Contemporary Dance III

2 units

This advanced-level studio course is designed for students with substantial contemporary dance training who are ready to work at a high level of technical and artistic sophistication. Incoming first-years and transfer students are encouraged to take the Dance placement class during Orientation Week, in which dance faculty members will recommend appropriate level. Studio work demands mastery of a broad movement vocabulary, refined kinesthetic sensitivity, and the ability to embody complex choreographic material with precision, power, and intention. Technique exercises push students to integrate alignment, efficiency, and dynamic range into seamless, fully expressive performance. Conditioning work targets strength, flexibility, and stamina required for demanding repertoire and sustained artistic practice. Emphasis on individual artistic development is offered through structured opportunities for improvisation, collaborative composition, and self-directed creative inquiry. Students engage critically with contemporary dance as a living art form through reading, video analysis, and ongoing dialogue connecting theory to practice. Attendance at 2 dance performances is required.