Spring Term Schedule
Spring 2026
| Number | Title | Instructor | Time |
|---|
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DANC 102-01
Ripp Greatbatch
TR 3:25PM - 4:40PM
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Movement through the use of technique and improvisation. Emphasizes spontaneity, joy in moving, self-awareness and is based on experiential anatomy and developmental movement patterns. Provides strong foundation for further study in dance, theater, or sports. No previous dance training required.
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DANC 104-01
Roy Wood
MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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Rooted in dance, martial arts and studies of body development and awareness. A duet form where partners use weight, momentum, and inertia to move each other freely through space. Solo and duet skills, rolling, falling, balance, counter-balance, jumping, weight sharing, spirals explored. Skill work combined with more open dancing in a supportive and focused environment. No previous dance training required.
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DANC 106-01
Rose Beauchamp
T 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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In this Pilates Lab, students will gain a working knowledge of the Pilates method as it relates to dance training. Students will be introduced to the 6 Essential Principles of Pilates — Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breath, and Flow. Focus will be placed on becoming familiar with the equipment available and fostering the safe approach to its use. The course will address alignment, core support, stabilization, mobilization and flexibility as it integrates Pilates with other dance + conditioning practices. Only students who take Pilates Lab will be allowed to work independently in the lab. For dance majors and minors only, or permission from the instructor
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DANC 109-01
Natalia Lisina
F 9:00AM - 11:45AM
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In this class, students will learn the basics of costume design for dance. Students will gain hands on experience in sewing and costume making as they explore elemental design concepts including color, texture, and line. Students will take on the role of costume designer for the Program of Dance + Movement’s dance concert, working with choreographers to envision, design and craft costumes.
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DANC 110-01
Ripp Greatbatch
TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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An introductory course of three different contemporary dance techniques. This course will be divided into three sections across the semester. Starting the course with the fundamentals of Cunningham technique to find stability, balance and coordination. We find a strong grounding through upright dance focusing on the 5 positions of the spine through various standing and travelling sequences. Second, we move on to release based techniques with a focus on using the stability we have found with Cunningham and applying in a more relaxed and somatic approach. Working on both floor work and standing work we have our emphasis on finding ease of movement through the use of breath and other sensations such as swinging. Lastly we move away from codified dancing to work on improvisation, where we can draw from everything we have learned in a more creative way of working that is more about interpreting tasks than recreating taught phrases granting you more autonomy over your dancing.
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DANC 114-01
Cloria Sutton-Dowdell
TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM
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Yoga is defined as union, the uniting together of ourselves in all aspects- body, mind, heart, spirit. This class introduces the student to a hatha yoga method which integrates a dynamic and engaging approach to living through practicing on and off the mat. The goal of this class is to learn how to create a deeper, more enlivened relationship to ones self through honoring ones abilities and limitations, while growing ones skills and sensitivity in the supportive environment of the class community. Students will engage with principles of attitude, alignment and action in a full range of hatha yoga poses, breathing techniques, readings on yoga philosophy, reflection, journaling and discussion. Through this ongoing process, students of yoga are encouraged to cultivate a more expansive and clear perception of self and others. Attendance in selected workshops and performances are required.
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DANC 116-01
Alaina Olivieri
TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM
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Approach ballet technique through the lens of somatic practices, placing an emphasis on dynamic alignment, movement efficiency, connectivity, articulation, phrasing, and breath support. While the primary focus is on an embodied practice, students can expect to develop an appreciation for aspects of the ballet aesthetic while considering theoretical aspects related to historical and socio-cultural contexts.
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DANC 130-1
Todd Russell
MW 6:30PM - 7:45PM
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Body conditioning aimed to develop and strengthen specific musculature as it pertains to physical demands of dancers, athletes, martial artists, as well as those who wish to explore a mindful, physical and anatomically sound practice. Will introduce fundamental strength training based in Pilates, hands-on bodywork and basic movement sequences designed to help prevent injury as well as build core strength, endurance, coordination and overall physical mobility and stability.
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DANC 150-01
Rose Beauchamp
MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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Focus is on contemporary dance, a form that is an evolving exploration of expression through movement. It will blend the challenges of full-bodied, momentum-driven dancing with a sense of ones own self-awareness and discovery. Through rigorous dancing, move beyond not only physical, but also artistic boundaries and dimensions.
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DANC 155-01
Mariah Steele
MW 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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Social dance plays an important role in every society, simultaneously fostering community and self-expression. From the Waltz to Contra Dancing, Ragtime Dances to Rock n Roll, and Tango to Salsa, this course explores the history and culture of several social and popular dances in the United States from the countrys founding to the present. Students discover how cultural beliefs are embedded in social dance practices, and how, vice versa, social dance practices can help shape changing norms and behaviors. Through a mixture of lectures, readings, discussions, video-viewings and experiencing the basic steps, each social dance form studied is contextualized within its time period. The course as a whole considers patterns of cultural change across the decades in terms of gender, race, class and social identities. No previous dance experience is necessary.
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DANC 160-01
Mariah Steele
TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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This course explores dance improvisation as a practice and technique for self-expression, performance and composition. By opening our senses and learning tools for generating movement in real-time, students will unite their bodies and minds to engage in spontaneous investigation and creation. Specific theories and techniques based in the work of Anne Bogart, William Forsythe and Laban Movement Analysis will be explored in addition to wider concepts such as scores, collective composition and site-specific work. The main goals of this class are to provide students with the freedom to explore their own movement-based research interests and to develop their individual artistic voices within a structured environment. Students will also strengthen their presence, intuition, self-awareness and decision-making skills
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DANC 171-01
Todd Russell
MW 4:50PM - 6:05PM
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An art form of self-defense with aerobic and dance elements that brings together a harmony of forces. Through history, movement and culture, students gain self-confidence, power, flexibility, endurance, and tools towards self-discovery. Open to all, Capoeira balances the body, mind, and soul and enables one to break through limits, revitalizing oneself for everyday life.
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DANC 185-01
Elton Ward
TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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Krump; an urban street dance, is characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated and highly energetic movement. Krump was created by several youth from Los Angeles who were seeking to escape gang life and to express raw emotions in a powerful but non-violent way. A movement that started in a living room, is now all over the world. Students will learn the history, the fundamentals of Krump which consist of 4 main basics: Stomps, Arms, Chestpops, and Grooves and the terminology associated with the dance, such as battles, sessions, call-outs, get-off, kill-off, material, combos, hype and many more. Students will be evaluated through reflective writing, vocal quizzes, a mini-research project, video viewing, discussions and participation within the class, and attendance and responses to workshops and performance events on campus outside of class time.
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DANC 187-01
James Levy
M 7:00PM - 9:30PM
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This beginner level dance course introduces the fundamental values, practices and movements of hip-hop dance. This course will focus on foundations and origins of hip-hop and street dance culture, and how each relates to today's current definitions of hip-hop and freestyle dance. The class will be explored through lecture and conversations, as well as movement participation by the students with choreography instruction and freestyle drills led by the instructor, plus related video and/or reading assignments as they pertain to each week’s lesson. Students will be challenged and encouraged to apply historical and practical knowledge of hip-hop in order to understand its influences on the world around them.
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DANC 190-01
Dylaina Young
MW 4:50PM - 6:05PM
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Traditional Folkloric roots of Middle Eastern Dance, focusing on specific Bedouin dance styles of North Africa (Raks Shaabi). Discourse and research will address issues of gender and body image. Improving strength, flexibility and self-awareness of the body, the class work will include meditative movement, dance technique, choreography and improvisation. No prior dance experience necessary.
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DANC 197-01
Euridece Seche
TR 4:50PM - 6:05PM
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This course is designed as an introduction to Latin partner dance at a beginning level. You will experience coordinated dancing of two people, as opposed to solo dancing or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a coordinated manner. Partner dancing emphasizes elementary body part isolations, basic step combinations, and musicality. No prior experience is assumed and no partner is needed.
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DANC 203-01
Roy Wood
MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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A continuation of DANC 104 that is taught concurrently with the introductory course. Students in DANC 203 will gain a deeper experiential and intellectual knowledge of contact by exploring issues further. Work includes both more advanced practice with other DAN 203 students, and the experience of helping teach the DANC 104 students the basic principles of contact.
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DANC 218-01
Debra Corea
MW 8:40AM - 10:10AM
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Cultivate awareness of the present moment, which is the only moment available to learn and live. This experiential course invites pausing and reflecting on the habits of mind. Students will be guided in mindfulness and insight techniques, relaxation, and other mindfulness practices. Incorporating mindfulness into daily life, class discussion, reading, and writing assignments will support understanding and personal growth. To facilitate establishing a personal practice, attendance will be required at meditation labs on Fridays online via Zoom.
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DANC 218-02
Debra Corea
F 9:30AM - 10:20AM
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Cultivate awareness of the present moment, which is the only moment available to learn and live. This experiential course invites pausing and reflecting on the habits of mind. Students will be guided in mindfulness and insight techniques, relaxation, and other mindfulness practices. Incorporating mindfulness into daily life, class discussion, reading, and writing assignments will support understanding and personal growth. To facilitate establishing a personal practice, attendance will be required at meditation labs on Fridays online via Zoom.
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DANC 219-01
Robert Loce
TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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This class will teach the Chen Taijiquan 49-movement sword (jian) form. Practice of the jian develops precise movements and focused awareness. The length of the jian, and two well-defined edges and point enable a practitioner to see the precision of their movement much more readily compared to open hand forms. This attribute leads to a more graceful, meditative, body-mind flow. There are very clear coiling, and opening and closing movements that give the practice a qigong conditioning effect. Practitioners will experience a stretched, connected, open-body feeling. It is a favorite form of many taijiquan practitioners.
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DANC 228-01
Ripp Greatbatch
MW 3:25PM - 4:40PM
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This course examines the origins and development of western concert dance during the 20th and 21st centuries. Through lecture, discussion, film/video viewing, reading/writing assignments and movement experiences, we explore a variety of dance artists and their work and acknowledge a broader global perspective in terms of aesthetics, socio-cultural context and continued evolution in the contemporary dance landscape in regards to form, trends, and style. This course will serve as an investigation of dance history from a critical and analytical perspective, interfacing with a variety of theoretical frameworks.
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DANC 230-01
Debra Corea
MW 10:25AM - 12:20PM
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Freshly experience inhabiting a human body and its postural alignment through the deep work of noticing and embracing anatomical processes. A counter-pose to the pressures of college life, discover embodiment as a resource for self-awareness, support, ease, and stress relief. Show up, slow down, pay attention, meditate, feel, sense, and relax. Explore form and the nature of mind through yogic practices. Color anatomical drawings, read about human structures, reflect on one’s unique living anatomy, write responses, join inquiry discussions, and adopt simple daily practices outside of class. Students are required to schedule a 1:1 meeting with the instructor outside of regular class time to design a project based on their distinct interests and needs. This class incorporates various aspects of the 8 limbs of yoga, particularly self-study.
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DANC 233-01
Rose Beauchamp; Stephanie Ashenfelder
TR 12:30PM - 1:45PM
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This humanities course based in the arts combines the study of performing, visual arts and new media with history and theory to convey a breadth of stories about the human experience of climate change. In this interdisciplinary, collaborative course, students will be introduced to the multi-faceted use of the arts in designing for and expressing a vision for a sustainable future. Working with community partners, our research and story collection in the Adirondack park will be used to inspire projects in the course. Collaboration, design thinking, and the iterative design process will be used to produce performances and art work that respond to the stories of the changing climate in the Adirondack park. It will move through multiple units of theoretical study as students simultaneously work on their creative projects. The course will include an optional trip to the Adirondack Park to engage with our community partners.
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DANC 235-01
Anne Wilcox
TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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If there is one thing we, as humans, can count on, it’s that things change. Whether on a cellular, environmental, political, ideological, or physical level, change is a constant in our lives and in our world. This new Humanities for Life course will incorporate multiple disciplines to provide greater scope and perspective on change and observe how artists from dance, music, and fine arts have creatively explored the subject. Psychology, Economic, Political Science, Linguistic, and Sustainability scholars will contribute to the course’s rich discussion and investigation. “What is my personal relationship with change?” is one of the course’s primary questions. As a final creative project, students will use movement, writing, music, art, and/or spoken word to express their own ideas about change. Classes will regularly explore embodied practice, creative and reflective writing, and expansive discussion to dive into this important inquiry.
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DANC 237-01
Leonard Perez
MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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This course will provide students with an experience of the creative process involving choreographic and improvisational play in professional-style dance rehearsals that are then carried through live performance. Specifically, this course will focus on Afro-Diasporic movement and dance including, but not limited to, Afro Caribbean dances, Flamenco, contemporary dance technique and Black modern dance. Working with the instructor and/or various collaborators, students will diversify their experiences as dancer collaborators and deepen their creative journey as artists.
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DANC 242-01
–
F 12:30PM - 3:30PM
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This is an introductory design course aimed at giving students exposure to light as a medium, lighting design, lighting equipment, and visual story-telling for performance through class discussion, and practical work. Students will be required to attend dance performances and will help install the light plot. The class is built around specific performance dates that will provide the students with an opportunity to light a dance piece.
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DANC 245-01
Shannon Seddon
MW 9:00AM - 10:15AM
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Foundations and Principles of Dance/Movement Therapy examines the ways dance/movement therapy in the west has integrated Asian concepts, natural movement, formal elements of dance, creative processes, music, verbal expression, and constructs drawn from psychology and counseling to treat a wide range of populations. Students will compare and contrast the treatment of individuals seeking help for a range of concerns (e.g., psychosis, autism, anxiety, eating disorders, histories of abuse). Experientials, creative dance, and videotapes of actual sessions with a variety of populations highlight these concepts. Dress comfortably and be prepared to move.
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DANC 253-01
Kerfala Bangoura
TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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Experience dancing African styles from traditional cultures of Guinea, West Africa, as well as studying cultural history and context from which and in which they are practiced and performed. Technical emphasis will focus on musicality and complex choreographicarrangement. Students will practice dances and drum songs. Required outside work includes performance attendance, video viewing, text and article analysis, research and written work.
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DANC 253-02
Kerfala Bangoura
F 11:00AM - 12:15PM
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Experience dancing African styles from traditional cultures of Guinea, West Africa, as well as studying cultural history and context from which and in which they are practiced and performed. Technical emphasis will focus on musicality and complex choreographicarrangement. Students will practice dances and drum songs. Required outside work includes performance attendance, video viewing, text and article analysis, research and written work.
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DANC 254-01
Cheryl Johnson
MW 10:25AM - 11:40AM
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An examination of the origins and the evolution of the art of tap dancing in American History. Tap dancing is a twentieth century term, but the practice it labels is much older, at least as old as the United States.? (What The Eye Hears: A History of Tap Dancing by Brian Seibert). The branches of the jazz dance tree are many and variedAnother branch on the tree represents tap dance, which shares most of the rhythmic proclivities of jazz dance, but expresses them mainly through the feet.? (Jazz Dance: A History of the Roots and Branches edited by Lindsay Guarino and Wendy Oliver). Through lecture, video & practice we will examine the art of tap dancing.
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DANC 266-01
Anne Wilcox
TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM
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Continuing technical development and comprehension and integration of theory into practice is the focus in this course. Students will practice contemporary dance experientially through examining dance concepts influenced by Laban/Bartenieff theories and by exploring complex choreographic combinations. Classes will explore continuity and connectivity, patterns of total body organization, efficiency of movement, momentum, musculo-skeletal anatomy, strength, alignment, weight sensing, rhythm and somatic practices to develop and improve technical skills. We will also investigate subtlety and individual expression in performance. Experience in dance required. Having already taken DAN250 is helpful.
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DANC 267-01
Anne Wilcox
TR 11:05AM - 12:20PM
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Continuing technical development and comprehension and integration of theory into practice is the focus in this course. Students will practice contemporary dance experientially through examining dance concepts influenced by Laban/Bartenieff theories and by exploring complex choreographic combinations. Classes will explore continuity and connectivity, patterns of total body organization, efficiency of movement, momentum, musculo-skeletal anatomy, strength, alignment, weight sensing, rhythm and somatic practices to deepen the investigation and mastery of technical skills. We will also continue to work on deepening the understanding or artistry as it pertains to subtlety and individual expression in performance. Pre-requisite: DAN 266: Intermediate Contemporary Dance
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DANC 279-01
Ripp Greatbatch
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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Dancer as Collaborator is a one-credit course engaging students as dancers or choreographers in a creative process that is seen through to public performance. Students engaging in this course for choreographing a work may not receive credit for the same work in another course (such as Choreography or Senior Seminar). DANC 279 students act as collaborators in that they embody and perform the choreographers’ concepts/vision and/or work with performers as they participate together in a complete process. Students engaging in either faculty or student work are eligible to take this course, and all students have faculty support.
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DANC 283-01
Kerfala Bangoura
MW 3:25PM - 4:40PM
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Taught by a long-time member of Les Ballets Africains, the national ballet of Guinea, instructor Fana Bangoura will introduce students in this course to dynamic dance traditions of West Africa and will join with them the power of percussion. Students will also become familiar with the origins and cultural significance of each dance, and the songs that accompany them. By breaking down the drum parts alongside the traditional dance movements, students experience dancing and drumming in perfect unison. This opportunity is geared for both drummers and dancers and is highly recommended for all skill levels.
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DANC 305-01
Missy Pfohl Smith
TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM
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In this course, students dance and move with women in recovery who are living in transitional housing, as well as elders in the community. It is meaningful work that supports the well-being of everyone involved, while providing practice in fieldwork. We work in collaboration with one another and with the partners to create dance experiences that build community, invite agency, mindfulness, and personal expression, and in doing so, we challenge our biases and develop understanding and empathy. Students are expected to visit community sites and carry out project activities that fall outside of regular class meetings. Transportation will be provided where necessary.
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DANC 365A-01
Kerfala Bangoura
TR 6:45PM - 8:15PM
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Sansifanyi is an ensemble that combines academic study and performance for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students of African drumming and dance. This course requires a high degree of student commitment. Dancers who enroll in Sansifanyi will learn choreographic techniques for West African dance and gain experience dancing as soloists, including developing their own solo material. They will also focus on rhythmic timing, and on developing advanced skills such as how to combine movement with drumming. In addition to the time students spend in class, dancers will have weekly assignments. Dancers must also be available for performances both on and off campus throughout the semester.
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DANC 365B-01
Kerfala Bangoura
TR 6:45PM - 8:15PM
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Sansifanyi is an ensemble that combines academic study and performance for intermediate and advanced students of African drumming and dance. This course requires a high degree of student commitment. Dancers who enroll in Sansifanyi will learn choreographic techniques for West African dance and gain experience dancing as soloists, and developing their own solo material. They will also focus on rhythmic timing, and on advanced skills such as how to combine movement with drumming. In addition to the time students spend in class, dancers will have weekly assignments researching, reading, writing, viewing videos, text and article analysis, practicing, and choreographing various rhythms, songs, movements, and sequences. Dancers must also be available for performances both on and off campus throughout the semester. Students in section B are required to successfully complete section A of this course in order to register. In addition to gaining an in-depth understanding of the history and culture, students in this section will expand their repertoire and improve their skills at dancing/drumming and performing. Students in section B will also gain teaching assistant skills by helping the students in section A with select choreographies taught in the course. Prerequisite: DANC 365 A
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DANC 365C-01
Kerfala Bangoura
TR 6:45PM - 8:15PM
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Sansifanyi is an ensemble that combines academic study and performance for intermediate and advanced students of African drumming and dance. This course requires a high degree of student commitment. Dancers who enroll in Sansifanyi will learn choreographic techniques for West African dance and gain experience dancing as soloists, and developing their own solo material. They will also focus on rhythmic timing, and on advanced skills such as how to combine movement with drumming. In addition to the time students spend in class, dancers will have weekly assignments researching, reading, writing, viewing videos, text and article analysis, practicing, and choreographing various rhythms, songs, movements, and sequences. Dancers must also be available for performances both on and off campus throughout the semester. Students in section C are required to successfully complete section A and B of this course in order to register. Students in this section will advance in their performance and choreographic skills. Students will continue to serve as peer teachers both in and out of the classroom sessions by assisting students in learning the dancing and drumming. Students in this section will oversee the basic teachings of this course including leading preparatory warm up phrases as well as assisting students with known repertory while new materials is being developed for the class by the instructor. Students in this section are required to work on a research-based capstone dance project throughout the semester. Prerequisites: DANC 365 A and DANC 365 B
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DANC 377-01
Mariah Steele
TR 3:25PM - 4:40PM
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What can we learn by bringing science and art into conversation? In this course, students use improvisational and compositional forms from the field of contemporary dance to engage with cutting-edge research about extreme densities, temperatures and pressures at URs Laboratory for Laser Energetics. This new frontier of physics is shedding light on the interior of planets and stars, new material states and the development of fusion energy here on earth. Guest speakers from LLE share their research, which students then investigate in the studio, creating dances related to the scientific material presented. Core questions include: what are the benefits, challenges and limitations of artistic inquiry for modeling, understanding and communicating scientific ideas? How can scientific concepts shape dance-making? What commonalities exist between the scientific process and the creative process? The course culminates with an informal performance of students choreography based on current LLE research.
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DANC 389W-01
Anne Wilcox; Ripp Greatbatch
MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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This course fulfills the second half of the Senior Seminar capstone course work. Students will apply the work from the Fall semester and delve into the making and creating component of their capstones especially. Students will write, choreograph, perform, implement and/or carry out research, performances and/or projects. In addition to the senior thesis development, students will investigate various career opportunities, develop a website portfolio, apply to the Undergraduate Research Expo, and produce a final thesis. Creative process and critical thinking are a focus of this course. Internships, other coursework as part of the major, co-curricular dance activity, service learning , or other related activity can support your research either prior or concurrently with DANC 389W.
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DANC 390-01
Missy Pfohl Smith
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course offers undergraduate students a structured, credit-bearing opportunity to gain experience in supervised teaching within a college-level classroom setting. Under the mentorship of a faculty member, students assist in course delivery, lead discussions or labs, support instructional design, and participate in pedagogical reflection. Responsibilities and expectations vary by course and department.
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DANC 390-02
Rose Beauchamp; Stephanie Ashenfelder
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course offers undergraduate students a structured, credit-bearing opportunity to gain experience in supervised teaching within a college-level classroom setting. Under the mentorship of a faculty member, students assist in course delivery, lead discussions or labs, support instructional design, and participate in pedagogical reflection. Responsibilities and expectations vary by course and department.
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DANC 391-01
Missy Pfohl Smith
7:00PM - 7:00PM
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This course provides undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue in-depth, independent exploration of a topic not regularly offered in the curriculum, under the supervision of a faculty member in the form of independent study, practicum, internship or research. The objectives and content are determined in consultation between students and full-time members of the teaching faculty. Responsibilities and expectations vary by course and department. Registration for Independent Study courses needs to be completed through the Independent Study Registration form (https://secure1.rochester.edu/registrar/forms/independent-study-form.php)
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Spring 2026
| Number | Title | Instructor | Time |
|---|---|
| Monday | |
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DANC 187-01
James Levy
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This beginner level dance course introduces the fundamental values, practices and movements of hip-hop dance. This course will focus on foundations and origins of hip-hop and street dance culture, and how each relates to today's current definitions of hip-hop and freestyle dance. The class will be explored through lecture and conversations, as well as movement participation by the students with choreography instruction and freestyle drills led by the instructor, plus related video and/or reading assignments as they pertain to each week’s lesson. Students will be challenged and encouraged to apply historical and practical knowledge of hip-hop in order to understand its influences on the world around them. |
|
| Monday and Wednesday | |
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DANC 218-01
Debra Corea
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Cultivate awareness of the present moment, which is the only moment available to learn and live. This experiential course invites pausing and reflecting on the habits of mind. Students will be guided in mindfulness and insight techniques, relaxation, and other mindfulness practices. Incorporating mindfulness into daily life, class discussion, reading, and writing assignments will support understanding and personal growth. To facilitate establishing a personal practice, attendance will be required at meditation labs on Fridays online via Zoom. |
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DANC 245-01
Shannon Seddon
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Foundations and Principles of Dance/Movement Therapy examines the ways dance/movement therapy in the west has integrated Asian concepts, natural movement, formal elements of dance, creative processes, music, verbal expression, and constructs drawn from psychology and counseling to treat a wide range of populations. Students will compare and contrast the treatment of individuals seeking help for a range of concerns (e.g., psychosis, autism, anxiety, eating disorders, histories of abuse). Experientials, creative dance, and videotapes of actual sessions with a variety of populations highlight these concepts. Dress comfortably and be prepared to move. |
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DANC 230-01
Debra Corea
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Freshly experience inhabiting a human body and its postural alignment through the deep work of noticing and embracing anatomical processes. A counter-pose to the pressures of college life, discover embodiment as a resource for self-awareness, support, ease, and stress relief. Show up, slow down, pay attention, meditate, feel, sense, and relax. Explore form and the nature of mind through yogic practices. Color anatomical drawings, read about human structures, reflect on one’s unique living anatomy, write responses, join inquiry discussions, and adopt simple daily practices outside of class. Students are required to schedule a 1:1 meeting with the instructor outside of regular class time to design a project based on their distinct interests and needs. This class incorporates various aspects of the 8 limbs of yoga, particularly self-study. |
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DANC 254-01
Cheryl Johnson
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An examination of the origins and the evolution of the art of tap dancing in American History. Tap dancing is a twentieth century term, but the practice it labels is much older, at least as old as the United States.? (What The Eye Hears: A History of Tap Dancing by Brian Seibert). The branches of the jazz dance tree are many and variedAnother branch on the tree represents tap dance, which shares most of the rhythmic proclivities of jazz dance, but expresses them mainly through the feet.? (Jazz Dance: A History of the Roots and Branches edited by Lindsay Guarino and Wendy Oliver). Through lecture, video & practice we will examine the art of tap dancing. |
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DANC 150-01
Rose Beauchamp
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Focus is on contemporary dance, a form that is an evolving exploration of expression through movement. It will blend the challenges of full-bodied, momentum-driven dancing with a sense of ones own self-awareness and discovery. Through rigorous dancing, move beyond not only physical, but also artistic boundaries and dimensions. |
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DANC 155-01
Mariah Steele
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Social dance plays an important role in every society, simultaneously fostering community and self-expression. From the Waltz to Contra Dancing, Ragtime Dances to Rock n Roll, and Tango to Salsa, this course explores the history and culture of several social and popular dances in the United States from the countrys founding to the present. Students discover how cultural beliefs are embedded in social dance practices, and how, vice versa, social dance practices can help shape changing norms and behaviors. Through a mixture of lectures, readings, discussions, video-viewings and experiencing the basic steps, each social dance form studied is contextualized within its time period. The course as a whole considers patterns of cultural change across the decades in terms of gender, race, class and social identities. No previous dance experience is necessary. |
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DANC 104-01
Roy Wood
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Rooted in dance, martial arts and studies of body development and awareness. A duet form where partners use weight, momentum, and inertia to move each other freely through space. Solo and duet skills, rolling, falling, balance, counter-balance, jumping, weight sharing, spirals explored. Skill work combined with more open dancing in a supportive and focused environment. No previous dance training required. |
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DANC 203-01
Roy Wood
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A continuation of DANC 104 that is taught concurrently with the introductory course. Students in DANC 203 will gain a deeper experiential and intellectual knowledge of contact by exploring issues further. Work includes both more advanced practice with other DAN 203 students, and the experience of helping teach the DANC 104 students the basic principles of contact. |
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DANC 237-01
Leonard Perez
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This course will provide students with an experience of the creative process involving choreographic and improvisational play in professional-style dance rehearsals that are then carried through live performance. Specifically, this course will focus on Afro-Diasporic movement and dance including, but not limited to, Afro Caribbean dances, Flamenco, contemporary dance technique and Black modern dance. Working with the instructor and/or various collaborators, students will diversify their experiences as dancer collaborators and deepen their creative journey as artists. |
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DANC 389W-01
Anne Wilcox; Ripp Greatbatch
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This course fulfills the second half of the Senior Seminar capstone course work. Students will apply the work from the Fall semester and delve into the making and creating component of their capstones especially. Students will write, choreograph, perform, implement and/or carry out research, performances and/or projects. In addition to the senior thesis development, students will investigate various career opportunities, develop a website portfolio, apply to the Undergraduate Research Expo, and produce a final thesis. Creative process and critical thinking are a focus of this course. Internships, other coursework as part of the major, co-curricular dance activity, service learning , or other related activity can support your research either prior or concurrently with DANC 389W. |
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DANC 228-01
Ripp Greatbatch
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This course examines the origins and development of western concert dance during the 20th and 21st centuries. Through lecture, discussion, film/video viewing, reading/writing assignments and movement experiences, we explore a variety of dance artists and their work and acknowledge a broader global perspective in terms of aesthetics, socio-cultural context and continued evolution in the contemporary dance landscape in regards to form, trends, and style. This course will serve as an investigation of dance history from a critical and analytical perspective, interfacing with a variety of theoretical frameworks. |
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DANC 283-01
Kerfala Bangoura
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Taught by a long-time member of Les Ballets Africains, the national ballet of Guinea, instructor Fana Bangoura will introduce students in this course to dynamic dance traditions of West Africa and will join with them the power of percussion. Students will also become familiar with the origins and cultural significance of each dance, and the songs that accompany them. By breaking down the drum parts alongside the traditional dance movements, students experience dancing and drumming in perfect unison. This opportunity is geared for both drummers and dancers and is highly recommended for all skill levels. |
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DANC 171-01
Todd Russell
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An art form of self-defense with aerobic and dance elements that brings together a harmony of forces. Through history, movement and culture, students gain self-confidence, power, flexibility, endurance, and tools towards self-discovery. Open to all, Capoeira balances the body, mind, and soul and enables one to break through limits, revitalizing oneself for everyday life. |
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DANC 190-01
Dylaina Young
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Traditional Folkloric roots of Middle Eastern Dance, focusing on specific Bedouin dance styles of North Africa (Raks Shaabi). Discourse and research will address issues of gender and body image. Improving strength, flexibility and self-awareness of the body, the class work will include meditative movement, dance technique, choreography and improvisation. No prior dance experience necessary. |
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DANC 130-1
Todd Russell
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Body conditioning aimed to develop and strengthen specific musculature as it pertains to physical demands of dancers, athletes, martial artists, as well as those who wish to explore a mindful, physical and anatomically sound practice. Will introduce fundamental strength training based in Pilates, hands-on bodywork and basic movement sequences designed to help prevent injury as well as build core strength, endurance, coordination and overall physical mobility and stability. |
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DANC 106-01
Rose Beauchamp
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In this Pilates Lab, students will gain a working knowledge of the Pilates method as it relates to dance training. Students will be introduced to the 6 Essential Principles of Pilates — Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breath, and Flow. Focus will be placed on becoming familiar with the equipment available and fostering the safe approach to its use. The course will address alignment, core support, stabilization, mobilization and flexibility as it integrates Pilates with other dance + conditioning practices. Only students who take Pilates Lab will be allowed to work independently in the lab. For dance majors and minors only, or permission from the instructor |
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| Tuesday and Thursday | |
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DANC 114-01
Cloria Sutton-Dowdell
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Yoga is defined as union, the uniting together of ourselves in all aspects- body, mind, heart, spirit. This class introduces the student to a hatha yoga method which integrates a dynamic and engaging approach to living through practicing on and off the mat. The goal of this class is to learn how to create a deeper, more enlivened relationship to ones self through honoring ones abilities and limitations, while growing ones skills and sensitivity in the supportive environment of the class community. Students will engage with principles of attitude, alignment and action in a full range of hatha yoga poses, breathing techniques, readings on yoga philosophy, reflection, journaling and discussion. Through this ongoing process, students of yoga are encouraged to cultivate a more expansive and clear perception of self and others. Attendance in selected workshops and performances are required. |
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DANC 305-01
Missy Pfohl Smith
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In this course, students dance and move with women in recovery who are living in transitional housing, as well as elders in the community. It is meaningful work that supports the well-being of everyone involved, while providing practice in fieldwork. We work in collaboration with one another and with the partners to create dance experiences that build community, invite agency, mindfulness, and personal expression, and in doing so, we challenge our biases and develop understanding and empathy. Students are expected to visit community sites and carry out project activities that fall outside of regular class meetings. Transportation will be provided where necessary. |
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DANC 116-01
Alaina Olivieri
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Approach ballet technique through the lens of somatic practices, placing an emphasis on dynamic alignment, movement efficiency, connectivity, articulation, phrasing, and breath support. While the primary focus is on an embodied practice, students can expect to develop an appreciation for aspects of the ballet aesthetic while considering theoretical aspects related to historical and socio-cultural contexts. |
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DANC 266-01
Anne Wilcox
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Continuing technical development and comprehension and integration of theory into practice is the focus in this course. Students will practice contemporary dance experientially through examining dance concepts influenced by Laban/Bartenieff theories and by exploring complex choreographic combinations. Classes will explore continuity and connectivity, patterns of total body organization, efficiency of movement, momentum, musculo-skeletal anatomy, strength, alignment, weight sensing, rhythm and somatic practices to develop and improve technical skills. We will also investigate subtlety and individual expression in performance. Experience in dance required. Having already taken DAN250 is helpful. |
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DANC 267-01
Anne Wilcox
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Continuing technical development and comprehension and integration of theory into practice is the focus in this course. Students will practice contemporary dance experientially through examining dance concepts influenced by Laban/Bartenieff theories and by exploring complex choreographic combinations. Classes will explore continuity and connectivity, patterns of total body organization, efficiency of movement, momentum, musculo-skeletal anatomy, strength, alignment, weight sensing, rhythm and somatic practices to deepen the investigation and mastery of technical skills. We will also continue to work on deepening the understanding or artistry as it pertains to subtlety and individual expression in performance. Pre-requisite: DAN 266: Intermediate Contemporary Dance |
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DANC 110-01
Ripp Greatbatch
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An introductory course of three different contemporary dance techniques. This course will be divided into three sections across the semester. Starting the course with the fundamentals of Cunningham technique to find stability, balance and coordination. We find a strong grounding through upright dance focusing on the 5 positions of the spine through various standing and travelling sequences. Second, we move on to release based techniques with a focus on using the stability we have found with Cunningham and applying in a more relaxed and somatic approach. Working on both floor work and standing work we have our emphasis on finding ease of movement through the use of breath and other sensations such as swinging. Lastly we move away from codified dancing to work on improvisation, where we can draw from everything we have learned in a more creative way of working that is more about interpreting tasks than recreating taught phrases granting you more autonomy over your dancing. |
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DANC 185-01
Elton Ward
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Krump; an urban street dance, is characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated and highly energetic movement. Krump was created by several youth from Los Angeles who were seeking to escape gang life and to express raw emotions in a powerful but non-violent way. A movement that started in a living room, is now all over the world. Students will learn the history, the fundamentals of Krump which consist of 4 main basics: Stomps, Arms, Chestpops, and Grooves and the terminology associated with the dance, such as battles, sessions, call-outs, get-off, kill-off, material, combos, hype and many more. Students will be evaluated through reflective writing, vocal quizzes, a mini-research project, video viewing, discussions and participation within the class, and attendance and responses to workshops and performance events on campus outside of class time. |
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DANC 233-01
Rose Beauchamp; Stephanie Ashenfelder
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This humanities course based in the arts combines the study of performing, visual arts and new media with history and theory to convey a breadth of stories about the human experience of climate change. In this interdisciplinary, collaborative course, students will be introduced to the multi-faceted use of the arts in designing for and expressing a vision for a sustainable future. Working with community partners, our research and story collection in the Adirondack park will be used to inspire projects in the course. Collaboration, design thinking, and the iterative design process will be used to produce performances and art work that respond to the stories of the changing climate in the Adirondack park. It will move through multiple units of theoretical study as students simultaneously work on their creative projects. The course will include an optional trip to the Adirondack Park to engage with our community partners. |
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DANC 160-01
Mariah Steele
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This course explores dance improvisation as a practice and technique for self-expression, performance and composition. By opening our senses and learning tools for generating movement in real-time, students will unite their bodies and minds to engage in spontaneous investigation and creation. Specific theories and techniques based in the work of Anne Bogart, William Forsythe and Laban Movement Analysis will be explored in addition to wider concepts such as scores, collective composition and site-specific work. The main goals of this class are to provide students with the freedom to explore their own movement-based research interests and to develop their individual artistic voices within a structured environment. Students will also strengthen their presence, intuition, self-awareness and decision-making skills |
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DANC 219-01
Robert Loce
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This class will teach the Chen Taijiquan 49-movement sword (jian) form. Practice of the jian develops precise movements and focused awareness. The length of the jian, and two well-defined edges and point enable a practitioner to see the precision of their movement much more readily compared to open hand forms. This attribute leads to a more graceful, meditative, body-mind flow. There are very clear coiling, and opening and closing movements that give the practice a qigong conditioning effect. Practitioners will experience a stretched, connected, open-body feeling. It is a favorite form of many taijiquan practitioners. |
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DANC 235-01
Anne Wilcox
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If there is one thing we, as humans, can count on, it’s that things change. Whether on a cellular, environmental, political, ideological, or physical level, change is a constant in our lives and in our world. This new Humanities for Life course will incorporate multiple disciplines to provide greater scope and perspective on change and observe how artists from dance, music, and fine arts have creatively explored the subject. Psychology, Economic, Political Science, Linguistic, and Sustainability scholars will contribute to the course’s rich discussion and investigation. “What is my personal relationship with change?” is one of the course’s primary questions. As a final creative project, students will use movement, writing, music, art, and/or spoken word to express their own ideas about change. Classes will regularly explore embodied practice, creative and reflective writing, and expansive discussion to dive into this important inquiry.
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DANC 253-01
Kerfala Bangoura
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Experience dancing African styles from traditional cultures of Guinea, West Africa, as well as studying cultural history and context from which and in which they are practiced and performed. Technical emphasis will focus on musicality and complex choreographicarrangement. Students will practice dances and drum songs. Required outside work includes performance attendance, video viewing, text and article analysis, research and written work. |
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DANC 102-01
Ripp Greatbatch
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Movement through the use of technique and improvisation. Emphasizes spontaneity, joy in moving, self-awareness and is based on experiential anatomy and developmental movement patterns. Provides strong foundation for further study in dance, theater, or sports. No previous dance training required. |
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DANC 377-01
Mariah Steele
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What can we learn by bringing science and art into conversation? In this course, students use improvisational and compositional forms from the field of contemporary dance to engage with cutting-edge research about extreme densities, temperatures and pressures at URs Laboratory for Laser Energetics. This new frontier of physics is shedding light on the interior of planets and stars, new material states and the development of fusion energy here on earth. Guest speakers from LLE share their research, which students then investigate in the studio, creating dances related to the scientific material presented. Core questions include: what are the benefits, challenges and limitations of artistic inquiry for modeling, understanding and communicating scientific ideas? How can scientific concepts shape dance-making? What commonalities exist between the scientific process and the creative process? The course culminates with an informal performance of students choreography based on current LLE research. |
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DANC 197-01
Euridece Seche
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This course is designed as an introduction to Latin partner dance at a beginning level. You will experience coordinated dancing of two people, as opposed to solo dancing or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a coordinated manner. Partner dancing emphasizes elementary body part isolations, basic step combinations, and musicality. No prior experience is assumed and no partner is needed.
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DANC 365A-01
Kerfala Bangoura
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Sansifanyi is an ensemble that combines academic study and performance for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students of African drumming and dance. This course requires a high degree of student commitment. Dancers who enroll in Sansifanyi will learn choreographic techniques for West African dance and gain experience dancing as soloists, including developing their own solo material. They will also focus on rhythmic timing, and on developing advanced skills such as how to combine movement with drumming. In addition to the time students spend in class, dancers will have weekly assignments. Dancers must also be available for performances both on and off campus throughout the semester. |
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DANC 365B-01
Kerfala Bangoura
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Sansifanyi is an ensemble that combines academic study and performance for intermediate and advanced students of African drumming and dance. This course requires a high degree of student commitment. Dancers who enroll in Sansifanyi will learn choreographic techniques for West African dance and gain experience dancing as soloists, and developing their own solo material. They will also focus on rhythmic timing, and on advanced skills such as how to combine movement with drumming. In addition to the time students spend in class, dancers will have weekly assignments researching, reading, writing, viewing videos, text and article analysis, practicing, and choreographing various rhythms, songs, movements, and sequences. Dancers must also be available for performances both on and off campus throughout the semester. Students in section B are required to successfully complete section A of this course in order to register. In addition to gaining an in-depth understanding of the history and culture, students in this section will expand their repertoire and improve their skills at dancing/drumming and performing. Students in section B will also gain teaching assistant skills by helping the students in section A with select choreographies taught in the course. Prerequisite: DANC 365 A |
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DANC 365C-01
Kerfala Bangoura
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Sansifanyi is an ensemble that combines academic study and performance for intermediate and advanced students of African drumming and dance. This course requires a high degree of student commitment. Dancers who enroll in Sansifanyi will learn choreographic techniques for West African dance and gain experience dancing as soloists, and developing their own solo material. They will also focus on rhythmic timing, and on advanced skills such as how to combine movement with drumming. In addition to the time students spend in class, dancers will have weekly assignments researching, reading, writing, viewing videos, text and article analysis, practicing, and choreographing various rhythms, songs, movements, and sequences. Dancers must also be available for performances both on and off campus throughout the semester. Students in section C are required to successfully complete section A and B of this course in order to register. Students in this section will advance in their performance and choreographic skills. Students will continue to serve as peer teachers both in and out of the classroom sessions by assisting students in learning the dancing and drumming. Students in this section will oversee the basic teachings of this course including leading preparatory warm up phrases as well as assisting students with known repertory while new materials is being developed for the class by the instructor. Students in this section are required to work on a research-based capstone dance project throughout the semester. Prerequisites: DANC 365 A and DANC 365 B |
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| Friday | |
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DANC 109-01
Natalia Lisina
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In this class, students will learn the basics of costume design for dance. Students will gain hands on experience in sewing and costume making as they explore elemental design concepts including color, texture, and line. Students will take on the role of costume designer for the Program of Dance + Movement’s dance concert, working with choreographers to envision, design and craft costumes. |
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DANC 218-02
Debra Corea
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Cultivate awareness of the present moment, which is the only moment available to learn and live. This experiential course invites pausing and reflecting on the habits of mind. Students will be guided in mindfulness and insight techniques, relaxation, and other mindfulness practices. Incorporating mindfulness into daily life, class discussion, reading, and writing assignments will support understanding and personal growth. To facilitate establishing a personal practice, attendance will be required at meditation labs on Fridays online via Zoom. |
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DANC 253-02
Kerfala Bangoura
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Experience dancing African styles from traditional cultures of Guinea, West Africa, as well as studying cultural history and context from which and in which they are practiced and performed. Technical emphasis will focus on musicality and complex choreographicarrangement. Students will practice dances and drum songs. Required outside work includes performance attendance, video viewing, text and article analysis, research and written work. |
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DANC 242-01
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This is an introductory design course aimed at giving students exposure to light as a medium, lighting design, lighting equipment, and visual story-telling for performance through class discussion, and practical work. Students will be required to attend dance performances and will help install the light plot. The class is built around specific performance dates that will provide the students with an opportunity to light a dance piece. |
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