Module Information
Module Identifier
DR21020
Module Title
THE BODY IN 20TH CENTURY DANCE AND THEATRE
Academic Year
2010/2011
Co-ordinator
Semester
Intended for use in future years
Pre-Requisite
Other Staff
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | 1 x 20-minute Group Presentation | 20% |
| Semester Assessment | 1 x 2,500 word essay | 30% |
| Semester Exam | 1 x written Examination (2 hours) | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Written report | 20% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay with alternative question | 50% |
| Supplementary Exam | Re-sit examination | 30% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. To display critical understanding of the relevance of theatre and dance practice to the discursive formation of corporeality in the 20th century.
2. To organize and present informed and original arguments reflecting research and independent thought in the subject area of the course.
3. To demonstrate critical awareness of current socio-cultural debates on corporeality, identity and embodiment as they relate to discursive formation in 20th century theatre and dance practices.
4. To co-operate as part of a group in presenting and argument in the analysis of course material.
Aims
To undertake critical readings of key theoretical texts from Antonin Artaud to Richard Schechner as well as performance texts by major 20th century theatre directors and dance choreographers from Martha Graham to Merce Cunningham in comparison to changing perspectives on the body and corporeality.
Content
Provisional schedule of lectures:
1. Theatre and Embodiment: Bodily (De)Constructions and Semiotic Analysis
2. Corporeality in the Writings of Antonin Artaud
3. Theatre of Cruelty in Performance: Peter Brook: Marat Sade
4. Holy Theatre: Jerzy Gorowski: The Constant Prince
5. Environmental Theatre: Richard Schechner : Dionysos 69
6. The Body in Modern Dance: Phenomenological Readings of the Body
7. Constructing Archetype and The Collective Unconscious: Martha Graham: Night Journey
8. Deconstructing the Anthropological Paradigm: Merce Cunningham: Walkaround Time
9. Feminist Interventions: Pina Bausch: Blaubart
10. Racial Deconstructions beyond the Color Line: Bill T. Jones: Dancing to the Promised Land, Three Solos
1. Theatre and Embodiment: Bodily (De)Constructions and Semiotic Analysis
2. Corporeality in the Writings of Antonin Artaud
3. Theatre of Cruelty in Performance: Peter Brook: Marat Sade
4. Holy Theatre: Jerzy Gorowski: The Constant Prince
5. Environmental Theatre: Richard Schechner : Dionysos 69
6. The Body in Modern Dance: Phenomenological Readings of the Body
7. Constructing Archetype and The Collective Unconscious: Martha Graham: Night Journey
8. Deconstructing the Anthropological Paradigm: Merce Cunningham: Walkaround Time
9. Feminist Interventions: Pina Bausch: Blaubart
10. Racial Deconstructions beyond the Color Line: Bill T. Jones: Dancing to the Promised Land, Three Solos
Brief description
This is a course of directed reading, video/dvd-based performance analysis and weekly discussions. Students will be challenged to research the interrelationship between theatre practice, avant-garde aesthetics and cultural theories of the body as they investigate the interrelationship between dance and theatre performance and choreography. Among the recurring themes of the module will be the following: the body and performativity, social habitus and performance practice, corporeality and aesthetics, media and the body, space and choreography, phenemenological analysis and kinaesthetics.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | |
| Communication | * Students' oral and written communication skills will be developed (e.g. appropriate language and style, accuracy, precision and ability to be concise). * Opportunities will be given through interactive lecture-demonstration and discussion sessions for students to display confidence in using their speaking and listening skills when communicating their ideas. * Students will be required to present an oral report which will be encouraged to make use of audio-visual support as well as verbal communication skills. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | * Students will be able to develop their skills of information location, bibliographic resources and interdisciplinary research methodology. * Students will be given opportunity to expand on their effective note-taking skills. * Students will develop the ability to analyze, interpret, evaluate and integrate knowledge and understanding gained from lectures, dramatic texts as well as performance analyses so as to encourage new ideas. * Students will be given opportunity to design small-scale independent research projects and topics. |
| Information Technology | *Students will be given the opportunity to develop their authorial and note-taking skills during lecture-demonstrations and in preparation of the oral and written assignments.*Students will be given opportunities to develop their skills using the CPR archive's audio-visual resources, electronic databases and retrieval of sources both on the web and UWS LIS.*Students will develop their skills when referencing from the web and related sources, whilst the ability to evaluate (not describe) and ability to be selective in using these materials are also essential key skills.*E-mail and Blackboard will be major forms of communication and information-sharing in this module and students will be given the assignment to actively engage in these processes by contributing their work to the online forum.*The Department stipulates that students must present all of their written work assignments in type-script and according to MLA-Style Guide.They must, therefore, acquire basic word-processing skills |
| Personal Development and Career planning | * Students will be given the opportunity to evaluate current knowledge and skills and set targets for self-improvement. * Students will be encouraged to take increasing responsibility for managing their own learning. * Students will be encouraged to build upon the knowledge gained from lectures through developing skills in self study (supported by the general and specific reading lists and other resources distributed throughout the module). |
| Problem solving | * Problem identification and analysis, particularly when exploring theatre and performance research from a theatre/dance focused comparative perspective on corporeality and the body. * Ability to choose from a variety of related source materials as well as organize and critically assess research material from an interdisciplinary perspective. * Skill to evaluate methodological choices and approaches when using interdisciplinary sources. |
| Research skills | * Students will be able to develop their skills of information location, bibliographic databases and interdisciplinary research methodology. * Students will be given opportunity to expand on their effective note-taking skills. * Sttudents will develop the ability to analyze, interpret, evaluate and integrate knowledge and understanding gained from lectures, dramatic text, as well as performance analysis to encourage new ideas. * Students will be given the opportunity to design small-scale independent research projects and topics. |
| Subject Specific Skills | |
| Team work | * Team work will be developed in preparation for the oral report as well as through interactive lecture and seminar participation . * Group/work and seminar collaboration will empower the student to develop their team-working and leadership skills. |
Reading List
Should Be PurchasedThe Course Reader (available from Departmental Office and Blackboard - the Module Coordinator will alert you to its availability and price). Primo search Essential Reading
Artaud, Antonin (1993) The Theatre and its Double Primo search Brook, Peter (1968) The Empty Space Primo search Climenhaga, Royd (2009) Pina Bausch Routledge Performance Practioners Series Primo search Grotowski, Jerzy (1975) Towards a Poor Theatre Primo search Jamieson, Lee (2007) Antonin Artaud, From Theory to Practice London Primo search Schechner, Richard (1973) Environmental Theatre Primo search Slowiak, James (2007) Jerzy Grotowski Routledge Performance Practioners Series Primo search Sophocles Oedipus Rex Primo search Weiss, Peter Marat/Sade Primo search Worth, Libby (2004) Anna Halprin Routledge Performance Practioners Series Primo search Recommended Background
Carlson, Marvin (2000) Body and Sign in Marat/Sade Assaph 15. pp. 9-19 Primo search Carter, Alexandra (2005) The Routledge Dance Studies Reader Primo search Csordas, T. (2003) Embodiment and Experience: The Existential Ground of Culrure and Self Primo search Desmond, Jane C. (1997) Meaning in Motion. New Cultural Studies of Dance. Durha Primo search Fernandez, Ciane (2001) Pina Bausch and Wuppertal Dance Theatre Primo search Foster, Susan Reading Dancing: Bodies and Subjects in Contemporary American Dance Berkeley Primo search Foster, Susan (ed) (1996) Corporealities: Dancing Knowledge, Culture and Power Primo search Foulkes, J. (2002) Modern Bodies: Dance and American Modernism from Martha Graham to Alvin Ailey Primo search Fraleigh, Sondra (2004) Dancing Identity: Metaphysics in Motion Primo search Fraser, M. and M. Greco (2005) The Body: A Reader Primo search Graham, Martha (1991) Blood Memory: An Autobiography Primo search Helen, T. (2003) The Body, Dance and Cultural Theory Primo search Horst, Louis and Carroll Russel (1961) Modern Dance Forms in Relation to the Other Arts Primo search Huxley, Michael and Noel Witts (Eds) (2002) The Twentieth Century Performance Reader Primo search Innes, Christopher (1981) Holy Theatre: Ritual and the Avantgarde Primo search Jones, Bill T., and P. Gillespie (1995) Last Night on Earth Primo search Morrison Brown, Jean et al (1998) The Vision of Modern Dance. In the Words of Its Creators. London Primo search Richards, T. (1995) At Work with Grotowski on Physical Actions Primo search Roose-Evans, James (1970) Experimental Theatre from Stanislavsky to Peter Brook Primo search Wolford, L. and R. Schechner (2001) The Grotowski Sourcebook Primo search
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5