Syllabus

 

Course Title:                        Late Dance History

Unofficial Title:                    20th & 21st Century Dance History

Course Number:                   DAN 345/DAN 545

Instructor:                              Jennifer Salk

Classroom & Times:            MG 241 M 8:30 – 10:20;

Meany Hall Studio 267 W 8:30 – 10:20/F 9:30 – 10:20

Office Hours:                        M/W 10:30 & by appointment

E-mail:                                   jsalk@u.washington.edu

Web Address:                        (no www) http://faculty.washington.edu/jsalk/history

 

ÒDance is a moment, and then it is gone.Ó

Jose Limon, choreographer/dancer

 

ÒI suspect that at its best your educationÕs main motive is to fuel your curiosity and teach you how to find out things for yourself.Ó

Jim Harrison, author

What will this class cover?

The development of social and performance-based dance from the beginning of the Twentieth Century to the present with particular emphasis on major international stylistic trends, cultural influences, and principal artists and their work.

 

What are the Objectives?

At the successful completion of the course you will be able to:

            - identify fundamental components of dance as an art form

- discuss and write about major dance forms and reform movements, incorporating analytical and conceptual thinking

            - trace the changing characteristics of dance as a performing art

- trace the origins and changing characteristics of the American social dance vernacular

            - discuss the characteristics of the work of prominent choreographers

            - apply research skills specific to the arts and dance

            - discuss dance in relation to cultural values, and within historical and social contexts

 

How will all of this happen?

The course will include class discussions, group and individual assignments and presentations, lectures, video viewing, and studio explorations. The studio explorations will create an experiential lens into the creative processes of some of the major choreographers and eras of the last and present century. For the studio classes on Wednesday and Friday, you will want to wear comfortable sweats or clothes you donÕt mind moving and sweating in. You can change in the locker rooms downstairs. I will give you the locker codes. Although we normally donÕt allow backpacks in studios, you will need your course material and notebooks so you may bring them in for this class.  If you are a dance major you may be assigned a locker downstairs in the locker room. If you are not a major all clothes and shoes should be kept in a locker on the 2nd floor, outside of the studio BUT you will need to bring your own lock. Do not leave your locker unlocked or leave clothing or shoes in the hallway. We have a terrible problem with theft.

 

What are we going to talk about?

The course will be taught in the following sections:

            -American social dance/origins of the American vernacular

            -Early 20th century Modern

            -Early 20th century Ballet

            -Decentralization of Ballet

            -Mid-century transitions in Ballet and Modern

            -Abstract Expressionism

            -Post Modernism

            -Post Postmodernism?  Dance Theatre, and Contemporary dance

            -New Directions

 

What are the Requirements?

I. Discussion, short writing assignments, Timeline project and class participation (25 points): 

These aspects of the class are important avenues for clarifying your understanding of the information and ideas presented as well as for relating that understanding to your own ideas about dance.

 

Attendance is essential to the knowledge and understanding of the material, especially through viewing dances, participating in discussions and experiential studio classes, listening to peer presentations, and gaining information from lectures.

 

You learn by doing not just by watching or listening. It is crucial that you see yourself as an active participant in this class. Reading and studying on your own are key. You should expect to spend ten hours per week on the coursework for DAN 345 and DAN 545 outside of class.

 

YOU WILL BE LOST IF YOU DO NOT DO THE READING...AGAIN, YOU WILL BE LOST IF YOU DO NOT DO THE READING.  On the other hand, do not miss class and expect to catch up by reading.  There are no lecture notes for this course and the readings serve as support for the lectures and discussions. As my friend and colleague Professor Crispin Thurlow says, ÒPsychologists know that people learn best when using as many of their senses as possible: sight, sound, touch. It is also through repetition that we are able to memorize things better. So, by listening in lectures, keeping your own notes, reading and making notes from the assigned readings, and discussing things, youÕll just keep increasing your remembering – and this will be crucial for your knowledge and understanding.Ó

 

 

While reading, I suggest that you underline specific pertinent passages and/or take notes as you read.  This will help you formulate and frame your thoughts and opinions for discussion, remember the material better, and help you prepare for exams and oral presentations.  When I read, especially something that is complicated or new to me, I write a paraphrased sentence beside each paragraph so that I can remember it under pressure in class when asked to participate in discussions. Also, I will occasionally give you reading questions as homework in preparation for discussions.  These will also be posted on the web and will help clarify how you should be approaching that particular reading assignment.

 

What is the ongoing Timeline Project?

We are going to construct a multi-faceted timeline online. As you discover people or movements/trends you will be asked to contribute to the timeline. You should post your information in any creative way you want to, with pictures, names, etc. It is programmed to automatically put your entry in chronological order. I hope you will add things as you find them. It is okay if it is something we talked about in class.

 

II. Concert Attendance and Critiques (15pts):  Three concerts are required.  Three critiques are required, 2 pages, typed, double-spaced, 12pt. Font, submitted to Collect It. Each review is worth 5 points. You will find detailed information about writing the reviews that will guide you through this process and we will also do a workshop on how to review dance. Critiques are due one week after concert attendance and the program from the concert is required. Each review should consist of a brief description of each dance and focus the bulk of the review on one dance.

 

REQUIRED: Chamber Dance Company – October 9, 10, 11 at 7:30, October 12 at 2:00. If you are in the concert or are working backstage, you will be required to attend an outside concert to make up for this concert. Student Tickets are $10. Tickets are available through the UW Arts Ticket Office (543-4880)located at 4001 University Way, or online at http://www.meany.org/tickets/search.aspx . This review is due on Monday, October 20, 11AM, submitted to Collect It.

 

At least ONE concert must be at a venue OFF campus (NOT a UW sponsored concert). 

 

There are almost too many concerts this quarter that will be GREAT for you to see. I will continue to advise you of new ones as I find out about them.  Let me know of any you are aware of. See course web site page ÒPerformancesÓ If you find new things, let me know and I will add them.

General Sites to Know:

Meany Hall World Series

This Quarter: Momix and Lar Lubovich

www.meany.org

 

On The Boards (check web site OntheBoards.org for times):

Coming up: Compagnie Marie Chouinard

www.ontheboards.org

Velocity Dance Center:

Coming up: Fall Kick-Off – THIS WEEK! Thursday thru Saturday, Sept. 25 - 27

www.velocitydancecenter.org

 

Pacific Northwest Ballet:

www.pnb.org

 

III. Oral Presentations (10 pts):

There will be two presentations this quarter. The first assignment will be handed out on Friday of the first week. You will be giving a collaborative oral presentation based upon the history of social dance and the development of the American Vernacular.  There will be a short written component as well (5 pts). The second presentation is based on your research paper topic and will occur at the end of the quarter. I will hand out information about that at a later date (5 pts).

 

IV. Examinations (20 pts):  Two exams: In – class Midterm and Take – home final will be given.

o   Midterm will be on Monday, November 3. (10 pts)

o   Take home final distributed on Monday, December 1. Due on Tuesday, December 9. (10 pts) HARD COPY ONLY. NO ONLINE SUBMISSIONS.

o   We WILL be using our final examination time. The Final examination time is 12:30 – 2:20 on Tuesday, December 9. DO NOT MAKE VACATION PLANS ON THIS DAY.

 

V. Viewing Documentaries (5pts):

This is an ongoing process. You will be required to see five documentaries on dance that will be available through streaming from OdegaardÕs Media Center. You will watch them on your own time. Following each viewing you will be required to write a brief, one-page overview of the video answering questions that are available online.

Due Dates All via Collect It:

1. Due             Monday, October 6, 11AM (1 pt)

2. Due             Monday, October 13 11AM(1 pt)

3. Due             Monday, October 20 11AM (1 pt)

4. Due             Wednesday, November 5 11AM (1 pt)

5. Due Monday, November 17 11AM(1 pt)

 

VI. The Lineage Project (25 points)

This project will happen during the last third of the quarter. You will have plenty of

preparation. My hope is that you will find something in the dance world, from the last eight years or so, that you feel is relevant or that you feel connected to, whether it is in pop culture, concert dance, dance for the camera, or any other form you can find! You will be asked to do some research about the form(s) or artist(s) involved, and to compare your gem to something from an earlier era. A full description of this project will be distributed at a later date. I do not want to overwhelm you with too much information.

 

 

Pieces of the Lineage Project (detailed information will be given out at a later date):

-1 Question                                                                 Due:   November 3 11AM (5 pts)

                                                                                                Collect It

-1 Annotated Bibliography                                         Due:   November 7

and

-1 Outline                                                                    Due:   November 7 11AM (5 pts)                                                                                                    Collect It

-2 copies of rough draft of a paper 4 -5 pages in

 length, typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font.                 Due:   November 12

                                                                                                1 copy Collect It

                                                                                                1 Hard Copy

-1 peer review – to be read over at home                    Due:   November 17 8:30AM

-1 final draft with Abstract                                         Due:   November 21 11AM

(15 total)

-1 visit to The Writing Center which will give you 5 extra credit points towards your overall class grade.

 

We will do several small projects that will aid in preparation for this paper, so do not panic if you donÕt understand some of the steps listed. Also, the following web site is marvelous: http://www.aresearchguide.com/1steps.html#step1

 

The book The Oxford Guide to Library Research, by Thomas Mann, is infinitely helpful and has just been updated. You can find it at Suzzalo. Call # Z710.M23 2005.

 

What texts are required?

1.  Reynolds, Nancy, McCormick, Malcolm. No Fixed Points – Dance in the Twentieth

Century. Yale University Press, New Haven. 2003.

 

2. Reading packets available at Avenue Copy on the Ave.

 

How does this course apply to the Dance Program Learning Goals?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Important Information

Fundamental Classroom Etiquette:

Please do not do homework from this class or other classes and unrelated projects in class.   All cell-phones and pagers must be turned off upon entering the classroom.  Please do not e-mail people or do web surfing activities during class. It is not so much that I am upset that YOU are not listening, but you are taking away from the experience of the person NEXT to you. This is their education too and you should show them respect. Please show respect for other students' opinions and be open to new points of view.  Slurs of any kind concerning another person or group are unacceptable.

 

Please keep in mind the following: Plagiarism is absolutely unacceptable.  I know most of the dance reference books in publication - do not try to put something by me that is plagiarizedÉthere is a very good chance I will know the exact source.

 

Disability accommodation:  To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services: 448 Schmitz, Box 355839, tel. 543-8924, <uwdss@u.washington.edu>. If you already have a letter from Disabled Student Services indicating that you have a disability requiring academic accommodations, please let me see this letter as soon as possible. Once again, these matters are kept confidential at your discretion.

 

Make up work and late assignments:  No work will be accepted after the due date unless you have a UW sanctioned event (verification required) or an extraordinary circumstance (DoctorÕs note required). If you miss class make sure you talk to one of your classmates about what you missed. It is YOUR responsibility to find out what you missed. Ask a student, then e-mail me to confirm that you received the correct information. Do not ask me first.