Restriction(s): Non-majors only. Study of basic ballet terminology, barre work, center floor exercises. Designed for students with little or no previous experience with ballet. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits. Satisfies Fine and Performing Arts GenEd requirement; satisfies SEEDS Creative Expression student learning outcome in alignment with Self Discovery and Self Care value.
Restriction(s): Non-majors only. Course is designed to inform the student about dance as a performing art form. Focus is on developing a critical framework for viewing various styles of dance performance. The course includes lectures, discussions, selected readings, films, video tapes, and live performances. Some experiential movement sessions. Satisfies Fine and Performing Arts GenEd requirement; satisfies SEEDS Literary and Artistic Analysis student learning outcome in alignment with Educated Citizenry value.
Restriction(s): Non-majors only. Introduction to modern dance. Techniques and basic elements of modern dance. Designed for non-majors or students with limited or no previous experience. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits. Satisfies Fine and Performing Arts GenEd requirement; satisfies SEEDS Creative Expression student learning outcome in alignment with Self Discovery and Self Care value.
Restriction(s): Dance and Musical Theatre majors only, by audition, departmental approval required. Study of intermediate ballet with emphasis on structural alignment, barre work and center floor exercises. Dance majors: 3 credits. Musical Theatre majors: 2-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 112, DNCE 212, DNCE 312, DNCE 412 and DNCE 413 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. This course is designed to review and refine the basic principles of dancing on pointe. This includes building and strengthening the dancers' feet and legs, finding balance points, increasing core support and lift through the torso, enhancing mobility and articulation in feet and ankles, and performing pointe variations from classical ballets. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. All basic rhythmic structures (basic note values, meter, etc.) covered and immediately applied to movement; games, notational assignments, and choreographic studies used to create understanding of the inherent rhythm within all basic dance movement.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 122, DNCE 222, DNCE 324 or DNCE 422 must be taken as a corequisite; and departmental approval required. This course is a beginning level tap dance course for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required tap skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. This course is a movement/tap dance technique course in association with the technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and tap dance skills and disciplined performance technique. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 121, DNCE 221, DNCE 321 or DNCE 421 must be taken as a corequisite; and departmental approval required. This course is a beginning level dance course for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required jazz skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. This course is a movement/ dance technique course in association with the technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and dance skills and disciplined performance technique. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Restriction(s): BFA Musical Theatre majors, BFA Dance majors, or by permission of the instructor. This course is a beginning level dance studio for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required Hip-Hop skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. It is a movement/ dance technique course in association with the knowledge, technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and dance skills and disciplined performance technique. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Restriction(s): Dance majors only; departmental approval required. This course seeks to provide the dance student an educational experience where anatomical and kinesiological concepts are taught in the context of dance performance and injury prevention. Satisfies SEEDS Scientific Reasoning student learning outcome in alignment with Self Discovery and Self Care value.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 175, DNCE 275, DNCE 375 or DNCE 475. The Health and Wellness Workshop provides essential information on understanding and caring for the human body as the instrument of the dancer. The course will be comprised of a lecture series (including Somatics, Nutrition, and Injury Prevention) as well as hands-on physical assessments and injury care with the instructor. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Introduces principles and practical applications of Laban Movement Analysis, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Yoga, Pilates, the Alexander Technique and the Feldenkrais Method. Presents an overview of these comprehensive systems of analyzing, observing and notating human movement. Course will explore the functional anatomy of the body to increase the awareness and implementation of efficient movement. Students will gain a deeper understanding and develop skills pertaining to warm-ups, cross-training, nutrition, and mental health. Course includes both theory and practical application. Satisfies Fine and Performing Arts GenEd requirement; satisfies SEEDS Creative Expression student learning outcome in alignment with Self Discovery and Self Care value.
The distinctive techniques customarily related to specific non-western cultures. The groups studied will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve (12) credits. If taken more than once, must be with a different cultural content. Satisfies Global Cultural Perspective GenEd requirement; satisfies SEEDS Analyzing Cultures and Societies student learning outcome in alignment with Diversity and Intercultural Competency value. Meets the World Cultures Requirement.
In this course, students will experience dance outside of the United States by participating in dance classes, seeing dance performances, and engaging in broader cultural experiences. Through classes at several dance institutions, students will have the opportunity to compare and contrast US-centric training paradigms with those of their peers in other countries. Students will be exposed to some of the top dance educators in participating countries and have the opportunity to see several contemporary and culturally specific dance performances to gain a broader understanding of the dance scene outside of the United States. May be repeated for a maximum of four credits.
Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Introduction to technical productions related to dance. Survey of terminology, application of production principles, and aesthetic potential for production.
Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Basic skills and problems in dance improvisation.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 160. Restriction(s): Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Elements and methods of dance composition.
Restriction(s): For Dance majors only. Study of beginning modern/contemporary dance with emphasis on structural alignment and kinetic motion. Dance majors only. By audition. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits.
Restriction(s): For freshman dance majors only. Dance Repertory. Fall semester. Dancing, choreographing, or providing technical assistance for the MSU Dance Repertory Company.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 184. Restriction(s): For freshmen dance majors only. Dance Repertory. For freshman dance majors only. Spring semester. Dancing, choreographing, or providing technical assistance for the MSU Dance Repertory Company.
This course serves as a platform for investigating and discussing the "result" of performative creative work by actually attending professional dance performances. Students will engage in these performances to discern new trends, philosophies, and directions in the dance field. Reflection on the student's personal performance perspective with respect to what they are seeing in the field will be encouraged and fostered in online discussion groups facilitated by a faculty member. Students will also read and evaluate dance criticism related to the performances they are viewing. May be repeated for a maximum of six credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 100; prerequisite may be waived by Program Coordinator based on student’s prior training. Restriction(s): For Musical Theatre majors only; and departmental approval. Study of ballet terminology, barre work, and center floor exercises. May be repeated for a maximum of 18 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 110. Restriction(s): Non-Dance majors only. Continued introduction to modern dance. Emphasis on correct alignment, basic elements of modern dance, and combining those elements into combinations. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 112 or by audition. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Further study of beginning ballet with emphasis on structural alignment, barre work and center floor exercises. Dance majors: 3 credits. Theatre w/concentration-Musical Theatre majors: 2-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 122, DNCE 222, DNCE 324 or DNCE 422 must be taken as a corequisite; and departmental approval required. This course is an intermediate level tap dance course for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required tap skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. This course is a movement/ tap dance technique course in association with the technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and tap dance skills and disciplined performance technique. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 121, DNCE 221, DNCE 321 or DNCE 421 must be taken as a corequisite; and departmental approval required. This course is an intermediate level dance course for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required jazz skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. This course is a movement/ dance technique course in association with the technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and dance skills and disciplined performance technique. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 125 or permission of the Instructor. Restriction(s): BFA Musical Theatre majors, BFA Dance majors, or by permission of the instructor. This course is an advanced level dance studio for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required hip-hop skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. It is a movement/ dance technique course in association with the knowledge, technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and dance skills and disciplined performance technique. The course will help the student discover the demands of Broadway style dance found within current and contemporary musical theatre repertoire and the associated demands of advanced dance technique and choreographic execution as a medium for the expression and development of ideas; to strengthen the dancers ability through a choreographers’ approach to style, character development and plot narrative; toward evolving their own level of technique; toward extending their own perceptions of space, rhythm, design, quality and style; toward learning to think, feel and move freely. Students will continue an acquired awareness of the relationship between technique, movement and correct dance terminology and pedagogy to the total aspect of the physical instrument. May be repeated for a maximum of 18 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 175. This course will explore all aspects of teaching dance to children (K-6) in the public school system and in the private sector.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 184. Restriction(s): Dance majors only; departmental approval required. In this course, students will perform and present in area schools as students walk through the ins and outs of interaction with local school districts. Students create content and choreography appropriate for school aged children that incorporates the meaning of dance and helps educate K-12 students about the importance and impact of the form. Topics include: exploring the protocol for contacting and booking performances, researching the significance of dance in schools, and identifying how dance programming can contribute to that cause. The class is conducted like a professional company with each student taking on jobs that contribute to the success of the class company. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 112. Restriction(s): Dance Majors only. In this class, students will engage in physical conditioning and somatic practices to help build strength, endurance, alignment, and power to support their dance performance. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 185; departmental approval only. This course will focus on Jazz Dance Technique and its influence on American culture and Beyond. This course will promote an in-depth understanding of the jazz movement vernacular. Technique classes will include principles of East & West Coast Jazz, 70’s Jazz, Musical Theatre, Contemporary Jazz Styles, Hip-Hop/Street Jazz and references to their lineage-based histories. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.
Advanced jazz technique; with expanded emphasis on style and the rhythmic aspects of jazz as performance art.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 161. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Dance choreography with emphasis on small group works and solos, including form and structure.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 175. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Further study and application of basic movement vocabulary, alignment, complex movement patterns, style and performance. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits.
Practical work in dance production: dancing, assisting, directing, accompanying, working on technical or house crew. May be repeated for a maximum of eight credits. This course offered as Pass/Fail only.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 184 and DNCE 185. Restriction(s): For sophomore dance majors only. Dance Repertory. Fall semester. Dancing, choreographing, or providing technical assistance for the MSU Dance Repertory Company.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 184 and DNCE 185 and DNCE 284. Restriction(s): For sophomore dance majors only. Dance Repertory. Spring semester. Dancing, choreographing, or providing technical assistance for the MSU Dance Repertory Company.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 212 or by audition. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Advanced technique in ballet with emphasis on individualized placement. Work on musicality, line, dynamics and stylistic refinement. Dance majors: 3 credits. Theatre w/concentration - Musical Theatre majors: 2-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 105 or HONP 100; and WRIT 106 or HONP 101; students in the SEEDS program can take ENGL 110, ENGL 111, ENGL 114, HUMN 151, HUMN 160, HUMN 288, PHIL 106, or SPAN 242 in place of WRIT 105. Restriction(s): Dance Majors only. Embracing dramatic similarities, glaring disjunctions, and formal innovations, this online course will be an immersive experience through the trajectory of dance in the United States from the 1700s to the present day. By the end of the course, students will have developed an organic view of dance in the United States—breaking traditional forms, stretching genres, confronting racist practices, provoking social and political change, driving cultural exchange and collision, treasuring indigenous wellsprings of inspiration and expression, and catapulting into the future. Meets the Graduation Writing Requirement for majors in Dance.
Prerequisite(s): WRIT 105 or HONP 100; and WRIT 106 or HONP 101; and any 200-level course; students in the SEEDS program can take ENGL 110, ENGL 111, ENGL 114, HUMN 151, HUMN 160, HUMN 288, PHIL 106, or SPAN 242 in place of WRIT 105. This course explores the questions: What is “black” dance? How is the black experience expressed through dance as art in the United States? We will examine African diaspora dance and its leading figures with emphasis on its development in the American theatrical modern dance tradition. The course is structured around four themes: 1) Foundations of Black Dance in America; 2) Black Modern Dance Pioneers, Aesthetics, Philosophical, and Sociopolitical Underpinnings; 3) Black Dance: Civil Rights and Black Power; and (4) Black Dance in the Postmodern Era and Beyond. These themes will cover the historical, aesthetic, spiritual, socio-cultural, and social- political arc of black theatrical dance expressions starting from 17th century through the Civil Rights and Black Nationalist movements of the 1960s-1970s, to black dance representations in the late 20th century, including pioneering black dancers in tap, vaudeville, modern and postmodern dance, ballet, and Africanist modern dance. Satisfies SEEDS Historical Thinking student learning outcome in alignment with Social Justice and Equity value.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 122, DNCE 222, DNCE 324 or DNCE 422 must be taken as a corequisite; and departmental approval required. This course is an advanced level dance course for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required tap skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. This course is a movement/ dance technique course in association with the technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and dance skills and disciplined performance technique. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 121, DNCE 221, DNCE 321 or DNCE 421 must be taken as a corequisite; and departmental approval required. This course is an advanced level jazz dance course for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required jazz skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. This course is a movement/jazz dance technique course in association with the technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and jazz dance skills and disciplined performance technique. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 261. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Exploring and applying performance concepts and techniques used in choreographing for groups of varying sizes.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 261. An introduction to the relationship between digital technologies and dance. There are three primary focuses: the interactions between dance and film, the interactions between audio and dance, and the live use of digital media in performance.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 284 and DNCE 285 for Dance majors; or THTR 223, THTR 321 and THTR 326 for Theatre majors; departmental approval required. In this course, acting and dance students will learn performance skills in order to negotiate moving and speaking in experimental and non-text based performance genres. Emphasis is placed on naturalistic and abstract ways of being and partnering to carry forward story narration. Physical Theatre Perspectives through devised scene work unites vocal, theatrical, and movement techniques into one borderless expression that can apply to the current fields of performance art, immersive, and physical theatre standards in Europe and the United States.
Prerequisite(s): FMTV 120 or FMTV 222 or DNCE 275. In this course, film and dance majors come together to examine the interdisciplinary possibilities of movement and film. We will discuss the camera as an alternate stage space and will explore the effects of lighting, lenses, and camera movement on dance. This project-based class will provide students hands-on production experience as students collaborate in the production, filming, and editing of a completed dance short film.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 275. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Further study and application of basic movement vocabulary, complex movement patterns, style and performance. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 284 and DNCE 285. Restriction(s): For junior dance majors only. Dance Reperatory. Fall semester. Dancing, choreographing, or providing technical assistance for the MSU Dance Repertory Company. May be repeated for a maximum of 1 credit.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 284 and DNCE 285 and DNCE 384. Restriction(s): For junior dance majors only. Dance Repertory. Spring semester. Dancing, choreographing, or providing technical assistance for the MSU Dance Repertory Company.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 375 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only. Approaches, problems, resources and techniques for teaching and developing dance programs geared to grades 7-12 and various adult levels. Includes curriculum, unit and lesson planning as well as practical application of methodology.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 375 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite; departmental approval required. Proposals must be submitted for departmental approval prior to registration for the course. May be repeated without limit as long as the topic is different.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 312 or by audition. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Advanced ballet technique with emphasis on individualized placement. Work Continuation of work with intricate, technically difficult sequences. Continuation of emphasis on musicality, line, dynamics, and stylistic refinement. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 312 and DNCE 412 or by audition. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Study of professional-level ballet with emphasis on body alignment, barre work and center floor exercises. Maybe repeated for a maximum of twelve credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 412 or DNCE 413 or by audition. Restriction(s): Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Study of professional-level ballet with emphasis on advanced ballet skills, performance quality, and musicality. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 122, DNCE 222, DNCE 324 or DNCE 422 must be taken as a corequisite; and departmental approval required. This course is a highly advanced level dance course for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required tap skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. This course is a movement/ dance technique course in association with the technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and dance skills and disciplined performance technique. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 121, DNCE 221, DNCE 321 or DNCE 421 must be taken as a corequisite; and departmental approval required. This course is a highly advanced level dance course for BFA Musical Theatre majors, focusing on required jazz skills in preparation for a career in musical theatre performance and career longevity. This course is a movement/ dance technique course in association with the technical demands and physical stamina required of Musical Theatre performance concurrent with industry standards. We will emphasize thorough and efficient preparation as the student develops enhanced movement and dance skills and disciplined performance technique. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 375 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite; departmental approval required. The theory and practice of specialized dance activities which are not currently part of the core curriculum in dance. May be repeated without limit as long as the topic is different.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 361. This hybrid dance course serves as a platform for students to investigate the artistic process in the creation of choreographic work inspired by collaborations with independent artists and organizations via distance learning, to enhance the development of their choreographic skills, critical thinking, and personal creative voice. The class will meet once a week in person for 1 hour and 20 and then requires 1-2 hours of online work each week with collaborators.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 375. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Continuation of DNCE 375. May be repeated for a maximum of twelve credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 375 and DNCE 475 or by audition. Restriction(s): Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Study of professional-level modern/contemporary dance with emphasis on somatic awareness, performance development, style, and complex movement vocabulary. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 361; departmental approval required. Restriction(s): For BFA senior dance majors only; or by permission. Special fee. Individual creative or research project under supervision of dance faculty in senior year. By arrangement.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 384 and DNCE 385. Restriction(s): Senior Dance majors only. Dance Repertory. Fall semester. Dancing, choreographing, or providing technical assistance for the MSU Dance Repertory Company. May be repeated for a maximum of one credit.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 384 and DNCE 385. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; for seniors only; departmental approval required. Dancing, choreographing, or providing technical assistance for the MSU Repertory Dance Company.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 375 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite; departmental approval required. Danceaturgs extend and expand the traditional point of view toward their art by observing and writing about dance "from the inside out," reporting on the year's thematic repertory to fellow students and dance faculty. Weekly round-table discussion workshops provide an intimate forum through which to learn in depth about the place of Modern Dance in American culture as a whole. Danceaturgy participants return to their performing roles refreshed and invigorated by this new perspective.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 375 may be taken as prerequisite or corequisite. Restriction(s): For Dance majors only; departmental approval required. Upper class undergraduate students may pursue a portion of a semester's work under the supervision of an experienced professional practitioner as an assistant in active, successful dance activity. An MSU faculty member will evaluate student progress, assess learning, and award credit.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. This technique course presents students with approaches in the modern and postmodern dance vernacular, developing in-depth understanding of contemporary dance techniques and practices. Offered each summer by alternating instructors, this class is led by innovative dance artists in the field of contemporary movement. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. In this class, students will engage with various approaches to improvisatory movement to further artistic practice, develop kinesthetic sensitivity and spontaneity, and both deepen and broaden personal movement capabilities with an eye towards teaching improvisation skills.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. In this workshop, led by a renowned choreographer, students will create and present works-in-progress, dialogue about current creative practice challenges and strategies, and reflect upon the relevance of art to the world of ideas through assigned readings and viewings. Critical reflection and provocative conversations will enable students to better understand themselves as active players in the cultural landscape, capable of challenging social norms and dominant attitudes.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 502. Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. Building on the foundations of Creative Practices I, Creative Practices II is designed to facilitate the student's ability to develop a substantial choreographic work, culminating in a public performance (site-specific, studio showing, theater, shared program).
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. Students will have the opportunity to add or deepen specific areas of expertise by the selection of an area of study unique to their own interests with guidance from the instructor and within a given theme for that semester's work. Students will share their work and received feedback from their peers and the instructor as a group cohort. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. In this online course, students will observe dance performances in person and through digital and online platforms to discern new trends, philosophies, and directions in the dance field. Reflection on the student's personal performance perspective with respect to what they are seeing in the field will be encouraged and fostered in online discussion groups facilitated by a faculty member. Students will also read and evaluate dance criticism related to the performances they are viewing.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. This online course will engage students in the process of research and the creation of a written body of work. Through various writing assignments (for example reviews, narratives, grants, and research-based essays) as well as revisions of that work, students will gain experience and confidence in presenting their knowledge in written form.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. Embracing dramatic similarities, glaring disjunctions, and formal innovations, this course will be an immersive experience through the trajectory of dance in the United States from the 1700s to the present day. By the end of the course, students will have developed an organic view of dance in the United States—breaking traditional forms, stretching genres, provoking social and political change, driving cultural exchange and collision, treasuring indigenous wellsprings of inspiration and expression, and catapulting into the future.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. Portraiture is a form of narrative inquiry that focuses on goodness rather than pathology to capture the complexity and dynamics of human experience. It blends art and movement, form and function, science and art, and theory and practice. As an embodied way of conducting research and reporting, portraiture invites students to acknowledge their identities and development through the research process as their story unfolds. Using the principles of portraiture; context, relationships, voice, emerging themes, and aesthetic whole, students will learn how to describe empirical data with aesthetic detail. In this course, students will create three multimodal portraits - kinesthetic, visual, and literary.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. Through this course, students will gain a broad understanding of the use of visual and audio technology in live performance, dance film, and digital media. This course will develop students' practical skills in technology through hands-on creative experiments, as well as provide an overview of historical and current uses of technology in the field.
Prerequisite(s): DNCE 520. Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. In this online course, students will expand on skills developed in DNCE 520 to apply their technological knowledge to the production of a creative work that utilizes digital media to further artistic aims.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. This online course will provide students with experiential activities leading to greater knowledge of the art of teaching dance. Students will observe master teachers, and then through online discussion groups and written analysis, compare teaching strategies and the content of classes with a goal towards developing and strengthening their own teaching.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. In this course, students will learn the rudiments of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) and strategies to apply it to the teaching of dance technique, improvisation, and choreography. Widely used and respected as an aid to teaching dance technique, improvisation and choreography, LMA is a method and language for describing, visualizing, interpreting and documenting all varieties of human movement. Created by Rudolph Von Laban, it enables the observer/ teacher/practitioner to analyze every movement with regard to Body, Effort, Space, and Shape.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. This course offers a preparatory tool kit for working in education that covers the spectrum from getting the job to succeeding and advancing, including: job search and application; interview skills; syllabi and course preparation; curriculum and program development; advising; expectations beyond the classroom; remaining current while teaching; collegiality; and the host of details that attend the teaching professional of today.
Restriction(s): MFA in Dance students only. This online course will provide students with core knowledge of bones, joints, and muscles; body orientation terminology; biomechanics; and an anatomical basis for lifelong learning within the discipline. This course will include information on teaching from an anatomically safe viewpoint, emphasizing injury risk evaluation, exercise/combination selection, and skill progression that supports execution of the desired aesthetic while minimizing injury risk.
In this capstone course, students will create a significant work that can manifest in the format most in keeping with the background, goals, and future objectives of the student. Examples of acceptable formats are: choreographic work with supporting documentation, dance on film, or written thesis.