Faculty Syllabus

Instruction in the fundamental techniques and concepts associated with the concert form of modern dance. May be repeated for credit once.

Consistent attendance and active participation in class meetings

Weekly journal reflections

Final self-assessment

Attendance at Dance Film Night and/or Choreographer's Showcase

Participation in Open House performance

COURSE-LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will: 

1. Recognize and exhibit dance class etiquette such as spatial awareness, active listening, personal responsibility, commitment to the practice, and respect for the larger community of dance.
2. Demonstrate vocabulary related to modern dance both kinesthetically and verbally.
3. Evaluate improvement in biomechanics related to alignment, traveling, coordination, flexibility, and strength/stamina in modern dance disciplines.
4. Exhibit increased facility in movement phrasing, rhythmic accuracy, and execution of learned movement (picking up material quickly).
5. Articulate an understanding of the legacy of modern dance as relevant to contemporary practices.

PROGRAM-LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will demonstrate in studio classes and performances a sound foundation of technical skills in ballet, modern, and jazz technique. Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate beginning-intermediate level modern skills in:

• Placement and alignment
• Rhythmic clarity
• Spatial awareness
• Individual expression
• Professionalism

There are no prerequisites for DANC-1245 Beginning Modern.

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.

Your grade in this course will reflect your participation and commitment to engaging fully with the concepts and techniques. Your technical growth in dance will result naturally from the learning process, but it is not the basis on which the course will be graded. The breakdown of your criteria for grading is below:

75% — attendance + participation in class

10% — weekly journal reflections

5% — final self-assessment

5% — attendance at Dance Film Night and/or Choreographer's Showcase

5% -- participation in Open House

Grading scale:

A — 90-100%

B — 80-89%

C — 70-79%

D — 60-69%

F — 0-59%

This is the most important factor to your success in this course. Students are expected to arrive early or on time for class and be present in the room for the duration of class. Please communicate any planned absences to the instructor via e-mail prior to the absence. Students are allowed two absences without penalty; following that, the attendance grade will be deducted. Missing more than four class periods for any reason will result in your grade dropping by a full letter grade (i.e. A to B, C to D).

If you are unable to complete an assignment by the deadline, communicate that to the instructor prior to the deadline. The instructor will work with you to set a new deadline for the assignment without penalty. If you do not communicate with the instructor or miss the new set deadline, the highest grade you can receive for that assignment will be 50%. Assignments that are more than 48 hours past due will receive a grade of zero.

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that their name is removed from the rolls should they decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should they feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date. The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester is August 3.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status. Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.

In this course, the use of generative AI (GAI) technologies is strictly prohibited to preserve academic integrity and ensure the development of student competencies. The prohibition is in place to encourage original thought, manual problem-solving skills, and to maintain equity in educational opportunities and assessments. 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. Students are not allowed to use GAI for completing assignments, projects, tests, or any form of assessment in this course. Any violation of this policy will result in academic penalties, which may include a failing grade for the activity, reporting to academic affairs, and further disciplinary action. Exceptions to this policy will only be made under specific circumstances approved by the instructor, typically where technology is used to accommodate learning differences.

In order to advance to Intermediate Modern, a student must achieve the above listed Student Learning Outcomes at an intermediate level. Level placement and progression is based on assessment by a faculty committee. Refer to the Modern Technique Level Placement Rubric in the Dance Student Handbook. Any questions about level placement should be directed to the instructor.

ACC Dance Department policies can be found here.

ACC Dance Studio policies can be found here.

ACC Dance Class Etiquette policies can be found here.