Name of teacher / supervisor:
Roos van Berkel
Period, duration:
Block 1, week 37-42
Study load:
Total 16 hours: 12 contact hours, 4 self-study hours
Competencies:
1, 2, 3, 4
Summary
The aim of this course is twofold. To dive into Western and non-Western dance traditions, styles and histories, and to examine how the dancing body communicates on a social and cultural level. With ‘observation’ and ‘embodiment’ as the main themes of this course, students will do performance analysis, field trips, partner/group observation and composition exercises to reflect on how contemporary gestures are intertwined with socio-cultural and historical realms and equip students with analytical tools that can be applied to dancing and composition. We will take a few selected gestures that are also a theme of the Student Project on Gesture, as a starting point of our exploration.
Content and design of the class
check-in to recap material from previous classes and explain subject(s) of today’s class watching, reading, observing and/or exploring in order to gain embodied understanding of the topic application and integration navigated between material from other classes in the curriculum, pedestrian activities, Western and non-Western rituals, postural and movement styles, and/or composition Q&A
Learning goals
- identify: name different ingredients within one or a series of movements and to recognise that these ingredients are connected to a specific socio-cultural context.
- categorise: place these ingredients in overarching categories: 'body', 'space', 'dynamics', 'shape' + 'relationship'. - relate: point out various connections between the categories and to relate these connections to personal and/or collective styles, genres or idioms.
- analyse: to articulate the process of embodiment (verbally and in writing)
- create: challenge oneself 1and the other in composition
- differentiate: acknowledge social-cultural context and point out obvious to subtle differences in movement Working method(s) used Learning, observing, exploring, composing and reflecting.
Used study material
Harbonnier-Topin, N. & Ferri, C. (2011). Pre-movement, an essential moment for the dancer. Presented at DKTG Conference, Brockport College, NY, 2011. New York University: DKTG Arriver/Partir in Glon, M., & Launay, I. (2012). Histoires de gestes. Actes, pp. 147-164 The Work of Representation by Stuart Hall in Hall, S. (1997). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE: pp. 14-30 Trisha Brown’s Accumulation, Maasai warriors adumu (jumping dance), Japanese group actions, Radouan Mriziga’s 55, Eastman / Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui & Damien Jalet Babel(words), Sufi Zikr hypnotizing circle dance, Via Katlehong & Gregory Maqoma Via Kanana, Japanese tea ceremony Readings / sources Patrick Acogny
Assessment criteria
Attitude: pro-active, investigative, committed Knowledge and Insight: vocabulary is shared in oral and written form (peer feedback and maps and shortlist that articulates choreographic ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’)
Artistic: shows evidence of integrating Individual reflection (writing, audio or video) after the last class
Method of assessment
tasks and assignments feedback and feed forward reflective paper (750-1000 words) on the Gesture project with reference to two sources listed as study material
Learning goals in the class contribute to the overall development of the competency indicators 1.3 / 1.5 / 1.6 / 1.7 / 2.2 / 2.3 / 3.2 / 3.4 / 3.6 / 4.4 / 4.5
The overall development of the student is assessed at integral assessment meetings, twice a year, through combined self-assessment and assessment by teachers, coaches and mentors. This course forms a continuous line with all Contemporary Dance classes in Year 1, Experiential Anatomy and Kinesiology, Year 1, block 2, Gesture Project: Performing Communication, Year 1, block 1
