Section
Eastern University Dance

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

BKIN 100  Introduction to Dance Studies  3Dance Students
This course is designed to introduce Dance major/minors, and those interested, to the the study of dance within the university setting.  The course will address practical concerns related to a career path in dance.  The course explores the dance elements of body, space, time, and force/energy as they connect to tecnical proficiency with particular emphasis on components of physical fitness-- cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and nutrition.  Students will develop goals for fitness through dance and design a dance fitness program.  The course also introduces improvisation, expression, and creativity as it relates to dance.  Dance is presented as a vehicle for Christian worship.

DAN 103  Movement and Rhythms for Children    2
This course is designed to provide background theory for teaching movement and dance education as well as to provide opportunities for practical application of knowledge gained. The course will enable students to develop an approach to teaching movement education that focuses on creativity and includes the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains of learning. Concept areas and activities to be explored include: the purposes and components of movement/dance education; the basic elements of dance; dance imagery, narrative and thematic dance; rhythm instruments and props; movement exercises and games; lesson planning; and teaching.

DAN 122  Global Dance Forms    2
Each time this course is offered, one particular global dance form will be the focus.  The course primarily will be offered as a technique course.  Topics included will be historical perspectives, cultural constructs of gender, societal influences, and aesthetic meaning unique to the dance form studied.

DAN 122X  Global Dance Practice     1
The course extends a student’s technical proficiency in a particular global dance form studied.  Students who have completed Global Dance Forms may take the Practice course to enhance learning in technique, history, culture and aesthetics.

DAN 140  Sacred Dance Group 2
The Sacred Dance Group is an ensemble course that depends upon the commitment of its members as dancers exploring the arts in worship, ritual, and performance.  Through the work of the course, students learn a new dance that is composed during the semester.  The process of composing the dance includes working within improvisational structures relating to story, imagery, poetry, or scripture.  Readings appropriate to the dance being created are assigned throughout the semester.

DAN 231  Intermediate Modern Dance: Theory and Technique 2
This course is designed to provide students with modern dance theory and technique beyond the introductory level. The course will address the development of proficiency in the following areas: body alignment, centering, kinesthetic awareness, qualitative nuance, use of breath, focus, dynamics and projection. Studio work will address increasing creativity and aesthetic understanding in dance technique.

DAN 231X  Practice in Modern Dance 1
The course extends a student’s technical proficiency in modern dance by increasing practice in the areas of body alignment, centering, kinesthetic awareness, qualitative nuance, use of breath, focus, dynamics and projection. Students who have completed Intermediate Modern Dance may take the Practice course to enhance learning in technique.

Dance Students

DAN 232  Intermediate Jazz Dance: Theory and Technique 2
The course focuses on the development beyond the basics of jazz dance technique and progresses to complex work in a variety of jazz dance styles (African, lyric, modern, musical theatre and popular). Technical proficiency will be based on the replication and composition of intricate combinations. Jazz dance will be placed within its appropriate historical and cultural contexts.

DAN 232X  Practice in Jazz Dance 1
The course extends a student’s technical proficiency in jazz dance by increasing practice in jazz dance styles and intricate combinations.  Students who have completed Intermediate Jazz Dance may take the Practice course to enhance learning in technique within the appropriate historical and cultural contexts.

DAN 233  Liturgical Dance History and Practice 3
This course is designed to provide experience in the practice of dance as a vehicle for religious expression and ritual. The history of liturgical dance will be traced, and a rationale for the inclusion of dance in worship services will be investigated. Students will participate in the experience of dance movement as it relates to theological and spiritual themes.

Dance Student

DAN 234  Intermediate Ballet Dance: Theory and Technique 2
This course is designed to provide students with the theory and technique of ballet dance beyond the introductory level. The course moves from basic barre work to complexities of ballet performance. Ballet dance is placed within its appropriate historical and cultural contexts.

DAN 234X  Practice in Ballet Dance 1
The course extends a student’s technical proficiency in ballet by increasing practice in barre, center, and across the floor combinations.  Students who have completed Intermediate Ballet may take the Practice course to enhance learning in technique within the appropriate historical and cultural contexts.

DAN 250  Modern Dance History 3
This course is an introduction to the study of modern dance as a reflection of the individual, society and culture. Instruction in the technique of modern dance is the focus of the movement experience. Within this framework, the historical, cultural and aesthetic contexts of 20th and 21st century modern dance are examined.

DAN 260  Ballet History in Western Culture 3
This course will focus on the history of ballet in Western culture.  The history, worldview and aesthetic development of ballet will be studied, beginning with its European roots and continuing to contemporary time, with special focus on American ballet. Ballet styles and specific works will be examined through theory and practice.

DAN 310  Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology 3
Students will develop an understanding of basic anatomic terms and principles as well as movement analysis, alignment assessment, and performance enhancement by the use of kinesiological and exercise physiology principles. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to apply the principles of movement analysis to the evaluation of dance technique of self and others. Students will be able to design a thorough and effective static and dynamic corrective and performance enhancement program for use as a performer, choreographer or educator. This course will include both lecture and laboratory sessions. Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C in BIO 104.

DAN 331  Advanced Modern Dance: Theory and Technique 2
This course is designed to provide students with the theory and technique of modern dance beyond the intermediate level.  The course continues the dance student’s training in the foundational elements of time, space and energy in the development of technical proficiency, improvisational exploration, composition techniques, and expressive movement performance.  The course also addresses creativity and aesthetic understanding in dance. Prerequisite: DAN 231 or demonstrated proficiency.

Dance Students

DAN331X  Advanced Modern Dance Practice 1
The course extends a student’s technical proficiency in modern dance by increasing practice in the principals of time, space and energy, improvisational exploration, and expressive movement performance.  Students who have completed Advanced Modern Dance may take the Practice course to enhance learning in technique.

DAN 332  Advanced Jazz Dance: Theory and Technique 2
This course focuses on complex work in a variety of jazz dance styles. The course is intended to contribute to a jazz dance student’s proficiency in technique, choreography and performance. The replication and composition of intricate jazz combinations is included in the development of such technical proficiency.  Throughout the course, jazz dance will be placed within its appropriate historical and cultural contexts. Prerequisite: DAN 232 or demonstrated proficiency.

DAN 332X  Advanced Jazz Dance Practice 1
The course extends a student’s technical proficiency in modern dance by increasing practice in the principals of time, space and energy, improvisational exploration, and expressive movement performance.  Students who have completed Advanced Modern Dance may take the Practice course to enhance learning in technique.

DAN 334  Advanced Ballet Dance: Theory and Technique 2
The course will expand the student’s knowledge of classical ballet technique beyond the intermediate level. The student will participate in individual tracking of technical and artistic progress. The course also will address basic anatomical principles and creative experiences. Prerequisite: DAN 234 or demonstrated proficiency.

DAN 334X  Advanced Ballet Practice 1
The course extends a student’s technical proficiency in ballet by increasing practice of classical ballet technique beyond the intermediate level, with an emphasis on the kinesiology of ballet.  Students who have completed Advanced Ballet may take the practice course to enhance technique performance quality.

DAN 340  Dance Repertory 2
This is an ensemble course for advanced dancers who participate in the rehearsal and performance of highly technical dance works.  This course provides advanced dancers with rehearsal and performance experience of technical dance works.  The participants learn the repertory and perform at least once during the semester.  The course is designed for dancers who have had dance training and previous performance experience and who desire to further their expertise in this area.  Audition required.

DAN 345  Methods and Techniques of Dance Instruction 3
The course is designed to provide methods for the instruction of a variety of dance genres and styles. Contexts for teaching dance include K-12 public education, private school education, community center programs and dance studio classes. The course will enable students to gain theoretical and somatic knowledge in dance, as well as provide practical classroom teaching experiences. Prerequisite: one dance technique class.

DAN 355  Methods of Teaching Beginning and Intermediate Pointe 3
This course is designed to provide methods for the instruction of pointe dance. The course will focus on arts intensive public high schools and dance studio populations. Students will develop theoretical and somatic knowledge of pointe dance as well as participate in practical classroom teaching experiences. Prerequisite: DAN 234 or demonstrated proficiency.      

DAN 365  Black Dance History 3Dance
This course is designed to generally inform students how dance has functioned and continues to function in African-American culture through theory and practice.  The aesthetic transformation of dance in the history of African-American peoples will be traced, beginning with its African roots. The course will context the black experience within the broader American context.

DAN 375  World Dance 3
This course will focus on various dances from around the world, placing them in historical, cultural, social and aesthetic contexts through theory and practice.  Students will examine cultures from Africa, Asia, Polynesia, Europe and the Americas. Historical perspectives, cultural constructs of gender, societal influences, worldview, and aesthetic meanings unique to various cultures will be studied.

DAN 385  Dance Improvisation 3
This course is designed to provide students with knowledge and practical application of dance improvisation in the discipline of modern dance. Focus will be on the creative process and the manipulation of the elements of time, space, and energy. The course covers both free and structured improvisation.

DAN 386  Dance Composition 3
This course concentrates on the theory and application of dance composition principles. Topics include choreographic design, form, style, theme, motivation, autobiography and performance. Prerequisite: DAN 231, or 331.

DAN 395  Field Experience 1-3
The purpose of a dance field experience is to offer students the opportunity to observe and participate in real-life work experiences in the dance world.  Participation must be in a setting appropriate to a student's interest in particular dance careers.  Students will keep a log of hours and a journal of observations for a minimum of 40 hours per credit hour earned.  Pre-requisite: permission of department chair. Graded Pass/Fail.

DAN 410  Senior Project 3
A course through which senior dance majors will design senior projects with consistent feedback from the professor and their peers. The course also will address critical response procedures, resumés, portfolios, careers in dance, and Senior Showcase concert planning.

DAN 435  Choreographic Project 3
The course is designed to provide a theoretical basis for the choreographic process as well as to provide practical experience in the content learned.  The course will provide the student with the appropriate tools through which to create a full-length dance work.  The Choreographic Project serves as a developmental bridge from the exploration of the choreographic process (DAN 386- Dance Composition) to the Senior Project/Performance (Dan 440).

DAN 440  Senior Project/Performance 0
Students who have completed Senior Project (DAN 410) will complete a dance project or a dance performance piece as part of their graduation requirements in the Dance Major program. Students will develop their work with the assistance of both faculty advisors and peers.  The course will have no credit valued attached, but will be graded and required for the successful completion of the Dance Major.

DAN 495  Internship 2-12
The purpose of a dance internship is varied and may include any or all of the following:  to provide a real-life work experience, to relate theory with practice, to focus on life goals, and to seek direction for academic projects/themes.  The supervising faculty member should confer with the internship supervisor at least once during the period and oversee the academic expectations as outlined by the dance program.  A minimum of 40 hours on the job is required for each hour of credit. The dance program will establish guidelines for evaluation based upon the particular internship. Highly recommended for senior dance majors.