rationale: Training in modern dance technique accentuates and deepens awareness of the body, while acknowledging and exploring established connections between the physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual aspects of the individual. Modern dance technique builds physical, aesthetic and performance skills, which are important to the development of a proficient contemporary dancer. Modern dance technique prepares the student to perform with clarity and artistry, and cultivate personal presence.

Class Description: Modern Dance Technique I is geared toward the student with no previous modern dance training. The primary aim of this course is to encourage each student to begin the guided exploration and development of an artistic and creative movement technique, via the synthesis of the student's physical, cognitive and emotional capacities.

Objectives -- by the end of the course, students will have been Encouraged to:

1. Explore the elements of human movement: your body and its actions as it relates to space, time and energy/force.
2. Develop a greater awareness of your body.
3. Develop strategies for increasing your strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, and coordination.
4. Improve your dance technique and aesthetic performing capabilities.
5. Move with a greater efficiency and ease through proper body alignment.
6. Consciously integrate the elements of focus, dynamics, timing and intent into your understanding and performance of movement.
7. Engage in creative problem solving in individual and group settings.
8. Reflect upon and analyze your individual and your peers' collective processes and progress.
9. Communicate and discuss your individual and your peers' collective points of view concerning the physical, intellectual and emotional aspects of dance.
10. Establish a functional language for modern dance description and analysis.
11. Appreciate the art form known as modern dance.

methods -- students will:

1. Learn and create movement material through guided instruction and intuition in highly and loosely structured settings.
2. Consider, apply and deepen the physical, cognitive and emotional perspectives inherent in artistic movement studies.
3. Engage in consistent and repetitive exploration, refinement and performance of all class related material.
4. Receive and process critical feedback from the instructor and other students during class.
5. Perceive, assess and provide critical feedback on the work of other students.
6. Reflect upon individual progress through in class discussions, sensory and video self-evaluations and other class-related written work.
7. See, consider and discuss live and videotaped modern dance performances.
   

Student Responsibilities for the Course:

Participation: The material for this course is learned through active, consistent and responsible student participation in all class related activities. The participation grade is not merely based on attendance but on the consistency and quality of your involvement in all class related activities.

Dance Technique: Dance technique is a system of movement training that assists in developing musculoskeletal awareness and positioning and prepares you to 'perform' the dance. In essence, it is the physical 'doing' of the movement material. The dance technique grade is based upon student improvement and proficiency in the 'technical' aspects of dancing.

Dance Performance: Dance Performance, under girded by dance technique, is a synthesis of intuition (informed by cognitive, emotional and physical experiences) and personal presence. It is often that aspect of dance which is most compelling and most difficult to define. The performance grade is based upon student improvement and proficiency in the 'performance' aspects of dancing.

Language/Vocabulary: You are responsible for learning the movement vocabulary/language introduced in class, as well as developing and demonstrating an accomplished level of literacy with the vocabulary/language through in class discussions and written work. I suggest you build and maintain an ongoing vocabulary/language list to reference throughout the term. A comprehensive glossary of terms will be made available.

Movement Retention / Engagement with Material Outside of Class:
You are expected to work diligently both in and outside of class, alone and/or in groups, to cognitively and physically retain, analyze and refine material given in class. This unsupervised time of experimental trial and error will prove to be a positive factor in your growth, confidence, sense of accomplishment and grade in this class. During each class, I will point to specific material that should be reviewed prior to the next class meeting.

As a registered student in this dance class, you are welcome and encouraged to use the Dittmann dance studios for class-related work. See studio sign-up sheet on bulletin board between studios 2 and 3 to reserve space.

Activities / Assignments:

1. Create a Dance Phrase: At the beginning of the term, each student will begin creating, through a guided process, their own movement phrase. The initial phrase will be continually and thoughtfully developed (deepened and expanded) throughout the term using the elements of dance (body, space, time, energy/force) and movement concepts introduced and explored in this class.
   The goals for this activity are to:
   1. encourage and enable each student to become and stay mindful of the capabilities of their own unique bodies.
   2. develop an awareness of their intuitive tendencies and choices.
   3. embodying the course concepts through creative discovery and recursive movement exploration.

2. Video Days: Two times throughout the term, you will be videotaped performing movement material from class, including your individually created phrase. The goal for the videotaped sessions is to allow you to objectively observe (as much as is possible) your movement process and growth with an 'outside eye'.
   
   

   Video Days-1: Monday, 2/26 & Wednesday, 2/28

   Video Days-2: Monday, 4/23 & Wednesday, 4/25

3. Self Evaluations: In conjunction with Video Days-1 & 2, you will observe yourself on videotape and submit a written analysis of your growth and process, successes and challenges with the class material. Each analysis must:
   
• synthesize instructor/peer feedback with your own awareness of your progress.
• incorporate movement language introduced in class.
• outline a strategy for how you plan to continue your growth and process in this class.
• consider the collection of material experienced in relation to this class thus far (class discussions, video, live performances, quotations, etc.)
• be checked for coherence, correct grammar and spelling.
• be approximately two pages in length.
  
  

  Self-Evalation-1: Wednesday, 3/14

  Self-Evalation-2: Wednesday, 5/09

  
  See Written Assignment Submission Guidelines.

5. Peer Review of Dance Phrase & Reflection Paper: Once during the term, each student will meet with one or more partners and observe them performing the dance phrase they are developing in conjunction with this course. Referencing the class concepts, each student will provide their partner(s) with feedback on their dance phrase. Knowing that each student should integrate as many of the class concepts and dance elements as possible into the ongoing Dance Phrase exploration, the peer review process is designed to encourage students to work together to analyze and improve one another's Dance Phrases, while endeavoring to improve their own process and phrase. Each student will submit a written reflection of the peer review process, contemplating the following:

For the Reviewer:

1. What concepts and elements are especially well represented, interesting and effective in your partner's dance phrase?
2. What elements are omitted?
3. What do you like? Why?
4. What do you believe could be enhanced (made more interesting, effective and/or clearer)? Why? And How? (It is important to thoughtfully justify your response. At all costs, avoid settling for justifications like, “It was cool!” Your partner’s dance phrase may very well be cool, but we want to know what made it cool.
5. How can you apply the insight from your observation of your peer's pedestrian activity phrase to the continued development of your own phrase?

For the Performer:

1. How did it feel to perform your dance phrase for your peer reviewer?
2. What factors contributed to your feelings?

For Both the Performer & Peer Reviewer: Immediately following the peer review process, jot down a few notes on the following:

1. What about the peer review process was helpful?
2. What about the peer review process deepened your learning experience?
3. What did you learn about yourself as a dancer/mover, student and person?
4. What did you learn about your partner?

Each peer review reflection must:

• include the name of the student performer and reviewer.
• address the Reviewer and Performer questions above.
• incorporate movement language introduced in class.
• consider the collection of material experienced in relation to this class thus far (class discussions, video, live performances, quotations, etc.)
• be checked for coherence, correct grammar and spelling.
• be approximately two pages in length.
  
  

Meet with Peer Review Partner(s): Wednesday, 4/11-- Monday, 4/16

Peer Review Paper Due: Wednesday, 4/18


See Written Assignment Submission Guidelines.

5. Modern Dance Performance Attendance: All students in this class are required to attend a minimum of one fully produced modern dance concert by a professional dance company. Neither a ballet, play, musical, informal showing nor 'works in progress' will count toward this requirement. A thorough list of area dance performances can be found on the dance department’s website. If the student is unsure if a potential dance concert fulfills this requirement, ask the instructor. All students are encouraged to attend as many dance events as possible. A ticket stub or program from the dance concert, with the student's name written clearly in ink, must be submitted to the instructor as proof of attendance no later than one week following the concert to fulfill this requirement. No ticket stubs will be accepted after class ends on Monday, 5/07/07.
   

Guidelines / policies

Absence Policy

• Students are expected to attend every class and to be dressed and ready to move on time.
• You are allowed one absence without effect. Every absence after that lowers your participation grade by one grade level (from A to A-, etc.).
• The second and third absences must be made up in other dance technique classes. See the schedule of modern dance classes for the current term and make-up process at the end of this syllabus.
• Failing to make up absences beyond the first will result in a grade of F for this course. No other make-ups are allowed.
• The fourth absence is an automatic F for the course.
• Exceptions to the Absence Policy:
  • If you must miss class for a College sanctioned event, you will receive one additional absence without effect, provided that official notification (email or signed document from faculty/administrative staff supervising the event) is sent to me prior to the day of the class being missed.
  • If a situation arises in which you must miss class for more than 2 consecutive days, you must immediately inform me and the Dean of Students so that appropriate accommodation may be made. Such accommodation will made on a case by case basis, with consideration given to your health, well-being, academic integrity and the academic integrity of the Dance program and the College.

Any information and/or handouts given on days missed are your responsibility. You are encouraged to talk with classmates about missed material and make immediate arrangements for acquiring missed material. Information is often sent via email. It is your responsibility to check email on a regular basis, and to read and promptly respond to all messages related to this class.

Tardy Policy

• Students are expected to attend every class and to be dressed and ready to move on time. If you is not present when roll is called you are to be marked tardy. If you are late for class 3 times, you will receive 1 absence (6 times late = 2 absences, etc.). It is your responsibility to let me know that you are present when arriving late.
• If you are 10 minutes late to class, you will not be allowed to participate, but must observe class and complete the corresponding observation paper (see 'Observation Papers' section below). This is in consideration of the your health, injury prevention, and with respect for the peers in this class. If you must leave class early, please inform me before class begins. You will receive either a tardy or an absence, depending upon how much class is missed. If you choose to leave class without informing me, you will receive an absence for the class.

Observation Paper Guidelines

If you are not able to participate during a class period due to illness or injury, you may avoid being counted absent for the day by observing the class and submitting an observation paper. This option may be used once, as two observations equal one absence. Below are guidelines to be followed in completing an observation paper.

• You should take detailed notes on the process/progress of the students in class, taking into consideration dance technique, performance and other aspects from class that you deemed relevant.
• You should reflect upon your individual class process and submit a one-page paper comparing/contrasting your process with that of the other students in class.
• The observation paper must be submitted prior to the beginning of the next class period to avoid receiving an absence for the observed class.
• Please refer to Written Assignment Submission Guidelines for information pertaining to all written assignments.

Open Door Policy: Students may make an appointment with me at anytime during the semester.

Written Assignment Submission Guidelines:

• Unless specified otherwise in an individual assignment, all written assignments should be be completed in Microsoft Word, typed, double-spaced and checked for correct grammar and spelling.
• Include your first and last names and the name of the course you are enrolled in.
• Save all your written assignment files for this class using the following naming scheme: "last name-first initial of your first name-assignment name.doc (without the quotation marks)." For example, some of my assignment files for this class would have the following names: roberts-a-eval1.doc, roberts-a-eval2.doc, etc.
• All written assignment files should be sent to 'awr' as email attachments.
• Please refer to each individual assignment heading for specifics pertaining to that assignment, such as number of pages, etc.
• Late assignments will receive only 50% of graded amount (no exceptions).

student assessment

Modern Dance Technique 1 is a P/N (Pass/No-Pass Credit) Course.

From the College Catalog: P/N credits are earned in courses that are offered only P/N. In other words, every student taking the course is doing so on an ungraded basis. This differs from S/U grades where each student in a course may elect to take the course graded or ungraded. Courses offered only on the P/N basis, if so designated, may fulfill general education graduation requirements.

All students will receive either a 'P' (pass) or 'N' (no credit) for this class.
In a dance techniques class, it is often easy to determine which students are clearly passing and which are obviously failing. However, assessment becomes complicated in situations where a student may be straddling the line between passing and failing. To assist in assessing the student who does not clearly fall on either side, I have established 'Assessment Definitions' for this course, and I have listed the elements on which each student will be assessed for this course.

With this in mind, a 'P' is awarded for a grade of C- or higher; an 'N' represents a grade of D+ or lower.
Assessment definitions and specific elements being assessed are listed below.

Assessment Definitions:

• Excellent (A) = Excellent is for students who do work of an outstanding nature, show a hunger to know, a passion for learning, and a willingness to take movement risks. An 'A' student responds and contributes to class material, effectively integrates feedback and demonstrates exceptional growth toward the objectives of this course.
• Good (B) = Good is for students whose work is distinctly above average in quality and thoroughness, depicting a solid grasp of the subject matter. A 'B' student shows dedication, a willingness to take new steps, concentration, consistent work and demonstrates increased accomplishment of some skills during the term.
• Average (C) = Average is for students who do their work and actively participate in class but lack the energy, will or ability to take it to new heights. An average student, although present in class, does not perform in a way that commands to be seen. A 'C' student has accomplished some skills throughout the term, but both student and instructor know it could be better. Work habits are inconsistent. A 'C' student can accomplish more.
• Poor (D) = Poor is for students who have not done their work regularly. Lacking the necessary energy, diligence or passion for dance, the 'D' student has shown very little improvement and depicts a limited understanding of the subject matter.
• Fail (F) = Fail is for students who have missed more than the allotted number of classes, been tardy or left class so much that there is no base from which to grade, or has made no effort to grasp the material while in class.

Elements for Assessment:

class etiquette:

1. Dress Code: You will be dancing in bare feet. Dance clothes for class should be comfortable without hiding or distorting the lines of the body. Close fitting dance/athletic wear or similar is best. Baggy clothing is not acceptable. Hair needs to be pulled back from the face and neck. You may consider purchasing kneepads to reduce the potential for irritation when the knees encounter the floor while performing movement combinations with floor work. Gentlemen should consider purchasing a dance belt (artistic athletic supporter).
   
2. Studio Rules: No street shoes in the dance studios. Please remove your shoes before entering the studio. No food, drink (other than water in a closable container), no smoking or chewing gum allowed in the studio. Cell phones/pagers need to be turned off prior to class.
   
3. Injuries / Limitations: Due to the experiential and participatory nature of dance classes, it is important that each student be able to participate, physically and mentally. If you have an injury that impedes or prevents you from participating fully in a class, please inform me at the beginning of the class period.
   Any student with a documented intellectual, physical or emotional disability needing academic accommodations is expected to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with a disability who do not have an accommodation letter to present to me must also contact Ruth Bolstad (bolstadr@stolaf.edu ) or Connie Ford (ford@stolaf.edu) in the Academic Support Center (x3288) located in the very back of The Village.
   
4. Tactile Teaching: Tactile (of, having or perceived by the sense of touch) teaching involves hands on correction by the instructor, and is a valuable teaching aide in assisting the student in understanding aspects of proper alignment, placement and movement concepts during class. If any student is uncomfortable with this aspect of the technique class, please let the instructor know immediately.

important Dates to remember:

make-up class options

Schedule of Fall 2007 Modern Dance Technique Classes:
For Those Needing to Make Up a Class: You may make-up a missed class by taking any appropriate dance technique class. The schedule below is for the modern dance technique classes only. If your schedule does not permit attendance at one of the classes below, please consult the class and lab for dance technique classes in different genres (ballet, ballroom, international).

1. You need to obtain the permission of the instructor of the make-up class in advance to make sure you may participate in or observe the class on the day you plan to attend.
2. You need to fill out the Make-Up form located near the Companydance bulletin board in the hallway between studios 2 & 3, and obtain the signature of the instructor of the make-up class.
3. No make up classes will be permitted after May 2 (during the last week of classes). This is generally an important time of culmination for all dance classes, and the presence of additional students can impede the effectiveness of this process.

There will be no final examination for modern dance technique 1.

GEC Attributes: This course is intended to satisfy the ALS-A (Artistic Studies) and PHA (Physical Activity) General Education Requirements. Under consideration are several revisions to and re-certification of several GEC attributes, including PHA. I have included the current draft of the revisions below, for your consideration

Studies in Physical/Human Movement (SPM):

Guidelines

1. Course will introduce and develop a physical technique by engaging students in physical movement.
2. Course must include a cognitive component where students learn about moving.
3. Course must provide information about lifelong health and wellness of the whole person.
4. Course must provide historical and cultural background relevant to the activity, illustrating the wide range of roles of physical activity in human development.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate the ability to successfully perform a range of skills connected to a given physical technique.
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the body's structure, function, and expression specifically in the performance of a given physical technique and broadly in creating long-term well being.
3. Students will reflect on their feelings, values, and attitudes regarding movement and long-term well being.
4. Students will understand the historical and cultural background relevant to the activity, illustrating the wide range of physical activity in human development.

Syllabus Credits

Over the years, a number of dance artists and institutions have contributed to and helped shape my philosophy of and approach to teaching dance technique. I'd like to especially thank the following individuals and institutions for their invaluable input, guidance, support and generosity in sharing their artistry, philosophies and permission to use some of their ideas in developing my courses.

• St. Olaf College
  • Janice Roberts
  • Sherry Saterstrom
  • Heather Klopchin
  • Anne von Bibra
  • Ann Wagner
    
• Dance Center of Columbia College in Chicago
  • Jan Erkert
• Arizona State University
  • Ann Ludwig
  • Pamela Matt
• Gustavus Adolphus College
  • Michele Rusinko
• Repertory Dance Theatre
  • Linda C. Smith
  • Ford Evans
• University of Utah
  • Barbara Hamblin
  • Yi-Qi Cheng
  • Li-Chou Cheng
  • Bené Arnold
  • Abby Fiat
• University of Oklahoma
  • Mary Margaret Holt
  • Miguel Terekhov
• East Tennessee State University
  • Judith Woodruff

This syllabus represents the contract of terms between the student and the dance department instructor of this course. The student is responsible for all information contained in this document. Students will be notified of any changes the instructor may make to this document as soon as possible.