DANC 340 Improvisation
What are the connecting practices, histories, and contexts that inform the immediacy of dance, known as dance improvisation? Dance improvisation exists at the junction of “known” and “unknown” movements (Gere, 2003: xiii) and can be located within the ever-growing scope of embodied practices of 21st century dances. As a cultural and historically significant approach to dancing and dance-making, e.g., social dances, House, salsa, West African, contact improvisation, and Capoeira, the study of dance improvisation requires a rigorous practice comparable to other forms of dance study. Through collaborative and community-centered processes for embodiment, this course will support students in their investigations of a wide range of improvisational dance: dance practices which possess clear intentions or approaches yet have no pre-conceived outcome or expectation and are essentially aleatory. Ultimately, this course will provide students with innovative improvisational methods to draw from and an improved sense of comfort with risk-taking in relation to movement.
This course can be repeated up to 9 credits.