The Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Arts Management is dedicated to preparing dancers to work as performers, teachers, choreographers, and arts/entertainment managers. Students selected through the audition process enter as dance majors. They take a foundation curriculum of dance technique, arts management and production, teaching dance, choreography, dance history, music fundamentals, and general education courses in the first two years. Students are placed in one of the three dance major degree tracks (Dance Performance, Dance Teacher, or Dance Management) for their junior and senior years. Placement in the degree for which students are best matched is based on the students’ interests and faculty evaluation of their skills, knowledge, and accomplishments. The American dance teacher degree with an emphasis on Dance Studio Management (a traditional first degree; residency required) is focused on developing employable dancers and teachers for the entertainment industry. The American dance teacher program has three core focuses: dance technique training, choreography & pedagogy instruction and arts management & business administration. The dance training core focuses on tap, jazz, theatre dance and ballet as used in musical theatre. The choreography and pedagogy instruction cores focus on developing the skills needed to become leaders in the dance teaching industry. The arts management and business administration cores focus on developing the knowledge and cultivating the expertise essential to managing successful arts organizations. Students develop technical and professional skills necessary to have life-long careers in show business.

Extensive performance opportunities are available through the American Spirit Dance Company, Spirit of Grace Liturgical Dancers, the Oklahoma City University Pep Dancers, the Student Choreography Show, and the Oklahoma Opera & Musical Theatre Company. Extensive teaching, managerial and performance opportunities are available through the Community Dance Center, American Spirit Dance Company, the Student Choreography Show, the Performing Arts Ticket Office, a variety of special events, Oklahoma Opera & Musical Theater Company, Oklahoma Children's Theatre, and domestic and international performance tours.