Time Schedule:
Jolynn Edwards
BIS 309
Bothell Campus
Discussion of the major developments in European and American dance history. Dances from the court, ballroom, and theater including masterpieces from the modern repertoire. Based on primary source material and film recreations that document dance's social and theatrical role from the Renaissance to the present.
Class description
This course surveys historical dance, ballet, modern, and post-modern dance forms through video representations, and primary and secondary source readings. We experience together the evolution of the Western tradition in dance, discussing the changes in the formal vocabulary and the expressive power of this most basic of the arts.
Student learning goals
1. Learn the general outlines of western theatrical dance traditions supported by knowledge of specific ballets and modern and post-modern dance pieces;
2. Familiarize yourselves with the names of major dancers, choreographers, and critics over time;
3. Learn to recognize different dance styles and dance vocabularies in order to “read” dance as text;
4. Draw key evidence out of the dance compositions in order to describe and analyze dances and make compelling interpretations;
5. Write about dance in the context of class exercises, take-home exams, and one live dance performance review, so that you can dig deeply into compositional and expressive power of this art form;
6. Research specific sub-topic for an oral, in-class presentation supported by a written summary of your investigation.
General method of instruction
The course focuses on short lectures, viewing of videos of key dance works, and small-group and plenary discussions moving from general description, to analysis and interpretation.
Recommended preparation
Any class in general humanities, history, art history, or music history or instruction in performance or movement will be helpful preparation.
Class assignments and grading
We will have free-writing assignments in class to respond to video performances. There are midterm and final exams, an end-of-quarter class presentation, and a dance review based on attendance at a professional dance performance.
The exams equate to 45%; the dance review, 15%; your class presentation, 25%, and in-class discussion/participation, 15%.
