Dance

This is a special studies course involving an internship with a corporate, public, governmental, or private organization, arranged with the Study Center Director or Liaison Officer. Specific internships vary each term and are described on a special study project form for each student. A substantial paper or series of reports is required. Units vary depending on the contact hours and method of assessment. The internship may be taken during one or more terms but the units cannot exceed a total of 12.0 for the year.

This is an independent research course with research arranged between the student and faculty member. The specific research topics vary each term and are described on a special project form for each student. A substantial paper is required. The number of units varies with the student’s project, contact hours, and method of assessment, as defined on the student’s special study project form.

In this course, students develop performance skills as set dancers. They learn to execute a set dance performance at the relevant level of competence and in an appropriate style; demonstrate specific set dancing styles; perform sympathetically within the context of a group; and critically understand the act of performance.

The course involves the study of selected traditional dances from the Western and Central regions of Ghana. Students are expected to acquire knowledge on the context of performance of various the dances, song texts that accompany the dances. The course places emphasis on movement technique - body awareness, placement and flexibility, use of energy, focus and the source of particular movements associated with each dance form.

This course introduces classical Southeast Asian dance and drama with a particular emphasis on masked dance traditions. Drawing on an analysis of scholarly texts, videos and hands-on sessions the course takes an exciting theatrical journey through Southeast Asia. The course teaches an appreciation of classical dance traditions in the region from a variety of angles, such as dramaturgical principles, music, aesthetics, ritual significance, nationalism, tourism and change. The course also teaches how to perform and create compositions in a Southeast Asian dance form.