Dancing Histories

Course Content:

This introductory module is designed to provide students with knowledge and
understanding of Western Theatrical Dance history.

Autumn Semester:
introduces students to Western theatrical dance history enabling the students to engage
with key issues embedded in the history and practice of selected periods or dance forms.
Students will participate in intensive blocks of practical work that explore notions of
style, the dancing body, influence, technique and codification.

Topics:
? Introduction to the module: Why Dance History?
? From the Renaissance to the Ballet De Cour
? Embodied Histories (I): Experiencing Baroque
? From the Ballet D?action to Carlo Blasis
? The Romantic Period & Ballet in Russia: Marius Petipa and his influence
? Embodied Histories (II): Experiencing Blasis? concepts
? The twentieth Century I: From Diaghilev to Balanchine
? Embodied Histories (iii): Experiencing 20th century
choreography and dance reconstruction.
? The twentieth Century II: Ballet around the world

Spring Semester:
provides a solid foundation of dance history and introduces students to critical aspects
embedded in history and historiography. Discussions may include issues related to
authenticity in history (explored practically via dance reconstructions) and re-thinking the
past (e.g. poststructuralists approaches to historiography).

Topics:
? Embodying Histories I
? Embodying Histories II
? Embodying Histories III
? New Dance: America?s Pioneers
? Ausdrucktanz: The dance of Expression
? Modern Dance I
? Modern Dance II
? Schism and Transitions: Reinterpreting Modern dance
? Beyond the Boundaries: Postmodernism

Teaching: Lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Assessment:
STUDY OPTION 1:
Portfolio: three assessment elements:
? Practice-based demonstration (50%)
? Bibliography (10%)
? Essay (40%)
STUDY OPTION 2: 2000 word research essay on one of the historical periods studied.

Study Option 1 = Whole Year
Study Option 2 = Autumn
Study Option 3 = Spring/summer