ARDV 116 The Creative Process
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. ARDV 116 is a hands-on, experiential course suggested for all students interested in exploring their creativity. Lectures, discussions, presentations, performances, and readings. Required of theatre and dance majors in the Department of Theatre and Dance. (First- and second-year students only)
DANC 160 Introductory Dance
An entry-level dance course introducing movement techniques, improvisation/composition, performance, experiential anatomy, and history of 20th-century American modern dance. Flexibility, strength, coordination, rhythm, and vocabulary in the modern idiom are developed. 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.
DANC 260 Advanced Beginning Dance I
DANC 260 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 the critical expertise. (required: DANC 160 and admission by application)
DANC 261 Advanced Beginning Dance II
Continuation of DANC 260. (required: DANC 260 and admission by application)
DANC 360 Intermediate/Advanced Dance I
Concentrated intermediate level work in modern dance technique, choreography, and production. Improvisation supports the development of choreography with attention given to formal elements (motif and development, theme and variation, canon, chance structures, etc.) and progressively more sophisticated aspects of space, time, and energy. Creation and performance of original work are expected. Theoretical issues questions and values of importance to the dancer/choreographer are addressed through readings and writings. (required: DANC 260)
DANC 361 Intermediate/Advanced Dance II
Continuation of DANC 360.
DANC 376 Anatomy and Kinesiology
An experiential study of skeletal structure, joint and muscle function, and body mechanics. A kinesthetic examination of specific joints and muscle groups in body weight transfer, developing awareness of habits, alignment, effort, energy consumption, and chronic tension. The course will emphasize human movement potential in the vertical position, aligned to gravity, through laboratory sessions and assigned readings. (Not open to first-year students)
DANC 277 Body and Earth
How does our relationship with our body affect the ways we interact with the world around us? This course focuses on the connection between the human body and the environment, specifically through study of the perceptual, neuromuscular, fluid, and respiratory systems. Weekly outdoor sessions, essays by contemporary nature writers and scientists, and creative writing assignments about sense of place encourage synthesis of personal experience with factual information.
DANC 279 Movement Intentionality for the Stage
This course is intended for students in the performing arts seeking focused attention on the expressive potential of the body. The course will 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 to generate and experiment with physical language, text, and other compositional components of performance. Students craft these elements into "portraits" or "little theatres" for periodic presentation in class. Discussion of readings in the history and current practice of performance art, drawn from the literature on dance, theatre, music, and visual arts, will support creative work. (required: TH 102, DANC 160, or TH 116)
DANC 284 Dance History
A seminar focusing primarily on the emergence and development of 20th-century American concert dance-especially modern and postmodern dance forms-from the confluence of European folk, court and art dance, African and Caribbean forms and influences, and other American cultural dynamics. We will look at ways in which dance both 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. Additional goals are to support informed critical articulation and an understanding of the complexity of dance as art.
DANC 460 Intermediate/Advanced Dance III
Concentrated work in a body-systems approach to modern dance technique, choreography,and production. Authentic movement is introduced as a way of exploring individual movement vocabulary; choreography workshop focuses attention on compositional elements and individual artistry. Creation and performance of original work are expected. Theoretical issues-questions and values of importance to the dancer/choreographer are addressed through readings and writings. (required: DANC 260; this course may be taken in any sequence with DANC 360, DANC 361, DANC 461)
DANC 461 Intermediate/Advanced Dance IV: Performance Improvisation
A 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. (required: DANC 161; this course may be taken in any sequence with DANC 360, DANC 361, DANC 460)
NVS/DANC 0377 Nature and Creativity
In this course we will explore the relationship between the creative process and natural processes and phenomena. Among our activities wil be: Weekly outdoor sessions of observation; journal writing; and sketching; reading of essays by contemporary nature writers and scientists; and exercises focusing on the connection between the human body and the environment. Course work will include a public presentation demonstration expertise in one art form. ( Two ES core courses and two studio courses- dance, music, vusual art, film/video, theatre, creative writing - or by approval)
DANC 380/381 Dance Company of Middlebury
The dancers work with the artistic director and guest choreographers as part of a dance company, learning, interpreting, rehearsing, and performing dances created for the company repertory. Those receiving credit can expect four to six rehearsals weekly. Appropriate written work, concert and film viewing, and attendance in department technique classes are required. Auditions for company members are held in the fall semester for the full year. One credit will be given for two terms of participation. Performances and tours are scheduled throughout the year. (Limited to sophomores through seniors, by audition)