Course: DCE 200 Dance Appreciation - Section 08
Instructor: Sara Geffert
Office: 220 G
Office
hours: By Appointment. (Please know that I will make every effort to
find a time to meet with you regarding any concerns or questions you have
resulting from class.)
Email: srgeffer@uncg.edu
Catalog Description:
Dance as an art form: historical and aesthetic perspectives, basic
elements, and the relationship to other arts.
This class meets every Wednesday from 7-9:45.
Students must wear appropriate
dancewear for the movement portion of this course. During studio sessions, all
students must wear clothing fit for movement. No jeans. Students will be given time to change
clothes for the movement portion of the course.
Out of respect for the learning
environment there will be no food in the studio space, and all cell phones must
be turned off. If there is any
reason you feel the need to keep your cell phone on vibrate during the lecture portion of class, please let me
know at the beginning of the semester so that I can make a note of it.
During each class session all
students are expected to listen actively to the instructor and peers, and to
engage thoughtfully in class discussions. . In sharing written and oral
perspectives on in-class experiences and assigned course materials, students
are expected to utilize critical thinking skills and to demonstrate respect for
all views - even those that differ from their own. Videos will be an important portion of the classroom
experience, used especially to expose students to dance forms we do not
experience in the studio. Students should take notes on what they observe in
the videos and on how visual materials relate to the lectures.
Upon successful completion of
the course students will be able to:
Teaching Strategies:
To enable student achievement of the learning goals, I will
* Not every student will receive individual feedback
during each class, but all students will receive individual feedback regularly
throughout the course of the semester.
Evaluation Methods and Guidelines for Assignments:
The fundamental and ongoing assignments in this class are
to:
I will assess your progress toward and your actual
achievement of the learning goals through:
Attendance:
The Dance Department REQUIRES an 80% participation rate to
get credit for the course. Because
this class meets once a week, you will be permitted TWO ABSENCES ONLY without
penalty. 1/3 of a letter grade
will be deducted for each absence incurred over the maximum absences allowed
for this class. Sitting and
watching a class does not count as participation in the studio portion
of class.
THREE TARDIES equals ONE ABSENCE.
A tardy constitutes being more than ten minutes late to class OR leaving
early. Non-participants will be
asked to take written observations of the class. Upon the FORUTH ABSENCE, students will be DROPPED from the course
at the discretion of the instructor.
Readings and related
assignments:
- On e-reserves
- Acocella, Joan. 2006. Imagining Dance. Intersections:
Dance, Place, and Identity. A.H. Dils, R.
Gee, and M. Brookoff. Iowa:
Kendall/ Hunt Publishing Company.
- Au, Susan. 1993. Ascent and Descent. Ballet and Modern
Dance. London: Thames and Hudson.
- Au, Susan. 1993. The Metamorphosis of Form. Ballet and
Modern Dance. London: Thames and Hudson.
- B.S. Sunstein and E. Chiser – Strater. 2007.
Stepping In and Stepping Out: Understanding
Cultures. Fieldworking: Reading and Writing Research. Third Edition. UNCG.
- Foster, Susan Leigh. 1986. Balanchine and Black Dance. Reading
Dancing: Bodies and Subjects in Contemporary American Dance. University of California Press: Berkeley.
- Foster, Susan Leigh. 1986. Breaking. Reading Dancing:
Bodies and Subjects in Contemporary American Dance. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Foster, Susan Leigh. 1986. Reading Choreography: Composing
Dances. Reading Dancing: Bodies and Subjects in Contemporary American Dance. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Gottschild, Brenda Dixon. 2006. Stripping the Emperor: The
Africanist Presence in American Concert Dance. Intersections: Dance, Place,
and Identity. A.H. Dils, R. Gee, and M.
Brookoff. Iowa: Kendall/ Hunt Publishing Company.
- Hill, Constance Valis. 2002. Katherine DunhamÕs Southland: Protest in the Face of Repression. Dancing
Many Drums. Wisconsin: The University of
Wisconsin Press.
- Kealinohomoku, Joann. 2001. An Anthropologist Looks at
Ballet as a Form of Ethnic Dance. In Moving history/ Dancing cultures. Dils, Ann, ed. Middletown, Connecticut: Wesleyan
University Press.
- Osumare, H. 2002. Global Breakdancing and the
Intercultural Body. Dance Research Journal.
- Sklar, D. 2002. Five premises to a culturally sensitive
approach to dance. In Moving history/ Dancing cultures. A.C. Albright and A.H. Dils. Middletown, CT:
Wesleyan University Press.
Assignments:
Personal Movement Essay - 15%
Test 1 - 15%
Test 2 - 15%
Online Discussion Board Reflections - 10%
Choreography Project - 15%
Journals - 15%
Concert Reflection - 15%
Descriptions:
Test
1—15%: This test will cover material from the beginning of
the semester to the midpoint.
Test 2—15%:
This test will cover material from
the midpoint to the end of the semester.
All essays must include a cover page, be double-spaced,
and written in twelve-point font.
I will not accept emailed essays.
Generally Essays will be graded
in three parts:
♦ Content makes up 60% and
is assessed by evaluating depth of thought, attention to detail, and
achievement in following the parameters of the assignment.
♦ Structure, making up
20%, is flow and organization of the essay.
♦
Grammar, also 20%, includes spelling, complete sentences, comma usage, and
attention to matters and rules of grammar.
Personal Movement Essay—15%: You will write a Personal Movement Essay describing an
experience in detail using the Laban principles discussed in class. The experience you choose should be
unique to you but not include drug or sexual related material and should not
disclose illegal activity. This
descriptive essay should be three to five pages in length. Due: March 5
Concert Reflection – 15%: Over
the course of the semester, students are required to attend one dance concert
from the approved list below.
After attending a concert students will write a two to three page
reflective essay. This short essay
should explore your personal experience of the evening from start to
finish. Was this the first concert
you have ever attended? Did you
like what you saw? Why or why not? What kind of dance did you see? Was the experience more or less
enjoyable than what you thought it would be? How? Attached
to the essay should be your ticket stub and program. Due:
April 30
Group Choreography Project – 15%: Towards the end of the semester,
students will work in groups of three to five to create a short piece of
choreography. A small amount of
class time will be allotted to working on this project. Outside rehearsals will likely be
necessary and will be organized by the students. Each dance should be well rehearsed and will be presented to
the class during the last Tuesday, December 4. The dance should be 2 - 3 minutes in length. Music, costumes, and props may be used
but are not required. Half of your
grade will be based on what I see in the dance in relation to guidelines I will
provide you. The other half will
be based on peer evaluations from your group members.
Journal – 15%: Students
will write a half page journal entry each week, synthesizing and reflecting
upon that TuesdayÕs lecture, the reading assignment for that week, and the
movement activities for that week. Journals should be typed, double-spaced,
12-point font, and should contain proper spelling, correct grammar, complete
sentences and full paragraphs.
Journals should show that the student is making connections between the
reading, the lecture, and the movement exercises. I am using these to gauge
your understanding of the material we cover in class. Journal entries are due every Wednesday EXCEPT March 26.
*Note: there will be some times when you also have a test the same day. There are 13 journals to do,
but you can miss 3 with no penalty to your grade. NOTE: the first two (due January 23 and January
30) are not optional.
Online Discussion Board
Reflection – 10%: Each week students will post a personal reflection
responding to prompts found on discussion board. Prompts will pertain to
the assigned reading and/or in class movement experiences. Responses must show depth of thought
and be a complete paragraph. Each
student is required to participate in a minimum of 10 online discussions.
Topical Outline:
NOTE: SCHEDULE CHANGES AND ASSIGNMENTS MAY VARY SLIGHTLY
FROM THIS SCHEDULE.
Weekly readings will be assigned. All readings should be completed before
attending class.
Wednesday, January 16: Course Introduction
Wednesday, January 23: Ways of Experiencing Dance
Wednesday, January 30: Court Dance and Early Stages
of Ballet
Wednesday,
February 6: Romantic and Classical
Ballet
Wednesday, February 13: Ballet
Russes and Balanchine
Wednesday, February 20: Musical
Theater and Swing
Wednesday, February 27: Dance in
Africa
Guest
Lecturer: Wesley Williams
Wednesday, March 5: Hip-Hop
Guest
Lecturer: Amanda Diorio
Due: Personal Movement Essay
MARCH 10 – 16: SPRING
BREAK
Wednesday, March 19: Test
Wednesday, March 26: Early Modern
Dance
Wednesday, April 2: Katherine
Dunham and The Big Four
Wednesday, April 9: Modernism
Wednesday, April 16: Postmodernism
Wednesday, April
23: Where are we now? And Presentation of Choreography Projects
Wednesday, April
30: Test
Due: Concert Essay and Good Student Credit
Grading Scale:
97-100 =A+
93-96 = A
90-92 = A-
87-89 = B+
83-86 = B
80-82 = B-
77-79 = C+
73-76 = C
70-72 = C-
67-69 = D+
63-66 = D
60-62 = D-
59 = F
Performance Calendar: All
performances take place in the UNCG Dance Theatre located at the corner of
Walker Avenue and Kenilworth St. (http://www.uncg.edu/dce/directions.html). Tickets are reserved through the UNCG
Box Office (http://boxoffice.uncg.edu):
336-334-4849.
All ticket prices listed below are for UNCG students.
Approved Performances for Concert Essay:
MFA Concert Work by Kerrie-Jean Hudson: 3/28 – 3/29
8pm ($6)
MFA Concert Work by Julia Edwards and Sara Geffert: 4/4
– 4/5 8pm ($6)
MFA Concert Work by Madeleine Reber: 4/11 – 4/12 8pm
($6)
Departmental Concert: 4/25 8pm and 4/26 2pm & 8pm ($6)
Remaining Concerts can be attended for Good Student
Credit:
Prime Movers Concert: 2/15 8pm and 2/16 2pm & 8pm ($5)
MFA Concert Work by Emily Quinn: 2/29 - 3/1 8pm ($6)
MFA Concert Work by Jen Guy: 4/18 – 4/19 8pm ($6)
BFA Thesis Concert: 5/2 8pm and 5/3 2pm & 8pm ($6)
Helpful Example:
The following essay may be helpful as you prepare to write
your critique. It is from A
Primer for Movement Description by Cecily Dell, published by the Dance
Notation Bureau, Inc., New York, NY, 1970.
What Can I Say About a Dance?
Someone
moves. You want to describe the
movement. What can you say? You could start by saying what the
person did. You can choose from
among the many intransitive verbs in your vocabulary--he ran, he stopped, he
turned, he jumped, he walked, he sat.
Or the person might have done something involving an object, allowing
you a larger choice of transitive verbs—he threw it, he picked it up, he
broke it, he tossed it, he brushed it off, he laid it down. You might want to become more specific,
describing which parts of his body moved in the action, or even which direction
he moved in, or how the direction of his movement related to various other
people or objects surrounding him.
If
you say this much and no more, you will get something similar to the script of
a play, with perhaps a few stage directions included. But, when reading a play, you can never know the varying
intonations, colorations, emphases, hesitations with which the actor delivered the
lines in the live theatre event.
In the same way, a description of movement, no matter how detailed, when
limited to the action itself, yields little information about how the mover
really moved. You know what he did
but you don't know how he did it.
Did he run with a tight, condensed motion or in long, free strides? Did he turn abruptly or very
slowly? The thing he picked up -
did he brush it off lightly, or slap his hand over it, and if he laid it down,
did he just drop it down or was he paying attention to where he was putting it?
There
are many verbs in the language, which combine these two ideas - what someone
does, and how he does it. For
example, to fling, toss and hurl are all various ways to throw something, each
with a slightly different quality.
To tap, jab and punch are different ways of quickly exerting physical
pressure on someone. To pull
something, one may jerk at it or tug it.
Adverbs,
such as hurriedly, carefully, calmly, smoothly, and adjectives like gently,
soft, weak, lively, forceful, are rich resources for conveying the shades of
movement quality. Below are three
paragraphs, all concerned with the same basic movement action. The first describes only the action
itself, while the second and third add qualitative description. The latter two show only two of
hundreds of possible variations in quality within the same action.
-
He came down the stairs and stopped, walked to the door, put his hand on the
knob, turned it and opened the door.
-
He came bounding down the stairs and stopped abruptly, walked slowly and
hesitantly to the door, put his hand firmly on the knob, turned it fiercely and
flung open the door.
-
He came softly down the stairs and stopped, suspended, walked firmly to the
door with a swinging forward stride and dropped his hand on the knob, turned it
with a tightened grip and, bracing himself, opened the door.
An
adequate everyday vocabulary serves perfectly well for describing actions, both
quantitatively and qualitatively.
Good Student Credit
I will add ten points to your lowest grade if you
take steps to improve your skills as a student. You must provide some evidence
of your attendance at two on-campus
events (notes from the Writing Center, materials from library tours) along with
a brief written outline of what
you learned. These credits are earned by:
-- Going to the Office of Cultural Affairs or an event
they sponsor (program must be provided)
-- Attending study skills sessions
-- Going to the Writing Center for consultation on Dance
Appreciation essays
-- Attending extra dance concerts (program and ticket must
be provided)
-- Attend a 3rd year MFA rehearsal (must attend
rehearsal for a minimum of one hour)
NOTE: You must attend two
events for ten points extra credit. You
will not receive five points for one event. It is all or nothing. NO
OTHER EXTRA CREDIT IS OFFERED FOR THIS COURSE. Due:
April 30
By: Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. Gamson
From
the Wingspread Journal-- special edition
SUMMARY:
Following is a brief summary of the Seven Principles for Good Practice in
Undergraduate Education as compiled in a study supported by the American
Association of Higher education, the Education Commission of States, and The
Johnson Foundation.
1.
GOOD PRACTICE ENCOURAGES STUDENT FACULTY CONTACT
Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of classes is the most important
factor in student motivation and involvement. Faculty concern helps students
get through rough times and keep on working. Knowing a few faculty members well
enhances students' intellectual commitment and encourages them to think about
their own values and future plans.
2.
GOOD PRACTICE ENCOURAGES COOPERATION AMONG STUDENTS
Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort than a solo race. Good
learning, like good work, is collaborative and social, not competitive and
isolated. Working with others often increases involvement in learning. Sharing
one's own ideas and responding to other's reactions improves thinking and
deepens understanding.
3.
GOOD PRACTICE ENCOURAGES ACTIVE LEARNING
Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in
classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments and spitting
out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write about it,
relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must
make what they learn part of themselves.
4.
GOOD PRACTICE GIVES PROMPT FEEDBACK
Knowing what you know and don't know focuses learning. Students need
appropriate feedback on performance to benefit from courses. In getting
started, students need help in assessing existing knowledge and competence. In
classes, students need frequent opportunities to perform and receive
suggestions for improvement. At various points during college, and at the end,
students need chances to reflect on what they have learned, what they still
need to know, and how to assess themselves.
5.
GOOD PRACTICE EMPHASIZES TIME ON TASK
Time plus energy equals learning. There is no substitute for time on task.
Learning to use one's time well is critical for student and professional alike.
Students need help in learning effective time management. Allocating realistic
amounts of time means effective learning for students and effective teaching
for faculty. How an institution defines time expectations for students, faculty
and administrators, and other professional staff can establish the basis for
high performance for all.
6.
GOOD PRACTICE COMMUNICATES HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Expect more and you will get it. High expectations are important for everyone
-- for the poorly prepared, for those unwilling to exert themselves, and for
the bright and well motivated. Expecting students to perform well becomes a
self-fullfilling prophecy when teachers and institutions hold high expectations
of themselves and make extra efforts.
7.
GOOD PRACTICE RESPECTS DIVERSE TALENTS AND WAYS OF LEARNING
There are many roads to learning. People bring different talents and styles of
learning to college. Brilliant students in the seminar room may be all thumbs
in the lab or art studio. Students rich in hands-on experience may not do so
well in theory. Students need to opportunity to show their talents and learn in
ways that work for them. Then they can be pushed to learning in new ways that
do not come so easily.