Theatre Practice Dance/Choreography
| Module title | Theatre Practice Dance/Choreography |
|---|---|
| Module code | DRA2013 |
| Academic year | 2022/3 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Pamela Woods (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 4 | 2 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 18 |
|---|
Module description
If you want to create your own piece, then this is for you!
Prior knowledge of or experience in dance or choreography is NOT a requirement. The module welcomes open-minded students with an enthusiasm for movement, a willingness to experiment and take creative risks, and the desire to develop their own movement potential and expressive movement vocabulary. It is strongly focused on developing dance compositional skills (not dance technique).
You work together as a large group, in small groups and in pairs in a supportive learning environment. The module enables you to find and/or develop your individual choreographic voice. The process gives you the opportunity to have ownership of your ideas and to create and perform your own short solo, which is shared with your peers in a celebration of solo pieces.
The module examines choreography within dance as a theatre art As a way of appreciating diverse styles involved in the genre, you will be introduced to different techniques and approaches of key practitioners in the field and have some ‘taster’ sessions. Effort, and open enquiry are what matter in these instances. As the module progresses, you will research an area of specific interest to you within the field of choreography, and present a seminar which will inform your solo process. A written portfolio (critical and reflective) will draw together research, embodied practice and solo process.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The overall aim of the module is to help you find and/or develop your own choreographic voice.
Specifically, it aims to develop your skills, knowledge and understanding of dance as a performing art through the inter-related process of:
- Performance - developing proficiency in movement awareness and expression
- Composition - using a variety of stimuli as starting points for improvisation, exploration, selection and refinement of movement content
- Critical study and appreciation of dance composition and choreography, with reference to own work and exemplars of professional dance.
Although not exclusively so, the emphasis of study is, for pragmatic reasons, on the practice, history and development of the genre of contemporary dance (including dance-theatre).
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate physical performing skills
- 2. Demonstrate development in personal movement vocabulary
- 3. Utilise a range of dance compositional skills (including space, time, relationship, dynamics, phrasing)
- 4. Demonstrate an understanding of the choreographic process with reference to choice of movement content, style and accompaniment
- 5. Demonstrate understanding and appreciation of choreography within an historical and cultural context
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. The ability to work effectively with others in small task-orientated groups and to initiate and sustain creative, analytic and interpretative work within strict time limits and basic technical competence
- 7. The ability to utilise research tools effectively and to translate theory into practice
- 8. The ability to apply library and IT skills in independent additional research
- 9. The ability to contribute research to small groups in effective presentations, to evaluate visual evidence and analyse, critique and manipulate complex material
- 10. The ability to engage critically and analytically with physical discipline; the development of thoughtful creative processes and understanding of physicalisation in performance
- 11. The ability to explore theoretical concerns through practice, and vice versa, and to synthesise findings in practical and written tasks. The ability to interpret research into physical practice and vice versa
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 12. To develop personal research skills using personal initiative; to set personal objectives and to identify and evaluate personal learning strategies
- 13. To develop group cooperation skills, including the ability to give and receive constructive critical feedback and to improve communication skills and analytic abilities in discussions
- 14. To develop confidence in performance skills and public presentation, both of practice and researched material
- 15. The ability to express and communicate creative ideas and images; ability to initiate and sustain creative solo work
- 16. The ability to collaborate in various groups and group sizes, to learn elements of teamwork and presentation
- 17. The ability to balance between self-direction and collaborative work; self-management, collaborative working skills, problem solving, critical analysis and valuing own and others' ideas and beliefs
Syllabus plan
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
You will be introduced to key individuals and companies in the field of contemporary dance (including dance-theatre), and the movement styles, dance techniques and approaches to choreography which have informed them. .
There will be a combination of reading, viewing, practical movement enquiries and dance composition tasks. You will work in supportive group situations (small groups and pairs) and on short solo tasks, gradually building towards a final solo choreography.
Fundamental to practical sessions will be the development of movement awareness, based on sound anatomical principles, to facilitate the development of yourown movement potential and expressive vocabulary.
You will become familiar with key choreographers and Independent Dance practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds. We will acknowledge the work of pioneers such as Rudolf Laban, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and Pina Bausch, and embrace the diverse cultural influences on past and current contemporary dance practice. We shall ask ‘what can choreography be?’
Dance composition and choreographic skills will be developed through experimentation and exploration of movement in space and time. You will research towards a seminar presentation of personal interest to you within the field of choreography, which will inform your solo process. A written portfolio (critical and reflective) will draw together research, embodied practice and solo process.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | 234 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 66 | Practical sessions |
| Guided independent study | 70 | Choreography tasks and solo preparation |
| Guided independent study | 94 | Research (set readings, viewing professional work, preparation for seminars) |
| Guided independent study | 70 | Writing (reviews, artists' journals and portfolios) |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo choreography process tasks | 2-3 minutes | 1-4,10,11,14,15, 17 | tutor and peer oral feedback |
| short written tasks: analysis of choreography (formative) and reflections on process | 300-500 words each | 4,5,7,11 | Tutor oral feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | 0 | 35 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous assessment tasks (practice and research) including individual formal seminar presentation | 35 | Varying lengths for the duration of module; individual formal seminar presentation 10-12 minutes | 1-16 | Oral feedback in sessions and written feedback at end of module |
| Solo choreography process and performance | 35 | 5 minute solo performance | 1-4, 7,10-12,14,15 | Oral and written feedback |
| Portfolio | 30 | 2000 words plus appendices | 4,5,7,8,10-12 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo choreography | 5 mins solo performance | 1-4,7,10-12,14,15 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Portfolio | Portfolio | 4,5,7,8,10-12 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Preston-Dunlop, V. (1998) Looking at Dance: a choreological perspective on choreography, Verve Publishing (* key book for dance composition class)
- Adair, C. and Burt, R. (eds.) (2017) British Dance, Black Routes, Routledge
- Albright, Ann Cooper (1997) Choreographing Difference, Wesleyan Press
- Benbow-Pfalzgraf, T. (1998) International Dictionary of Modern Dance, St James Press
- Banes, S (1994) Terpsichore in Sneakers, Wesleyan University Press
- Blom, L.A. and Chaplin L.T. (1982) The Intimate Act of Choreography, Pittsburgh: Uni. Pittsburgh Press
- Bremser, M. (ed.) (1999) Fifty Contemporary Choreographers, London: Routledge
- Bradley, K. (2009) Rudolf Laban, Routledge
- Climenhaga, R. (2009) Pina Bausch, Routledge
- Copeland, R. (2004) Merce Cunningham: the modernizing of modern dance, London: Routledge
- Cunningham, M. (1968) Changes: notes on choreography, New York: Something Else Press
- Fernandes, Ciane (2002) Pina Bausch and the Wuppertal Dance Theater, P.Lang
- Mazo, J. (1977) Prime Movers: the making of modern dance in America, London: Black
- Morgenroth, J. (2004) Speaking of dance: twelve contemporary choreographers on their craft, London: Routledge
- Morrison-Brown, J. (1980) The Vision of Modern Dance, London: Dance Books
- Partch-Bergson, I. (2003) The makers of modern dance in Germany: Rudolf Laban, Mary Wigman, Kurt Jooss, N.J.: Princeton Book Company
- Reeve, S. (ed.) (2013) Body and Performance, Triarchy Press
- Steinman, L. (1985) The Knowing Body, New York: Shambala
- Todd, Mabel Elsworth (1997) The Thinking Body, Dance Horizons
- Whatley, Brown, Alexander (eds.) (2015) Attending to Movement, Triarchy Press
- Worth, L. and Poyner, H. (2004) Anna Halprin, Routledge Journals: Dance Theatre Journal, Dance Now
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
- ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=11508
- Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, Intellect
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
- Exeter Digital Archives
- Various recordings of performances (to be detailed during module)
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | DRA1004 Acting and Not Acting |
| Module co-requisites | none |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 2011 |
| Last revision date | 24/07/2020 |
