Course Description

DANC-1112 is a practicum in dance-related activities, with an emphasis on practical skills necessary for the field.

Credit Hours: 1 lecture hour + 2 practicum hours. This is a 16-week course. Students should expect to commit 1 hour/week to the lecture portion of this course and a minimum of 2 hours/week to the internship portion of this class.

Course Requirements

This course is made up of weekly professional dance company-modeled rehearsals, technical rehearsals, and a public performance at the American College Dance Association. The ACC dance department follows professional standards in all production-related activities. Therefore, students are expected to participate fully and wholly in every rehearsal and all other associated activities.

The following course requirements are mandatory: 

• Students are required to participate fully in all scheduled weekly rehearsals.
• Students are required to maintain a weekly rehearsal log.
• Students are required to work collaboratively to develop a piece of choreography under the direction of a selected student choreographer.
• Students will practice proper studio and theater etiquette.
• Students will participate in tech rehearsals and performances for public audiences at ACDA at the University of Texas at Austin.

Creation, rehearsal, and performance of a final piece to be performed for a public audience at the American College Dance Association conference at the University of Texas at Austin on March 21-24 with tech rehearsal on March 20. The conference website is here.

This is a ZTC (Zero Textbook Cost) section. In place of required textbooks, all textbook materials needed for the class will be available online to students free of charge. Students may print copies of the resources but will be responsible for printing costs.

Resources will include articles, excerpts and chapters, which will be provided within each module on Blackboard. A curated selection of dance films and videos will also be provided within each module on Blackboard. Students will be expected to access links to YouTube, Vimeo, and other public sources.

Course Level – Student learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 

• Demonstrate the practical application of dance-related skills and procedures. 
• Demonstrate leadership and individual initiative through the assigned skill-building projects. 
• Collaborate effectively through engaging in team tasks.

ACC Dance Department Policies 

Participation 

Dance class is participatory. The dance studio is the laboratory for learning. If you are unable to fully participate in every class meeting, please obtain an official note from the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office so we can work to best accommodate your needs, or consider dropping the class. 

Attendance 

Tardiness – Be on time and plan to stay for the entire class session. This course is a participation course that requires students to be present for warm-ups, movement combinations, evaluations, discussions, and all other class activities. 0.5 points will be deducted from your final grade due to late arrival or leaving class early. 15 minutes of missed class due to late arrival or leaving class early is considered an absence and 0.75 points will be deducted. 

Absence – Students are expected to attend all class meetings. 2.5 points will be deducted from your final grade for each unexcused absence. Missing more than 15 minutes of class is considered an absence.

The instructor may withdraw students who accumulate three unexcused absences from the course. Being withdrawn from class for excessive absences may affect a student’s financial aid status. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate with the financial aid office. 

Observations

Students are expected to attend and participate in all class meetings. 1.25 points will be deducted from a student’s final grade for the in-class observation. If a student is physically unable to participate in the course, this class observation assignment can be submitted for partial credit. 

Expectations for All Students  

Credit and Continuing Education (CE) students are treated equally in dance courses. There is no difference in instruction and expectations for all enrolled students. Full participation is expected from all students, including participation in studio work, performances, oral, and written assignments.

Professional Behavior 

Professional Conduct – Approach each class with the intent to improve your dance technique and dance artistry. The course grade will reflect individual commitment and focus, ability, attitude, and progress. Unprofessional conduct that undermines the integrity of the course material, other class participants, or the instructor, will not be tolerated. A student conducting themselves in an unprofessional manner may be asked to leave. If the behavior continues, the professor reserves the right to withdraw the student. If there is a conduct issue with a fellow student, speak with the professor immediately.

Professional Communication – When communicating with a professor, the content of your communication should only include relevant information or questions about the course. More thorough discussions about the course or personal matters affecting your ability to complete the course, require an office-hour meeting.

Physical Touch Disclaimer

The use of physical touch is a routine and beneficial teaching practice in dance classes and rehearsals. If you have specific concerns regarding the use of touch in the classroom, please inform the instructor at the beginning of the semester, in writing.  You have the right to refuse the use of touch. 

Dance Class Attire

Students are required to wear clothing that safely facilitates all varieties of movement. This includes leotards, tights, yoga wear, t-shirts, supportive undergarments (bras, dance belts, etc.), and appropriate footwear at the discretion of the instructor. 

This does not include jeans, bare midriffs, short-shorts, jewelry, belts, hats, or street shoes. You will not be allowed to participate in class if you are not dressed according to your instructor’s guidelines. 

Dance Studio Policies

All personal belongings, such as cell phones (silenced), backpacks, purses, jackets, dance bags, and shoes, should be stowed in the changing area adjacent to the studio. 

Phone policy: texting and talking on the phone is prohibited in the entire studio area. Phone use before or after class, outside in the hallways only. Fit-Bit or Apple watches must be put to silence and notifications turned off.

Notebooks and water bottles are allowed in the studio and should be placed alongside the walls. 

Food, drink (other than water) and chewing gum are not allowed in the dance studio.

Do not wear body lotions and hair oils during dance class.

Check for personal belongings when leaving the studio.

Please exit the dance studio immediately following class.

Only students currently enrolled in DANC-1301 Dance Composition - Choreography are allowed in the studio outside of class time, during scheduled rehearsal times. Campus Police maintains a list of these students. 

Dance Class Etiquette

Stay in the dance space for the duration of class - do not enter the changing area during class.

Dress appropriately and come to class showered, clean, prepared, and ready to work.

Do not wear dance shoes outside the studio and do not wear street shoes on the Marley dance floor. 

Do not wear dangling or sharp-edged jewelry. Small earrings are okay. 

Place personal belongings on the shelves in the changing area.

Be on time. If you do come in late, enter very quietly and go to the back, with your instructor’s permission.

Stay until class ends. If you must leave early, clear it with your instructor before class. If you need to leave in an emergency, exit as quickly and discreetly as possible.

Completely silence and stow away your cell phone. Even vibration mode is distracting.

Watch closely and listen first, and then ask relevant and specific questions.

Listen while the instructor is talking between exercises. Do not talk to your neighbor. Everything is relevant to your learning.

Respect the personal space of others.

Respect the dance space. Pick up trash, your clothes, and don’t turn things on, off, up, or down in the space without permission.

Watch your language, even when you mess up.

Be attentive. Don’t hang or slouch on the ballet barres or mirrors. Beware of negative body language (like folded arms and slouching bodies). Never sit unless you are asked to sit down.

Good Habits to Follow

If you are late, apologize after class. Do not distract the class. Just wait for the okay from your teacher to enter the dance floor. Once permission is granted, find an easily accessible or inconspicuous place to warm up or participate.

If you are sitting out, sit tall. Never lie down. Take notes. Hand in the notes at the end of class.

Develop spatial awareness by respecting each other’s space.

Give the instructor space to move.

Strive to be in the front of the class and push yourself to know the combination.

Refrain from correcting others (that is the dance instructor’s job).

Do not quit in the middle of the room during a dance combination. Go with the flow if you’re lost or confused, continue your movement across the floor or center combinations. 

Part like the Red Sea when exiting. Clear the space. Don’t cross the center or the paths of other dancers.

It’s good to mark combinations while waiting for your turn if you are out of the way.

Do not repeatedly leave and then come back in without permission.

If you have further questions about the class material after the instructor has moved on, discuss during a break or after class. 

At the end of class, applaud or thank the instructor and musician (as part of the group)

If you are bored, get more engaged, review combinations, ask questions, go deeper, watch others

Good Things to Know

Bring a towel to wipe your sweat and germs off the floor, mats or barre. Please wipe and clean your mat with provided wipes after each use. 

Do not take a class way above your skill level. If this mistake is already made, do your best, but stay out of the way of other dancers.

Do not walk out of a class or go sit down because it’s too hard or you feel frustrated. This is considered inappropriate dance class etiquette. 

Applaud for demonstrators.

Once you’ve claimed a space in the center or in a group, it’s generally yours for better or worse. But don’t be pushy or try to reclaim a spot if yours gets taken.

At the end of class, it’s especially courteous to say thanks to the instructor and musician (one to one).

Restrain movement in a crowded class until broken into groups. If you bump into someone, quietly apologize. Don’t make it a big deal.

Please do not give your opinion on choreography to a teacher or choreographer unless your opinions have been requested. 

If you want help with something that will take more than a minute or two, do some research on your own and/or ask for help after class.

Do not record, photograph, or post anything (social media) without permission from the teacher and the students.