UGRD > DANCE
Dance Courses
DANCE 130 Understanding Dance +
Description:
This lecture course focuses on the study of Modern Dance in America and the history and development of this genre throughout the years. Students will examine the different viewpoints of what dance is, or should be, from the pioneers who helped create and shape the genre. Students will be introduced to the opinions of such artists as Duncan, Graham, Humphrey, Limon, Cunningham, Ailey, and more. Lectures, videos, readings, discussions, writing and studio practice are used to focus on critical observation. Students will learn how to view dance and verbally articulate what they see and experience through watching the dance. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 131 Musical Theatre Dance +
Description:
This dance course is designed to provide a deeper understanding of how to perform dance for Musical Theatre, focusing on musicality, dancing with a partner and with an ensemble, counting music, as well as stage presence, including the importance of theatrical acting and expression. Students will learn a variety of dance styles, such as Jazz, Tango, Jitterbug, and Square Dance as they learn choreography to several different musical theatre shows. Students will learn to verbally and physically articulate the basic elements needed to perform musical theatre dance, in relation to quality of movements, body awareness, performance, and technique. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 132 Ballet I +
Description:
This course is an introduction to the study of ballet. Students will learn Ballet terminology and learn to physically perform the steps involved. Students will learn the protocols and etiquette specific to taking a Ballet class and should be prepared to dance every class. Students will also learn about the progression of ballet throughout history. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 133 Jazz Dance I +
Description:
This course is an introduction to the study of Jazz Dance and emphasizes on performance and stage presence.Students will learn Jazz Dance terminology and learn to physically perform the steps involved. This class will examine the different influences that helped shape the genre and will include discussions about current artists and their influences from history. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 134 Modern Dance I +
Description:
This course is a movement class designed to introduce students to the study of Modern Dance. Students will learn choreography while discussing the different qualities of movements, directions, levels and shapes. Students will learn Modern Dance terminology and learn to physically perform the steps involved. This class will examine the different influences that helped shape the genre and will include discussions about current artists and their influences from history. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 135 Multicultural Dance +
Description:
This course focuses on the theory, practice, and performance of American, Latin-American, and African-American dance styles. Styles we will cover will include, but are not limited to: West African Dance, Afro Jazz, Salsa, Bachata, and Haitian Folklore. Students will learn rhythms and practice dance movements that characterize each genre as well as explore the history of each style in a sociopolitical context. The class will examine how multicultural and world dance forms have historically given creative expression to marginalized voices. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 136 Hip Hop Dance +
Description:
Hip Hop dance will teach the fundamentals of hip hop and how to put them together in routines. The dance form involves "a complex array of interlocking rhythms, percussive accents of isolated body parts popping out in unexpected phrasing," (Andre Lepecki, ed., Of the Presence of the Body, 2004). Key figures in its early development in the 1970's are Afrika Baambata, a rapper who is credited with forming the first group of hip hop dancers, and DJ Kool Herc of Jamaican origin who brought his two turntables to the block parties in the South Bronx. Its influences range from African dance and Brazilian Capoeira to James Brown, Michael Jackson and, more recently, music videos. This course covers the variety of components that make up Hip Hop Dance: poppin', lockin', wavin', steppin', top rockin', and downrockin' and basic breakin'. The course material will help students develop strength, coordination and a strong mental focus while they thoroughly enjoy moving themselves to the lively rhythms of hip hop music. This is a practical course in which the great majority of time will be spent practicing dance technique and choreography. While we may occasionally view a video, most of our time will be spent actually dancing. We will become familiar with basic Hip Hop moves and practice putting these moves into combination in challenging ways. We will further enhance our knowledge of Hip Hop through the writing of two papers. Material learned in class will prepare us for an end-of-semester studio performance. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 181 Topics in Dance +
Description:
This course introduces styles of dance without requiring prior experience. Topics to be covered vary by semester. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
DANCE 225 Dance Composition and Choreography +
Description:
This course is designed to introduce students into shaping their own choreography. Students will learn the choreographic principles that guide you in shaping your own ideas into new repeatable choreographic forms. Students will enhance their creative processes and performance techniques through both self-directed study and collaborative explorations. We will investigate methods for organizing space, time, and energy, as well as incorporating words, props, visual imagery, music, and other elements as inspirations for generating movement ideas to share with peers. Topics addressed throughout the semester include dance composition, movement creation, theme and variation, and choreographic elements such as space, time, energy, breath utilization, partnering, intentional focus, body alignment, weight shift and transfer, momentum, gravity, performance qualities, and presentation. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
DANCE 232 Ballet II +
Description:
This course is designed for students who have completed Ballet I or have equivalent ballet experience with pre approval from the instructor. In this intermediate ballet class, students will learn Ballet terminology and learn to physically perform the steps with a greater emphasis on proper technique. Students will learn the protocols and etiquette specific to taking a Ballet class and should be prepared to dance every class. Students will also learn about the progression of ballet throughout history. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 233 Jazz Dance II +
Description:
This course continues the study of Jazz Dance and is designed for students who have completed Jazz Dance I, or who have equivalent dance experience. Students will learn Jazz Dance terminology, discuss different styles of Jazz Dance, and examine the different influences that helped shape the genre. This fast-paced movement class emphasizes performance and stage presence. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 234 Modern Dance II +
Description:
This course continues the study of Modern Dance and is designed for students who have completed Modern Dance I, or who have equivalent dance experience. This fast-paced, full bodied movement class explores spatial awareness, directional changes, level changes, and variations on a theme. Students will learn Modern Dance terminology, discuss different styles of Modern Dance, and examine the different influences that helped shape the genre. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 325 Dance Theatre Workshop +
Description:
Dance Theatre Workshop id designed for dance minors and experienced dancers who want to choreograph for the Annual Dance Concert. Students will learn choreographic tools and implement them as they create an original dance piece of any style. Students will learn about the production aspects of a dance performance including working with the costume designer, lighting designer, and other technical staff. Students will be introduced to dance production etiquette, terminology used, and scheduling demands of a mainstage production. The culmination of this course is a fully produced dance concert, in which all students must perform. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 330 The Pedagogy of Dance +
Description:
This course is designed to develop the skills needed for teaching dance. Students will teach a dance style of their choosing to the rest of the class, allowing students to learn different styles of dance. Students will learn the proper principles of a dance warm-up, how to write a lesson plan, how to verbally and physically express their ideas to the class, and numerous other elements that go into teaching dance. The class will warm up together, then work in small groups to begin practice teaching. The confidence and experience gained in these exercises will help students design and teach a complete class, consisting of a warm-up and their own choreography. Students will also learn how to build a dance resume, as well as what is involved in the various aspects in a career in teaching dance. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 332 Ballet III +
Description:
This course is the study of ballet for advanced dancers; emphasis on performance. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
DANCE 435 Dance Internship +
DANCE 478 Independent Study +
Description:
Research, study and participation in dance projects outside the classroom involving consultation with a faculty advisor. A written prospectus is required. More Info
Offered in:DANCE 479 Independent Study +
Description:
Research, study and participation in dance projects outside the classroom involving consultation with a faculty advisor. A written prospectus is required. More Info
Offered in: