THEATRE
Professors: Mark Evancho (program director), Cheryl Faraone (on leave spring term), Richard Romagnoli; Assistant Professor: Alexander Draper, Claudio Medeiros (on leave academic year); Artist in Residence: Jule Emerson (on leave fall term); Visiting Lecturer: Jeanne LaSala, Vanessa Mildenberg, Dana Yeaton; Technical Director: Allison Rimmer; Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer/Associate Technical Director: Hallie Zieselman; Costume Director: Melonie Bushey; Associate Technical Director: James Dougherty; Assistant Costume Director: Marcia Provoncha; Program Coordinator: Cheryl Burnham
DANCE PROGRAM
Professors: Andrea Olsen (on leave 2008-09), Lecturer: Penny Campbell (program chair); Visiting Assistant Professor in Dance: Tiffany Rhynard; Visiting Lecturer in Dance: Christal Brown; Artist in Residence in Dance: Leyya Tawil; Lighting Designer and Technical Director for Dance: Jennifer Ponder; Musical Director for Dance: Michael Chorney; Music Accompanist: Ron Rost: Program Coordinator: Nicole Patterson.
COLLEGE WRITING PROGRAM
THEA/WAGS 0206 Contemporary Women Playwrights, THEA/ENAM 0218 Playwriting I: Beginning, and DANC 0284 Dance History fulfill the College writing requirement.
THEATRE
The theatre program encourages creativity, artistic excellence, and a rigorous examination of the current and historical possibilities for theatrical expression. Theatre guides students toward an integrated understanding of all aspects of the theatrical experience while sharpening their creative and analytic skills in acting, directing, designing, playwriting, literature, history, and criticism.
Core courses in theatre include: The Creative Process (ARDV 0116), Acting I: Beginning Acting (THEA 0102), Theatre History (THEA 0208), Directing I (THEA 0214), Twentieth-Century Performance Aesthetics (THEA 0306), one THEA literature course, one course in design to be determined in consultation with their advisor (THEA 0125 History of Western Dress does not satisfy the design requirement for the acting, directing, or playwriting/literature track), and Senior Independent Project (THEA 0700). There is also a crew requirement which must be completed by the end of the 5th semester at Middlebury.
In addition, students will choose one of the following tracks: acting, directing, design, or playwriting/literature.
Acting Track: Four additional courses: two of three advanced acting courses, one additional THEA literature course, and one THEA elective, to be determined in consultation with their advisor.
Design Track: Four additional courses: Monuments and Ideas in Western Art (HARC 0100), or Italian Renaissance Art:1350-1550 (HARC 0201) or Painting and Sculpture of Nineteenth-Century Europe (HARC 0205), Visual Creativity (THEA 0101), or Studio Art I: Drawing (ART 0159), and two additional courses in design (see below), to be determined in consultation with their advisor.
Directing Track: Four additional courses: Directing II: Advanced (THEA 0324), SM or AD in Production Studio (THEA 0210 or 0220), one additional THEA literature course, and one THEA elective, to be determined in consultation with their advisor.
Playwriting/Literature Track: Four additional courses: Playwriting I (THEA/ENAM 0218) and Playwriting II: Advanced (THEA/ENAM 0318), one additional THEA literature course, and one THEA elective course, to be determined in consulation with their advisor.
Joint Major: Core courses in the theatre joint major include: The Creative Process (ARDV 0116), Acting I: Beginning Acting (THEA 0102), Theatre History (THEA 0208), one course in design to be determined in consultation with their advisor (THEA 0125 History of Western Dress does not satisfy the design requirement for the acting, directing, or playwriting/literature track), and Senior Independent Project (THEA 0700). There is also a crew requirement which must be completed by the end of the 5th semester at Middlebury.
In addition, students will choose one of the following tracks: acting, directing, design, or playwriting/literature.
Acting Joint Major: Three additional courses: Directing I (THEA 0214), Twentieth-Century Performance Aesthetics (THEA 0306), and one of three advanced acting courses (THEA 0202, THEA 0302, or THEA 0402) to be determined in consulation with their advisor.
Design Joint Major: Three additional courses: Visual Creativity (THEA 0101) or Studio Art I: Drawing (ART 0159), Monuments and Ideas in Western Art (HARC 0100), or Italian Renaissance Art:1350-1550 (HARC 0201) or Painting and Sculpture of Nineteenth-Century Europe (HARC 0205), and one additional THEA design course (see listings below) to be determined in consultation with their advisor.
Directing Joint Major: Three additional courses: Directing I (THEA 0214), Twentieth-Century Performance Aesthetics (THEA 0306), and Directing II: Advanced (THEA 0324).
Playwriting/Literature Joint Major: Three additional courses: Playwriting I (THEA 0218), Twentieth-Century Performance Aesthetics (THEA 0306), and Playwriting II: Advanced (THEA 0318).
The Theatre Minor: The theatre minor consists of six courses, as follows: Visual Creativity for the Stage (THEA 0101); Theatre History (THEA 0208); one production studio course; and any three additional theatre courses in dramatic literature/theory.
Course Categories:
Literature/History: Post Colonial Drama (THEA 0106), Contemporary Women Playwrights (THEA/WAGS 0206), Theatre History (THEA 0208), Contemporary British Playwrights (THEA 0228), Contemporary American Playwrights (THEA/ENAM 0216), Modern Drama (THEA 0226), Twentieth-Century Performance Aesthetics (THEA 0306), Seminar in Theatre: Literature and Society (THEA 0426)
Performance: Acting I: Beginning Acting (THEA 0102), Acting II: Voice/Body for the Actor (THEA 0202), Production Studio: Acting/Directing (THEA 0210/0220)*, Directing I (THEA 0214), Playwriting I (THEA 0218), Playwriting II: Advanced (THEA 0318), Acting III: Scene and Monologue Study (THEA 0302), Directing II: Advanced (THEA 0324), Acting IV: Styles of Acting (THEA 0402), Production Company (THEA 0404)*, Spring Repertory (THEA 0429) *Only one
Design: Visual Creativity for the Stage (THEA 0101), Scenic Design I (THEA 0111), Lighting Design I (THEA 0113), History of Western Dress (THEA 0125) does not satisfy design requirement, Costume Design I (THEA 0205), Costume Design II (THEA 0325), Scenic Design II (THEA 0221), Lighting Design II (THEA 0223), Production Studio: Design (THEA 0119/0129) does not satisfy design requirement.
Independent Projects: Students may propose an independent project in directing, acting, design, playwriting, or history/criticism. In consultation with a faculty advisor, preliminary proposals for projects need to be turned in by March 1st or October 1st in the term prior to the term for which credit is being requested. Each area of study has specific prerequisites.
THEA 0500 Junior Independent Project in Design(Fall, Winter, Spring)
(See listing in program courses below.)
THEA 0700 Senior Independent Project (Fall, Winter, Spring)
(See listing in program courses below.)
Honors-Theatre: Honors, high honors, or highest honors are awarded to graduating seniors in the theatre program based upon their grade point average in theatre courses of A- or better and overall distinction in the department. Normally only full majors will be eligible for high or highest honors.
DANCE
Central to the dance focus is the development of the creative artist through critical study and regular practice in contemporary dance techniques, improvisation and choreography, history, theory, experiential anatomy and kinesiology, and performance. Individual talents and interests will draw a student toward advanced study and application of dance in many possible areas within the department and broader college curriculum. The dance major is designed to provide a solid and extensive base of intellectual and experiential expertise in dance, applicable widely, as well as necessary flexibility to accommodate individual educational goals.
See the Dance website and semester calendar for additional listings of dance/PE course offerings in ballet, hip-hop, yoga, pilates, swing dance, and contemporary idioms.
Core courses (10) required for the dance major are: The Creative Process (ARDV 0116 or 0117), Dance History (DANC 0284), Anatomy and Kinesiology (DANC 0376), four terms of technique and choreography at or above the 0200-level, an independent project (DANC 0500 normally undertaken in the senior year), and two additional courses chosen from within the regular fall and spring course offerings in the dance program. Suggested are courses in cultural studies (DANC/SOAN 0272), somatics (DANC 0277), or advanced performing techniques (DANC 0380/0381). An advanced-level independent project (0700) may be approved for the senior year if supported by prior exemplary work and careful planning.
The Dance Joint Major: The dance joint major consists of seven courses as follows: (1) Three courses in dance technique and choreography at or above the 0200-level; (2) ARDV 0116 or 0117 The Creative Process; (3) DANC 0284 Dance History; (4) DANC 0376 Anatomy and Kinesiology; (5) DANC 0500 Senior Independent Project.
The Dance Minor: The dance minor consists of five courses, as follows: (1) two courses in dance technique and choreography at or above the 0200-level; (2) DANC 0376 Anatomy and Kinesiology or DANC 0277 Body and Earth; (3) DANC 0284 Dance History or DANC 0272 Performing Culture: America's Dancing Bodies; (4) one additional course from dance listings.
Honors-Dance: Honors, high honors, or highest honors are awarded to graduating seniors in the dance program based upon a grade point average of A- or better in department and cognate courses, a grade of A- or better on the senior 0500 independent project, and overall distinction in the program. Normally only full majors will be eligible for highest honors.
Divisional and Interdepartmental Courses
ARDV 0116 The Creative Process (Fall, Spring)
A working examination of the process by which ideas are created and given shape. The individual creative experience is explored in terms of working methods and perceptual forms by means of lectures, discussions, presentations, and readings. ARDV 0116 is a hands-on, experiential course suggested for all non-arts majors with an interest in exploring creativity in the arts. Practical work is closely accompanied by readings intended to trigger investigations of the creative process on a personal/individual level. The course culminates with creation and performance of a short project. Required of theatre and dance majors. (First- and second-year students only) 3 hrs. lect. ART (fall: V. Mildenberg, theatre; spring: A. Draper, theatre)
ARDV 0117 Culture as Creative Process (Fall)
This course is designed for students from a broad range of backgrounds and academic disciplines who are interested in developing their unique creative process, researching their cultural history, and creating and revising performance projects that reflect the intersection of the two. Improvisatory tools and guided imagery provide methods for developing creative work. Weekly workshops in movement from the African diaspora, regular journaling, work-in-progress showings, and feedback sessions add further depth. Students will also generate a bibliography relating to their cultural history and present the results of their research in written form. (This course can count for dance and theatre majors as ARDV 0116). (Not open to students who have taken DANC 1005 or ARDV 0116). ART (C. Brown)
INTD 0206 Science as Art in Contemporary Theatre (Fall)
See Interdepartmental Courses for course description. LIT DED
(S. Abbott, C. Faraone)
INTD 0250 Greek Drama in Performance (Not offered 2008-09)
See Interdepartmental Courses for course description. ART LIT EUR
Theatre Courses
THEA 0101 Visual Creativity for Stage (Winter)
Students will develop an understanding of color, line, form, shape, texture, and balance as they apply to historical and current theatrical literature. Projects in figure drawing, charcoal and chalk, watercolor painting, and model making are intended to stretch the student's research ability, artistic imagination, critical-analysis, and presentation skills. The class is designed for all students interested in the visual and the performing arts and serves as an introduction to set, costume, and light design. 25 hours of production lab work will be assigned in class. 3 hrs. lect. ART (H. Zieselman)
THEA 0102 Acting I: Beginning Acting (Fall, Spring)
Rigorous physical and psychophysical exercises attempt to break through the cultural and psychological barriers that inhibit an open responsiveness to impulses, to the environment, and to others. Attempt is made to free personal response within improvised scenes and, eventually, within the narrative structure of a naturalistic scene. Attention is given to various theories of acting technique. Students are expected to audition for departmental shows. (First- and second-year students only) 3 hrs. lect. ART (fall: J. LaSala, V. Mildenberg; spring: A. Draper, V. Mildenberg)
THEA 0106 Postcolonial Drama (Not offered 2008-09)
In this course we will examine seminal 20th century dramatic works from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Although our primary focus will be intensive analysis of dramatic texts, we will occasionally read other kinds of writing (critical work, historical essays, primary documents, etc.) with a view to gaining insight into the historical, social and cultural framework of the plays and their respective theatrical contexts. The reading list will include playwrights such as Aimé Césaire, Sabina Berman, José Triana, Nelson Rodrigues, Griselda Gambaro, Athol Fugard, Wole Soyinka, Satoh Makoto and Gao Xingjian. All readings in English. 3 hrs. lect. LIT ART AAL
THEA 0111 Scenic Design I: Beginning (Fall)
Exploration and development of basic set design skills for theatre and dance. Class projects will introduce the student to sketching, sculpting, script analysis, and presentation skills. The design projects will challenge the student's imagination and creativity through historical and current theatrical literature, the study of artistic movements in theatre, concept development, and research. In addition, students will work on productions in order to understand better how theory relates to practice. 25 hours of production lab work will be assigned in class. 3 hrs. lect. ART (M. Evancho)
THEA 0113 Lighting Design I: Beginning (Spring)
This course examines historical and present lighting theories, theatrical artistic movements, and theatrical literature, leading to the planning and conceptual development of the lighting plot. Class projects will also introduce the student to sketching, painting, sculpture, script analysis, and presentation skills. In addition, students will work on productions in order to understand better how theory relates to practice. 25 hours of production lab work will be assigned in class/3 hrs. lect. ART (M. Evancho)
THEA 0125 History of Western Dress: 1300-Present (Not offered 2008-09)
This course will address the changing ways in which societies have clothed the human body since the phenomenon of fashion in Western dress began during the late Middle Ages. Slides, readings, and video clips will be used to examine the ways in which evolving styles of dress reflect the social and political values of a society. 3 hrs. lect. ART
THEA 0126 Analyzing Characters in Twentieth-Century American Drama (Not offered 2008-09)
This is a dramatic literature course that analyzes characters' emotional and psychological motivations from the perspective of the actor. It is not an acting course and there will be no performance component, although reading scenes will occur to make clear those choices arrived at through textual analysis. In addition, the course will provide students with analytical tools to aid in the appreciation of dramatic literature. We will read and analyze eight plays from the twentieth century American canon using methods derived from an essentially subjective perspective. 3 hrs. lect. LIT ART NOR
THEA 0202 Acting II: Voice & Body for Actor (Fall)
Using Linklater technique for the voice, students will study the physiological foundations of voice and alignment. By means of interrelated physical and vocal exercises, students will discover ways of changing patterns that restrict a full range of physical and vocal expressiveness. Students will study and present passages from Shakespeare to explore ways in which their new physical and vocal skills may be used to express a greater range of intellectual and emotional understanding. Students are required to audition for departmental shows. (THEA 0102 and ARDV 0116; Approval required) 4 hrs. lect. (A. Draper)
THEA 0205 Costume Design I: Beginning (Spring)
This introductory course will explore the art and practice of costume design for the theatre. Topics will include the psychology of dress, play-script and character analysis, concept development, historical research, figure drawing, and fabric considerations. (No prior drawing experience is assumed or expected.) 4 hrs. lect. ART (J. Emerson)
THEA/WAGS 0206 Contemporary Women Playwrights (CW) (Not offered 2008-09)
The course will include readings and discussion of the work of a number of the most influential and interesting American, Canadian, and European playwrights of the 1970s to the present. Authors to be explored include: Maria Irene Fomes, Caryl Churchill, Suzan-Lori Parks, Adrienne Kennedy, Ntozake Shange, Judith Thompson, Naomi Wallace, Shelagh Stephenson, and others. The playwrights' concerns range from the domestic to the apocalyptic, and their stylistic choices are equally wide ranging. In addition to the study of individual works, the course will also include an overview of the authors' relationships to the culture and to the art form. 3 hrs. lect. ART LIT
THEA 0208 Theatre History (Fall)
Using the dramatic text as the primary focus, this course will chart the progression of theatre from its ritualistic origins to the advent of modern drama. This survey will include an overview of theatrical architecture, the evolution of design and acting styles, and the introduction of the director. Since theatre does not exist in a void, a consideration of the social, cultural, political, and scientific milieu of each era studied will be included in the course. Through a major paper, students will have the opportunity to more closely research aspects of a particular period. 2 1/2 hrs. lect./discussion & 1 screening per week ART HIS EUR (C. Faraone)
THEA 0214 Directing I: Beginning (Fall, Spring)
As a group, students will analyze one or two plays to discover the process involved in preparing a script for production. Attention will be given to production and design concepts, textual values, auditions, rehearsals, and the structuring of a performance in time and space. Students will also cast and direct one or more scenes to be worked on and performed in class. The practical work is combined with written analysis. (ARDV 0116, THEA 0102 and approval) 4 hrs. lect. (R. Romagnoli)
THEA/ENAM 0216 Contemporary American Playwrights (Not offered 2008-09)
The course will analyze new plays that have been produced since America's withdrawal from Vietnam. Plays by David Mamet, Sam Shepard, John Patrick Shanley, David Rabe, Marsha Norman, John Guare, Miguel Pinero, Emily Mann and others will be studied for their dramaturgical and theatrical values, as well as their sociopolitical import. (Formerly THEA/ENGL 0216) 3 hrs. lect. LIT ART NOR
THEA/ENAM 0218 Playwriting I: Beginning (CW) (Fall)
The purpose of the course is to gain a theoretical and practical understanding of writing for the stage. Students will read, watch, and analyze published plays, as well as work by their peers, but the focus throughout will remain on the writing and development of original work. (Formerly THEA/ENGL 0218) 2 1/2 hrs. lect./individual labs ART (D. Yeaton)
THEA 0221 Scenic Design II: Advanced (Spring)
This upper-level course is designed for the very serious student interested in scenic design. A continuation of THEA 0111, with increasing emphasis, in class on historical/period design. Students will also study through design projects, period and present day theatrical designers. (THEA 0111) 3 hrs. lect. (M. Evancho)
THEA 0223 Lighting Design II: Advanced (Not offered 2008-09)
This upper-level course is designed for the very serious student interested in light design. The course offers hands-on experience in the studio lab, studying the relationship of the conceptualization and the organization of a light design for the 3-D stage and dance environment. (THEA 0113 and by approval) 3 hrs. lect.
THEA 0226 Modern Drama (Not offered 2008-09)
A study of representative playwrights, from Ibsen and Chekhov to Osborne, whose radical experiment with the form and substance of dramatic and theatrical communication have shaped the drama and theatre as it exists today. Attention will be given to the historical/cultural context of the plays to determine what constitutes "modernism" in the theatre, but the major emphasis will be upon a close study of the dramaturgical techniques employed by each playwright and how these techniques are designed to communicate to an audience in the theatre. 3 hrs. lect. LIT ART EUR
THEA/ENAM 0228 Contemporary British Playwrights (Not offered 2008-09)
This course will explore Great Britain's controversial theatrical movement, beginning in the late sixties, which came to be known as "The Fringe." Plays by David Hare, Howard Brenton, Stephan Poliakoff, Howard Barker, David Edgar, Caryl Churchill, Snoo Wilson, Trevor Griffiths, and others will be discussed. Particular focus will be on the plays' dramaturgical and theatrical values, as well as their impact on the overall development of the Fringe theatre movement and its influence on the more traditional theatrical establishment. (Formerly THEA/ENGL 0228) 3 hrs. lect. LIT ART EUR
THEA 0302 Acting III: Scene and Monologue Study (Spring)
Designed primarily for majors who have had experience on stage or have otherwise demonstrated a serious interest in performance. The skills introduced in Acting I and Acting II are given intensive application to different kinds of dramatic texts, primarily realistic in nature. Attention will be given to expanding the performer's range of emotional and intellectual expressiveness. (ARDV 0116, THEA 0102 and approval) 4 hrs. lect. (A. Draper)
THEA 0306 Twentieth-Century Performance Aesthetics (Spring)
An intensive exploration of the evolution of the theory and practice of theatrical experimentation in the twentieth century. Starting with the early challenges to Stanislavskian naturalism manifested in the work of Meyerhold, Craig, Brecht, Grotowski, and Artaud, the course will examine how these challenges influenced theatrical innovation throughout the century. Students will write papers and do presentations on the work of such artists as Peter Brook, Joseph Chaikin, Richard Schechner, Ariane Mnouchkine, Augusto Boal, and others. Questions about the nature of Modernism and the relationship between art and reality will guide an exploration of the performance aesthetics that have dominated this century. (ARDV 0116) 3 hrs. lect./1 hr. screen. (R. Romagnoli)
THEA/ENAM 0318 Playwriting II: Advanced (CW) (Spring)
For students with experience writing short scripts or stories, this workshop will provide a support structure in which to write a full-length stage play. We will begin with extended free and guided writing exercises intended to help students write spontaneously and with commitment. Class discussions will explore scene construction, story structure, and the development of character arc. (ENAM 0170 or THEA 0218 or ENAM/THEA 0240; by approval) (Formerly THEA/ENGL 0318) 2 1/2 hrs. lect./individual labs ART (D. Yeaton)
THEA 0324 Directing II: Advanced (Fall)
This is a course for the upper level theatre student with previous experience in directing. Students will be exposed to various contemporary performance modes and styles and will devote half the semester to the exploration, rehearsal and performance of a substantive text. Attention will be given to the director/designer collaboration, working with actors, and the pragmatic aspects of mounting a production. This course is required for students hoping to propose independent work in directing, but is open to any student with the appropriate prerequisites. (THEA 0214, additional directing experience or by waiver) 4 hrs. lect. (C. Faraone)
THEA 0325 Costume Design II: Advanced (Not offered 2008-09)
Continued instruction in costume design and figure illustration. Design projects will focus on the further development of students' graphic and conceptual abilities. (THEA 0205 or by approval) 3 hrs. lect. ART
THEA/RUSS 0354 Chekhov (in English) (Not offered 2008-09)
See Department of Russian for course description. LIT EUR
THEA 0400 Special Topics: Specialized Costuming Techniques (Not offered 2008-09)
We will explore the techniques and principles of three-dimensional concepts in costume design through the use of both traditional and non-traditional mediums. Instruction will include draping, flat patterning, and some textile modification. Slides, films, readings, and museum field trips will be used to supplement the instructor's demonstrations. (THEA 0205, THEA 0325, or by approval) 3 hrs. lect./1hr. screen.
THEA 0402 Acting IV: Styles of Acting (Not offered 2008-09)
The course will expose students to the rigorous physical, vocal, mental, and emotional demands of "non-naturalistic" acting, beginning with the Greeks, continuing through Shakespeare, Restoration, the eighteenth century, and ending with contemporary absurdist playwrights. Emphasis is first upon an intellectual understanding of the texts, then upon their fullest physical, vocal, and emotional expression. The course is designed for students who have had some prior stage experience. (ARDV 0116, THEA 0102 and an additional performance course) 4 hrs. lect./1hr. screen.
THEA 0412 Special Topics: Movement for Actors (Fall)
In this course we will develop physicality in the context of Naturalistic and heightened acting. The work is based on Laban complimented by Alexander, Body Mind centering, Lecoq, animal studies, Viewpoints, Bartenieff Fundamentals and Stanislavski. We will study Physical theatre companies and artists such as DV8, Complicite, Robert Wilson, Robert Le Page and Shared Experience. Through physical improvisation and analysis we will apply these techniques to stage monologues and scenes of text based theatre. The course is practice based with supporting reading and filmed sources. (THEA 0102, or DANC 0160, or by approval) 3 hrs. lect. ART (V. Mildenberg)
THEA 0426 Seminar in Theatre: Literature and Society (Not offered 2008-09)
This course is designed for the advanced student of theatre and may be used to fulfill a literature requirement. The course will examine the theatrical disciplines of literature, performance, design and the creative process through the lens of a single historical period. Work includes the study of theatrical literature and criticism of the selected period, stage design and staging techniques of the time, the exploration of the varying performance modes in theatre, and the position of theatre in society. Course requirements include a major paper on some aspect of the course. LIT DED
THEA 0500 Intermediate Independent Project (Fall, Winter, Spring)
In consultation with their advisors, theatre majors in design may propose a THEA 0500 Intermediate Independent Project. Preliminary proposal forms approved by the student's advisor will be submitted to the program by March 1st of the preceding academic year for those wanting credit in the fall term and by October 1st for those wanting credit in the winter or spring terms. Projects will conform to the guidelines that are available in the theatre office. Students are required to attend a weekly THEA 0500/0700 seminar.
THEA 0700 Senior Independent Project (Fall, Winter, Spring)
Senior work is required. In consultation with their advisors, theatre majors may propose a THEA 0700 Independent Project. Preliminary proposal forms approved by the student's advisor will be submitted to the program by March 1st of the preceding academic year for those wanting credit in the fall term and by October 1st for those wanting credit in the winter or spring terms. Projects will conform to the guidelines that are available in the theatre office. Students are required to attend a weekly THEA 0500/0700 seminar.
Production Studios
THEA 0119 Fall Production Studio: Design (Fall)
In preparing a fully produced theatrical production for the stage, students will participate in and be exposed to professional production practices in all areas of theatrical design, including sets, costumes, props, lights, and sound. Students will be involved in planning, building, painting, constructing, and running and striking of shows. More advanced students may speak to the professors about taking on special projects, but those with little or no experience backstage are very much encouraged to participate. 8 hrs. lab ART (M. Evancho)
THEA 0129 Spring Production Studio: Design (Spring)
In preparing two fully produced theatrical productions for the stage, students will participate in and be exposed to professional production practices in all areas of theatrical design, including sets, costumes, props, lights, and sound. Students will be involved in planning, building, painting, constructing, and running and striking of shows. More advanced students may speak to the professors about taking on special projects, but those with little or no experience backstage are very much encouraged to participate. 8 hrs. lab ART (J. Emerson, M. Evancho)
THEA 0210 Fall Production Studio: Acting (Fall)
The cast works as part of a company interpreting, rehearsing, and performing a play. Those receiving credit can expect to rehearse four to six nights a week. Appropriate written work is required. Participation in the course is determined by auditions held the previous term. (Approval required) ART (A. Draper)
THEA 0220 Spring Production Studio: Acting (Spring)
The cast works as part of a company, interpreting, rehearsing, and performing a play. Those receiving credit can expect to rehearse four to six nights a week. Appropriate written work is required. Participation in the course is determined by auditions held during the term prior to the performance. (Approval required) ART (V. Mildenberg, R. Romagnoli)
THEA 0404 Production Company (Not offered 2008-09)
This course is designed to create a theatrical ensemble that not only explores performance but also its theoretical underpinnings and social implications. The company will yield two shows; all students will be involved with both technical and production aspects of both shows. The course will include weekly meetings devoted to discussions of readings. One research paper will be required at the end of the term.
THEA/MUSC 0420 Spring Production Studio (Not offered 2008-09)
THEA 0429 Spring Repertory Company (Not offered 2008-09)
This course is designed to create a theatrical ensemble that not only explores performance but also its theoretical underpinnings and social implications. The company will yield three shows, the final one providing the visual and thematic thrust for the season. The course will include weekly meetings devoted to discussions of readings. One research paper will be required at the end of the term.
Dance Courses
DANC 0160 Introduction to Dance (Fall, Spring)
This entry-level dance course introduces movement techniques, improvisation/composition, performance, experiential anatomy, and history of twentieth-century American modern dance. Students develop flexibility, strength, coordination, rhythm, and vocabulary in the modern idiom. Concepts of time, space, energy, and choreographic form are presented through improvisation and become the basis for a final choreographic project. Readings, research, and reflective and critical writing about dance performance round out the experience. 2 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART (fall: Staff; spring: L. Tawil)
DANC 0163 From Africa to America: Moving from Our Core (Fall)
This course is an introduction to dance emphasizing the influence of traditions from the African Diaspora on contemporary modern dance. Technique sessions incorporate styles from West Africa and Central and South America with performance work. Discussion of readings on the history and current practice of movement forms originating in Africa, as well as on the work of artists developing fusion styles, supports written and creative work. Compositional studies explore the intersection between technique, history/theory, and performance. (No previous dance experience required.) 2 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART (C. Brown)
DANC/RUSS 0241 Russian Ballet and the Creation of Modern Culture (Spring)
See Department of Russian for course description. 3hrs lect/disc., screening ART HIS EUR (A. Wentink)
DANC 0260 Advanced Beginning Dance I (Fall, Spring)
This is the first course in the studio sequence for students entering Middlebury with significant previous dance experience. It is also the course sequence for those continuing on from DANC 0160 or DANC 0161 and provides grounding in the craft of modern dance needed to proceed to more advanced levels. Modern dance movement techniques are strengthened to support an emerging individual vocabulary and facility with composition. Students regularly create and revise movement studies that focus on the basic elements of choreography and the relationship of music and dance. Readings, journals, and formal critiques of video and live performance contribute to the exploration of dance aesthetics and develop critical expertise. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART (fall: Staff; spring: P. Campbell)
DANC 0261 Advanced Beginning Dance II (Fall, Spring)
A continuation of DANC 0260. (DANC 0260 and by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART (fall: Staff; spring: P. Campbell)
DANC/SOAN 0272 Performing Culture: America's Dancing Bodies (Not offered 2008-09)
This course (which includes film screenings) explores historical and cultural perspectives on American concert and social dance, emphasizing modern and postmodern forms from the late-1950s through the present. Our examination of this period of near-constant change will address a number of questions about "moving bodies" and their relationship to both political and artistic transformations occurring during this time. We will be especially concerned with the themes of gender, race, identity, and community. The course emphasizes cultural analysis, but it will also involve students in movement as a means of addressing the material and bridging scholarly and "embodied" forms of exploration and analysis. 3 hrs. lect./2 hrs. screening
DANC 0277 Body and Earth (Not offered 2008-09)
This course has been designed for students with an interest in the dialogue between the science of body and the science of place. Its goals are to enhance movement efficiency through experiential anatomy and to heighten participants' sensitivity to natural processes and forms in the Vermont bioregion. Weekly movement sessions, essays by nature writers, and writing assignments about place encourage synthesis of personal experience with factual information. Beyond the exams and formal writing assignments, members of the class will present a final research project and maintain an exploratory journal. 3 hrs. lect. 1 hr. lab. ART NOR
DANC 0279 Movement Intentionality for the Stage (Spring)
This course is intended for students in the performing arts seeking focused attention on the expressive potential of the body. We examine processes that will enable students to develop short, original performance pieces rooted in kinesthetic experience, including movement, voice, and visual perception. We will employ improvisational methods, such as Contact Improvisation and Viewpoints, to generate and experiment with physical language, text, and other compositional components of performance. Discussion of readings in the history and current practice of performance art and improvisation, drawn from the literature on dance, theatre, music, and visual arts, will support creative work. Previous experience in theatre or dance required. 3 hrs. lect. ART (T. Rhynard)
AMST/DANC 0283 From George Washington to John Travolta: Social Dance in Popular Culture (Fall)
See Program of American Studies for course description. 3 hrs. lect., 2 hrs screen. ART HIS NOR
DANC 0284 Dance History (CW ) (Spring)
This seminar focuses primarily on the emergence and development of twentieth-century American concert dance--especially modern and postmodern dance forms--from the confluence of European folk and court dance, African and Caribbean influences, and other American cultural dynamics. We will look at ways in which dance reflects, responds to, and creates its cultural milieu. Readings, video, and live performance illuminate the artistic products and processes of choreographers whose works mark particular periods or turning points in this continuously unfolding story. Our study is intended to support informed critical articulations and an understanding of the complexity of dance as art. 3 hrs. lect./2 hrs. screen. ART NOR (P. Campbell)
DANC 0360 Intermediate/Advanced Dance Technique and Choreography (Not offered 2008-09)
This course involves concentrated intermediate-advanced level work in contemporary dance technique and choreography culminating in production. Theoretical issues of importance to the dancer/choreographer are addressed through readings and writings. (DANC 0261 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART
DANC 0361 Intermediate/Advanced Dance II (Not offered 2008-09)
This course involves concentrated intermediate-advanced level work in contemporary dance technique, choreography, and contact improvisation culminating in performance. Texts and written work focus on the creative process in dance-making and the history and principles of contact improvisation. 3 hrs lect./3 hrs lab ART
DANC 0376 Anatomy and Kinesiology (Fall/Spring)
This course offers an in-depth experiential study of skeletal structure, and includes aspects of the muscular, organ, endocrine, nervous, and fluid systems of the human body. The goal is to enhance efficiency of movement and alignment through laboratory sessions, supported by assigned readings, exams, and written projects. (Not open to first-year students) 3 hrs. lect. ART (L. Tawil)
DANC 0380/0381 Dance Company of Middlebury (Fall, Winter)
Dancers work with the artistic director and guest choreographers as part of a dance company, learning, interpreting, rehearsing, and performing dances created for performance and tour. Those receiving credit can expect four to six rehearsals weekly. Appropriate written work, concert and film viewing, and attendance in departmental technique classes are required. Auditions for company members are held in the fall semester for the year. One credit will be given for two terms of participation. Performances and tour are scheduled in January. (Limited to sophomores through seniors, by audition.) (DANC 0260; Approval required) 4 hrs. lect./4 hrs. lab (L. Tawil)
DANC 0400 Special Topics in Dance: Independent Study (Fall, Spring)
(Approval required) (Staff)
DANC 0460 Intermediate/Advanced Dance III (Spring)
This course provides daily work in contemporary dance at an advanced level of technique and choreography. Challenging technical demands refine the body as an articulate, expressive instrument. Improvisation continues to support choreography focusing on style, group forms, and more sophisticated use of music and theatrical elements. Substantial choreography and performance of faculty and student work are expected. The emergence of a personal philosophy and dance aesthetic is encouraged and formally articulated in writing. 4.5 hrs. lect./2 hrs. lab (T. Rhynard)
DANC 0461 Intermediate/Advanced Dance IV: Performance Improvisation (Fall)
This is rigorous training in techniques that prepare a student for the challenge of simultaneously conceiving, composing, and performing strong, theatrical dances, on the spot, alone and in ensemble. Body is developed as an articulate, responsive instrument. Mind is honed toward quick, clear perception of potential form, willingness to act and react. Personal philosophy and dance aesthetic are cultivated and formally articulated in writing. Musicians proficient with their instrument and able to read music are strongly encouraged to seek admission. (Required for dancers: DANC 0260/0261 or by waiver; this course may be taken in any sequence with DANC 0360, DANC 0361, DANC 0460) 6 hrs lect. (P. Campbell)