Dance 2307, SUMMER 2011Instructor: Jacqueline Nalett
Aesthetics of MovementOffice: 226 Melcher Gym
“The kinesthetic sense, important in the perception of dance because it is the movement sense, is just as involved in aesthetic awareness as are the commonly recognized senses of sight, smell, touch, and hearing. Through dance the body can be perceived as value, worn as feeling, and experienced by the dancer and audience as dynamic and exhilarating expression.” – Sondra Horton Fraleigh
Office Hours: By AppointmentClass Time: M-F 12-1:30 and 1:30 -3 pm
Office Phone:(713)743-9842Email:
Course Description:
This is an introductory class to dance as a performing art. Several dance forms are studied briefly including ballet, modern dance, world forms,hip hop and jazz. Students will develop a critical appreciation and awareness of the aesthetic aspects of form and motion in dance.This class is a combination of lecture and activity, which includes learning dance technique, dance history, composition and criticism and linking aesthetic concepts to other areas such as visual arts, sports, and human experience. The student is expected to attend class with an open mind and a willingness to actively participate each and every day.
Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
- To develop an awareness and understanding of movement as an aesthetic experience and of dance as a performing art through class activity, lecture and writing.
- To respond critically to dance performances through written essays.
- To develop an aesthetic sensibility toward the human body.
- To develop an awareness and understanding of performer training techniques and kinesthetic sensibility.
- To become familiar with stylistic, aesthetic, and historic components of dance.
- To experience art events with an enlightened aesthetic awareness.
- To develop a philosophy regarding the role of art and aesthetics in society.
- To discover one’s creative potential as a dancer, choreographer, and observer of art.
- To develop an awareness of the historical, sociological, cultural, and aesthetic context of western theatrical dance forms through assigned readings/writing, lecture, activity and the viewing of dance.
Required Reading:
Ambrosia, Nora. Learning About Dance, An Introduction to Dance as an Art Form and Entertainment,Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. 1994, 5TH EDITION
Students will also receive handouts.
Course Requirements:
PARTICIPATION: Attendance and daily participation are mandatory.
This course is divided into activity, lecture, and videoviewing sections. You are expected to read handouts and text assignments and be prepared for class discussions. You are required to wear dance/athletic clothes for all classes. (details on attire below)
**Full participation means moving one’s body through space just as the instructor is demonstrating. A student who merely shows up, expends little energy and appears distracted during class will NOT receive a positive participation grade. If you are looking for an “easy A” to boost your GPA, then you have chosen the wrong class and the wrong field for that matter. Learning to dance requires you to move big, with lots of energy, and complete mental focus. It requires you to be persistent, have patience, and work really hard.
Reading assignments – (see summer calendar) Read handouts and text assignments and be prepared for class discussions.
Written Tests: one written tests and a final exam will be given (see calendar for dates). Tests will cover readings from text, handouts, lectures and videos viewed in class. Tests will be a mixture of short answer, matching, multiple choice and charts.
Attendance of performances – You will be required to attend 2 live dance performances. Instructor will give out all information on location, prices, etc. Performances will have admission fees. Your ticket stub and program are proof of your attendance at the concert. DO NOT LOSE THEM. They are required to be turned in WITH the paper.
Aesthetic Reaction Papers - Three (3) aesthetic papers are to be written according to the Aesthetic Paper Requirements using the Feldman Model critique method. (Due dates on semester outline) Students will receive plenty of preparation in class for writing these papers. You will turn in hard copies and online copies of each paper.
This course will be on Blackboard. This is where the instructor will post all handouts and other info for the semester. You will upload your papers to blackboard/turnitin.com so they can be checked for plagiarism. If you do not know how to get onto Blackboard, contact the UH IT department.
Evaluation/Grading:
1. Participation and daily performance in class30%
3. Aesthetic papers 25%
4. Written Test15%
5. Final Exam15%
6. FinalGroup Composition15%
**Late assignments drop 10 points for each class day late.
**Class attendance: Final class grade is dropped according to # of absences.
ATTENDANCE:
Attendance is mandatory. Participation is crucial to attaining knowledge in dance. Carefully read the attendance policy. Dance classes strictly adhere to this policy. Copies are posted on the dance bulletin board.
THERE IS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN AN EXCUSED AND AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE.
A doctor’s excuse does not make an absence “excused.” If the student has an injury or contagious illness, please discuss it with the professor. Being tardy is entering class after attendance has been taken and two tardies will equal one absence. Please notify the instructor before class begins if you must leave before class has ended. An early departure is equivalent to a tardy.
**If you have an injury that prevents you from dancing for a couple of classes, please provide the instructor with documented proof of such injury. If the injury will prevent you from dancing for a prolonged period of time, you should not take this class.
Students are absolutely not allowed to sit out of dance class and do work for another class or use their electronic devices to do other things. If you are ill or injured and need to sit out of one class, you are required to observe the class.
See department secretary for information on appealing an absence.
MAKE UPS:You are allowed to make up only one (1) absence.
Do not wait until the last week of school to do this as all dance classes are ending. To make up an absence see teacher for options.
Dress Requirements:
You are required to wear dance or athletic clothes for all classes. This means clothing you can move freely in such as loose shorts, t-shirts, sweatpants, etc. NO STREET CLOTHES for dance sessions meaning no jeans, jeans shorts, blouses, slacks, skirts, stockings, etc. No street shoes are allowed in the studio. Bare feet or socks only for class. Modern dance and sections of other classes will REQUIRE bare feet only for safety reasons.No hats allowed in class. Please secure hair away from face and neck during dance sessions and remove dangling or large jewelry.
NOTE:You will not be able to dance and your participation grade will suffer if you wear inappropriate attire for the dance sessions.
NO EXCESSIVE TALKING
The protocol in a dance technique class is to remain silent during class and focus physically and mentally on your personal performance.
NO GUM CHEWING
The departmental ruling on gum chewing in class is based on the possibility of inhaling the gum and blocking the airway while dancing. Therefore, the student’s grade will be penalized for chewing gum during class.Please do not leave any trash on the floor of the dance studio. Respect our dance space.
WATER BOTTLES
Please remember to bring water to activity classes. Hydrating the body during a work out is necessary for optimum performance.
REMOVE SHOES AS YOU ENTER THE DANCE STUDIO
Your shoes track dirt onto the dance studio floor then you, as well as subsequent classes that day, have to dance on the dirty floor. Respect our dance space and honor our efforts to keep the floor clean for all of our students.
TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES DURING CLASS.
UH GRADE SCALE and Reality Check on Grades by Karen Stokes
A+100A = Outstanding, extraordinary, above and beyond, exemplary, contributes in expected
A97 and unexpected ways, a role model, top of the class, no question about it
A-93
B+89B = Very fine and good work, consistent improvement throughout semester, actively
B 85 contributes to class, clear and well executed material, a leader
B-81
C+77C= Grasps all concepts and executes material. Submits all work on time and consistently
C73 participates in class.
C-70
D+66D= Attends class, improvement and comprehension of material passable, but below
D62 average.
D-58
F0F= failure to understand and/or execute material.
Other Important Information:
For information on Academic Honesty, Academic Calendar, Religious Holy Days and Disabilities please go to syllabsuppl.html
For Dance Division Info:
University Dance Theatre – student dance organization :
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Student Notes and Reminders: