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UW Dancing Cultures in Greece

Collage of images displaying what life is like on the program in Greece. There are two pieces of text that read: "Dance and engage with artists in Athens" and "Dance experience not required, financial aid is available."
Overhead view of a Greek amphitheater. It is slightly worn down, but still has many rows of seats and a visible stage area.
View of a city just off the coast of the island. There are boats in the foreground and buildings escalading down the hill on land.
Table of traditional Greek dishes, including: feta cheese, olives, kebabs, and Greek salad.
Four ancient theatre masks are hanging on a wall. They display emotions of excitement and fear. The masks are made out of clay.



This program will next be offered in Summer 2027.

Greece, Multiple

Join Lecturer Liz Sexe from UW’s Dance department, to explore the intersections between dance and national identity and conduct an ethnographic study of dance in Greece.

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to providing quality study abroad and domestic study away programs for every UW-Madison student. We work strategically to identify, address, and remove barriers that may prevent participation and to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for students. Our staff actively engages with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds and prioritizes the continuous development of our knowledge and cultural competence. We also recognize the importance of increasing access to study abroad for historically underrepresented student populations. We are committed to diversity and inclusion so that every student can engage with and understand their identity through a new lens and continue to develop and make progress on their personal, professional, and academic goals.

Sustainability

We recognize that the future of study abroad, domestic study away, and international internship programming requires a Commitment to Sustainability. We are devoted to examining, developing, and improving sustainability in all our endeavors, aligning with campus priorities and following through with UW-Madison's climate action and Resilience Commitment. Join our efforts and learn more about how to study abroad sustainably.

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Eligibility

  • Preference is given to students in the School of Education (all majors).  Further preference is given to students with a declared Dance major.  Preference may be given to students with a declared Dance certificate.
  • First-Year students must have 2 semesters completed by the time of participation (the preceding Fall and Spring semesters).
  • 2.0 cumulative GPA
  • No previous dance experience required
  • Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior
  • Open to UW-Madison degree-seeking students only
  • Good academic and disciplinary standing
  • At the time of application and the semester prior to participation, UW-Madison students must be currently enrolled. Transfer Students to UW-Madison need to be currently enrolled at their home institution

Advising Location

Program Structure

UW Signature

Subjects

Dance

Classroom Language

English

Housing

Hotels

Program Duration

Summer:  mid-June to mid-July

Application Deadline(s)

Summer 2026 - [Suspended] 2/6/2026 Cost Details

Future durations will be posted at a later date.

APPLY NOW

 

You will receive 3 credits upon completion of the program. You can choose from Dance 368, or Anthropology 455, or Folklore Program 315. 

This program will provide an immersive experience, allowing you to examine the intersection between historical perceptions of Greece and contemporary cultural production through the lens of dance studies.  All undergraduate majors and levels are encouraged to apply - no previous dance experience is necessary! 

The course will be broken into two components (2025 dates pending):

• 5 days online (June 27 - July 1, 2024)
• 2 weeks in Greece (July 2 - 17, 2024)

While on-site, you will participate in various dance experiences and workshops, watch performances, explore museums, and engage with local eperts. In Greece, embodied practices and dance have always been a way of constructing a sense of belonging, so in this course, you will delve into the specifics of how folklore, social dance, concert dance, and other somatic practices foster a sense of belonging, community, and unity amongst practitioners.

At the end of the course, you will be able to critically engage with questions like: How might dance be used to create a sense of national belonging and identity? What are the past and present issues with the curation of dance today in Greece and in international festivals? How, and what type of identity is created through embodied practices?  How did dance in Greece influence Modern Dance in the United States? What is the significance of this exchange?

The program will primarily take place in Athens with an excursion to the island of Syros where the program will integrate with the Akropoditi Dance Festival an annual event hosting artists from Greece and around the world, combining theoretical and practical workshops for attendees. You will participate in various workshops of their choice as part of the course.


Course Equivalents

Use the links below to see a list of courses that past students have taken on this program and the UW equivalents. Note: This list only includes pre-approved courses for your program and may not be an exhaustive list of courses, departments or equivalents. Courses may not be available the semester you are abroad. You will receive instructions on the course equivalent process after acceptance. View Course Equivalents