DCE 231 – Global Dance Forms: Brazilian Styles

1 credit hour

Spring 2008

Instructor: Eluza Maria Santos

 

 

Office: 220B   Phone: 334-3262         Email: emsantos@uncg.edu

Office hours: posted on instructor's office door

 

 

Prerequisites/Co-requisites: Two semesters of dance technique or permission of instructor.

 

For Whom Planned: For dance majors and non-majors.

 

Catalog Description: Folk, ethnic, and social dances from Europe, Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and the Americas as they relate to concert dance.

 

 

Purpose:

               The purpose of this course is to acquaint the students with several dance styles/movement forms of Brazil. Brazilian culture is diverse and complex; however, the dance forms of the country are a significant representation of the passionate, emotionally charged, spontaneous, vibrant, happy, resilient, easily adaptable, and free spirit of the Brazilian. Therefore, by learning dance styles of Brazil, the students will also understand how Brazilian culture is expressed in these movement forms. In addition, by learning about Brazilian culture, it is hoped that the students will have a means for comparison and understand their own culture a little better.

 

 

Student Learning Goals:

Upon successful completion of this course, the students will be able to:

 

1. Demonstrate basic patterns of several Brazilian dance styles/movement forms,

culminating in the creation of a final choreographic project drawing upon these styles/movement forms.

 

2. Show resiliency in movement through the performance of buoyant, but marked, strong

               rhythmic structures.

 

3. Demonstrate the ability to structure space through bold, expansive traveling

               movements as well as through small, detailed motions of isolated body parts.

 

4. Show a wide dynamic range in the performance of Brazilian dance styles.

 

5. Recognize various Brazilian dance styles as culturally expressive movement forms.

Course Requirements:

 

A. Daily class work:

 

Focused, physical and mental engagement in class (being present, physically active, and

               fully engaged).

Open, positive, ethical, and functional working habits.

Consistent and efficient application of corrections.

Periodic evaluations of class material (possibly by videotape, and at the end of each unit           under Topical Outline/Course Content).

Participation in the creation of the final choreographic project.

Appropriate dance attire (overly baggy clothes and excessive jewelry should be avoided,          and hair should be secured out of face and neck – at times, students may need to         wear kneepads).

There may be two (2) or three (3) written assignments requiring watching a videotape

               and/or doing a web search.

 

B. Attendance and punctuality:

 

Attendance is mandatory.

Class begins on time (latecomers need to tell the instructor, at the end of class, that they             were late; otherwise, they will be counted as absent).

Two (2) tardies will turn into one absence.

Two (2) absences are allowed (after that, the final grade will lower by 1/3 of a letter for              each absence).

Students need to keep in mind that class observations should be kept to a minimum. Too

               many class observations will affect the final grade for the course, at the discretion

               of the instructor.

Occasional documented emergencies, including injury, that prevent a student from

               dancing, will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis (students should try to notify

               the instructor before class).

When ill or injured (but not contagious and still able to go places), students should make          every effort to come to class (there will be an appropriate in-class assignment for                these occasions).

 

 

Note: Students should know that an interactive instructor-student relationship is desirable. They should feel free to make appointments with the instructor as needed.

 

 

Additional Requirements:

 

Participation in the performance of short dances choreographed in class, during two special occasions: Brazilian carnaval/Mardi Grass (February 4th) and UNCG’s International Festival (April 12th). These dates are still to be confirmed.

 

Teaching Strategies:

 

Demonstration, explanation, analysis, exploration, imitation, and repetition of movement

               material with instructor and peer feedback.

Discussion sessions/talks, video watching, web search assignment (to further explore the

               cultural expressiveness of the movement material).

Group work to create the final choreographic project.

 

 

Evaluation Methods/Grading:

 

Clarity in the performance of Brazilian dance styles/movement forms:                    60 pts.

               (showing resiliency, defined rhythmic and spatial structures, and

               precise dynamic changes)

Demonstration of the cultural expression of the various Brazilian dance styles:  10 pts.

               (executing, recognizing, and explaining the cultural expressiveness in

               performance of movement material, in reports of videotape and/or web

               search assignments, written assignments, and in discussion sessions/talks)

Involvement/participation in final choreographic project:                                               20 pts.

               (demonstrating that class materials and ideas/concepts were implemented

in this project by the students)

Involvement/participation in additional requirements:                                                      10 pts.

 

                                                                                                                                                                    

TOTAL: 100 points = A

 

 

At midterm, the instructor will inform the students about their progress in this course.

 

 

Topical Outline/Course Content:

 

Course sessions will include one or more of the following units:

Indigenous movement sequences

Afro-Brazilian sequences

Samba no pé

Frevo

Ballroom styles: samba de gafieira, forró, lambada

Capoeira

Maculelê

Creation of a choreographic work for final performance (this final choreographic project

               will be created by the               students to be performed at the end of the semester)

 

 

 

 

Required Texts/Readings/References:        N/A

 

 

Academic Honor Code: Each student is required to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Please refer to UNCG Undergraduate Bulletin.

 

 

 

 

Attention

 

There may be a few guest teachers in this course throughout the semester (TBA).

 

Announcements/information for this course will be done via email, so students need to check their email before each class (with plenty of time before class) in order not to miss any important communication.

 

Please remember that cellular phones should be off during class.

 

Let’s work together and have a great semester!