Class Schedules

In a process of studied spectatorship, students in this first-year course will attend live performances in the Twin Cities and view films of performances by local artists. They will acquire the vocabularies of the field to critically articulate their individual reactions to dance and theater performances, and consider their design elements. With the support of seminal readings in dance, design, and theater criticism, students will write reviews and essays that give special consideration to issues of representation, socio-historical context, and artistic expression.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

In a process of studied spectatorship, students in this first-year course will attend live performances in the Twin Cities and view films of performances by local artists. They will acquire the vocabularies of the field to critically articulate their individual reactions to dance and theater performances, and consider their design elements. With the support of seminal readings in dance, design, and theater criticism, students will write reviews and essays that give special consideration to issues of representation, socio-historical context, and artistic expression.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

Reading Plays guides students in close readings of dramatic literature, in particular of plays that are typically left out of the traditional theatrical canon. Students will learn about the socio-historical context of each play, and in-class exercises will introduce them to the foundation of script analysis: they will examine the play’s given circumstances, dialogue, dramatic action, characters, and style. Students will read a new play every week; assignments include weekly in-class writing exercises and short critical papers. Some playwrights we may explore are: Ayad Akhtar, Jaclyn Backhaus, Christopher Chen, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Prince Gomolvilas, David Henry Hwang, Naomi Iizuka, Rajiv Joseph, Hansol Jung, Haruna Lee, Kimber Lee, Young Jean Lee, Qui Nguyen, Jiehae Park, Lloyd Suh, Kristina Wong, Lauren Yee, and Chay Yew.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Internationalism OR U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course introduces students to the art of acting. They will acquire fundamental acting skills and engage in  artistic experimentation. Students will learn how to create a repeatable score of psychophysical actions, script analysis, use the body/voice as the actor's performing instrument; explore internal (memory, impulses, and so forth) and external (the other actors, the environment, objects, and so forth) stimuli as creative sources; rediscover of play and imagination; and develop work ethics and discipline. Students in this course will engage in physical activity and be required to spend 3-5 hours in rehearsals outside of scheduled class time.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course introduces students to the art of acting. They will acquire fundamental acting skills and engage in  artistic experimentation. Students will learn how to create a repeatable score of psychophysical actions, script analysis, use the body/voice as the actor's performing instrument; explore internal (memory, impulses, and so forth) and external (the other actors, the environment, objects, and so forth) stimuli as creative sources; rediscover of play and imagination; and develop work ethics and discipline. Students in this course will engage in physical activity and be required to spend 3-5 hours in rehearsals outside of scheduled class time.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course grounds students in the technical and construction practices of performance-making: materials and their sources and histories; conventional and contemporary technologies and techniques; quantitative methods for calculating and assessing drawings for execution. A balance of lecture and hands-on studio time allow students to learn and apply knowledge through working with materials. Students in this course also may provide support to mainstage performance projects, further extending their learning in the course. Department provides course materials.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course grounds students in the technical and construction practices of performance-making: materials and their sources and histories; conventional and contemporary technologies and techniques; quantitative methods for calculating and assessing drawings for execution. A balance of lecture and hands-on studio time allow students to learn and apply knowledge through working with materials. Students in this course also may provide support to mainstage performance projects, further extending their learning in the course. Department provides course materials.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course introduces students to debates, methods, and conceptual frameworks in race and gender, as represented in performance. It engages students in an interdisciplinary exploration of key terms--such as corporeality, embodiment, intersectionality, and performativity--that remain central to the fields of gender and sexuality, critical race theory, and performance. Through drafts and revisions of written work, critical dialogues and oral presentations in small groups, peer feedback, and analytical reading, students will engage in questions around identity formation, structural inequality, and the politics of citizenship.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

Scenography is the creation of imagined spaces for performance. In this course we will study the fundamentals of scenography holistically, including scenic, lighting, costume, and sound design. Students will develop the ability to analyze and critique elements of performance design, articulate design ideas through written and verbal means, and complete a design project from textual analysis to tangible objects. This course is a prerequisite for intermediate and advanced design courses in Theater and Dance. Department provides course materials.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

In this course, students engage in a series of playwriting exercises and read a wide variety of plays. They will read new and contemporary plays that employ different storytelling techniques (i.e., structure, character arcs, staging elements, etc.), embrace the unlimited possibilities of theatricality, and exemplify why we write for the stage. Students will develop a "playwriting toolkit" as they explore their artistic interests following the conventions of time-bound pieces: the 1-minute, 5-minute, 10-minute, and ultimately one-act form. In-class exercises and prompts, and small-group workshopping and reading will challenge each writer's individual development. A midterm and final play reading series of one-acts will allow students to hear their work in a supportive public setting. May be repeated for credit.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WC

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

In this course, students engage in a series of playwriting exercises and read a wide variety of plays. They will read new and contemporary plays that employ different storytelling techniques (i.e., structure, character arcs, staging elements, etc.), embrace the unlimited possibilities of theatricality, and exemplify why we write for the stage. Students will develop a "playwriting toolkit" as they explore their artistic interests following the conventions of time-bound pieces: the 1-minute, 5-minute, 10-minute, and ultimately one-act form. In-class exercises and prompts, and small-group workshopping and reading will challenge each writer's individual development. A midterm and final play reading series of one-acts will allow students to hear their work in a supportive public setting. May be repeated for credit.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WC

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course will introduce students to the multi-faceted responsibilities of the stage manager in theatrical stage productions. Through a combination of classroom discussions, in-class group activities, at-home exercises and site visits, students will learn the responsibilities and tools of managing any collaborative creative team. By the end of this course, students will have developed core proficiencies in note-taking, information management, giving written & verbal feedback, collaboration, leadership, communication, conflict intervention and team organization.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

The study of anatomy and somatics provide concrete pathways to deepening our understanding of self and the mind-body connection. We will study the musculoskeletal human anatomy on both a theoretical and practical level. Countering the notion that the body is an assemblage of parts to be trained, strengthened, and disciplined, we will delve into various mind-body practices that illuminate anatomy from a first-person perspective. We will focus on experiential learning including embodied anatomy and movement practices that provide direct knowledge of anatomy and alignment while providing opportunities for an integrated experience from within and increased self-awareness. In-class work will be supplemented by readings, journaling, physical practice, writing and research.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

Students in this class will engage with costume design as both generative and collaborative artists. They will learn to conceptualize costumes for theater and dance productions drawing from a multitude of inspirations including the fine arts, costume/fashion history, music, literature, film, opera, and textiles. Class meetings will include discussions about readings and visual literacy, as well as hands-on exploration of a real-world design process including research, drawing and painting renderings, budgeting, fittings, and oral presentations of designs. Students will engage with both traditional and devised methods of developing characters and silhouettes to develop their unique vision for theatrical and dance productions. There will be 1-2 field trips to visit key resource locations for costume designers.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course explores the four significant periods of theater history (Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, and Restoration) through learning about the historical context, the physical theater elements, the plays that defined the time and the playwrights who wrote them. Students will engage with script analysis of the plays through staged readings.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course prepares advanced theater students to direct public performances, and thus focuses on the acquisition of skills such as text analysis, dynamic storytelling, stage composition, and communication (with designers, actors, stage managers, and production team). Students will choose a scene from a play proposed by the instructor, research style and aesthetic, run auditions, cast the scene, facilitate a rehearsal process, and stage a live performance. They will also learn best collaborative practices, since the class unfolds in conversation with the Acting Approaches course (THDA360) and culminates in public performances at the James A. Williams Theater. Prerequisite(s): THDA 120 or THDA 235 or THDA 360, or permission of the instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This is a reading and writing intensive course that engages theories from the fields of aesthetics and cultural studies to support each student's in-depth research into a topic of their choice. Discussions examine how particular uses of the body, space, and narrative intersect to inform our experience of "performance," broadly defined, and engage the interplay between real and fictional in both artistic productions and performative social contexts. Students may pursue archival and library research, analysis of live performance, and analysis of documents of various kinds, including visual materials. Required for Theater and Dance majors, open to Dance, Theater, and Performance Design and Technologies minors.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

Dances of the African Diaspora I introduces students to selected dance forms from the African diaspora, especially those coming from West Africa and that emerged in the Caribbean and the Americas. The course is physically rigorous and emphasizes community building. A drummer accompanies the class, so students experience the fundamental connection between drums and dance as they learn the histories, techniques, and characteristics of Diasporic movement forms. Assignments include movement projects developed in class and presentations. All are welcome. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading, effective spring 2022.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This is a beginning ballet class designed for students who have never had ballet before. The goal is to demonstrate fundamental understanding and execution of basic ballet technique and to develop a foundation in movement that will carry over and support any other style of dance or physical practice. It will include barre and center work, across-the-floor combinations, and stretching and strengthening practices. Correct alignment, coordination, and body mechanics will be emphasized. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This class introduces students to the process of spontaneously creating movement, and the art of composing in the moment. Creative exploration is facilitated using a variety of movement scores and structures, working with the elements of time, space, quality, sensory experiences and perception. This course emphasizes collaboration and community, as well as individual agency within that framework. Through a kinesthetic lens, using curiosity and awareness, we will delve into who we are and how we move through the world. The class includes an introduction to Contact Improvisation, the "art-sport" developed by Steve Paxton in 1972. Come with a desire to move, an open mind and a willingness to explore in a non-competitive environment. Open to students with any level of previous experience in dance and movement, from beginning to advanced. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This introductory level course explores the theory, technique, and terminology of modern dance as a performing art. Students engage fully with their bodies and minds as they deepen their strength, sense of rhythm, flexibility, and coordination. The course develops skills in inversions, floor work, and balance based in a deepening awareness of alignment. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course introduces students to fundamental characteristics, techniques, and principles of Urban and Street Dance. This fall, the course will focus specifically on Krump. The class will dive into the typical movements, histories and origins of this urban dance style. We are going into deep detail using theories and concepts that can help our minds, bodies and spirits connect further and deeper to the styles themselves. This class will allow your own identity and way of motion to be in the forefront. The course is physically rigorous, and emphasizes community building. No experience required. All are welcome. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This is a beginning intermediate level ballet class for students who have acquired a foundation in the basic skills of classical ballet or have successfully completed THDA 51. Students will be expected to develop or expand their ballet technique while continuing to grow as dance artists. This class will consist of ballet barre and center work, simple pirouettes and the development of basic petit allegro steps. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading. Prerequisite(s): THDA 22 (Beginning Ballet) or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This is an advanced level ballet class for students who have achieved an advanced level of skill and artistry in classical ballet. Students will be expected to expand and develop their ballet technique while continuing to grow as dance artists. It will include barre work, pirouettes ending in all positions, and petit allegro with beats. Combinations will increase in complexity and students will be expected to pick up material quickly. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading. Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

The purpose of this technique class is to allow the intermediate to advanced modern dance student to explore and discover themselves as an articulate and expressive mover. Classwork places specific emphasis on alignment, power, momentum, articulation, clarity of intent, musicality and stamina. Class consists of in-place warm-ups, center exercises and a range of dance phrases. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading, effective Spring 2022. Prerequisite(s): THDA 42 or THDA 43 or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students are involved in Theater and Dance Department productions as actors or dancers in student-led pieces. Performance Practice in Student Projects is the appropriate course when students will not work under direct supervision of a faculty member, but are part of a student director's or student choreographer's work in an Honors production or Dance Concert. Two credits awarded at the end of the semester. May be repeated for credit. S/N grading only.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students are involved in production as actors or dancers, assistant choreographers or choreographers, assistant directors or directors, assistant designers or designers, dramaturgs and playwrights. Two credits awarded at the end of the semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor required; please contact the Theater and Dance Department directly for audition and registration information

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students are involved in production as actors or dancers, assistant choreographers or choreographers, assistant directors or directors, assistant designers or designers, dramaturgs and playwrights. Two credits awarded at the end of the semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor required; please contact the Theater and Dance Department directly for audition and registration information

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students are involved in set, costume, lighting and sound engineering and construction, and running crew. Two credits awarded at the end of the semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor required; please see instructor to be added to registration roster

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Reading Plays guides students in close readings of dramatic literature, in particular of plays that are typically left out of the traditional theatrical canon. Students will learn about the socio-historical context of each play, and in-class exercises will introduce them to the foundation of script analysis: they will examine the play's given circumstances, dialogue, dramatic action, characters, and style. Students will read a new play every week; assignments include weekly in-class writing exercises and short critical papers.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Internationalism OR U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

Reading Plays guides students in close readings of dramatic literature, inparticular of plays that are typically left out of the traditional theatrical canon. Students willlearn about the socio-historical context of each play, and in-class exercises will introducethem to the foundation of script analysis: they will examine the play’s givencircumstances, dialogue, dramatic action, characters, and style. Students will read a newplay every week; assignments include weekly in-class writing exercises and short criticalpapers. Some playwrights we may explore are: Ayad Akhtar, Jaclyn Backhaus,Christopher Chen, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Prince Gomolvilas, David Henry Hwang,Naomi Iizuka, Rajiv Joseph, Hansol Jung, Haruna Lee, Kimber Lee, Young Jean Lee, QuiNguyen, Jiehae Park, Lloyd Suh, Kristina Wong, Lauren Yee, and Chay Yew.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Internationalism OR U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course focuses on key 20th century contemporary choreographers across four continents, including LIN Hwai-min, Pina Bausch, Akram Khan, and Ohad Naharin, among others. We examine the international impact of their work as well the cultural contexts in which they thrived, or are thriving, as artists. We compare their creative processes, aesthetics and philosophies. We examine the political, social, and spiritual power of their artistic lives and bodies of work, with special attention to issues of race and gender.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
Internationalism

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course grounds students in the technical and construction practices of performance-making: materials and their sources and histories; conventional and contemporary technologies and techniques; quantitative methods for calculating and assessing drawings for execution. A balance of lecture and hands-on studio time allow students to learn and apply knowledge through working with materials. Students in this course also may provide support to mainstage performance projects, further extending their learning in the course. Department provides course materials. Appropriate for First-Year students.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course grounds students in the technical and construction practices of performance-making: materials and their sources and histories; conventional and contemporary technologies and techniques; quantitative methods for calculating and assessing drawings for execution. A balance of lecture and hands-on studio time allow students to learn and apply knowledge through working with materials. Students in this course also may provide support to mainstage performance projects, further extending their learning in the course. Department provides course materials. Appropriate for First-Year students.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students will work to discover their own voice in this class. Habits that have formed in the body will be worked on to free the voice and allow for its true potential to exist. Breathing and relaxation exercises, and developing a sense of body awareness and presence will all be a part of the journey of the class. Improvisation and games will be used as tools to help define openness, balance and creativity, strength and vulnerability. Students will consult various books and memorize a number of texts. Students are asked to write responses to readings, a report on a book of the instructor's choice, a report on a Macalester theater production, and a review of one professional play. A large part of a student's grade depends on the thoroughness and rigor of their work, as well as how much they develop and improve their skills throughout the semester. Students are expected attend and participate in all classes and to complete all assignments. There is one required book for the class, The Actor Speaks, by Patsy Rodenburg.​ Prerequisite(s): No previous acting or performance experience necessary.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course is the study and discipline of dance-making. Students learn the tools of the choreographer - time, space, energy - and how they can be shaped to give the body expressive power. The relationships between form, content, and technique are explored. Students choreograph short studies, improvise, discuss, and view dance on film and in live performance. The course values risk-taking and collaboration in a supportive, shared space. Through the creative process, we seek energy from a sense of investigation as opposed to the pressure to "succeed". The solo form is emphasized. May be repeated for credit.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

Making theatre is a messy business; in this studio course, we will explore physical comedy, the haphazard world of the clown, masks, improvisation, games, and object manipulation. The goal of the course is to encourage curiosity, and to engage the student as creator, designer, and performer-we will invent everything ourselves by learning how to play with skill. In short: there are no scripts, no lines and no stage directions. Our training will include basic acrobatics, balancing, and juggling. The instructor draws inspiration from the work of French stage actor and movement coach Jacques Lecoq. Prerequisite(s): Performance training in dance or theater is strongly encouraged. Openness to experimentation and play a must.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

Scenography is the creation of imagined spaces for performance. In this course we will study the fundamentals of scenography holistically, including scenic, lighting, costume, and sound design. Students will develop the ability to analyze and critique elements of performance design, articulate design ideas through written and verbal means, and complete a design project from textual analysis to tangible objects. This course is a prerequisite for intermediate and advanced design courses in Theater and Dance. Department provides course materials.

General Education Requirements:
Quantitative Thinking Q1

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

In this course, students engage in a series of playwriting exercises and read a wide variety of plays. They will read new and contemporary plays that employ different storytelling techniques (i.e., structure, character arcs, staging elements, etc.), embrace the unlimited possibilities of theatricality, and exemplify why we write for the stage. Students will develop a "playwriting toolkit" as they explore their artistic interests following the conventions of time-bound pieces: the 1-minute, 5-minute, 10-minute, and ultimately one-act form. In-class exercises and prompts, and small-group workshopping and reading will challenge each writer's individual development. A midterm and final play reading series of one-acts will allow students to hear their work in a supportive public setting. May be repeated for credit.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WC

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

The camera has a way of capturing truth in an unflinching way. The acting techniques needed to be able to communicate honestly and authentically are magnified when acting for the camera. This class will explore the expression of truth for both drama and comedy while building acting skills uniquely required for film and video. Students will develop critical response techniques that will enable constructive feedback. With the current industry trend towards video content, this class will give a strong foundation to succeed in any of the various film and video platforms.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course is an introduction to the techniques and tools of scene painting. Students willbe introduced to terminology and a variety of tools to explore faux finishes, abstracttechniques, and realistic reproductions. Students will also have a chance to participate inpainting the Theater department Spring productions to test their skills. Prior experiencewith painting is helpful, but not required. All materials will be provided.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

Join the conversations around class and the development of the labor movement in the US from the late 1800s to the present day through the lens of the theater and the people who worked in it. We will ask how the economic and political landscape shaped their working conditions, and how the arts themselves then shaped that same landscape. We will engage with this great conversation through 9-10 plays on power, labor and class struggle and analyze them in their context both as pieces of theatrical entertainment and political statements. Throughout the semester, students will also research parallel developments in other parts of the world and will present a research and analysis paper comparing and contrasting their findings with the material presented in class. Not appropriate for First-Year students.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA
U.S. Identities and Differences

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

By examining key movements in dance and theater history from the late 19th century to the present, this seminar explores the active relationship between theoretical thought and aesthetic innovation on stage. Through close readings of primary, secondary, and critical texts, the course highlights the ways in which dance and theater advanced movement by movement, each “ism” a reaction to what came before, and how the transformation from historical avant-garde to experimental contemporary performance represents dynamic and cumulative ruptures with the mainstream. Ultimately, they shape how we imagine, see, and create dance and theater today. Students’ work in this seminar will culminate in an individual critical writing project. Required for Theatre and Dance majors.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WA

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This course is an upper-level primer in strategies for creating ensemble-devised works of theater. We will focus on creative processes that incorporate the following techniques: physical theater, group-generated scripts, chance, site-specificity, anti-hierarchical rehearsals, non-linear narrative, horizontal design, and ritual. The theme for Spring 2025 will be "Care," as explored through queer, feminist, disability, and performance studies. Potential theorists and writers we might look at include: Sarah Ahmed, Lauren Berlant, adrienne maree brown, The Care Collective, Emma Dowling, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, bell hooks, James McMaster, Mia Mingus Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Lynne Segal, and Dean Spade. In addition to theorizing care through embodiment, we will also examine how care maps onto narratives we already know in myth and fairy tales, and explore how to reclaim and manipulate those known narratives. We will create short and longer performance as (a) collective(s), and learn how to incorporate meaningful and potentially complex thoughts and feelings into live, aesthetically-informed performances. The class will culminate in a public showing of work created by the ensemble as well as a reflection paper.

General Education Requirements:
Writing WP

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

Theater students are involved in production as actors, assistant directors, assistant designers or designers, and dramaturgs. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite(s): auditions and interviews, relevant coursework.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:
Fine arts

Course Materials

This is a beginning ballet class designed for students who have never had ballet before. The goal is to demonstrate fundamental understanding and execution of basic ballet technique and to develop a foundation in movement that will carry over and support any other style of dance or physical practice. It will include barre and center work, across-the-floor combinations, and stretching and strengthening practices. Correct alignment, coordination, and body mechanics will be emphasized. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course introduces students to fundamental characteristics, techniques, and principles of Urban and Street Dance. This spring, the course will focus specifically on Breaking. The class will dive into the typical movements, histories and origins of this urban dance style. We are going into deep detail using theories and concepts that can help our minds, bodies and spirits connect further and deeper to the styles themselves. This class will allow your own identity and way of motion to be in the forefront. The course is physically rigorous, and emphasizes community building. No experience required. All are welcome. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Dances of the African Diaspora II deepens student engagement with selected dance forms from the African diaspora, especially those coming from West Africa and that emerged in the Caribbean and the Americas. The course is physically rigorous and emphasizes community building. A drummer accompanies the class, so students experience the fundamental connection between drums and dance as they learn the histories, techniques, and characteristics of Diasporic movement forms. Assignments include movement projects developed in class and presentations. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading. Prerequisite(s): THDA 21 or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This is a beginning intermediate level ballet class for students who have acquired a foundation in the basic skills of classical ballet or have successfully completed THDA 51. Students will be expected to develop or expand their ballet technique while continuing to grow as dance artists. This class will consist of ballet barre and center work, simple pirouettes and the development of basic petit allegro steps. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading. Prerequisite(s): THDA 22 (Beginning Ballet) or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This course builds on skills introduced in Modern Dance I. Students engage fully with their bodies and minds as they deepen their strength, flexibility, and felt sense of alignment and flow. Emphasis is placed on deepening precision, sense of rhythm, and anatomical awareness of the body in motion. Class consists of in-place warm-ups, traveling across the floor, and final combinations. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading. Prerequisite(s): THDA 24 or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

This is an advanced level ballet class for students who have achieved an advanced level of skill and artistry in classical ballet. Students will be expected to expand and develop their ballet technique while continuing to grow as dance artists. It will include barre work, pirouettes ending in all positions, and petit allegro with beats. Combinations will increase in complexity and students will be expected to pick up material quickly. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading. Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

The purpose of this technique class is to allow the intermediate to advanced modern dance student to explore and discover themselves as an articulate and expressive mover. Classwork places specific emphasis on alignment, power, momentum, articulation, clarity of intent, musicality and stamina. Class consists of in-place warm-ups, center exercises and a range of dance phrases. May be repeated for credit. Letter grading. Prerequisite(s): THDA 42 or THDA 43 or permission of instructor.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students are involved in Theater and Dance Department productions as actors or dancers in student-led pieces. Performance Practice in Student Projects is the appropriate course when students will not work under direct supervision of a faculty member, but are part of a student director's or student choreographer's work in an Honors production or Dance Concert. Two credits awarded at the end of the semester. May be repeated for credit. S/N grading only.

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students are involved in production as actors or dancers, assistant choreographers or choreographers, assistant directors or directors, assistant designers or designers, dramaturgs and playwrights. Two credits awarded at the end of the semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor required; please contact the Theater and Dance Department directly for audition and registration information

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students are involved in production as actors or dancers, assistant choreographers or choreographers, assistant directors or directors, assistant designers or designers, dramaturgs and playwrights. Two credits awarded at the end of the semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor required; please contact the Theater and Dance Department directly for audition and registration information

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students are involved in production as actors or dancers, assistant choreographers or choreographers, assistant directors or directors, assistant designers or designers, dramaturgs and playwrights. Two credits awarded at the end of the semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor required; please contact the Theater and Dance Department directly for audition and registration information

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials

Students are involved in set, costume, lighting and sound engineering and construction, and running crew. Two credits awarded at the end of the semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor required; please see instructor to be added to registration roster

General Education Requirements:

Distribution Requirements:

Course Materials