Course Description
Explore dance and community through cultural/traditional, pedagogical/theoretical, well-being, and performance experiences. Study of influential artists and techniques of community engagement through dance will lead to collaborative, community-based dance performances.
Athena Title
Dance and Community
Non-Traditional Format
This course includes a project during the semester that will apply skills/knowledge learned in the course or teaches new skills/knowledge related to course objectives. Students will be involved in the development and implementation of the project(s) and may spend time outside of the classroom. Students will be engaged in the project component for approximately 25-50% of overall instructional time.
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course provides students the opportunity to undertake a specialized study of dance and community. Participation may also be a part of a group undertaking either on campus, on a field study, or on a study away program. Enrollment requires the permission of the instructor/project supervisor. Objectives include: • To become familiar with the field of community-based dance • To understand how dance can work toward social change • To explore/create a movement vocabulary that will address humanist, radical, anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-heterosexist, well-being, and therapeutic topics through movement exploration • To present performances of the above explorations and collaborations • To work with a community partner to collaboratively create a community-based performance/experience
Topical Outline
The format for this course is nontraditional and will address the above learning objectives under the guidance of the sponsoring faculty member for each project when the course is taught. Projects will vary with each instructor and location – on campus, local community, field study, and study away. Students will be involved in the development and implementation of the project(s) and may spend time outside of the classroom. Students will be engaged in the project component for approximately 25-50% of overall instructional time.