Course information

 

This course serves as an introduction to major concepts and issues in the study of dance, with a focus on exploring dance as a meaning making practice. Examining the cultural, historical, and artistic conditions of various forms, we will develop our ability to “read” a dance and articulate what it reveals about the social contexts in which it is performed. Throughout our discussion, we will attend to the ways in which social identities are formed and transformed, reinforced and challenged through dance practices. We will specifically pay careful attention to how the issues of race, class, ethnicity, gender and sexuality affect the making, performing and understanding of dance. 

CITATION: While many of the units and articles were carefully selected by me, Dr. Nambiar, this syllabus is indebted to past syllabi prepared by Dr. Alison Bory and Dr. Dasha Chapman. 

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES 

Through readings, lecture, discussion, video, and research, students will develop the skills to:

• Critically view dance performance and practices with cultural awareness, including 

attending to individual cultural expectations and biases

• Identify fundamental movement patterns and choreographic tactics in dance 

practices and individual performances, utilizing discipline-specific vocabulary

• Research the cultural, social, and historical conditions of individual dance practices 

and performances

• Interpret and assess the impact, meaning, and/or contributions of dance performance 

and practices substantiated by movement analysis and cultural conditions