Name of teacher / supervisor
Jordi Ribot Thunnissen
Period
Block 1, 7 weeks
Block 2, 6 weeks
Block 3, 6 weeks
Study load
35 contact hours
8 self study hours
Competencies:
1, 3, 5, 6
Summary:
This course offers a critical introduction to dance history, combining European, Asian, North & South American and African sources.
The course starts by establishing the phenomenon of dance as an anthropological need of humankind, in the broadest of senses and since time immemorial. From there, we will draw the evolution of dance practices throughout the world with the appearance of more hierarchical and monotheistic societies.
We will touch on the birth of western theatre in ancient Greece and the role of dance within it. We’ll follow with a critical study of the growingly staged dance forms which appeared in western Europe (mainly, France) after the Renaissance, by placing them in relation to broader and shifting historical contexts:
We will understand the socio-political function of Ballet at its birth and how both its forms and the context wherein they evolved changed over the course of three centuries, (roughly 1600 and 1900), introducing relevant critical concepts (male gazing, artist as genius, sublimation, objectification)
Then, we will focus on the late 19th and early 20th century to observe the transition from classical ballet to early modern dance, and acknowledge their relation to (mainly) Asian and African dance traditions introducing relevant critical concepts (orientalism, cultural appropriation, colonialism in dance).
We will also pay particular attention to the formation of afro-diasporic dance-forms (notably in the US) during the same period, as well as more contemporary ones both in US and South America (notably Brasil)
The focus will then shift to the 20 century emergence of theatre dance forms on the African continent. We’ll learn how to identify the main institutional players in the post colonial context as well as artistic features of african contemporary dance.
Finally, we’ll look at 20th century Asian (for example, Japanese, Chinese and Indonesian) choreographic contexts through readings and guest lectures which will help us identify some of their main characteristics.
We will collectively learn to observe and analyse the cross-pollination as well as differences between these dance forms.
Content and design of the class
The class will combine:
Lectures by the teacher in seminar format
Reading and discussing texts of dance historiography
Commentary of available visual material (videos, photos) relative to studied periods and artists.
Guest lectures
Through it all, we will constantly examine the following question:
In what cultural and historical contexts were dances and their practices created? How can we interpret them today, and through which thinking tools?
Learning goals
- Student is able to identify and analyse key figures and traditions of (world) dance histor
- Student is able to identify and analyse different genres, styles and aesthetics of dance through history
- Student is able to analyse historical context were dances and their practices were created
- Student gains awareness that history is a dynamic construct
- Student gains knowledge of relevant critical concepts and can use them in discussion of dance history
- Student gains awareness of own position in relation to course material
- Student can engage in dialogue based on the weekly literature and/or observed audio-visual material.
Used study material
Texts (books, articles, online material), Films, Photos
Assessment Criteria
Three assignments:
1) Text summary presented orally
2) Case study presented orally
3) Historical contextualisation - written assignment
Attitude: attendance, proactive attitude in class discussions.