Course Description:
This course is a cross-cultural examination of dance traditions from around the world in their historical, critical, artistic and socio-cultural contexts. Students will learn to contextualize a variety of dance traditions and differentiate folk, popular and classical traditions. Students will also learn to observe and write about dance from critical, analytical and ethnographic (writing about culture) perspectives.
Materials will include documentary films and selected writings about dance using critical, cultural, historical, sociological, political and philosophical frameworks. Students will have the opportunity to design a research project of their choice using either participant observation in a series of dance classes, observation of live performance, analysis of dance on film or the study of a dance school as the basis for their research.
Prerequisites: upper-level standing with advanced level critical thinking and writing skills.
Recommended: one of the following (or their equivalent, with instructor permission): Humanities Through the Arts, Artistic Expressions in a Multicultural America, An Introduction to Culture.
This course fully meets the General Education requirement in Humanities for 4 credits or in The Arts for 4 credits.
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