Ailey/Fordham BFA Program

The Ailey School Co-Director Tracy Inman with students from the Professional Division

An innovative partnership between The Ailey School and Fordham University, the Ailey/Fordham Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree combines the finest in dance and liberal arts education in a 4-year program. Students complete a diverse curriculum while attending both institutions full time.

Located in the cultural heart of New York City, the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program offers the best of both worlds: professional dance training at the official school of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and an exceptional liberal arts education rooted in the Jesuit tradition of intellectual development and personal attention.

The program offers a comprehensive study of several dance techniques, preparing graduates for a variety of jobs in today's diverse dance profession. Our focus on dance technique and performance offers students the opportunity to hone their professional skills and prepare for life as a professional dancer.

Featured Images

The Ailey School Professional Division students in Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish's Scream Scram Scrum Scrim

The Ailey School Professional ... (Read More) The Ailey School Professional Division students in Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish's Scream Scram Scrum Scrim (Hide)

Students of The Ailey School ... (Read More) Students of The Ailey School during Yusha-Marie Soranzo's New Directions Choreography Lab Showing (Hide)

The Ailey School Co-Director ... (Read More) The Ailey School Co-Director Tracy Inman with students from the Professional Division (Hide)

Featured Video

Dance 212 - An Electric Painting

Dance 212 - Daphne Builds Her ... (Read More) Dance 212 - Daphne Builds Her Strength (Hide)

Ailey/Fordham BFA Program

Featured Press Coverage

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May 01, 2021

Dance Magazine - Best Of Both Worlds

For years, young dancers fresh out of high school who wanted to continue their training were faced with a choice: Join a trainee program or enroll as a dance major at a four-year university. Nowadays, the options are vast, ranging from one-year postgraduate training programs and second company positions to unique partnerships between lauded dance academies and colleges. As attitudes around dancers going to college have shifted, aspiring professionals now have a host of paths to choose from.

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March 06, 2020

ELLE.com - The Ailey School's Tribute To Judy Chicago's 'The Dinner Party' Will Move You Into The Weekend

When Judy Chicago debuted her now-iconic feminist art installation The Dinner Party 40 years ago, everyone had thoughts—it was striking and powerful piece to some, and controversial to others. Featuring a large triangular table with 39 dinner plate settings, the piece served as a tribute to women Chicago believed deserved a seat at the table and quickly became her most recognized and praised body of work. In honor of International Women's Day and the 40th anniversary of The Dinner Party, Chicago joined forces with The Ailey School to honor the 39 pioneering figures through another art form: dance.

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March 03, 2020

Brick Underground - I Live Next To A World-Class Dance Institution. It Changed By Sons' Lives

When Lucy wanted to find a place in her Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood to send her two young and very active boys, she didn’t have to look very far. Her family lives next to Alvin Ailey, the famous dance school. At the time, she had no idea what a big impact weekly dance lessons would make on her sons’ lives, or how the culture and discipline of dance would shape them as teens who are now in high school. Here’s Lucy’s story.