Elliot Mercer

This course is designed to introduce dance as a performing art form, historically as well as in practice. The course explores how dance as a cultural phenomenon helps shape and is shaped by cultural values and historical events. The course tracks the development of dance as a performing art in Europe and in the U.S. from the Renaissance to the 1950s, identifying important stylistic trends in the works of major contributors to the field. While the focus of the course is on Western concert dance as a performing art, students also study some dance phenomena cross-culturally in order to broaden understanding of the function of dance and its relationship to cultural beliefs, social practices and the history of ideas. The study of dance history provides a lens for exploring the world, its people and their cultures. Assignments include written work and short movement studies composed by students to embody significant trends in the evolution of dancemaking and to explore various aspects of choreographic process. Required for the major and minor. No prerequisite. Offered every fall.

The fall and spring dance concerts give dancers, choreographers and designers an opportunity to present their work in concert. Advised and directed by dance faculty members and guest artists, these concerts are the culmination of one or two semesters of preparation, rehearsals and regularly scheduled showings of works in progress. In order for students to choreograph for the fall dance concert, students must be enrolled in or have successfully completed DANC 227 or 228. Choreography proposals must be submitted to the dance faculty by the date announced early each semester. Final selection is determined by the dance faculty, with priority given to dance majors and minors. The same selection process is followed for both fall and spring dance concerts. Auditions to dance in either concert are held at the beginning of each semester. All dancers who perform in either concert are required to participate in a dance technique course (DANC 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 208, 209 or 308). Designers are recommended by the design faculty of the Department of Dance, Drama and Film. Please note: DANC 110 audit will only be awarded to those dancers, choreographers and production personnel whose work exhibited high standards. Offered every semester.

This course expands on the fundamentals of ballet technique with a more in-depth application of the ballet vocabulary and style. This counts toward the technique requirement for the major and minor. Permission of instructor required. Generally offered every semester.

Individual study in dance is reserved for students exploring a topic not regularly offered in the department's curriculum. Typically, the course carries 0.5 units of credit. To enroll in an individual study, a student must identify a member of the department willing to direct the project and, in consultation with him or her, write a proposal. The department chair must approve the proposal. The one- to two-page proposal should include a preliminary bibliography and/or set of specific problems, goals and tasks for the course; outline a schedule of reading and/or writing assignments or creative undertakings; and describe the methods of assessment (e.g., a journal to be submitted for evaluation weekly; a one-act play due at semester's end, with drafts due at given intervals; and so on). The student also should briefly describe prior coursework that qualifies him or her for this independent project. At a minimum, the department expects the student to meet regularly with the instructor one hour per week and to submit an amount of work equivalent to that required in 300-level dance and drama courses. Students are urged to begin discussion of their proposed individual study the semester before they hope to enroll, so that they can devise a proposal and seek departmental approval before the deadline.