jürg koch dance

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dance 206 syllabus

resources

syllabus (pdf)
grading sheet (pdf)

links

webq: class questionnaire
webq: midterm
meany theaters

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dance 206
modern ii:
advanced-beginning level

in pursuit of a relative and individualized ideal

Instructor’s Educational Philosophy
Dance class is a learning environment where we expose ourselves to set, experiential and improvised material by a.) respecting and expanding our own facilities and abilities and b.) incorporating training and educational aims, skills and knowledge, technique and expression. While sharing phrase material we are challenged to work on our own learning and training goals.

Course Overview
Modern II is an advanced-beginning level course building on your existing training. In this course you continue to develop all beginning areas and expand your movement material. You are familiar with dance studio practice, and learn how to best participate. You strive to analyze movement material and retain it. You are attentive to general and individual feedback and aim to ask specific and informed questions.

I teach a non-codified contemporary dance class informed by Graham, Cunningham, Release based work and Integrated Dance. The class is structured progressively, providing a balance between repetition, developing existing material and introducing new phrases.

The first week of classes is used to place students in the appropriate level. Expect to be in one level for at least a year. It takes time and regular practice to understand, hone skills and truly improve. We will hold a collective midterm class meeting to give feedback and answer questions.

Class Questionnaire
As the instructor I aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for a diverse community of learners. We all have different circumstances and may need accommodations to meet the requirements and objectives outlined here. For this purpose, read and fill in the confidential online WebQ by Friday, April 3, 10PM.

Class requirements

• In The Studio
• Take and share responsibility in creating an accessible class environment. Make your needs known, while respecting the needs of others. Work safely and effectively in class and be respectful of your peers and instructors.
• Commit to the class schedule and arrive on time and prepared for the class. This includes:
  • Please change in the locker rooms on the lower level, no changing on upper level.
  • Wear comfortable clothing that reveals the movement detail and allows you to move with clarity, vigor and commitment. I work with floor material, make sure you have layers to protect legs and shoulders. Be barefoot or wear socks. Participants needing to wear shoes, please bring a dedicated pair of indoor shoes. Do not wear jewelry and watches or use lotions, talc etc. on exposed skin.
  • Use a locker with a padlock on the upper level to keep your belongings safe. No street shoes, bags, beverages or food in the studios, water allowed in plastic bottles.
• Participation goes beyond attending, be an active contributor, explore the material actively and aim always to dance at performance level.
• Observe class when injured and work with adaptations where appropriate. Do not attend class while being ill or contagious.
• Contact the instructor with a reason for absences.
• Make sure you can be reached via your campus email. Check your account regularly.
• If you have concerns about the course or your instructor, please speak to the instructor as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable talking with the instructor or are not satisfied with the response you receive, please contact the Dance Program Chair, Hannah Wiley, in Meany Hall 262, hcw@u.washington.edu

Beyond The Studio

Attend two concerts:

• MFA Concert, May 21-24 in the Meany Studio Theater.
  (There is also a student preview, May 20)
• A concert of your choice in an off-campus venue (Velocity, On the Boards, PNB, Spectrum etc.)

You are responsible to get your own ticket and to hand in the signed ticket stub as proof of attendance

Important Dates

• Week 1: Friday, April 3, complete webq
• Week 6: Friday, May 8, complete midterm webq
• Week 7: Friday, May 14, midterm class meeting
• Week 9: May 21-24, MFA Concert, Meany Studio Theater
• Week 10: Friday, June 4, Public Class Showing, submit concert ticket stubs.

Class Objectives and Learning Outcomes
The course procedures and the teaching strategies encourage and challenge you to:

• Understand and implement the course requirements.
• Understand the demands the movement material makes on your physical facilities and conceptual abilities and develop your dancing skills and knowledge. This includes:
  • Skills in rhythmic, movement and compositional analysis.
  • Stamina, both physical and mental, allowing you to sustain your use of energy and inquisitive concentration over the duration of a phrase, the class and the term.
  • Awareness of your particular physical and expressive range and how to appropriately interpret and perform the set and improvisational structures in this class.
  • Physical and expressive range, increasing your articulation in the sense of muscular strength and joint flexibility as well as eloquence in the sense of clearly revealing the origin and properties of the movement material.
  • Strength and appropriate control, avoiding extraneous tension allowing you to move in a connected coordinate way with a safe sense of alignment and use of energy.
  • Integrating new material and retaining it for future classes. Given active participation and full commitment to dancing in class, you will improve in the objectives above and increase your current level of skills and knowledge in dance.

Evaluation and Grading
The grades are determined via the continuous assessment of your in class contributions. I will regularly make notes on your class work on Friday. View the grading rubric for a detailed breakdown.

Participation (50%)
You implement the class requirements and participate fully. You attend the required concerts, submit the class questionnaire and midterm review. Absences, tardiness, sitting out and leaving early will be noted. Depending on your overall performance they may affect your grade. Sitting out can be avoided by working with adaptations. Absences without contacting the instructor are unacceptable.

Understanding of Class Objectives and Principles (50%)
You are able to demonstrate your clear understanding of the movement material and class structure in performance, questions and conversation. You move skillfully and work effectively. You demonstrate the ability to integrate feedback and work on personal aims.