Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0247 - The Sustainable Self

In our increasingly fast-paced, multi-tasking technological culture, did you ever wonder what happens to the body? Falling out of sync, or losing touch with one's physical and sensory self can cause a host of problems including stress, injury and a decreased sense of wellbeing. These problems can also dampen creativity and undermine technique. What's a body to do? This course introduces students to several body based disciplines that offer helpful strategies for sustaining a healthy and creative body/mind. Some practices are deeply meditative and slow moving, others vigorous and action oriented. All share the goal of keeping your personal human "eco-system" in balance. Learn techniques that will help you cope with environmental stressors and rise to creative challenges. Study current literature from sustainability science to search for ideas that inform your explorations of body/mind sustainability. Investigate the principles and philosophies behind somatic practices such as Bartenieff Fundamentals and The Alexander Technique. For the final project, you will have the opportunity to independently research a somatic discipline or sustainability issue of your choosing. This course is open to all students and though prior experience in any movement practice is not required, students must be willing to engage fully, deeply, and energetically in a range of guided movement activities.

Independent Work Concert Tickets $30-50. In this course students are expected to spend 6-8 hours weekly in preparation and work outside of class time.