CODE	NAME	DESCRIPTION
DANC 204	Hip-Hop Dance	Investigation of hip hop dance by examining the culture and politics that inspired the genre. Focuses on the foundations and origins of hip hop and street dance culture and the journey to current definitions of hip hop dance. Combined course in dance...
DANC 210	Salsa Dance	Focuses on the fundamentals of Salsa dance steps and musical rhythms and the physical and social traditions of Afro-Caribbean culture. Creative projects will focus on individual and group projects designed to facilitate embodied exploration.
DANC 214	Contemporary African Movement Practices (CAMP)	Investigation of contemporary and traditional-based/vernacular dance practices as they have developed and continue to evolve in West Africa and the Diaspora. An introduction to movement and theory of selected dance practices of West Africa, tracing t...
DANC 238	Introduction to Contact Improvisation	The practice and exploration of contact improvisation, an improvised movement form that relies on partners in constant physical dialog and connection. Class is devoted to developing balance, strength, flexibility, trust, support, weight-sharing, risk...
DANC 248	Movement Improvisation	Focus on unraveling habitual ways of moving to discover impromptu motion and new patterns in groups, duets, and alone. A range of contemporary theoretical, artistic, and ethnographic techniques from American and international improvisers will be expl...
DANC 251	Contemporary Dance I	Explores organic ways of moving while maximizing circular forces, coordinating breath and movement, and working with gravity and momentum. Incorporates elements of Authentic Movement, Yoga, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Developmental Movement Technique, F...
DANC 255	Composition	Explores a variety of dance-making methodologies. Composition and performance of movement studies in group, duet, and solo forms for both concert dance and site-specific locations. Culminates in a public sharing of work created throughout the semeste...
DANC 256	Jazz Dance I	Introduction to jazz dance as an eclectic form of artistic expression with emphasis on rhythm and technique. Students are required to critique live dance concerts as well as conduct research on a relevant topic.
DANC 257	Ballet I	Introductory course in ballet as a theatrical art form. Study of basic ballet terminology, understanding of correct body placement, and a general knowledge of performing elementary ballet technique. Students are required to critique live dance concer...
DANC 258	Writing from the Body: Words and Movement	Reflection on how one moves through the world and how experience gets articulated. Class is devoted to exercises that generate movement and writing, both used as gateways to the other.
DANC 259	Tap Dance I	Introduction to tap dance, a theatrical form of artistic expression with development of a movement vocabulary based on rhythms made with taps. Students are required to critique live dance concerts as well as conduct research on a relevant topic.
DANC 260	Modern Dance I	Introduction to modern dance as a diverse form of expression with development of language of movement. Students are required to critique live dance concerts as well as conduct research on a relevant topic.
DANC 261	Jazz Dance II	Continuation of beginning jazz, emphasizing intermediate technique, vocabulary, and style. Students are required to critique live dance concerts as well as conduct research on a relevant topic.
DANC 263	Modern Dance II	Continuation of beginning modern dance, emphasizing intermediate technique and development of an aesthetic vocabulary of contemporary modern dance. Students are required to critique live dance concerts as well as conduct research on a relevant topic.
DANC 265	Contemporary Dance II	Continuation of Contemporary Dance I. Students will deepen their knowledge of organic ways of moving while maximizing circular forces, coordinating breath and movement, and moving with an awareness of gravity and momentum. Students will engage in mor...
DANC 266	Ballet II	Continuation of beginning ballet, emphasizing intermediate technique and vocabulary. Students are required to critique live dance concerts as well as conduct research on a relevant topic.
DANC 306	University Dancers.	Technique, rehearsal, and performance of dance works choreographed by dance faculty, students, and visiting choreographers. May be repeated for credit.
DANC 312	Special Topics in Dance Technique	Offered as-needed. Representative topics may include a range of non-traditional dance forms and practices: Improvisation, Release Technique, Flying Low, Breaking, Fusion, Physical Theatre, Viewpoints, Suzuki, or other contemporary movement techniques...
DANC 315	Independent Study	Restriction: Prospectus must be submitted and approved prior to the end of advance registration.
DANC 316	Repertory	Students in the repertory class are members of University Dancers, and will spend the fall semester learning, rehearsing, and collaborating on a new piece of choreography by one of the University of Richmond's dance faculty or a guest artist.
DANC 319	Collaborative Arts Lab: Dance, Humanities and Technology	A creative research lab where students combine dance, theatre, and subject from humanities and/or science and technology as the foundation for creating and original dance theatre piece. The research-creative project to include a public performance wi...
DANC 320	Human Kinetics for Dance	The science of human movement and knowledge of the skeletal and muscular structures which is a valuable tool in a dancer's growth. Focus on how the body functions and moves as the students develop an objective and realistic sense of their strengths a...
DANC 322	Special Topics in Somantics	Offered as needed. Representative topics may include: Special Topics in Kinetics, Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, Pilates, Yoga, Physical Conditioning for Dancers and Athletes, or other body awareness and movement training.
DANC 330	Dance History/Theory I	Study of Western theatrical dance from antiquity through the 19th century. Focus on the analysis of dance and movement practices within their cultural contexts. Ritual roots of early dance are examined along with social, political, and religious aspe...
DANC 335	Dance Projects	Continuation of DANC 255 Composition. Students develop a creative or research project culminating in a public presentation.
DANC 340	Dance History/Theory II	A study of Western theatrical dance from the early 20th-century Ballets Russes through the development of modern dance, jazz dance, musical theatre, hip-hop, and contemporary fusion forms.
DANC 350	Special Topics in Critical Inquiry	Offered as needed. Representative topics include critical dance studies, historical dance studies, performance studies, and dance criticism.
DANC 356	Pointe and Variations	For advanced ballet students to continue training in pointe work. Study of classical variations in a historical context and performance of these variations in an informal showing. Students are required to critique live dance concerts as well as condu...
DANC 361	Advanced Jazz Dance	Continuation of intermediate jazz, emphasizing advanced technique, vocabulary, and style. Students are required to critique live dance concerts as well as conduct research on a relevant topic.
DANC 365	Advanced Contemporary Dance	Continuation of Contemporary Dance II. Deepens knowledge of organic ways of moving while maximizing circular forces, coordinating breath and movement, and working with gravity and momentum. Engagement in advanced movement patterns and choreographed e...
DANC 366	Advanced Ballet	Continuation of intermediate ballet, emphasizing advanced technique and vocabulary. Students are required to critique live dance concerts as well as conduct research on a relevant topic.
DANC 406	Summer Undergraduate Research	Documentation of the work of students who receive summer fellowships to conduct research [or produce a creative arts project] in the summer. The work must take place over a minimum of 8 weeks, the student must engage in the project full-time (at leas...
DANC 407	Senior Thesis Capstone	Builds on the foundations of Choreography I and Choreography II, as well as the other courses in the major. Student choreographer develops a fully produced work culminating in a public performance. Department of Theatre and Dance faculty co-mentor th...

Dance

Department of Theatre and Dance

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