This course will include studio sessions in contemporary modern dance technique at the intermediate level and rehearsal sessions to create original choreography; the new work will be presented toward the end of the semester. The emphasis in the course will be to increase expressive range, technical skills and the performance versatility of the performer through the practice, creation and performance of choreography. The course will include readings and video viewings to offer a broader understanding of performance and choreography.

This course explores the expressions of Cuban dance derived from various African ethnic groups (Bantu, Yoruba, Fon, among many others) that helped shape the Island's identity. Students will explore different movement patterns and complex polyrhythms connected to a spirituality and aesthetic that has crossed nationalities to contribute to contemporary popular culture worldwide over time. The class will feature live drummers. Coursework will include short in-class readings and discussions, video screenings, and a final reflection. A half-course.

(Offered as SWAG 267 and LLAS 267) From the crafting of the text “me too” in the United States to “not one less” in Latin America, social movements have configured in the streets and in the digital avenues of the continent to demand a different world and to change everything. We will approach these texts as events, as literatures, as cultural artifacts, and as entry points for the analysis of culture in our hemisphere.