Dance History:Philosophy, Aesthetics & Culture

4.0 credits

This course examines the film/video 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. In order to not just experience dance conceptually but also learn from dance as a physical practice, we will also explore some physical dance and movement classes to explore various dance ideas, techniques and choreographies from different time periods in an open and inclusive setting, no dance experience is required for this. This course will serve as an investigation of dance history from a critical and analytical perspective, interfacing with a variety of theoretical frameworks.