Week 1: Session 1

Homework

Reading:
Benjamin, Adam. “A Serious Dislocation” (Chapter 5. pp 23-26. Making an Entrance . Routledge: London ; 2002.)

Writing task 1 (not assessed):
Where and how have I experienced dance.

Lecture/Studio

Discussion:
By collecting the various experience the students have in dance we establish the varying function and contexts of dance with the following categories: Therapy, Education/Training, Social, Ritual and Performance (Theatrical/Competitive).

We relate this to Benjamin's article and his discussion of how the shared dancing space got elevated to the stage, dividing people into performers and audiences.

Main concepts:
Different dance contexts and their aims/function.
Skill sets and training
Theme or people centered interaction
Process or product oriented
Access/Participation versus excellence.

Week 1: Session 2

Lecture/Studio

Practice:
Experience a traditional modern dance class with set material

Discussion:
What skills are prerequisites for the class?
What channels are used to transmit information?
What challenges do you face in the class?

Homework

Writing Task 2 (5%):
Summarize the class experience and the discussion that followed.

Week 2: Session 1

Homework

Reading:
Models of Disability (Currently looking for a suitable text)
Benjamin, Adam. “A Serious Dislocation” (Chapter 5. Pp 32-35. Making an Entrance . Routledge: London; 2002)

Lecture/Studio

Presentation:
Brief History of Disability and Performance and Dance: The 18 th Century Side Show, Therapy, Postmodern Dance and Contact Improvisation, Workshops and Project Based Companies, Performing and Touring Companies.

Discussion:
Models of Disability in relationship to the history of disability and performance.

Main Concepts:
Differentiate between the medical and the social model of disability. Dance and Disability: The meeting of two culturally defined terms. Reiterate the terms introduced in week one and add: Integration – Inclusion.

Week 2: Session 2

Lecture/Studio

Practice:
Experience traditional workshop class working with improvisation and creative tasks.

Discussion:
What skills are prerequisites for the class?
What channels are used to transmit information?
What challenges do you face in the class?

Homework

Writing Task 3 (5%):
Summarize the class experience and the discussion which followed.

Week 3: Session 1

Homework

Reading:
Ward Warren, Gretchen. “The Ideal Body Structure and Proportions for Classical Ballet Dancers”. (Chapter 2. pp. 64-70. Classical Ballet Technique . University of South Florida Press / Tampa , 1989).

Graham, Martha. “I Am A Dancer” (Chapter 8. pp. 66-71. Carter, A; ed.; The Routledge Dance Studies Reader. Routlegde, London and New York , 1998)

Rainer, Yvonne. “No to Spectacle” (Chapter 4. p 35. Carter, A; ed.; The Routlegde Dance Studies Reader. Routlegde, London and New York , 1998)

Lecture/Studio

Presentation:
The changing body in dance; a series of (ongoing) revolutions.
The classical ideal of the elusive sylph.
From the Sylph to Medea
Isadora Duncan and Graham challenging what women represent in dance.
Ted Shawn and his dancing men.
Balanchine and Arthur Mitchell, the first black dancer to join NYCB.
Yvonne Rainer, Steve Paxton and Postmodern Dance. Capturing the pedestrian movement range and developing Contact Improvisation.
Dance and Disability

Discussion:
Body image and dance. Comparing the three artistic statements above and relating them to the history of dance and changes in society.

Main Concepts:
The body matters in dance. A dancer's physical, conceptual and artistic range, shape, gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, age etc are part of the content of a dance performed. Some of the changes in dance during the 20 th century have been revolutionary. These revolutions were never complete. Sometimes dance radically led the way or reflected attitudinal changes in society, yet at other times dance upholds and reiterates normative representations unchallenged. Rather than replacing each other the sylph, the amazon, the camp, the athlete, the homogenous, the diverse, the pedestrian and virtuosity coexist.

Week 3: Session 2

Homework

Reading:
Teaching Methodology article (information tba)

Prepare a short (8-16 count) movement phrase we will use to teach to each other.

Lecture/Studio

Practice:
Inclusive language and modes of communication.
Creating access in the dance studio.
Teaching through demonstration.
Teaching through description.
Teaching through touch.

Discussion:
Differences observed between traditional and workshop classes. (Inclusion-integration, process – product, people - theme centered. inherent ableism of set material, instructor-dancer relationship and working with assumptions.

Homework

Writing Task 4 (5%):
Summarize the class experience and the discussion which followed.

Week 4: Session 1

Homework

Reading:
Hockenberry, J. “Moving Violations” (Chapter 7: pp 87-102; Fear of Bees in War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence . New York : Hyperion)

Lecture/Studio

Discussion:
Using the text as a starting point for two discussions:

1.) Inclusive language in mixed ability environments.
2.) The personal is political. The body and identity in performance

Presentation:
David Tool performing in DV8's “The Cost of Living”

Main Concepts:
1.) Use of language in a world of changing terminology, self-labeling and reclaiming of terms. Finding out about preferred terms and ways of initiating conversations between participants and instructors about requirements, preferences, needs and responsibilities with regards to the individual, the group and the course or class material.

2.) This body we live in is all we've got. Using the personal and autobiographical in the artistic process.

Week 4: Session 2

Homework

Writing task 5:
Prepare a text describing your self. How would you present your self, how do others see you. What is important for you to mention, what do you take for granted and what do you prefer not to mention?

Lecture/ Studio

Practice:
In a creative workshop Collectively create a short performance juxtaposing physical and written biographical texts.

Discussion:
The expressive potential of our bodies and the opportunity and challenge to use the personal in our performance.

Week 5: Session 1

Homework

Reading:
Part 1: Albright, A.C. “Moving across Difference” (pp. 56-74 in Choreographing Difference Wesleyan University Press, Hanover , NH , 1997

Lecture/ Studio

Discussion:
Albright's introduction to dance and disability.

Presentation:
Cleveland Dancing Wheels, Company history and range of work

Discussion:
Albright's criticism of the company

Week 5: Session 2

Studio/Lecture

Open two-hour workshop either in connection with the Children's hospital, public schools or a workshop organized at the UW. Possibly shifting the meeting time from the afternoon into the evening or the Saturday.

Week 6: Session 1

Homework

Reading:
Part II: Albright, A.C. “Moving across Difference” (pp. 75-84 in Choreographing Difference Wesleyan University Press, Hanover , NH , 1997

Studio/Lecture

Presentation:
CandoCo, (AXIS and Light Motion) Company history and work.

Discussion:
Albright's criticism of the companies

Week 6: Session 2

Studio/Lecture

Practice:
Contact Improvisation workshop

Homework

Writing Task 6 (5%):
Summarize the class experience and the discussion which followed.

Week 7: Session 1

Homework

Reading:
Part III: Albright, A.C. “Moving across Difference” (pp. 84-92 in Choreographing Difference Wesleyan University Press, Hanover , NH , 1997

Studio/Lecture

Presentation:
Joint Forces and Joint Ability as well as footage from AXIS course. Cover company history and work.

Discussion:
Albright's criticism of the companies and Contact Improvisation.

Homework

Essay:
Compare the practice sessions you have experienced so far. Use the writing tasks (all except task 5) as a basis for your paper. In your discussion you include: dance contexts and their aims/function, skill and training requirements, theme or people centered interaction, inclusion and integration, process or product oriented, access/participation versus excellence.

Week 7: Session 2

Studio/Lecture

Practice:
Second two hour workshop ( Children Hospital or Open Workshop)
Students lead one exercise each (Lesson plans are presented previously and discussed with the instructor).

Week 8: Session 1

Homework

Viewing:
Bill T. Jones [videorecording]: Still/Here / with Bill Moyers; David Grubin Productions, Inc. & Public Affairs Television, Inc. Princeton, NJ: Films for the Humanities & Sciences, c1997

Reading:
Croce, A. “Discussing the Undiscussable”. in New Yorker Vol.70 No.43 Dec.26 1994

Studio/Lecture

Workshop and discussion:
We include reviews about CandoCo, Axis, Joint Ventures and Cleveland Dancing Wheels into the discussion initiated by the viewing of Still/Here and the Croce article. We address the culture clash between those advocating “Disinterested Art” and the proponents of “Issue driven Work”.

Week 8: Session 2

Homework

View websites of solo artists: Bill Shannon, Lisa Bufano Mat Fraser etc.

Studio/Lecture

Practice:
Choreographic tool exploring personal material (authentic movement) and ways of sharing and structuring diverse material (juxtaposition, counterpoint, improvisational scores) without resorting to unison and emulating each other.

Week 9: Session 1

Studio/Lecture

10-20 minute presentations

Week 9: Session 2

Studio/Lecture

10-20 minute presentations

Week 10: Session 1

Studio/Lecture

Presentation:
Summary of the course and where is Dance and Disability heading

Week 10: Session 2

Final class