Faculty Syllabus

Instruction in dance performance through experiential projects at the freshman level. May be repeated for credit once.

Credit Hours: 64 contact hours. In a 16-week semester, students should expect to commit 4 hours/week to this class. Additional rehearsals, tech week, and a performance at the end of the semester are also mandatory.

The following course requirements are mandatory: 

• Participate fully in all studio activities, discussions, and rehearsals.
• Maintain a weekly rehearsal log and review choreography outside of class.
• Work collaboratively to develop a piece of choreography under the direction of the instructor.
• Practice proper studio and theater etiquette.
• Attend one professional live dance concert. 
• Write and submit one performance reflection.
• Write and submit one written self-reflection. 
• Attend the ACC Dance Film Night
• Participate in tech rehearsal and perform for a public audience in the ACC Choreographers’ Showcase. 
• Perform for a public audience in Open House

The primary methods of learning for DANC 1151 will include instructor-led warm-ups, conditioning, and body awareness exercises, improvisational explorations, learning and remembering choreography, the rehearsal process, preparing for a public performance (costuming, technical considerations, rehearsals in performance space, and performance for an audience), and reflection. Students will also participate in class discussions and learn through observation of their fellow students.

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.

Learning Outcomes

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

• Recognize and exhibit dance rehearsal etiquette through active listening, personal responsibility, commitment to the practice, and respect for the larger community of dance. 
• Demonstrate skills and etiquette necessary for dance performance including auditions, flexibility in the creative process, technical and dress rehearsal requirements, and performances. 
• Utilize and articulate basic terminology necessary for performing in dance productions. 
• Analyze basic performance skills and demonstrate the ability to expand expressive artistry through performed movement. 
• Adapt to different performance environments

Course Level – Student learning outcomes

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

• To become familiar with the responsibilities and processes encountered by dancers working in a professional dance company.
• To work with a choreographer/instructor on the creation of a dance piece.  
• To explore various aspects of the dancer's role in the choreographic process (such as improvisation, compositional assignments, and investigating/developing your individual role within the choreography).
• To develop dance performance skills, such as partnering, unison movement, spatial and rhythmic awareness, ensemble patterning and performance qualities.
• To observe professional dancers in performance as a means of understanding your role and preparing for your own performance with this class.
• To perform a finished work of choreography for an invited audience.
• To evaluate and discuss the process of participating in a public performance as a member of a dance company.

Grading Breakdown

Grading Scale

• Tuesday and Thursday class meetings - rehearsals 
• October 20 - Written Self-Reflection due
• November 12, 6:00 pm - Dance Film Night
• November 15 - Written Performance Review assignment due 
• November 27 - Thanksgiving, campus closed 
• November 30 - December 2, 5:00-10:00 pm - Tech rehearsals 
• December 3, 5:00-10:00 pm - Dress rehearsal
• December 4 - 5, 5:00-10:00 pm - Choreographers’ Showcase
• December 7 - 5:45 pm call - Open House
• December 8 - Last class

Approach

Students are expected to approach this course with sincere, sustained, and dedicated participation and self-motivation in all rehearsals and activities. Students are also expected to have openness to feedback, risk-taking, and personal growth, along with respect for fellow classmates. 

Dress Code

Students are expected to wear form-fitting, exercise-style clothing that enables a full range of movement. This allows freedom in movement exploration. Students must also wear socks or be barefoot. Hair must be back and out of the face. Please remove any dangling jewelry. 

Choreographers’ Showcase   

Creation, rehearsal, and performance of a final piece to be performed for a public audience at the ACC Choreographers’ Showcase on December 4 and 5 at 7:30 pm, with tech and dress rehearsals during class the week of November 30.

Open House

Creation, rehearsal, and performance of a final piece to be performed for a public audience at the ACC Open House on December 7 at 7:00 pm, with warm-up starting at 5:45 pm.

Attendance and Participation

Attendance and Participation will weigh the most on a student’s overall class grade and will be determined by the following, totaling 2.5 points per class meeting: 

1. Attendance (up to 1 point)  
   1. Arrive on time 
   2. Stay until the end
2. Participation (up to 1.5 points)
   1. Dance fully - Push the edge of your personal physicality while listening to and voicing your bodily needs so as to not cause injury 
   2. Demonstrate individual comprehension and improvement of movement ideas 
   3. Engage in the learning process through listening, following instructions, and asking questions 
   4. Bring a supportive attitude to class 
   5. Work with others respectfully 

All students will receive an exempt grade for their first missed class. After that, each missed class will receive a 0 as daily attendance. 

Late Work Policy - Assignments in Blackboard 

Assignments are due at the posted deadline. Work submitted after the deadline will receive reduced credit: 1 point (1%) per day late. 

If a personal, medical, or family issue arises, please communicate with me as possible and we can work together to set a reasonable deadline extension.

Please see the link here

• Introduction: In this course, the use of generative AI (GAI) technologies is strictly prohibited to preserve academic integrity and ensure the development of student competencies. Using generative AI tools to substantially complete any assignment is not permitted. Using instructive generative AI to assist, edit, review, etc. any written assignments is on a case-by-case basis and under SAS guidelines.

• Rationale: The prohibition is in place to encourage original thought, manual problem-solving skills, and to maintain equity in educational opportunities and assessments. In this section of "World Dance,"  the student's personal perspectives, opinions, and insights are explored and centered in written assignments. All writing must reflect these elements through the student's unique use of subjective writing in active voice with personal insight clearly provided, unless the assignment states otherwise.

• Definition of GAI: Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can generate text, images, or other content based on minimal input. This includes chatbots, image generation tools, and code assistants that require some form of text or visual input in order to generate an output. Alongside generative AI are instructive GAI systems and programs. These systems and applications include Grammarly, Quillbot, Packback, Microsoft WORD Editor. Some programs have less obvious GAI elements that may rely on automated tools that correct and rearrange all human-written sentences, thus removing the need for students to think critically, individually review and edit their own spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. alongside the traditional proofreading markers and suggestions. Further, these tools tend to edit and suggest text generations that are primarily objective and in passive voice, effectively eliminating the personal out of the content that a student is attempting to edit/proofread. However, these tools can also serve as examples of instructive AI that support student learning. This is where faculty discretion and SAS guidelines will come into play. GAI in the academic world is an ever-changing field with complexity for all involved; for more resources on the matter, see:

  • ACC's TLED GUIDE TO GENERATIVE AI

  • NYU's Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs)

  • TXST's Library Guide to Artificial Intelligence (AI).