smith Fichter’s motto, “Do it with love,” we honor past legacies, current practices, and future possibilities.
- We support the whole person through integrated, humane, rigorous education to encourage self-sustaining, lifelong learning and development.
- We value respectful dialogue while grappling with the ongoing complexities of working across differences.
- We cultivate innovative artist-scholars who engage in critical thinking, articulate making and doing, and integrated practices fueled by curiosity.
- We believe perseverance is fundamental to process-oriented creative research and support methodologies that involve both risk-taking and rigorous planning.
FAQ
How to get to the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre?
The Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre is located in Montgomery Hall. Montgomery Hall is on the west side of Landis Green.
Florida State University
Montgomery Hall
130 Collegiate Loop
Tallahassee, FL 32306
Where is the nearest parking garage?
Traditions Parking Garage is the nearest garage to Montogomery Hall. Parking is available to the general public on Saturday and Sunday.
Please arrive early to ensure time to walk from parking garage to building.
Friends of Dance members may park in the Reserved Lot behind the building.
Parking is available to the general public on Saturday and Sunday.
How to purchase tickets?
The School of Dance strongly encourages you to purchase tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line and possibly missing part of a performance. To purchase tickets, contact the Fine Arts Ticket Office at 850.644.6500 or online at tickets.dance.fsu.edu. If you wish to purchase tickets in-person, the Fine Arts Ticket Office is located on the corner of Call Street and Copeland Street on the FSU Campus. There is an additional $5 per ticket fee charged by the Fine Arts Ticket Office for in-person ticket purchases. All day of event ticket sales occur online. Ordering online is fast, secure, and best of all FREE*!
For the most up-to-date information about the ticket office (hours, contact information, policies, etc) visit tickets.dance.fsu.edu.
Evening of Dance
- General Adult: $20.00
- Senior (62+): $18.00
- Child & Non-FSU Students: $12.00
- FSU Students with FSU ID: $10.00
Days of Dance
- General Adult Senior (62+): $20.00
- Senior (62+): $15.00
- Non-FSU Students: $12.00
- Child & FSU Students with FSU ID: $10.00
What are the Box office hours?
7:30 Evening Performances: 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM
2:00 Matinee Performances: 1:15 PM – 2:10 PM
All day of event ticket purchases must be made online. A box office representative will be present to assist with any issues. Wheelchair and companion seating may be limited for some events. Please call 644-4425 in advance to reserve wheelchair and companion seating for your party or select this option when checking out online.