Dance 480

DNCE 480, 481: History and Philosophy of Dance

Credit Hours: (3) Three hours lecture

DNCE 480: Traces development of dance during various historical periods. Covers primitive, Oriental, Egyptian, ancient Greek and Roman civilizations and the Christian era through the Middle Ages.


Detailed Description of Content of Course

1. DNCE 480

        a. Nature, meaning, and purpose of dance
        b. Dance during the period of primitive man
        c. Dance of Eastern cultures such as Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and/or Pacific Island groups
        d. Dance in ancient Egypt
        e. Dance during the Biblical era
        f. Dance in the days of the Greek and Roman supremacies
        g. Dance from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance

2. DNCE 481

        a. The beginnings of ballet
        b. The Romantic Age
        c. The classicism of Petipa
        d. The Diaghilev era
        e. Developments in ballet since Diaghilev
        f. Precursors of modern dance
        g. Rebels
        h. Rebels against the rebels
        i. Post-modern dance


Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

This two-course sequence will be presented largely, though not exclusively, through the lecture method. Slides and video tapes will be used to illustrate themes. The course also lends itself to discussion that can encompass both facts and supposition. Writing of an informal nature as well as formal papers and classroom reports are all possible experiences for students.


Goals and Objectives of the Course

At the conclusion of each section of the course, the student will:

1. Define a time line of events in the history of dance as a performing art in the West.
2. Research a topic in dance history and describe the historical and cultural significance of that contribution in a written report.
3. Identify factors and events influencing the evolution of dance in selected periods of history.
4. Explain the complexity of dance as religious expression, as recreation, as communication among people, and as performing art.


Assessment Measures

Methods of evaluating the students' grasp of material may include written exams that cover both facts and philosophy, formal papers, oral reports, informal writing, and class attendance.


Other Course Information

The division of content in this two-course sequence should be left somewhat to the discretion of the instructor. While the sequence, taken together, presents the spectrum of dance through human history, students need not take them in order. The content of one course influences but does not dictate the content of the other.

Last Date of Revision: October 1, 1991


Review and Approval
March 24, 1998 Review Margaret Devaney, Chair
September 12, 2001 Review Margaret Devaney, Chair
July 14, 2005 Review Margaret Devaney, Chair