Dance

This course offers an introduction to various social dances of the African diaspora. It includes some performance observation and analysis with the primary focus being movement exercises in social dance techniques used in the improvisation and choreography of genres such as hip hop, house, salsa, rumba, bruk up, dancehall, jazz, voguing, and more.

This seminar adopts a teaching method that combines dance theory and dance performance. The performance is divided into groups for discussion, and the dance combination taught in the class is re-arranged. At the same time, the appreciation of related dance works will be interspersed in the course. Students observe the dance rehearsal of the troupe and conduct analysis and discussion.

In this course students learn set dancing, a popular form of folk dancing in Ireland. Students examine the history of set dance from the promotion of Céilí dance during the 1930s and 1940s to the fade of set dancing caused by the rise of Rock and Roll in the 1950s. Students also see and practice set dances that were rediscovered as a result of set dancing's return to popularity in the 1980s. Students in this option undertake only one term of SET DANCING 2.

This course is a practical exploration of African movement technique and performance aesthetics in selected Ghanaian traditional dances. It provides the platform for students to connect theory to practice by experiencing the intrinsic elements of Ghanaian dances in a hands on fashion. Emphasis will be on basic technique of executing movement, body awareness, movement clarity, placement, flexibility, improvisation and performance.

This course explores the basic skills of performing and expressing the meaning of songs through actions, as well as the settings in which they are performed. Students perform a complete bracket of kapa haka items in front of an audience consisting of a haka powhiri, waiata, action song, poi, and haka. Furthermore, students introduce each item; name the composer(s) and history of the item; and demonstrate the individual compositions, appropriateness in powhiri (ritual encounter of welcome), and knowledge of Maori protocols. The course also examines the Maori creation story, significant Polynesian ancestors, and constituent parts of the marae and wharenui.