Undergraduate Program

Rooted in dance, martial arts and studies of body development and awareness. A duet form where partners use weight, momentum, and inertia to move each other freely through space. Solo and duet skills, rolling, falling, balance, counter-balance, jumping, weight sharing, spirals explored. Skill work combined with more open dancing in a supportive and focused environment. No previous dance training required.

Location

(MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

Location

(T 11:05AM - 12:20PM)

Location

(TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)

An introductory course of three different contemporary dance techniques. This course will be divided into three sections across the semester. Starting the course with the fundamentals of Cunningham technique to find stability, balance and coordination. We find a strong grounding through upright dance focusing on the 5 positions of the spine through various standing and travelling sequences. 

Second, we move on to release based techniques with a focus on using the stability we have found with Cunningham and applying in a more relaxed and somatic approach. Working on both floor work and standing work we have our emphasis on finding ease of movement through the use of breath and other sensations such as swinging. Lastly we move away from codified dancing to work on improvisation, where we can draw from everything we have learned in a more creative way of working that is more about interpreting tasks than recreating taught phrases granting you more autonomy over your

dancing. 

Location

(MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

Yoga is defined as union, the uniting together of ourselves in all aspects- body, mind, heart, spirit. This class introduces the student to a hatha yoga method which integrates a dynamic and engaging approach to living through practicing on and off the mat. The goal of this class is to learn how to create a deeper, more enlivened relationship to ones self through honoring ones abilities and limitations, while growing ones skills and sensitivity in the supportive environment of the class community. Students will engage with principles of attitude, alignment and action in a full range of hatha yoga poses, breathing techniques, readings on yoga philosophy, reflection, journaling and discussion. Through this ongoing process, students of yoga are encouraged to cultivate a more expansive and clear perception of self and others. Attendance in selected workshops and performances are required.

Location

(TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)

Body conditioning aimed to develop and strengthen specific musculature as it pertains to physical demands of dancers, athletes, martial artists, as well as those who wish to explore a mindful, physical and anatomically sound practice. Will introduce fundamental strength training based in Pilates, hands-on bodywork and basic movement sequences designed to help prevent injury as well as build core strength, endurance, coordination and overall physical mobility and stability.

Location

(MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

Focus is on contemporary dance, a form that is an evolving exploration of expression through movement. It will blend the challenges of full-bodied, momentum-driven dancing with a sense of ones own self-awareness and discovery. Through rigorous dancing, move beyond not only physical, but also artistic boundaries and dimensions.

Location

(TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM)

This course explores dance improvisation as a practice and technique for self-expression, performance and composition. By opening our senses and learning tools for generating movement in real-time, students will unite their bodies and minds to engage in spontaneous investigation and creation. Specific theories and techniques based in the work of Anne Bogart, William Forsythe and Laban Movement Analysis will be explored in addition to wider concepts such as scores, collective composition and site-specific work. The main goals of this class are to provide students with the freedom to explore their own movement-based research interests and to develop their individual artistic voices within a structured environment. Students will also strengthen their presence, intuition, self-awareness and decision-making skills

Location

(TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

An art form of self-defense with aerobic and dance elements that brings together a harmony of forces. Through history, movement and culture, students gain self-confidence, power, flexibility, endurance, and tools towards self-discovery. Open to all, Capoeira balances the body, mind, and soul and enables one to break through limits, revitalizing oneself for everyday life.

Location

(MW 4:50PM - 6:20PM)

Krump; an urban street dance, is characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated and highly energetic movement. Krump was created by several youth from Los Angeles who were seeking to escape gang life and to express raw emotions in a powerful but non-violent way. A movement that started in a living room, is now all over the world. Students will learn the history, the fundamentals of Krump which consist of 4 main basics: Stomps, Arms, Chestpops, and Grooves and the terminology associated with the dance, such as battles, sessions, call-outs, get-off, kill-off, material, combos, hype and many more. Students will be evaluated through reflective writing, vocal quizzes, a mini-research project, video viewing, discussions and participation within the class, and attendance and responses to workshops and performance events on campus outside of class time.

Location

(MW 3:25PM - 4:40PM)

This beginner level dance course introduces the fundamental values, practices and movements of hip-hop dance. This course will focus on foundations and origins of hip-hop and street dance culture, and how each relates to today's current definitions of hip-hop and freestyle dance. The class will be explored through lecture and conversations, as well as movement participation by the students with choreography instruction and freestyle drills led by the instructor, plus related video and/or reading assignments as they pertain to each week’s lesson. Students will be challenged and encouraged to apply historical and practical knowledge of hip-hop in order to understand its influences on the world around them.

Location

(M 7:00PM - 9:30PM)

Traditional Folkloric roots of Middle Eastern Dance, focusing on specific Bedouin dance styles of North Africa (Raks Shaabi). Discourse and research will address issues of gender and body image. Improving strength, flexibility and self-awareness of the body, the class work will include meditative movement, dance technique, choreography and improvisation. No prior dance experience necessary.

Location

(MW 3:25PM - 4:40PM)

Exploration of world cultures through dance. Dance literacy through movement and embodied dance history. Investigates historical and anthropological significance of dance as well as provides an experience of the movement qualities of different world cultures.

Location

(MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

Location

(TR 3:25PM - 4:40PM)

This course offers an introduction to Peacebuilding and Conflict Studies, while asking how dance and movement practices experienced both as participants and spectators can actively participate in creating a better world for individuals and communities. With perspectives drawn from diverse fields including psychology, anthropology, sociology, physiology, education and dance, students learn how conflict depletes individuals ability to interact with others and how dance practices can help replenish these capacities. Students also develop their leadership and facilitation skills through designing and implementing relevant movement activities for their peers.

Location

(TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM)

A continuation of DAN 104 that is taught concurrently with the introductory course. Students in DAN 203 will gain a deeper experiential and intellectual knowledge of contact by exploring issues further. Work includes both more advanced practice with other DAN 203 students, and the experience of helping teach the DAN 104 students the basic principles of contact.

Location

(MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

Qi Gong is a ancient Chinese internal art and an early forerunner of Tai Ji Quan. It is an Eastern Movement Discipline (EMD) which embodies a holism of Eastern martial arts and Eastern meditation. This course is a study of the philosophical roots, mindful practices and physical movements of Qi Gong in order to better understand and attain the integration of body, mind, and spirit. Topics will include traditional Chinese cultural concepts such as Yin-Yang theory, Five Element theory and Qi theory and their potential inclusion in modern Western culture. Qi Gong provides the dancer and athlete with healthy lifestyle practices and fitness training for better breathing, body awareness, focus and concentration, mental presence, imagery, and cultivating and expressing energy flow.

Location

(MW 3:25PM - 4:40PM)

This experiential course invites pausing and reflecting on the habits of mind, cultivating awareness of the present moment, which is the only moment available to learn and live. Students will be guided in meditation and insight techniques, relaxation, and other mindfulness practices. Incorporating mindfulness into daily life, class discussion, reading, and writing assignments will support understanding and personal growth. To facilitate establishing a personal practice, attendance will be required at meditation labs on Fridays

Location

(MW 8:40AM - 10:10AM)

To facilitate establishing a personal practice, attendance will be required at meditation labs on Fridays

Location

(F 9:00AM - 9:50AM)

In this course, students with prior yoga and/or dance experience will learn how to refine their skills through a continued exploration of asanas, pranayama, philosophy, and meditation. We will explore a more rigorous vinyasa flow practice, resulting in students developing more clarity regarding alignment, breath support, core aliveness, and, ultimately, body/self-awareness. While this is an individualized practice, the importance of community will be emphasized throughout as students share aspects of their practice with each other. Readings, discussion, and reflective writing are inherent to deepening ones practice.

Location

(F 11:50AM - 1:05PM)

(W 11:50AM - 1:05PM)

Prerequisite DANC 225 or permission by instructor. This class is designed to meet the needs of students who already have an ongoing practice of hatha yoga and are interested in stepping more deeply into the refinements of asana and pranayama, as well as reflection, understanding and assimilation of the concepts and teachings of yoga philosophy. Students will continue to enhance and grow their technical skills using principles of alignment and engagement which are both scientific and artful. While building more physical strength and suppleness, students will also establish a more steady foundation of understanding in how to embody and practically apply the knowledge gained from what they are reading, learning and journaling about.

Location

(F 10:25AM - 11:40AM)

(W 10:25AM - 11:40AM)

This course examines the origins and development of western concert dance during the 20th and 21st centuries. Through lecture, discussion, film/video viewing, reading/writing assignments and movement experiences, we explore a variety of dance artists and their work and acknowledge a broader global perspective in terms of aesthetics, socio-cultural context and continued evolution in the contemporary dance landscape in regards to form, trends, and style. This course will serve as an investigation of dance history from a critical and analytical perspective, interfacing with a variety of theoretical frameworks.

Location

(TR 4:50PM - 6:05PM)

Freshly experience inhabiting a human body and its postural alignment through the deep work of noticing and embracing anatomical processes. A counter-pose to the pressures of college life, discover embodiment as a resource for self-awareness, support, ease, and stress relief. Show up, slow down, pay attention, meditate, feel, sense, and relax. Explore form and the nature of mind through yogic practices. Color anatomical drawings, read about human structures, reflect on one’s unique living anatomy, write responses, join inquiry discussions, and adopt simple daily practices outside of class. Students are required to schedule a 1:1 meeting with the instructor outside of regular class time to design a project based on their distinct interests and needs. This class incorporates various aspects of the 8 limbs of yoga, particularly self-study. For a more movement focused yoga course see DANC 114 and DANC 225.

Contact the instructor to request permission to register and for more information. Open to Juniors and Seniors. Cluster: (H1DAN009) Mind-Body Somatics

Location

(MW 10:25AM - 12:20PM)

This is an introductory design course aimed at giving students exposure to light as a medium, lighting design, lighting equipment, and visual story-telling for performance through class discussion, and practical work. This is a 2 credit course and meets throughout the semester from 2:00pm-5:00pm on Fridays. Students will be required to attend dance performances and will help install the light plot. The class is built around specific performance dates that will provide the students with an opportunity to light a dance piece.

Location

(F 2:00PM - 5:00PM)

Foundations and Principles of Dance/Movement Therapy examines the ways dance/movement therapy in the west has integrated Asian concepts, natural movement, formal elements of dance, creative processes, music, verbal expression, and constructs drawn from psychology and counseling to treat a wide range of populations. Students will compare and contrast the treatment of individuals seeking help for a range of concerns (e.g., psychosis, autism, anxiety, eating disorders, histories of abuse). Experientials, creative dance, and videotapes of actual sessions with a variety of populations highlight these concepts. Dress comfortably and be prepared to move.

Location

(MW 9:00AM - 10:15AM)

This course is open to beginning & intermediate level jazz dancers and will include an in-depth exploration of vernacular jazz movement and its relationship to jazz music. Through inter-active discussion, movement, and research we will investigate the context, history, applications, and societal impact of jazz dance in America and throughout the world. Technique classes will blend full-bodied momentum-driven dancing with subtlety, rhythmic challenges, and self-expression. Emphasis will be on a working knowledge of the elements of jazz, embodiment of rhythm, accent, dynamics, and disciplining the body to move with clarity and sound anatomical principles. A range of styles of jazz music will be used for performing class sequences and improvisations. Reading, writing, video viewing, class discussions, and attendance at live concerts will hone skills of observation, movement analysis and interpretation of jazz dance.

Location

(MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM)

Dance appreciation and technical practice. Practice classical ballet technique and theory with a contemporary perspective and investigate context, history, applications and societal impact of Ballet. Phrasing, musicality and efficiency of movement will be emphasized. The course requires 3 workshops that will be scheduled with the class outside of regular class time.

Location

(TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

This fall course provides a forum for dance majors, especially with a concentration in Dance Studies, to develop ideas for their interdisciplinary research projects. Juniors or Seniors taking this course will be introduced to various research methods, as well as viewing, reading about and experiencing existing interdisciplinary and collaborative work. Working under advisement of the instructor, students will identify a mentor within the Program of Dance and Movement, as well as an advisor from a partnering discipline when appropriate, who agrees to provide external feedback. In preparation for creating a Senior thesis, students engage in individualized research, concept planning, and drafting written and performative material. To support the research in this course, students may participate in internships, lab work, creative practice, service learning, and/or other community-based work.

Location

(F 2:30PM - 4:30PM)

Continuing technical development and comprehension and integration of theory into practice is the focus in this course. Students will practice contemporary dance experientially through examining dance concepts influenced by Laban/Bartenieff theories and by exploring complex choreographic combinations. Classes will explore continuity and connectivity, patterns of total body organization, efficiency of movement, momentum, musculo-skeletal anatomy, strength, alignment, weight sensing, rhythm and somatic practices to develop and improve technical skills. We will also investigate subtlety and individual expression in performance. Experience in dance required. Having already taken DAN250 is helpful.

Location

(MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

Continuing technical development and comprehension and integration of theory into practice is the focus in this course. Students will practice contemporary dance experientially through examining dance concepts influenced by Laban/Bartenieff theories and by exploring complex choreographic combinations. Classes will explore continuity and connectivity, patterns of total body organization, efficiency of movement, momentum, musculo-skeletal anatomy, strength, alignment, weight sensing, rhythm and somatic practices to deepen the investigation and mastery of technical skills. We will also continue to work on deepening the understanding or artistry as it pertains to subtlety and individual expression in performance. Pre-requisite: DAN 266: Intermediate Contemporary Dance

Location

(MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

Practice and performance of classical and contemporary ballet with a contemporary approach in order to serve the dancer of any style of movement. Within the ballet form, classes will explore efficiency of movement, breath, anatomical mechanics, strength, alignment and through-line, weight, rhythmic accuracy, clarity of space, shape and effort, and somatic practices to develop and improve technical skills..

Location

(TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM)

Deeper study of Capoeira. This second level will find students continuing to build strength, coordination, rhythm, and balance. Students will also become further involved with the instrumentation of Capoeira. Readings and discussions will explore into historical events and look at Capoeira and it's Afro-Brazilian spirituality, liberation and cultural revolution throughout the ages. Each class involves daily physical and music training.

Location

(MW 6:30PM - 7:45PM)

Dancer as Collaborator is a one-credit movement course engaging students as dancers for choreographic work generated from the DANC 278 Choreography class and/or the Program of Dance and Movements Fall Concert. DANC 279 students act as collaborators in that they embody and perform the choreographers concepts and vision and participate in creative process. Rehearsals will average twice weekly for the bulk of the semester. Pieces created in this course will be included in the Fall concert, the End of the Term Showings, and/or other Program approved performance opportunities throughout the semester. Enrollment is by permission of instructor. Please email requests to m.p.smith@rochester.edu.

Location

( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)

Taught by a long-time member of Les Ballets Africains, the national ballet of Guinea, instructor Fana Bangoura will introduce students in this course to dynamic dance traditions of West Africa and will join with them the power of percussion. Students will also become familiar with the origins and cultural significance of each dance, and the songs that accompany them. By breaking down the drum parts alongside the traditional dance movements, students experience dancing and drumming in perfect unison. This opportunity is geared for both drummers and dancers and is highly recommended for all skill levels.

Location

(MW 3:25PM - 4:40PM)

Location

(TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)

Sansifanyi is an ensemble that combines academic study and performance for intermediate and advanced students of African drumming and dance. This course requires a high degree of student commitment. Dancers who enroll in Sansifanyi will learn choreographic techniques for West African dance and gain experience dancing as soloists, and developing their own solo material. They will also focus on rhythmic timing, and on advanced skills such as how to combine movement with drumming. In addition to the time students spend in class, dancers will have weekly assignments researching, reading, writing, viewing videos, text and article analysis, practicing, and choreographing various rhythms, songs, movements, and sequences. Dancers must also be available for performances both on and off campus throughout the semester.  All levels are welcome to enroll in DANC 365A.

Location

(TR 6:45PM - 8:15PM)

Sansifanyi is an ensemble that combines academic study and performance for intermediate and advanced students of African drumming and dance. This course requires a high degree of student commitment. Dancers who enroll in Sansifanyi will learn choreographic techniques for West African dance and gain experience dancing as soloists, and developing their own solo material. They will also focus on rhythmic timing, and on advanced skills such as how to combine movement with drumming. In addition to the time students spend in class, dancers will have weekly assignments researching, reading, writing, viewing videos, text and article analysis, practicing, and choreographing various rhythms, songs, movements, and sequences. Dancers must also be available for performances both on and off campus throughout the semester. Students in section B are required to successfully complete section A of this course in order to register. In addition to gaining an in-depth understanding of the history and culture, students in this section will expand their repertoire and improve their skills at dancing/drumming and performing. Students in section B will also gain teaching assistant skills by helping the students in section A with select choreographies taught in the course. Prerequisite: DANC 365 A

Location

(TR 6:45PM - 8:15PM)

Sansifanyi is an ensemble that combines academic study and performance for intermediate and advanced students of African drumming and dance. This course requires a high degree of student commitment. Dancers who enroll in Sansifanyi will learn choreographic techniques for West African dance and gain experience dancing as soloists, and developing their own solo material. They will also focus on rhythmic timing, and on advanced skills such as how to combine movement with drumming. In addition to the time students spend in class, dancers will have weekly assignments researching, reading, writing, viewing videos, text and article analysis, practicing, and choreographing various rhythms, songs, movements, and sequences. Dancers must also be available for performances both on and off campus throughout the semester. Students in section C are required to successfully complete section A and B of this course in order to register. Students in this section will advance in their performance and choreographic skills. Students will continue to serve as peer teachers both in and out of the classroom sessions by assisting students in learning the dancing and drumming. Students in this section will oversee the basic teachings of this course including leading preparatory warm up phrases as well as assisting students with known repertory while new materials is being developed for the class by the instructor. Students in this section are required to work on a research-based capstone dance project throughout the semester. Prerequisites: DANC 365 A and DANC 365 B. Audits are only allowed after the course has been taken for credit.

Location

(TR 6:45PM - 8:15PM)

Students will study various choreographic works that address issues of social justice as thematic material, political activism, and historical reflection. Dialogue and readings on social justice and the social role and responsibility of the artist will frame a creative process where students will also develop their own socially conscious choreography that will be presented and discussed.

Location

(TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM)

This course fulfills the second half of the Senior Seminar capstone course work. Students will apply the work from the Fall semester and delve into the making and creating component of their capstones especially.  Students will write, choreograph, perform, implement and/or carry out research, performances and/or projects. In addition to the senior thesis development, students will  investigate various career opportunities, develop a website portfolio, apply to the Undergraduate Research Expo, and produce a final thesis. Creative process and critical thinking are a focus of this course. Internships, other coursework as part of the major, co-curricular dance activity, service learning , or other related activity can support your research either prior or concurrently with DANC 389.1WB.

Location

(MW 3:30PM - 4:45PM)

This course will provide teaching assistance for community engagement where students will be guided in working with women in recovery, elders, and others with specific needs through collaboratively designed plans and projects with community partners. Each project will be tailored to fit the unique needs of the partner communities after students have learned about the organizational missions and have worked in collaboration with partners to design mutually beneficial dance or movement experiences. Students will assist with scheduling, communication with community partners, transportation, and the teaching of the course.  Visits to community sites will sometimes fall outside of regular class meetings. 

Location

( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)

No description

Location

( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)