Dance Studies Courses
Introductory classes in various dance styles and techniques including ballet, jazz dance, modern dance, tap, social and ballroom, swing, flamenco, ethnic/folk dance and creative movement. (Course may be repeated for credit.)
This course will introduce students to ways of understanding and utilizing music and sound as part of the process of dance-making. In addition to learning fundamental musical concepts, students will also learn basic sound editing skills in the creation of their own music/sound scores. The combined practice of studying and making music will develop student's abilities to communicate musical problems and ideas clearly and knowledgeably to dancers, choreographers, musicians and composers
The course provides an overview of theater, dance, and musical theater focusing on the current state of the arts, but also examining their roots and possible futures. Areas covered include scenography, costuming, movement, acting and directing, forms of dance, choreography, theater and dance criticism.
This class will develop basic partnering skills for contemporary dancers. To cultivate effective means for moving in contact with another body, we will research breath, finding one's center, sharing weight, harnessing momentum and stillness.
This course provides an introduction to Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals and their applications to movement description, observation, and execution. Students in all artistic disciplines will develop physical approaches to their training that address core support, postural concerns, injury prevention and rehabilitation. Through the cultivation of a vital, conscious relationship with one's body, dancers, actors and musicians will become aware of personal movement patterns that help and/or hinder expressive potential.
This class examines how we map urban identities (the city, its neighborhoods, and individuals) through our own bodily experiences (moving, seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling). Over the semester, we will use a variety of artistic strategies to ask how the city serves as a canvas, page, or stage for artistry, how it acts as a dynamic character in artistic creation, and how the act of walking itself becomes a creative one. No prior experience necessary.
A semester-long entry into and questioning of dance's culture-making function. While we will consider concert dance, this is only one aspect of our greater research into how dance participates in national and international culture, and how various dance practices create subcultures whose values often complicate dominant modes of thought. Through readings, guest lectures, videos, discussions, participation in classes, event attendance, and a final fieldwork-driven project, we will address the notions of culture and subculture, and the imbedded themes of identity, entertainment, aesthetics, criticism, value, and lifestyle. Areas may include: ballroom, tango, capoeira, circus arts, ballet, street dance, music videos, club and drag performance, contact improvisation, Broadway musicals, film and television, and YouTube. No prior dance experience is required. Crosslisted with SOC 280.
Dance, like all of the arts, is a product of the culture in which it is created. Social and political climates, cultural values, and issues of personal identity create the framework within which all dance artists create their work. Throughout history, dancers and choreographers have responded to their cultural contexts in more or less conscious ways. Many have used the craft of choreography to give a voice and/or visibility to ideas, issues or populations that directly challenge the attitudes of their communities. This has manifested itself in many ways as dance has evolved as a presence in our culture. This course will use the history of Western concert dance as a means for exploring these connections in greater depth. Particular focus will be paid to the history of ballet, jazz and modern dance and the principle figures of these fields whose work has impacted the ways we think about dance as an agent for activism, artistic innovation and change.
An interesting introduction to a topic in the field of Dance.
This course is designed to advance and refine the students' jazz theater dance technique, in order for them to experience the great traditions of musical theater. A continuation of the ideas introduced in Beginning Jazz Theater Dance, this class will explore more advanced ways of developing strength, flexibility and stylistic versatility.
Examines the elements of creative movement, with attention to motivation and the use of dance for the expression of ideas and feelings. (Required for Performing Arts Majors.) Prerequisites: PASJ 130 or DANC 130.
The final Dance Studio, explores choreography, the techniques and tools of composition, space and design, rhythm and pulse, duration and time, energy and dynamics. (Required for Performing Arts Majors.) Prerequisite: DANCE 230 or PASJ 230.
This 1-2 credit course focuses on Hip-Hop dance as a choreographic form and tool for sequencing movement for improvisation and performance. Various distinct styles and qualities such as popping, locking, gliding, isolations, and overall control will be emphasized. This course will expand on the foundations of Hip-Hop dance techniques at an intermediate to advanced level.
This
course studies the culture, tradition, politics, and development of Philippine
dances and rituals through a variety of methods: lecture/discussion, videos,
live performance, and movement classes.
Study includes analysis of fundamental skills and dance technique, teaching progression, evaluative techniques, instructional strategies and organizational procedure.
Continuing development of ballet technique with emphasis on more advanced ballet combinations, port de bras, musicality, and artistry. Course may be repeated for credit.
Continuing development of modern technique with emphasis on more advanced movement combinations, musicality, and artistry. Appreciation of the history of modern dance. Course may be repeated for credit.
Continuing development of jazz/theatre dance technique with emphasis on more advanced rhythms and combinations, various styles, individual expression, and artistry. Appreciation of the origin and evolution of dance. Course may be repeated for credit.
This course is designed for students who are interested in merging social activism, dance/theater and teaching. Students will learn how to use movement and theater as tools for social change in settings such as senior centers, schools and prisons. In studio sessions, students will identify, approach and construct classes for community sites. Selected films and readings will provide a context for discussion and assist in the development of individual student's research and teaching methods. The class will include lab sessions at designated off-camps sites where students will lead and participate in teaching workshops.
Through study of the dances of Bali we examine the arts in contemporary Balinese life, along with the various historical and socio-political forces that have influenced its evolution. Lecture/discussion format, videos, and classes in Balinese music and dance.
This course is designed for students who are interested in arts education, specifically teaching dance to children in school settings. This class meets on-campus twice a week to develop an understanding of the history and theory of children's dance education and the ability to plan and implement dance curriculum. Students will teach off-campus once a week, applying the information from the class session to a practicum experience.
The study of music theory including meter, rhythm, phrasing, melody, harmony and its relationship to dance.
Work experience in the field of dance which may include teaching, performance, and management placement.
Independent dance-based project overseen by faculty adviser. By permission of instructor.
A faculty-supervised performing arts project which engages the student in practical production. Prerequisite: Written permission of department chair and dean.
This course if fulfilled through participation in the USF Dance Ensemble Fall or Spring concert and/or the USF intergenerational performance company, the Dance Generators. Dancers must audition and attend all rehearsals and performances to receive credit for this course. Students may also receive credit for this course by being involved in the production aspects of these performances.
Designed to promote interest in professional advancement for dance, physical education, and classroom teachers. The workshop provides classes in many dance forms and movement techniques and encourages a sharing of talent, experience, and programs among educators throughout the state of California. Offered intermittently.
A faculty-supervised dance project incorporating research and development. Consent of instructor is required.
