What do we do with the Classics and the playwrights held up as the undefeated paragons of the written theatrical word? Some would say we get rid of all of them and create a new canon. Some say we expand the canon. And others argue canons should be period-specific. In this course we will look at some plays deemed theatrical classics paired with lesser known contemporaneous plays and playwrights to examine the "problem" of Classics and how we "solve" the problem of a limited theatrical canon. What made them a classic and can they still be deemed so today?

This studio course is designed as an interactive laboratory for students interested in imaginative experimentation to discover and access multiple ways to generate material in different media (dance, theater, visual /digital art, text and/or sound). The course emphasizes a practice of rigorous play and a dedicated interest in process and invention. Also, the course will be informed by a view that anything and everything is possible material for creative and spontaneous response and production.

In this course, students will learn to identify, craft and tell stories using their whole bodies. We will combine movement, voice, and improvisation to show how physical expression enhances storytelling and highlights the body as a living record of social narratives. Students will explore dance ethnography and autoethnography to critically engage with multiple cultures, including their own.

In this second course in the craft of speaking, students learn to shape and speak text to powerful effect. Students build on prior work in THDA 125H to extend vocal range and capacity while learning component principles of spoken expression. Articulation, inflection, methods of contrast and interpretation, tone, verbal imaging and aural structures of poetry and rhetoric are practiced in a studio setting. Emphasis is placed on personal engagement and presence to others while speaking. Assignments in text scoring and memorization support class work.

The study and practice of ballet as a contemporary movement vocabulary. Objectives include the intellectual and physical practice in ballet, including increased body awareness, alignment, flexibility, coordination, strength, musical phrasing and the expressive potential of movement. The course material is presented at the intermediate/advanced level. Appropriate prior experience is required. A half-course. This course may be repeated for credit. Spring semester. The Department.

In this course, students will learn to appreciate and analyze design elements in theatrical contexts by applying class instruction in a wide variety of design-related topics to independent research and peer discussions. A focus of the work will be on a vigorous exchange of observations, ideas, and critical analysis of how design elements and topics--ranging from the human brain to fashion history--affect our perception of character and story in live performance and other media, such as television, films and video games.

This is a beginning-level half-course that explores contemporary dance through a multicultural perspective, blending techniques from the African and Latinx diasporas with Western forms. We will engage with high-energy choreography and movement exploration to enhance rhythm, texture, levels, groundedness, flow, and artistry. The curriculum integrates elements from Laban/Barenieff, Passinho (Brazil), Hip Hop, and Amazonian dances such as Lundu Marajoara, among others.

This beginning level half-course is an introduction to Waacking/Punking, street dance styles that originated in the club scene of Los Angeles in the 1970s. Students will learn the fundamentals of these forms, including the expressive arms and dramatic poses of Waacking, and the improvisation and theatrical flair of its precursor, Punking. Through foundational techniques, movement drills, and choreographed sequences, we will develop rhythm, timing, and style while engaging with the cultural and historical contexts of these bold dance forms.

"What is acting? Who is a performer?" This course offers an overview of acting techniques and theories across cultures and historical contexts. Through critical analysis and practical exploration, students gain an understanding of the complexities of performance and its impact in the individual and society. Participants are encouraged to engage in interdisciplinary approaches to acting and performing, challenging themselves to cultivate a nuanced perspective on the role of performance in shaping cultural narratives and identities.

Contact Improvisation (CI) is a dance form practiced between two or more people that relies upon tactile communication between bodies. Through the modulation of muscle tone, rolling, sliding, and counterbalance, students learn to give and support weight, creating spontaneous compositions. The emergent nature of the form challenges students to listen and adapt to one another's physical impulses while tracking their own sensations through the use of interception, exteroception, and proprioception. Trust, cooperation, and full-body awareness are at the heart of this movement practice.