ART-SHU 231 Introduction to Dance & Movement
This two-point introductory class explores and builds foundational skills across different genres of dance. Through movement sequences, short dances, and creative activities, students build up muscle strength, increase coordination, flexibility, balance, and stamina as well as improve their kinesthetic memory, musicality, and knowledge of their own bodies. In addition, imagery and visualization prompts will be used to foster creative experimentation in movement. The course also includes dance appreciation through the study of well-known artists and their works.
ART-SHU 230 Ballet
This two point course is an introduction to the fundamental concepts of Ballet. Students learn from classical, neo-classical, or modern ballet repertoire depending on the semester. The class warm-up content will vary according to the skill level of the class’ participants. Students are asked to focus on mastery of technical capabilities, with emphasis on flexibility, strength, coordination, and balance, improving their overall comprehension of ballet form. Students are expected to perform in the end-of-the-semester show. This is an introductory course and there are no pre-requisites.
ART-SHU 225A Contemporary Dance
This two-point course introduces the fundamental concepts of contemporary dance. Through movement exploration, imitation, and memorization based on Graham technique, students gain an appreciation for the expressive and dynamic capacity of the body. In addition to body work, students learn and perform contemporary dances.
ART-SHU 242 Dances of Southern China
Only offered Spring semester
This two-credit course introduces students to different minority and ethnic folk dances from Southern China. In addition to embodying the dance forms, students explore the cultural, historical, environmental, and religious contexts that shaped their development. The course culminates in an end-of-semester concert, during which students perform two dances representing the Tibetan (藏族), Dai (傣族), and/or Wa (佤族) communities. Students study the legends and stories behind each dance form while developing an understanding of their distinctive movement patterns, rhythms, and traditional dances.
ART-SHU 243 Dances of Northern China
Only offered Fall semester
This two-credit course introduces students to different minority and ethnic folk dances from Northern China. In addition to embodying the dance forms, students explore the cultural, historical, environmental, and religious contexts that shaped their development. The course culminates in an end-of-semester concert, during which students perform two dances representing the Mongolian (蒙古族), Yanbian Korean (朝鲜族), and/or Uighur (维吾尔族) communities. Students study the legends and stories behind each dance form while developing an understanding of their distinctive movement patterns, rhythms, and traditional dances.
ART-SHU 241 Han-Tang Dances
Only offered Spring Semester
This two-credit course introduces the repertoires in Chinese Classical Dance. Students will explore the dance practices rooted in Chinese martial arts, opera, and historical sources, including texts, sculpture, and painting. The course culminates in an end-of-semester concert, where students will perform works representing the Han-Tang (Han and Tang Dynasties) style, Chinese martial art-dance fusion, and/or Dunhuang style. This is an intermediate-level course, and prior experience in dance or sports is recommended.
ART-SHU 244 Intermediate Ballet
This two point intermediate course is designed to provide an opportunity for students to continue their pursuit of ballet techniques with an emphasis on developing their performing skills in ballet. This course covers a broad range of ballet work inclusive of barre work, ports de bras, adage, pirouettes, larger jumps, and building stamina exercises. The class content is structured in three parts: barre exercises, center floor work, and performance. Prerequisite for this class is ART-SHU 230 Ballet.
ART-SHU 238 Choreography & Performance
This two point course introduces the fundamental concepts of choreography and performance through participation in movement exploration, setting phrases, building solos, duets, and integrating them into group pieces. Through better understanding of space, control, aesthetics, alignment, and musicality, as well as practicing these learning strategies, the student gains an awareness not only for self and collective discovery, but also for the creative process underlining and shaping personal and artistic expressions.
It is suggested to have taken at least one dance class before enrolling in this course.
ART-SHU 340 Composition
Only offered Fall semester
This advanced dance class is designed as a lecture and laboratory, for investigating and expanding our own creativity through the construction of full dance pieces. We will learn how developing a creative practice can not only facilitate dance making and choreography in quick bouts, but also how to turn those tiny gems into a more vast and rich repertoire for audience viewing, either in the public or within a school environment. We will also focus on developing our skills as critical thinkers and the course will emphasize discussion and how we talk about performance as well as give feedback, in order to refine these skills. There will be assigned readings, and we will watch videos of both past and contemporary works to familiarize ourselves with what is happening now (and what has been done) in the field, and to see how this can inform and inspire our own work. Performance is a mandatory component of this class. Any student who has taken 1-2 dance classes previously or Choreography & Performance, is encouraged to take this advanced dance course. Prerequisite: ART-SHU 239.2 or 239.4 Choreography & Performance
ART-SHU 246 Dance on Camera
This advanced dance class explores the choreographic and cinematic aspects of creating the dance for the camera. Dance on Camera is a synthesis between film/video techniques with the art of choreography. The course encourages students to expand the skills developed in previous dance classes and to engage in the challenging yet rewarding process of creative collaboration. The course also includes site-specific creation and both narrative and abstract approaches to storytelling. Students should be prepared to focus on collaborative processes and to devote significant effort to improving communication skills and meaningful contributions within a team. Basic knowledge of video editing software is required prior to enrolling in this course. Any student who has taken two dance classes previously, or ART-SHU 238 Choreography & Performance, is encouraged to take this advanced dance course. If you believe you are eligible, please contact the instructor to request permission.
If you are taking a class to count towards the Cross-School Dance Minor, it can only be taken once for credit. In addition, while all classes are repeatable, a student cannot receive credit for the same class, twice. The above classes are listed in terms of their increasing difficulty and complexity.
