GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

• Completion of the syllabus quiz (on Blackboard)

• Consistent participation on discussion boards

• Completion of all reading and viewing assignments prior to discussion board posts

• Completion of one comparison paper, one recorded presentation, six (6) short unit papers, and six (6) online unit quizzes

• Active participation in multicultural movement labs 

EXAMS AND ASSIGNMENTS      

There will be five (5) main elements evaluated in class throughout the semester.

1)     Unit Quizzes: The first element will be a series of quizzes including multiple choice and/or true-false questions covering the content of each unit. (Quizzes will happen online through Blackboard.)

2)     Unit Papers: The second evaluation will be a series of short unit focused papers based on the student’s personal observations of ideas we have explored in lectures, discussion, readings, and cultural interactions. (Papers should be submitted through Blackboard.)

3)     Recorded Cultural Presentation: The third element included in evaluation is a presentation of a cultural dance form which is a part of the students’ personal heritage or a cultural movement form we have not addressed in class. (Presentation will be recorded and submitted through Blackboard.)

4)     Comparative Paper: The fourth element is a comparative paper. The comparative paper is a comparison between two units, using the previous unit papers as a starting point, OR the examination of one theme and how it is seen across all of the units we explored. (See assignment for more details.)

5)     Discussion Board and Team Debate: The fifth element is weekly participation on a discussion board with other students. Students are required to post one question regarding the week’s subject and post one or two answers to other students’ questions. An additional discussion board assignment will be a debate between student teams on subjects jointly chosen by the instructor and the students. The final post will be on a student selected topic.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS         

The course text is World Dance Cultures by Patricia Leigh Beaman. This book is available in the ACC bookstore as both a hardcopy and an eBook. Other, non-textbook, readings will be posted in Blackboard. Students are responsible for having read the text / article prior to posting to the discussion board. See the attached Course Schedule for reading assignments. Students are responsible for all course readings even if the discussion board covers only part of the content. Video will be used frequently in DANC 1305 and we will have active dance labs.

COURSE SCHEDULE

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. To gain a critical understanding of dance as a form of human cultural expression.   

2. To be able to identify and discuss major traditional uses of dance. 

3. To create civic and cultural awareness of the uses of dance.

4. To think critically about the uses of dance as an aesthetic tradition.

5. To present culturally significant dance forms.  

6. To practice writing about dance and its use as a cultural symbol in a clear, concise, and sophisticated manner, identifying key concepts, reasons for development, and uses of dance in various cultures.

7. To gain a greater understanding for and appreciation of world dance as a cultural art form.    

COURSE LEVEL LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will: 

1.    Evaluate and discuss the influence of culture on dance movements. 

2.    Recognize and appreciate cultural diversity through the aesthetics of movement. 

3.    Compare and contrast musical accompaniment to cultural dances. 

4.    Discuss the history and cultural relevance of world dance forms. 

5.    Apply cross-cultural analysis to the study of dance

PROGRAM LEVEL LEARNING OUTCOMES

PSLO4: Students will demonstrate, through speaking and/or writing, the ability to clearly articulate aesthetic concerns in dance, including analysis of choreography.

GENERAL ED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students completing this Language, Philosophy, and Culture core curriculum course will meet the following objectives:

Communication Skills: Develop, interpret, and express ideas and information through written, oral, and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.
Critical Thinking Skills: Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking.
Personal Responsibility: Identify and apply ethical principles and practices to decision-making by connecting choices, actions, and consequences.
Social Responsibility: Analyze differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Teamwork: Consider different points of view to work collaboratively and effectively in pursuit of a shared purpose or goal.

A survey of dances from different cultures, their histories, and their influences on contemporary dance and society. Cultural origins, significance, motivations and techniques will be explored experientially.

Current ACC policies are available in Blackboard.