Temple University Department of Dance

“Shall We Dance: Dance as Narrative in American Film” (3 credits)

General Education Course- Fulfills Arts Requirement

Course # 0831; CRN: 061582; Section 003

Spring 2011, M/W/F 3:00pm – 3:50pm, Location: Presser 142 (Main Campus)

Instructor:Maritza M. Ogarro

Dance Department Office: 1700 N. Broad Street, 3rd Floor, Room 309

**Office: Main Campus, Pearson Hall (Montgomery & N. Broad St.), Room 216 (Enter through McGonigle Hall)

Office Hours:Wednesdays – 2:00 – 3:00 & By appointment

Phone Number: (215) 204-5624/(215) 204-8741

Email:

** Note regarding emails**:

  • Email me Mon.-Fri (6am-10pm), Sat. (6am – 12pm)
  • Please address me formally. (e.g. “Dear Maritza…”)
  • Please place “SWD – 003” in subject line.

***NOTE: SYLLABUS AND COURSE OUTLINE SUBJECT TO CHANGE***

Course Description:

“Shall We Dance?” is a course that uses an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the role dance plays/has played in informing and acknowledging social trends in the twentieth century. Connections are made between dance and immigration, industry, politics, fashion, social change, class and gender, nationalism and war. We will look at the role of dance in popular culture because dance is a ubiquitous activity that permeates and symbolizes all aspects of American life and culture. Dance perpetuates and challenges social and cultural issues of power, class, gender, sexual orientation, and age, and acts as a mirror to society. Areas to be covered include popular perceptions of dance, dance in Hollywood, and dance as a reflection of social change: political and economic, dance as social ritual, dance and contemporary notions of the “Impossible Body”. The students will be tested on class lectures, discussions, film viewing, and reading assignments.

Course Goals:

·To learn, appreciate and understand the progression of the use of dance in film from historical, social, aesthetic and cultural viewpoints.

·To discuss, analyze and evaluate developments and trends in dance in selected historical periods.

·To learn how dance operates as text and narrative in film.

·To recognize and analyze the artistic and aesthetic function of dance in furthering the film’s landscape.

Required Readings/Expenses

  • Reading Assignments:
  • Students must purchase a “Shall We Dance?” Course Packet ($47.00)

Available at Ritter Hall, Room 234, phone # 215-204-1543

Hours 8 AM-8 PM Mon-Thurs, 8 AM-4:30 PM Fri.

  • Film Screenings:
  • Students must sign up for Netflix, Blockbuster or other service to obtain films.
  • Students must watch films in their entirety prior to the class discussions about that film.
  • Films are also available in the library on course reserve at Media Services. Please note: there are a VERY limited number of films available in the library on course reserve.

Media Services, located on the ground floor of Paley Library. The Media Services phone number is 215-204-8204.

  • Live Dance Performances:
  • Students must attend one Temple Dance Department Concert during the semester.
  • Show program, ticket stuband voucher MUST turned in. A complete listing of this semester’s Temple Dance Department Concerts is available on the following website:

Course Structure

Classroom Conduct/Safety

  • Honesty – please be honest with yourself, classmates and the instructor about physical ailments, family emergencies, etc.
  • Students who are ill: If you are contagiously ill, please do not come to class
  • Family emergencies: Please make an appointment to speak with me in person.
  • Respect –
  • This course addresses topics about race, power, class, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and age. Please be respectful of your classmates’ and the instructor during class discussions, presentations, film clip screenings, etc. It is important to keep an open mind to new experiences and ideas.
  • Responsibility – Students are expected to watch the films in their entirety. Please return films to their respective borrowing sources so that other students may screen the films. If you are working in a group, be sure to pull your weight.
  • Cell phones (or other electronic devices) – should be turned off or placed on silent mode.
  • Sleeping – Students who fall asleep in class will be asked to leave and receive a zero for that class.
  • Questions – Do not be afraid to ask questions! (There are no “stupid” questions!)
  • Food and Drinks – No food, drink or gum in the classroom. Water is ok.

Attendance

  • Absences –
  • 3 absences are permitted before the student’s final grade is affected. Note that 3 absences equals missing a week of class! Upon the third absence, the student’s final grade will be affected. Upon the fourth absence student’s Academic Advisor or Dean of Students will be consulted for advice.Upon the sixth absence student will be unable to complete the course and receive a FAIL.
  • 1 excused absence is permitted. Excused absences include: Illness (with a doctor’s note), University related event (please consult me first), a court summons (copy of the document must be provided), death in immediate family (original document must be provided)and religious holidays (ceremonial document must be provided).
  • All Unexcused Absences result in a 0 for that day.
  • Lateness/Tardiness – A student is considered late after 5 minutes. 3 tardies = 1 absence.
  • Attendance – The instructor or course assistant will take attendance.

Class Participation

  • Students must take notes on powerpoint lecture-presentations, class discussions and in class film clip screenings.
  • Class participation includes making comments during discussions and willingness to share views and ideas.

Assignments

**All assignments are due at the time specified. All hard copy assignments are due at the beginning of class. All online assignments are to be turned in via Blackboard. No late assignments will be accepted!!! Exceptions for late assignments are illness (with a doctor’s excuse) or a death in the family. Please do not email assignments to me without my consent.**

Criteria for Written Work

  • Conceptual understanding of the materials
  • Grammar, Spelling, Syntax, Minimal usage of colloquial terms
  • Work must be submitted in Times New Roman 12 pt, double-spaced
  • The margins should not exceed 1.5 inches
  • Heading (DO NOT double space your heading):
  • Top Left Hand corner of paper

Full Name

Shall We Dance: Section #

Fall 2010

Instructor: Maritza M. Ogarro

Date

  • Title should be centered
  • Your last name should be at that top of each page
  • Plagiarism – Temple University Policy defines plagiarism as “taking credit for someone else’s work and ideas, stealing others results or methods, copying the writing of others without proper acknowledgement, or otherwise taking credit for their work or ideas of others.” Instances of plagiarism will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and could result in disciplinary action by Temple University, up to and including dismissal. Please note that this is university wide policy and should be taken very seriously.
  • Academic Dishonesty/Cheating - Academic cheating is, generally, the thwarting or breaking of the general rules of academic work or the specific rules of the individual courses. It includes falsifying data; submitting, without the instructor's approval, work in one course which was done for another; helping others to plagiarize or cheat from one's own or another's work; or actually doing the work of another person.

General:

·Students are required to complete all assigned reading and watch each film in its entirety prior to the class when the film will be discussed.

·Students will be tested on knowledge of the film and reading with brief weekly quizzes

·Students will analyze some films in [take home] worksheets.

·Group discussion and in-class projects will require students to reflect, analyze and evaluate their own work and the work of others.

·Movement classes will introduce students to basic dance movements featured in films.

·In class midterm will evaluate student’s knowledge of the films, readings and terminology learned throughout the first half of the semester.

·Students will organize and manage groups to create scene analysis presentations and film analysis during the second half of the semester.

·In class final will evaluate the student’s understanding of the use of dance in film from historical, social, aesthetic and cultural viewpoints.

Assignments & Point Values

Attendance/Participation 30

Quizzes 80

Midterm 30

Dance Scene Analysis (Group) 5

Group Project 15

Final Exam 40

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Total 200

Grade Distribution

C 152-145

A200-191 C-146-139

A-190-179D+138-133

B+178-173D132-125

B172-167D-126-120

B-166-159Fbelow 120

C+158-153

Temple University and the Temple Department of Dance maintains and enforces policies regarding non-discrimination, sexual harassment, code of conduct, academic dismissal and class attendance. These policies are outlined in the class syllabus and in Temple University Student Handbook, available in the Office of Student Affairs (4th Floor Conwell Hall). Information may also be accessed at the Temple University website .

CLASS CANCELATIONS

Please be aware of the snow closing codes for Temple University. If classes at a university location must be closed due to hazardous weather conditions, the code number—and only the code number—for that location will be announced on the following radio stations. The numbers are listed on the half-hour and build numerically.

1060AM WHAT 1340AM WFLN 95.7 FM MAIN CAMPUS CODES

WCAU Channel 10 WIP 610 AM WHYY 91.1 FM 101-day classes

WDAS 1480 AM WPEN 950 AM WRTI 90.1 FM 2101-evening classes

The stations often also have a website that updates this information. You may also check the website for postings.

***NOTE: SYLLABUS AND COURSE SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE***

Course Outline

***Note: When a film is listed as an assignment, student must screen the film and do the respective readings.

Example: West Side Story means to watch the film and read all 5 articles in the Course Packet.

January

19Introductions/Syllabus

21Definitions – Dance Is…/What is Dance?

24Taking Notes/What You Should Know/ How to View Dance

26Reading the Body

28Dance Scene Analysis – Criteria & Example

31QUIZ #1 - The Littlest Rebel

February

2In-Class/Groups: Film Analysis Worksheet #1

4TAP – Lecture – Discussion/Assign:The Gay Divorcee

7QUIZ #2 – The Gay Divorcee ~Film & ReadingLecture-Discussion

9In-Class/Groups: Film Analysis Worksheet #2

11BALLROOM – Lecture-Discussion/Assign:Stormy Weather

14QUIZ #3 – Stormy Weather - Lecture-Discussion

16Stormy Weather ~ Dance Scene Analysis (Group 1)

18African Dance/Assign:Singin in the Rain

21QUIZ #4– Singin’ in the Rain - Lecture-Discussion

23Singin’ in the Rain ~ Dance Scene Analysis (Group 2)

25JAZZ DANCE – Lecture-Discussion/Assignment:West Side Story

28Midterm Review

March

2MIDTERM

4Guest Instructor ???

7SPRING BREAK – Enjoy!

9“

11“

14QUIZ #5 – West Side Story - Socio-Pol… NY 1960s~Lecture-Discussion-Choose film for Final Project

16West Side Story ~ Dance Scene Analysis (Group 3)

18Lecture - LATIN DANCE/Assignment: Caberet

21QUIZ #6 – Caberet - Lecture-Discussion/Due: Film Project Proposal

23Caberet ~ Dance Scene Analysis (Group 4)

25Guest Instructor – ??? / Assignment:Hair

28QUIZ #7 – Hair Lecture-Discussion

30Hair ~ Dance Scene Analysis (Group 5)

April

1Lecture-Discussion – MODERN DANCE & Twyla Tharp /Assignment:Flashdance

4QUIZ #8 – Flashdance – Lecture/Discussion

6Flashdance~ Dance Scene Analysis (Group 6)

8Lecture-Discussion - BALLET & EXOTIC DANCE/Assignment: Prepare for Group Presentations

11In-Class: Group Assignment – Student Conferences

13Group Planning - Student Conferences (continued)

15Group Planning - Student Conferences (cont.)

18Presentations: Groups 1 & 2

20Presentations: Groups 3 & 4

22Presentations: Groups 5 & 6

25 In-Class: Group Assessment Practice ~Creating & Answering Questions

27Final Review

29Final Review

May

2FINAL

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Class Agreement

On this day of ______, I, ______, state that I have read and understood the materials presented in this document and will adhere to the guidelines set forth by the University and my instructor,______.

Signed______

Telephone Number______

Email Address______