Dance 151 - Composition I

A study of the principles and elements of choreography through divers approaches to dancemaking. How is movement design and meaning constructed? How do the different dimensions of the medium of dance inform and inspire choreographic choices? Course work will focus on experiential and analytical approaches to these questions through readings, video viewings and guided improvisational and compositional explorations of such issues as sensation, time, rhythm, desire, image, shape, space, and effort quality. Students will experiment with a range of tools and strategies for dance making, including movement phrasing, musical structure, collage, group forms, improvisational scoring, and the design of movement in relation to objects and environments.