Dance in Culture and Society is an introductionto the study of dance in the academy. This surveycourse introduces students to dance as both anaesthetic and cultural experience. The aim is topresent the breadth of the field, specificallywhere dance happens, the diverse functions itserves, and ways of making meaning of the danceexperience. Through movement laboratories,readings, videos, observations, and discussionsstudents explore the dance discipline.

This course provides an opportunity for studenttechnicians (lighting/sound/projection operatorsand backstage crew) of the annual Dance MinorConcert to receive credit for their work.Technicians must participate in technicalrehearsals and performances. Specific duties aredetermined based on the needs of the production;guidelines are available from the instructor.Technicians should expect to devote a total of20-50 hours over the course of the production.Student technicians will be automatically enrolled(either for credit or as auditors) after theirproduction closes. Practicum courses may berepeated for credit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentperformers in departmental theatre & danceproductions to receive credit for their work.Performers typically must participate inauditions, callbacks, rehearsals, load-in,technical rehearsals, performances, and strike;specific duties are determined based on the needsof each production. Performers should expect todevote a total of 60-100 hours, some of which maybe during college breaks, adjacent semesters,weekends, holidays, and other unusual times. Atthe beginning of each semester, all studentsinvolved in departmental productions areautomatically enrolled as auditors in the relevantpracticum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor. Practicum courses may be repeated forcredit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentdesigners of departmental theatre & danceproductions to receive credit for their work.Designers typically must participate in aproduction orientation workshop (scenery, props,costumes, lighting, or sound), a design meetingwith the departmental faculty, productionmeetings, load-in, technical rehearsals, andstrike; specific duties are determined based onthe needs of the production. Designers shouldexpect to devote a total of 60-100 hours, some ofwhich may be during college breaks, adjacentsemesters, weekends, holidays, and other unusualtimes. At the beginning of each semester, allstudents involved in departmental productions areautomatically enrolled as auditors in the relevantpracticum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor. Practicum courses may be repeated forcredit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentdramaturgs of departmental theatre & danceproductions to receive credit for their work.Students in these positions typically mustparticipate in production meetings, rehearsals,load-in, technical rehearsals, and strike;specific duties are determined based on the needsof the production. Students in these positionsshould expect to devote a total of 60-100 hours,some of which may be during college breaks,adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays, and otherunusual times. At the beginning of each semester,all students involved in departmental productionsare automatically enrolled as auditors in therelevant practicum course(s), and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor. Practicum courses may be repeated forcredit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentassistant stage managers of departmental theatreproductions to receive credit for their work.Assistant stage managers typically mustparticipate in production meetings, rehearsals,load-in, technical rehearsals, performances, andstrike; specific duties are determined based onthe needs of the production. Assistant stagemanagers should expect to devote a total of 60-100hours, some of which may be during college breaks,adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays, and otherunusual times. At the beginning of each semester,all students involved in departmental productionsare automatically enrolled as auditors in therelevant practicum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor. Practicum courses may be repeated forcredit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentsto gain experience in creating originalchoreography for the annual departmental danceconcert. Working collaboratively with theirdancers, faculty and guest choreographers, concertdirector, and production personnel will helpstudents develop their choreographic andleadership skills. To enroll, students mustcomplete a Student Choreographer Application.Dance faculty and guest artists will reviewapplications and select the studentchoreographers. Student choreographers mustparticipate in auditions, weekly rehearsals,works-in-progress showings, technical rehearsalsand performances. Choreographers should expect todevote a total of 60-100 hours over the course ofthe production. Practicum courses may be repeatedfor credit (1,2) credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentsto gain experience in creating originalchoreography for the annual departmental danceconcert. Working collaboratively with theirdancers, faculty and guest choreographers, concertdirector, and production personnel will helpstudents develop their choreographic andleadership skills. To enroll, students mustcomplete a Student Choreographer Application.Dance faculty and guest artists will reviewapplications and select the studentchoreographers. Student choreographers mustparticipate in auditions, weekly rehearsals,works-in-progress showings, technical rehearsalsand performances. Choreographers should expect todevote a total of 60-100 hours over the course ofthe production. Practicum courses may be repeatedfor credit (1,2) credit(s).

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Beginning Ballet is an introduction to thefundamentals of ballet technique as well asballet terminology, traditions, and etiquette.Ballet class begins at the ballet barre andprogresses to ballet centre adagio, and allegrocombinations, all of which emphasize clarity ofline, movement efficiency, range of motion, andartistry. Readings, videos, reflective andanalytical writing, and live performancecontextualize the in-class work.

Beginning Modern Dance is an introduction to basicprinciples of modern dance as a creative art form.Special emphasis is placed on body awareness,alignment, and artistic expression. The classstructure includes a full body warm-up, centermovement studies, traveling sequences and anextended modern dance phrase made up of bothchoreography and improvisation. Readings, videos,reflective and analytical writing, and liveperformance will contextualize the movementpractice. 4 credits.

Dance Composition is an introduction to the craftof making dances. It is designed to allow studentsto experience the process of discovering,creating, and performing original movement.Students utilize choreographic theories andcompositional devices to develop solo and smallgroup works. Students are encouraged to create arange of vocabularies. The course emphasizes thedevelopment of self-expression, creative inquiry,and critical awareness. Research, writing, anddiscussion required.

Jazz Dance offers an exploration of movementvocabularies of the American dance form Jazz,demonstrating its evolution as both an art formand vehicle for individual and group expression.Emphasis will be placed on rhythm, style,technical development, and self-expression.Students will experience a range of jazzvocabularies including Authentic Jazz Dance (ex.Lindy Hop), Classical Concert Jazz Dance (jazzdance originating at the time of Jack Cole),Musical Theatre Jazz Dance (Broadway), andContemporary Jazz Dance (ex. Lyrical Jazz and PopJazz). Class structure includes isolationtechniques, warm-up techniques, coordinationtechniques, traveling sequences, and an extendedjazz dance phrase that integrates and builds uponconcepts introduced earlier in class. Articles,videos, reflective and critical writing, and liveperformance will contextualize the movementpractice.

This course gives an overview of major topicsin creativity: the pleasures and pitfalls as wellas effective strategies to use in creative work.Each week we tackle another issue and explore waysto approach creativity in the broadest sense. Atthe same time students work on self-directedprojects throughout the semester (largely outsideof class time), submit weekly progress updates,and periodically share with the class. By the endof the semester students have a range of tools andhands-on experiences to return to again and againin their future creative work. Prerequisite: Onecourse of Studio Art, Music, Theatre, Dance, orCreative Writing, or permission of the instructor.

This course provides an opportunity for studentstage managers to receive credit for their work onthe annual departmental dance concert. Studentdance stage managers must participate inworks-in-progress showings, weekly productionmeetings, technical rehearsals, and performances;dance stage managers are also invited toparticipate in weekly SM Roundtable discussionswith the faculty and other student stage managers.Specific duties are determined based on the needsof the production, but typically include planning& executing concert logistics, creatingorganizational production documents, callinglighting & sound cues, and working closely withthe artistic and production managers to ensure asuccessful production. Stage managers shouldexpect to devote a total of 60-100 hours over thecourse of the production, some of which may beduring college breaks, weekends, holidays, lateevenings, and other unusual times. This course isopen to dance minors and non-minors. At thebeginning of each semester, all students involvedin departmental productions are automaticallyenrolled as auditors in the relevant practicumcourse(s) and will be given an opportunity torequest credit by contacting the instructor.Practicum courses may be repeated for credit (1,2)credit(s).

This course provides an opportunity for studentdirectors of departmental theatre & danceproductions to receive credit for their work.Students in these positions typically mustparticipate in production meetings, rehearsals,load-in, technical rehearsals, and strike;specific duties are determined based on the needsof the production. Students in these positionsshould expect to devote a total of 120-200 hours,some of which may be during college breaks,adjacent semesters, weekends, holidays, and otherunusual times. At the beginning of each semester,all students involved in departmental productionsare automatically enrolled as auditors in therelevant practicum course(s) and will be given anopportunity to request credit by contacting theinstructor.

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Research shows that nearly 90% of dancers who stayin the field past college teach at least parttime. Introduction to Teaching Dance providesstudents with the practical and theoreticalfoundation necessary to teach dance in a studio,school, or community environment. Specific topicsvary from semester to semester, but may includephilosophies of dance education, kinesthetic &emotional safety, national arts educationstandards, community engagement, learner-centriclesson planning, pedagogical ethics, educationalactivism, and other contemporary issues in danceinstruction. Through observation, peer teachingpracticums, and individual reflection, studentswill gain experience planning, teaching, andevaluating dance technique classes.

Intermediate Ballet is a progression of BeginningBallet. Special emphasis will be placed onworking in optimal alignment, building bothstrength and flexibility, and negotiatingstability and mobility. Intermediate Balletemphasizes clarity of line, movement efficiency,range of motion, and artistry. Readings, videos,reflective and analytical writing, and liveperformance will contextualize the in-class work .

Intermediate Modern Dance is a progression ofBeginning Modern Dance. Students work to developa keen awareness of their bodies in order tobuild clarity, movement efficiency,grounded-ness, and dynamism. Special emphasis isplaced on working in optimal alignment, buildingboth strength and flexibility, and negotiatingcontrol and abandon. The focus is on technicaldevelopment as it relates to inviting forwardartistry and physical mastery of the body.Readings, videos, reflective and analyticalwriting, and live performance will contextualizethe movement practice.

Students enrolled in this course will focus onanthropological, ethnomusicological, andethnochoreological ethnographic fieldworkmethods, including participant-observation,ethnographic interviews, performance ethnography,and audio/video documentation techniques.Students will be exposed to both Afro-Cubanreligious and Cuban popular expressive forms.They will learn about the interrelatedness ofmusic, dance, visual arts, ritual, and religiousbeliefs, with contemporary Cuban politics andeconomics, as well as with Cuban views onnationality, gender, and race. Students willattend/observe both formal and informal musicperformances, and take music and dance lessonswhere they will have an opportunity to engagemusicians on a one-on-one basis. This courserequires at least 10 days of travel to Cuba.

This course explores various aspects ofleadership, management, and entrepreneurship forthe visual and performing arts. Students willlearn how arts organizations define themselves,make decisions, and plan for the future. Topicsmay include: leadership & governance, mission &strategy, program planning & evaluation,intellectual property & contracting, marketing &public relations, and/or budgeting & fundraising.This course has no curricular prerequisite, butrequires a baseline interest in and understandingof the arts.

Dance Portfolio culminates the dance minor.Students submit a digital portfolio of their workfor faculty review. Upon declaring a dance minor,students schedule a meeting with the danceminor director to discuss the dance portfoliosubmission guidelines. Students maintainchronological digital files of their artisticwork including choreographic, performance,teaching,and footage and photos. In addition to compilingwork samples from class work and outsidedepartmental activities, students will write anArtist Statement, Teaching Philosophy, and DanceResume. Dance Portfolio is done as an independentstudy with 4 scheduled meetings with thedance minor director during the spring semesterof senior year.

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An agreement between a sponsoring faculty and astudent letting the student study a topic ofinterest not offered at WC. 45 hours are requiredper credit.

An agreement between a sponsoring faculty and astudent letting the student study a topic ofinterest not offered at WC. 45 hours are requiredper credit.