Please bring your sketchbook/journal and writing/drawing utensils to all classes.
Wear clothes that are comfortable to move in/inspiring to move in. I want you to feel creative and energetic in your body. You may come to class dressed and ready or use a changing room facility. Until further notice, due to Covid, Dance Studio dressing rooms are locked and may be unlocked by professor on request for one person at a time use.
Required Text: “A Choreographer’s Handbook” by Jonathan Burrows. You may purchase a copy, or there is an online version available through the library. I recommend purchasing if you are the kind of person who likes to make notes in the books you read.
Links for all All other readings and viewings are hyperlinked in the calendar.
Studio Time for your use. The dance studio is reserved for your use Mon-Fri 12N-4PM.
WEEK ONE: January 24
Monday Welcome!
Wednesday -Friday
Read/Explore:
(For Wed) Elements of Dance Website: “Home”, “Begin Here” and “Body”Read about this assignment here.
(For Wed) Burrows, “A Choreographer’s Handbook” pg 5-12
(For Wed) Read “Rethinking Movement Analysis” by Marcia B. Siegel; Read from pgs 14-26. Start with the paragraph that begins “So much of the world’s dance…” Optional: Read the entire essay.
Reading Insight: Marcia Siegel (1932) is a renowned dance critic who questions assumptions that the fine arts and academic worlds make about what makes a dance “good”; especially questioning those qualities e rooted in western European and US American thinking and constructs of “excellence.” In this essay Siegel confronts the most common analytical tool LMA or Laban Movement Analysis and proposes potential different frames for how we might see, observe, analyze and think about dance – which also leads us to tools about how we might think about the dances we are making. If there are references and ideas that you are not familiar with, please highlight them and bring them to class, or do some google-research as you read. Please come with an understanding (or questions) about what she means by these ideas:
- Lexicon, Choreographic Process, Instinctive Response
- Criteria: The beat, orchestration, social interaction
- Structure
(For Fri) Elements of Dance Website: “Action”.
(For Fri) Burrows pg 13-23
Choreo Studies for this week:
Name: Friday 1/28
WEEK TWO: January 31
Preparation, Assignments due & Readings for this week: This is a dense reading assignment week.
(For Mon) Read: Chapter 8: Forming (pgs 83-93, stop before Compositional Structures) Intimate Acts of Choreography by Lynne Ann Blum, L. Tarin Chaplin. You may skip over all the “choreographic studies and improvs” – we will be working this material in class.
(For Wed) Read: Chapter 20: Principles of African Choreography: Some perspectives from Ghana by Francis Nii-Yarte: Contemporary Choreography: A Critical Reader. Optional: There are many interesting essays in this collection, you might want to browse personal areas of interest to enhance your experience in this class.
- Note for Nii-Yarte reading. Think about how the Elements of Dance website, Jonathan Burrows, Marcia Siegel and Francis Nii-Yarte are giving us different ways of thinking about the how of choreography.
(By Fri) complete Burrows pg 24-42
Choreo Studies for this week:
WEEK THREE: February 7
Preparation, Assignments due & Readings for this week:
Reminder Monday is “working differently day” – no class. Studio is available for your use.
“Disability & Dance” Research Circle Assignment: Details Here. Due 2/18
Elements of Dance Website: Space
Burrows pgs 43-60
Choreo Studies for this week :
- Quality of Language Wed 2/9
WEEK FOUR: February 14
Preparation, Assignments due & Readings for this week:
Read: Chapter 8: Forming (pgs 93-99, stop before Theme and Variation vs. Motif and Development) Intimate Acts of Choreography by Lynne Ann Blum, L. Tarin Chaplin. You don’t need to read through all the “choreographic studies and improvs” – we will be improvising this material in class.
Elements of Dance Website: Energy
(BY FRIDAY) Watch Netflix Move series: 1-Featuring Jon Boogz & Lil Buck
(FOR FRIDAY) Be prepared for “Disability & Dance Research Circle”
Burrows pgs 61-80
Choreo Studies for this week:
- Direction & Focus Mon 2/14
- Dynamics Fri 2/18
WEEK FIVE: February 21
Preparation, Assignments due & Readings:
Elements of Dance Website: Time
Burrows pg 81-101
Wednesday at latest Netflix Move series: 2-Featuring Ohad Naharin. Be prepared to discuss Ohad Naharin, L’il Buck & Jon Boogz using these questions.
Wednesday: Rosas danst Rosas Project:
Go to the website here
Watch and learn each section:
- 1-Welcome;
- 2-Movements;
- 3-Structure;
- 4-Choreography
- Be prepared to dance all together as a class on Wednesday. You will not be assessed on your skill at performing the movements, rather this is a shared, embodied experience with the class for discussion purposes.
Choreo Studies for this week:
- Time… Mon 2/21
- Rosas danst Rosas Wed 2/23
WEEK SIX: February 28
Preparation, Assignments due & Readings for this week:
Prepare: When Dancers Talk Research Circle Project: Details here. Due March 14.
Burrows pgs 102-122
By Wednesday Watch Netflix Move series: 3-Featuring Israel Galvan HEADS UP: Flamenco dancer challenging gender norms, in the tradition of the dance form and his family’s expectations. He makes bold solo work around these issues in his life and work.
Read: Creating Movement from Words
Monday:
Discuss Burrows, especially “Make six things”; and we will do one of the exercises.
Work on and present Motif study. Examine the Bill T. Jones video.
Wednesday:
Discuss Israel Galvan, using these questions
Work on and present: Word 1
Choreo Studies for this week:
WEEK SEVEN: March 7
Preparation, Assignments due & Readings:
- Burrows pgs 123-151
- Reminder: When Dancers Talk Research Circle on March 14: You must have: at least 2 additional sources to bring to the conversation. Cite, quotations, and your reflection. Bring your research notes to turn in. (Citations using MLA format)
- BY MONDAY Visit Kimberli Boyd website, Kimberli will be a guest in our class on Wednesday. Peruse the website: What do you want to know more about? (Turn in questions on Monday, be prepared for her visit on Wednesday)
- Attend “Rabbit Hole” in the Roberts Theatre (Fri-Sat). Write 250-word max reflection: “How did movement serve as physical design in this production?” Turn in via email with “Rabbit Hole” in the subject. Due by next week. HEADS UP: About the play “THE STORY: Becca and Howie Corbett have everything a family could want, until a life-shattering accident turns their world upside down and leaves the couple drifting perilously apart. RABBIT HOLE charts their bittersweet search for comfort in the darkest of places and for a path that will lead them back into the light of day.” Alternative viewing assignment can be assigned if need be. Please discuss with me.
Monday:
Be prepared to discuss the concept of “score” from Burrows.
Discuss questions to ask Kimberli Boyd
Work on and present Word 2
Wednesday: Guest Kimberli Boyd
Choreo Studies for this week :
- Word 2 Mon 3/7
WEEK EIGHT: March 14: UPDATED
Preparation, Assignments due & Readings:
- Preparation On Stage Alone Research Circle Project. Details here. Due: April 6: You must have: at least 2 additional sources to bring to the conversation, to quote and cite. Bring your research notes to class.
- Watch Netflix Move series: 4-Featuring Kimiko Versatile.
- Burrows pgs 152-171
Monday:
Thoughts on Kimiko Versatile
When Dancers Talk Research Circle You must have: at least 2 additional sources to bring to the conversation, to quote and cite. Bring your research notes to turn in – sources cited (use MLA format), quotes from sources, and your comments on sources to reflect on “When Dancers Talk…. what happens?”
Work on and present Word 3
Wednesday: Kimberli Boyd Guest Artist
Choreo study for this week:
- Word 3 Mon 3/14
SPRING BREAK – ENJOY!
In this next half of the semester we will be focusing on our final project, understanding and articulating our personal “aesthetic”.
There are a few readings/viewings, keeping up with Burrows , but mostly we will be to digging deeply into your final work.
We will be doing weekly “Critical Response Process” critique sessions; and in-class time to incorporate feedback into your project.
“…aesthetics as an exploration of the tools artists use to commune and connect with audience-participants. It speaks to a desire to engage deeply and specifically about how and why we are making our work. It also speaks to our need to position aesthetics beyond its limiting, oppressive, Euro-centric legacy.”
Nicole Gurgel, Alternate ROOTS.org
THE POST BREAK SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED AFTER BREAK. THERE ARE NO ASSIGNMENTS DUE OVER BREAK.
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Week of |
Mon |
Wed |
McAfee: McAfee will be doing film viewing and analysis papers, and sharing 5 minute class presentations to replace choreo assignments. |
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April 4 |
*Go over syllabus for 2nd half of semseter. *Ideas for solos: creative explorations
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*Be informed by Burrows pgs 172-187 *Research Circle: On Stage Alone. *Discuss Reading: Decolonizing Aesthetics *Learn: Critical Response Process * Work time |
During work time start on Germaine Acogny research assignment |
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April 11 |
*Discuss: Move series Akra Khan *Discuss: Article, choreographers and copyright * Work time * Erin, costumes |
Be informed by Burrows pg 188-197 *Show first draft *Writing your artist statement #1 *Work time |
Wed: Present Film viewing and analysis: Germaine Acogny
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April 18 |
*Turn in assignment: Doris Humphrey Check List *Artist statement #2 *Work Time |
*Be informed by Burrows pg 198-207 *Erin, costumes *Show second draft *Work Time |
Wed: Present Film viewing and analysis:
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April 25 |
*Artist statement 3 *Discuss Poster idea, program, *Show draft 3 |
**Working differently day** Read Burrows pg 208-209 |
Mon: Present Film viewing and analysis: Pina Bausch Undersanding Pina: The Legacy of Pina Bausch Pina dance, dance, otherwise we are lost
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May 2 |
Meet in the Wall *Kate joins us in the Wall for tech *Erin costumes |
Meet in the Wall *Show Draft 4 with full costumes, et al *Design tech |
Wed: present film viewing and analysis:
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May 9 |
Full dress rehearsal |
*Performance *Last class |
Wed after performance, present film viewing and analysis: Beach Birds for Camera (Merce Cunningham)
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DUE FRIDAY BY 5PM: FINAL REFLECTION/EVALUATION MCAFFE DUE FRIDAY: FINAL PAPER |