BFA at Dominican
About
Important Information Regarding LINES Ballet BFA Program at Dominican University
Since its inception in 2006, the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA Program at Dominican University has graduated close to 200 dance artists. Alumni populate dance companies across the country and abroad. Some have established their own companies and schools, and many are contributing creative problem-solving skills to a wide variety of professions.
Unfortunately, the challenges of sustaining a vibrant BFA dance program in the current economic and academic landscape have been immense in recent years. The LINES Ballet BFA at Dominican has seen declining enrollment since the pandemic. Designed as a selective, conservatory-model training for pre-professional dancers, applicants are required to have years of prior dance training and to pass an audition to be admitted. The pandemic’s impact on dance training across the country and around the world has been devastating, and the LINES BFA Program at Dominican has been no exception.
As a small, selective program, the program’s margins are slim and the decline in enrollment in recent years has made the program unsustainable. And so, Dominican University of California has made the difficult decision to stop admitting new students to the LINES Ballet BFA Program as of fall 2025.
All students and faculty currently associated with the BFA Program were informed in mid-October that Dominican and LINES Ballet are committed to the students currently in the program and will provide all courses and curriculum leading to their graduation, as well as advising and offering support for students who may consider transferring to another program.
Rehearsals and performances will continue unchanged and will remain part of the curriculum. There will be no changes to scholarships already awarded to enrolled students.
The LINES Ballet BFA Program at Dominican program has been widely recognized for the excellence of its faculty and the unique connection to Alonzo King, one of this country’s most celebrated choreographers. LINES Ballet is extremely proud to have been a partner in this deeply impactful program, which has served as a launching pad for so many accomplished dancers.
In the 2026/2027 academic year, the LINES Ballet BFA Program at Dominican will celebrate 20 years of artistic growth, discovery, and accomplishment, honoring the exceptional faculty, students, and guest artists that we have been honored to serve. Special 20th anniversary projects will include a photo exhibition on the university campus, performances featuring BFA program alumni, and opportunities for students, alumni, family, and friends to gather, reconnect, and celebrate this important milestone.
The faculty and staff of LINES Ballet and Dominican University look forward to the next three years, and in particular the program’s 20th anniversary, as we guide our current BFA students in their journey toward graduation, uplifting and nurturing their artistry, and showcasing their work to Bay Area audiences.
Students and parents/guardians with questions about the program should contact Program Director Marina Hotchkiss, [email protected].
CONTACT
Marina Hotchkiss
[email protected]
Program Director
Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA at Dominican University
415.863.3040 x281
Dominican University of California
About Dominican University of California
Dominican educates and prepares students to be ethical leaders and socially responsible global citizens who incorporate the Dominican values of study, reflection, community and service into their lives. The University is committed to diversity, sustainability and the integration of the liberal arts, the sciences, and professional programs. For complete information on the university, please visit Dominican’s website.
The Dominican Experience
Every Dominican Student works with an integrative coach and a network of mentors all four years. Each individual engages with the community through service learning, internships, fieldwork, or community-based research. BFA students have the opportunity to engage in dance outreach initiatives through DU and our partner organization, JUNTOS Collective. Upon graduation, each student will have crafted a signature choreographic work and an accompanying digital portfolio.
“One of the wonderful benefits of art study is that you develop intuition. Intuition is that knowing which doesn’t rely on inference and doesn’t need validation. It just knows.”
Achievements of the BFA
We are very proud to see the achievements, awards, and milestones of students and alumni since the founding of the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA at Dominican University of California.
Film
In the summer of 2020, the Class of 2020 participated in a 24-hour livestream event benefiting Doctors Without Borders called the NITE 24 Hour Global Art Carousel. They created a work expressing their experiences with the Black Lives Matter movement. Read interviews with alumni Alesandra Harper and Marie Finley on our blog.
Scholarships
Princess Grace Foundation scholarship recipients have included Lani Dickinson (’16), Katie Scherman (’10), and Jeffrey Van Sciver (’13). Jeffrey Van Sciver was also awarded the Princess Grace Foundation’s Chris Hellman Award. Dizzy Feet Foundation scholarship recipients include: Tatiana Barber (’16), Charbel Rohayem (’16), William Couture (’15), Madeline Matuska (’15), Mary Kate O’Sullivan (’14), Rachel Furst (’13), and Jeffrey Van Sciver (’13).
Other Achievements
In 2020, Dominican University of California was named the nation’s most transformative four-year university by the American Council on Education (ACE). Learn more.
In 2015, LINES BFA at Dominican was listed in The Ten Best Colleges for Dance Performance in the US.
In 2014, BFA alum Casey Thorne (’10) was awarded a Fulbright Student Fellowship to research dance in Israel.
In 2013, BFA alum and current LINES company member, Michael Montgomery (’11), was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch”.
In 2011, our students were invited to attend the Tremplin Jeunes Ballets of the Monaco Dance Forum, a highly prestigious showcase attended by international directors of contemporary and classical ballet companies.
Alumni
Our graduates have been offered positions in dance companies around the world, including:
- Alonzo King LINES Ballet
- Oakland Ballet
- AXIS Dance Company
- BodyTraffic
- Club Guy and Roni (Holland)
- Compagnia Zappala Danza (Italy)
- Donlon Dance (Germany)
- Flock
- Gibney Dance
- DanceWorks Chicago
- dawsondancesf
- Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
- Metropolitan Opera (Porgy and Bess)
- Northwest Dance Project
- ODC/Dance
- Philadanco 2
- Robert Moses’ KIN
- Sean Dorsey Dance
- SF Opera
- Staats Oper Saarbruchen
- State Street Ballet
- tinypistol
- TU Dance
- Visceral Dance Chicago
- Wonderbound
- Amongst Others
And they have gone on to choreograph works for various organizations including:
- Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA at Dominican University of California
- Bridge Project Creative Residency at Velocity Dance Center
- Cornish Arts Incubator Residency
- DanceWorks Chicago
- Seattle International Dance Festival
- Seattle Art Museum
- Western Dance Project of Western Michigan University
BFA Stories
BFA at Dominican – LINESConnected
BFA Alumni Interview
LINES Ballet has a joint BFA Program with Dominican University of California, shaping dancers like Zara Anwar, Héctor Jaime, and Emma Debski. The program, influenced by Alonzo King’s philosophy, fosters artistry, individuality, and constant growth. Through dynamic classes and experiences, students prepare for professional paths with profound personal impact.
The Heart Behind our BFA Students’ Senior Projects
From music selection to leading rehearsals, graduating students Angel Warden-Palmer and Hannah Woolfenden share the stories behind their original dances that premiered earlier this year. Get to them both, and all about their recent works, before they take the stage next Tuesday for the BFA Senior Showcase at YBCA, where…
Interview with BFA Senior Choreographer Sidra Bell
Artistic director and educator Sidra Bell discusses empathy, improvisation, disrupting habits, leading from the center, looking at the seams, and working with our BFA seniors to create the piece they’ll perform this Tuesday, May 17 at YBCA.
First Semester Back To The Studio: Journal By BFA Sophomore Amanda Harris
BFA sophomore Amanda Harris reflects on all the firsts she experienced this fall: first trip on the bus to San Francisco, first in-person composition class, and first time performing on Dominican University of California’s stage, all milestones that were foregone in her freshman year with the onset of COVID-19. Enjoy…