Dance 232: 20th Century Dance History Sec 1

Spring 2016, Mondays 4:10-6:40

Office: THH 702 Phone: 212-396-6122
www.hunter.cuny.edu/dance

Professor Maura Donohue

Office hours: Mon 11-12pm
mdono@hunter.cuny.edu

REQUIRED TEXT: Moving History/Dancing Cultures, Edited by Ann Dils and Ann Cooper Albright, Wesleyan
University Press, 2001
RECOMMENDED TEXT: No Fixed Points: Dance in the 20th Century, Nancy Reynolds
Course description: This course offers an overview of the world of dance, meaning both global forms and various
American concert and social dance styles. The fundamentals of ballet, jazz, modern, and hiphop will be covered,
along with tap and some social dances of the 20th & 21st century. It is a survey course meant to introduce students
to the wide range of ways in which dance occurs in our lives and the ways in which it has mattered throughout
recent history. The first half of the semester will be spent in general readings, full group discussions, video viewing
and some movement. The second half of the semester will involve continued video viewing and small group
reading/research, and preparation/presentation of research projects on the history of ANY form of dance.
Course requirements:
Dance is a physical practice. It must be learned in an experiential way to understand its principles best. We will
move in some way EVERY class. So, you must come dressed to dance at every class. Wear clothing appropriate
for the gym (NO tight jeans or skirts) - sweatpants, athletic shorts, tank tops, t-shirts, etc. are fine. The remaining
class time will be spent in discussion and watching video examples of various dance forms. There will be weekly
readings, a written midterm in essay form, THREE live dance event viewings/participation, an in class presentation
and related paper, and one final written exam.
Course outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course a student will be able to:
-identify various global forms and various American concert and social dance styles;
-recognize genres, masterworks and artists in American concert dance and recognized social forms;
-articulate in written and verbal forms about the cultural relevance and impact of different artists;
historic moments or cultural movements in dance in the 20th Century and today.
-conduct and present basic primary-source research on a topic in dance
Grading Breakdown:
PARTICIPATION (30%): You are expected to attend all classes and to participate in all discussions and movement
sessions. After 2 absences, your grade will drop by 10% with each absence.
LIVE DANCE VIEWINGS (10%) You will see 3 LIVE dance events during the semester. 1 must be in a formal
concert setting. You will submit a 1-page written response. The second must be a HC Dance Club or Dance
Company performance, event or workshop. You will submit a 1-page written response. The third must be in a social
setting (club, wedding, party, church, etc.) this should be a fun assignment for each of you, a chance to consider
and share where dance lives in our culture and your lives. Take pictures or record video find some way to
document the event at Dance club, Dance Battle, Music concert, Wedding or family gathering where people dance,
Cultural Festival, Hippy LoveIn/Public Intervention.
READING RESPONSES/IN CLASS DISCUSSION (10%): Weeks 1-10 Full Class discussions: Please read the
assigned text and prepare comments and questions for in class discussion. Small Group presentations: of the
class will read a specific chapter to the class each week.
MIDTERM (20%): 5 page written essay. Question will be posed on BB. Due online by 11pm 3/21.

RESEARCH PRESENTATION & PAPER (10%): Weeks 11-14 Students will present independent (or shared
research with a partner). Each student or pair will lead a 10 or 20 minute presentation to the class on your subject
matter. Presentations must include primary source material (video, in-class demonstration or workshop, etc.). Each
student is responsible for also providing a 2-page reflective paper on your topics relevance to the world of dance..
FINAL EXAM (20%): Written exam based on the material from the student presentations. 5/23 ONLINE.
Tentative Course Outline: Readings subject to change based on class discussion and group direction. All readings from Moving
History/Dancing Cultures unless noted in underline below.
Week 1: Feb 1 Whoohoo Dance History
Albright & Dils: First Steps: Moving into the Study of Dance History, The Pleasures of Studying Dance History - Sklar, D Five
Premises for a Culturally Sensitive Approach to Dance pp 30-32
Week 2: Feb 8 different ways of looking
Kealiinohomoku, J. An Anthroplogist looks at Ballet as a Form of Ethnic Dance & Burt, R. "The Trouble with the Male Dancer Class trip to Arts Across the Curriculum Event, Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance Bringing the Artic Home 5pm 543North
Feb 15 NO CLASS MEETING - ONLINE ASSIGNMENT - Albright, A.C. "Strategic Abilities: Negotiating the Disabled Body in
Dance"
Week 3: Feb 22 we are the world
Looking at World Dance pp 92- 96 & Asante, KW Commonalities in African Dance: An Aesthetic Foundation pp 144-151
SMALL GROUPS:
Meduri, A. Bharatha Natyam-What are you?,
OR
Browning, B. "Headspin: Capoeria's Ironic Inversions,"
OR
Helland, S."The Belly Dance: Ancient Ritual to Cabaret Performance."
Week 4: Feb 29 the many faces of black(face)
"Historical Moments: Rethinking the Past." pp 232- 235(stop at bottom paragraph in first column "Jane Desmond") AND Winter,
MH Juba and American Minstrelsy pp 250 255
SMALL GROUPS:
Malnig, J Two-Stepping to Glory: Social Dance and the Rhetoric of Social Mobility pp 271-287
OR
Gottschild, BD "Stripping the Emperor: The Africanist Presence in American Concert Dance.
OR
Desmond, J Dancing out the Difference: Cultural Imperialism and Ruth St. Deniss Radha of 1906 pp 256 270
Week 5: Mar 7 Mad Mothers of Modern
Daly, Ann The Natural Body pp 288 299
SMALL GROUPS:
Siegel, M. "The Harsh and Splendid Heroines of Martha Graham."
OR
Graff, E. "The Dance is a Weapon."
OR
Humphrey, D. "Form and Human Perfectability."
Week 6: Mar 14 Epic Narratives: jazz, blues, and beyond Ailey
DeFrantz, T. "Simmering Passivity: The Black Male Body in Concert Dance."
SMALL GROUPS
Malone, J. "Jazz Music in Motion: Dancers and Big Bands" from Steppin' on the Blues: The Visible Rhythms of African American
Dance pp91-110
OR

Albright, A.C. "Embodying History: Epic Narrative and Cultural Identity in African American Dance"
OR
"Modern Dance: The Second Generation" from No Fixed Points: Dance in the 20th Century handout/BB posting
1- p336-339 Lester Horton
2- 340-345 Katherine Dunham and Pearl Primus
3- 346-349 Donald McKayle and Talley Beatty
AND
Quiz/Review for midterm
Week 7: Mar 21 MIDTERM (DUE ONLINE by 11pm)
Week 8: Mar 28 Revolutions: Judson and post
Banes, S. "Choreographic Methods of the Judson Dance Theater"
Small Groups:
Jowitt, D. "Chance Heroes"
OR
Stein, B.S. "Butoh: Twenty Years Ago We Were Crazy, Dirty, and Mad"
OR
Povall, R. "A Little Technology is a Dangerous Thing."
Week 9: Apr 4 All that Jazz & Disco
Cohen Bull, C.J. "Looking at Movement as Culture: Contact Improvisation to Disco"
SMALL GROUPS
Reynolds, N. "Musical Theater in America" from No Fixed Points
Week 10: Apr 11 Hip to the Hop
Schloss, J. Foundation: B-boys, B-girls, and Hip Hop Culture in New York
Week 11: Apr 18 schedule confirm research projects/presentation dates 1 on 1 meetings
SPRING BREAK - ahhhhhhhh
Week 12: May 2 Student presentations
Week 13: May 9 Student presentations
Week 14: May 16 Student presentations
FINAL: ONLINE May 23 4:10pm
Departmental notices:
Audition on February 3rd from 1-3pm, THH 601 (South Studio).
Participating student choreographers will be holding a group dance audition for the spring concerts. Any student who wishes to perform this
semester may audition as long as they are enrolled in a technique class.
ALL DANCE MAJORS AND MINORS ARE REQUIRED to attend the dance department orientation session on February 10th from 1-3pm in
TTH 601 (South Studio). This session provides an opportunity for students and faculty to meet, dance together and learn about the program
and review all production/performance guidelines.
Arts Across the Curriculum Events with Jody Sperling Time Lapse Dance Company:
Company performance + talkback: February 8 at 5pm, Black Box, Hunter North 543
Panel Discussion: February 11 3pm - EXTRA CREDIT 5% - Paper
SPRING 2016 DANCE DEPARTMENT PERFORMANCES
Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program Spring Concert: Kaye Playhouse: April 9 at 7pm and April 10 at 3pm
April Undergraduate Dance Concert: Kaye Playhouse: April 14 and April 15 at 7:30pm, April 16 at 2pm.
May Undergraduate Dance Concert: South Studio THH: Program A: May 6 at 7:30pm, May 7 at 3pm, Program B: May 7 at 7:30pm, May 8
at 3pm
Please Note:
The teaching/learning process of this course may necessitate some physical contact between the instructor and the students. If there is any
reason that you wish not to be subject to such contact, please inform the instructor immediately.

Grading
Hunter College provide the following rubric for grading:
Quality Points
Grade Definition
GPA Index
A+
97.5-100%
4.0
A
92.5-97.4%
4.0
A90.0-92.4%
3.7
B+
87.5-89.9%
3.3
B
82.5-87.4%
3.0
B80.0-82.4%
2.7
C+
77.5-79.9%
2.3
C
70.0-77.4%
2.0
D
60.0-69.9%
1.0
F
0.0-59.9%
0.0
II. Attendance/Absences
All courses given by the Dance Program are subject to an attendance policy that directly affects the students Final Grade. The Final Grade will
be lowered by one grade level for EACH successive absence that exceeds the number of absences described below according to the coursemeeting schedule. For example, if a student has missed no more than the allowable number of classes, AND the student has produced course
work that in all respects merits the grade of an A; the student will be awarded the final grade of A. However, if the same student, having
accomplished the same work, missed one more than the allowable number of missed classes, the final grade of B will be awarded.
Maximum absences permitted before the grade drops:
2 for 3 hr. classes (meeting 1x per week)
4 for 1.5 or 2 hr. classes (meeting 2x per week)
6 for 1 hr. classes (meeting 3x per week)
Highest possible grade with number of absences exceeding limits above:
1 exceeding absence = B highest grade possible
2 exceeding absences = C highest grade possible
3 exceeding absences = D highest grade possible
4 or more exceeding absences = F highest grade possible
III. Lateness Policy
Lateness to class consists in the students arriving 5 minutes after the beginning of the designated class hour. TWO late attendances are
equivalent to ONE absence. Should a student arrive 10 minutes late to a studio class, she/he may not fully participate, but MUST observe.
IV. Observation Policy
Students are strongly encouraged to attend class and observe when physical injury or non-contagious illness prevents her/him from
participating.
V. Incomplete (INC)
The grade of INC (Incomplete) may be given, at the discretion of the instructor, only in cases where debilitating injury, illness or other serious
personal problems prevent the completion of course work by the end of the semester in which the student is registered for the course. In order
for an INC to be awarded, an official contract must be completed and signed by the instructor and the student before the end of the semester.
The student is allowed only one semester to complete the designated work; if the terms of the contract are not followed, the INC grade turns into
an FIN. If the faculty member wishes to extend the deadline for the student to complete the coursework beyond one semester, the faculty
member and the student must enter into a written contract clearly specifying the deadline. This contract must be written during the semester
following the one in which the course was taken. The student must be aware that the INC grade will change to a FIN grade until the work is
completed. The written contract must accompany the change of grade form. If a student has not filed a contract with the faculty member but still
wishes to complete the work and have a FIN grade changed, the student can appeal to the Senate Grade Appeals Committee. The appeal must
include the reason for failing to complete the work and must be accompanied by a supporting letter from the faculty member who issued the INC
grade or, if the faculty member is no longer at the college, from the department chair. Appeals with no endorsement will be denied.
VI. Credit-No Credit (CR/NCR)
Dance Majors may NOT elect the grade of CR in courses required of Dance Majors. The grade of NCR may be elected in the required course
only if the student plans to repeat the course.
VII. Withdrawal/Medical Withdrawal
Please refer to Hunter College Office of Registrars Rules and Regulations.
VIII. Academic Integrity
Hunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of
records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of intellectual honesty. The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY
Policy on Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Academic Integrity Procedures.
IX. Expectations for Written Proficiency in English
Students must demonstrate consistently satisfactory written English in coursework. The Hunter College Writing center provides tutoring to
students across the curriculum and at all academic levels. For more information, see http://rwc.hunter.cuny.edu
X. Accessibility
In compliance with the American Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Hunter College is
committed to ensuring educational parity and accommodations for all students with documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. It is
recommended that all students with documented disabilities (Emotional, Medical, Physical and/ or Learning) consult the Office of
AccessABILITY located in Room E1124 to secure necessary academic accommodations. For further information and assistance please call
(212- 772- 4857)/TTY (212- 650- 3230)