Dance (DAC)

Studies theatre and dance performances and performers. Requires students to respond to both videotaped and live performances.

Dance is an intangible art, one cannot head to a museum and pick up a print as one might do at the Louvre with the Mona Lisa. This course will provide an overview of the role that dance plays in a globally integrated world. The course content will lead the student through modules including: Dance and Society, Dance and Culture, Dance History, Specific Idioms of Ballet, Modern and Jazz Dance, as well as Controversial Issues in Dance. It will pose various questions including: What makes dance art? What makes it entertainment? It will look at the historical context of the three major idioms as they relate to the roles of government, institutions, transnational production, corporate responsibility, technical knowledge and personal ethics in fostering national economic development. The course will also discuss the socio-political ramifications of cultural appropriation as it relates to dance and culture, and the personal ethics of the demands of choreographers against their dancers.

Ballet Technique 1 will focus on the fundamentals of classical Ballet technique. The course objective is to facilitate an understanding of basic ballet technique and terminology while developing an awareness of human anatomy, proper body alignment and expressive qualities intrinsic to dance.

Modern Dance Technique 1 will focus on the fundamentals of Modern Dance technique. The course objective is to facilitate an understanding of basic Modern Dance technique and terminology while developing an awareness of human anatomy, proper body alignment, and expressive qualities intrinsic to dance.

Jazz Dance Technique 1 will focus on the fundamentals of Jazz Dance technique. The course objective is to facilitate an understanding of basic Jazz technique and terminology while developing an awareness of human anatomy, proper body alignment and expressive qualities intrinsic to dance.

World Dance 1 will focus on the fundamentals of the specific world dance form. The course objective is to facilitate an understanding of basic dance technique and terminology while developing an awareness of human anatomy, proper body alignment, and expressive qualities intrinsic to dance.

Ballet Technique 2 will focus on beginning-intermediate skills of classical Ballet technique. The course objective is to facilitate the students¿ growing understanding of ballet technique and terminology while developing an awareness of human anatomy, proper body alignment and expressive qualities intrinsic to dance.

Jazz Dance Technique 2 will focus on beginning-intermediate skills of Jazz Dance technique. The course objective is to facilitate the students¿ growing understanding of Jazz technique and terminology while developing an awareness of human anatomy, proper body alignment and expressive qualities intrinsic to dance.

The one credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps transition to UB through an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 198 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.

The three credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps students with common learning outcomes focused on fundamental expectations for critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and oral communication, and learning at a university, all within topic focused subject matter. The Seminars provide students with an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 199 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.

Foundations course in basic movement concepts of time, space, and energy, emphasizing technical development and creative exploration. There is a fee associated with this class.

Foundations course in basic movement concepts of time, space, and energy, emphasizing technical development and creative exploration.

Teaches the fundamentals of tap dance, including basic rhythmic structure and incorporation of dance fundamentals, such as alignment and style, in conjunction with tap technique.

Teaches the fundamentals of tap dance, including basic rhythmic structure and incorporation of dance fundamentals, such as alignment and style, in conjunction with tap technique.

Teaches the fundamentals of ballet technique, including correct body alignment, basic barre and center work, and combinations at the elementary level. There is a fee associated with this class.

Teaches the fundamentals of ballet technique, including correct body alignment, basic barre and center work, and combinations at the elementary level.

For students who require additional study in a particular area.

This course introduces students to various approaches to studying dance in a humanities context. We will explore how people create meaning through dance and how dance, in turn, shapes social norms, political institutions, and cultural practices across time and space. The course¿s structure challenges the Western/non-Western binary that still pervades many academic disciplines by comparing dance forms across the globe on the basis of functional similarities. At the same time, we will keep in mind the unequal power hierarchies shaping our modern world, and therefore we will examine how and why certain forms have become delineated as ¿Western¿ and others as ¿world¿ or ¿ethnic,¿ despite similarities in movement, meaning, or purpose. The first part of the course introduces students to different methodological approaches to studying dance. The second part explores religious, social, artistic, and political dance practices. The final third of the course will look at dance as an expression of identity. Throughout the course, we will investigate issues of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, tradition/innovation, authenticity/creativity, agency/resistance, borrowing/appropriation, and cultural hierarchies (low/high, vernacular/artistic, primitive/modern), among other topics.

Presents jazz forms, including barre and center work emphasizing these forms' relationships to lineage-based societies, as well as to classical, contemporary, rock, and popular dance.

Presents jazz forms, including barre and center work emphasizing these forms' relationships to lineage-based societies, as well as to classical, contemporary, rock, and popular dance.

For students who require additional study in a particular area.

Expands the tap dancer's movement, vocabulary, and historical understanding of this dance form. Emphasizes in particular the aural, visual, and expressive elements of tap dance.

Provides performance experience in Zodiaque, the university's resident dance company.

Performing experience in Zodiaque, the university's resident dance company.

Extends the student's work in a particular area of interest related to dance production. Possibilities include a choreographic project, supervising a workshop production, or promoting and publicizing a major concert or touring project. The format consists of individual meetings with the instructor, as well as studio and/or fieldwork, depending on the project's requirements. Students in Zodiaque Dance Ensemble also register under this course number.

A continuation of DAC 213-DAC 214. Extends technical and artistic ballet skills through increasingly complex combinations, introduces technical vocabulary, and emphasizes style and presentation. There is a fee associated with this class.

A continuation of DAC 213-DAC 214. Extends technical and artistic ballet skills through increasingly complex combinations, introduces technical vocabulary, and emphasizes style and presentation.

A continuation of DAC 201-DAC 202. Expands technique and theory through increasingly complex combinations and movement analysis, and introduces new technical vocabulary, style, and presentation. There is a fee associated with this class.

A continuation of DAC 201-DAC 202. Expands technique and theory through increasingly complex combinations and movement analysis, and introduces new technical vocabulary, style, and presentation.

Provides an introduction to Rudolf Laban's system of observation, description, and analysis of movement, and to Irmgard Bartenieff's system of body re-education for developing techniques that enhance movement efficiently, body connectivity, and expressivity.

For students who require additional study in a particular area.

A continuation of DAC 263-DAC 264. Expands the jazz dancer's movement and performance vocabulary. Emphasizes classic jazz style and technique and its relationship to established musical jazz styles. Focuses heavily on classic Matt Mattox technique, combining neuromuscular coordination with warm-ups, locomotor skills, and combination work.

A continuation of DAC 263 - DAC 264. Expands the jazz dancer's movement and performance vocabulary. Emphasizes classic jazz style and technique and its relationship to established musical jazz styles. Focuses heavily on classic Matt Mattox technique, combining neuromuscular coordination with warm-ups, locomotor skills, and combination work.

Studies partnering through classical and contemporary pas de deux. Emphasizes technical and dramatic aspects of partnering, rhythm, breathing, correct placement, timing, projection, counterbalancing the movements of a partner, and developing dramatic content through movement using gesturing and line.

Covers the history and performance of approximately fourteen early and contemporary social dances, including the pavane, galliard, minuet, waltz, foxtrot, swing, tango, and Latin Caribbean dances.

Explores creative problem solving, mind-body integration, and the creative process through movement using simple to increasingly complex individual and group exercises. Prerequisite for DAC 441.

A continuation of DAC 345-DAC 346. Studies technique and style of increased difficulty and variety in combinations of extended length, and pays attention to precision of performance and projection. There is a fee associated with this class.

A continuation of DAC 345-DAC 346. Studies technique and style of increased difficulty and variety in combinations of extended length, and pays attention to precision of performance and projection.

Surveys systems of alignment, placement, movement efficiency, and tension reduction. Gives developing artists a strong movement foundation from which to build in their particular disciplines. Gives preference to theatre, dance, and music majors. Welcomes nonmajors on a space-available basis.

A continuation of DAC 371-DAC 372. Studies technique and style of increased complexity, and pays attention to technical precision, performance, and stylistic execution.

A continuation of DAC 371-DAC 372. Studies technique and style of increased complexity, and pays attention to technical precision, performance, and stylistic execution.

A continuation of DAC 342. Studies technique of increased difficulty, variety, and complexity, and pays attention to precision of execution, performance, and style. There is a fee associated with this class.

A continuation of DAC 342. Studies technique of increased difficulty, variety, and complexity, and pays attention to precision of execution, performance, and style.

Studies the creative process in dance from lineage based societies to early 20th century. Includes videos and discussions on dance and related fields. Knowledge of dance is essential. Gives preference to theatre, dance, and music theatre majors.

Examines the science of motion applied to dance and movement. Studies, in depth, the structure and function of the skeletal and muscular systems.

Explores the process of making dances. Studies the elements of dance composition, including the development of solo and group studies for class presentation.

Explores the process of making dances. Studies the elements of dance composition, including the development of solo and group studies for class presentation.

For upper-level dance students interested in expanding their knowledge and practical experience in preparation for a career in the field of dance education. Includes lesson plan development, injury prevention, and experience in practical teaching situations.

Topics vary by semester.

For students who require additional study in a particular area.

Provides substantial study and scholarship in dance and related fields.

Studies and analyzes classical and contemporary solo dance variations from the works of major choreographers.

Gives qualified students experience as teaching assistants or teaching interns.

Involves independent study at the undergraduate level.