This course will examine the impulse in Latin American society, thinking, and cosmology from the pre-Columbian era to the present day. It will focus on historical episodes where cataclysmic visions and fears dominated the day. The course will finish by surveying the contemporary fascination with the end of the Mayan long count in 2012.

This course offers an introduction to the study of Latina/o communities in the United States. We will explore major concepts and debates in this growing field through the study of texts across disciplines including history, sociology, performance theory, personal narrative and ethnography. This interdisciplinary approach will provide us with rich frameworks to interrogate how Latinas/os negotiate complex identities across communities and specific geographic and political contexts.

The course provides an historical and topical overview of Latina/o migration to the United States. We will examine the economic, political, and social antecedents to Latin American migration, and the historical impact of the migration process in the U.S. Considering migration from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, we will discuss the social construction of race, the gendered nature of migration, migrant labor struggles, Latin American-U.S. Latino relations, immigration policy, and border life and enforcement.

This seminar offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of feminist ideologies among Latinas throughout the United States. Employing a range of sources from archival texts to artistic images and ethnographies, we will study the histories and representations of Latina feminist theories across academic and aesthetic approaches.

This course provides a foundation in the principles, techniques, and equipment involved in making short videos. Working with already existing texts, students will develop their own projects. The course will introduce the following: developing a project idea from a pre-existing text; script/treatment writing; aesthetics and mechanics of shooting; the role of sound; and the conceptual and technical underpinnings of digital editing. By translating other media into cinematic terms, we will develop our proficiency in the language of moving images.

An introduction to performance through a variety of improvisational exercises designed for developing basic techniques. After exploring visual, aural, tactical, and literary performance sources, the students will rehearse and present two performance projects.

An introduction to the basic principles of dance movement: body alignment, coordination, strength and flexibility, basic forms of locomotion. No previous dance experience required.

An introduction to performance through a variety of improvisational exercises designed for developing basic techniques. After exploring visual, aural, tactical, and literary performance sources, the students will rehearse and present performance projects.

An introduction to the art and work of the set and costume designer in the performing arts. Students will learn how a designer approaches a script, how their work impacts a production, and what means are used in the execution of this process. They will learn how to develop their own visual imaginations and how to create visual concepts through discussions, renderings, and models. No previous experience in theatre, performance, or the visual arts is required.

This course will examine the materials and techniques used in building and operating theatrical scenery. It will include prop building, rigging, and welding for the theatre. Students will learn the skills to work in the scene shop interpreting scenic designs for department productions.