DANC 382 - The Dancing Body in Aesthetics and Dance Criticism

CR: 3
Prerequisite: Open to first-year students by permission only. The famed ancient Roman orator Cicero said, “No sober person dances.” Early Puritans and some present-day religions regard dancing as indecent behavior. Exhilarating, entertaining, controversial, and confusing, dance generates strong reactions. Through lecture, film/video, reeading, writing, and class discussion, this course explores historic and cultural attitudes toward the dancing body, and dance - from ancient philosophers to dance critics of today. Students will view 12 dance works of major choreographers in different dance genres and styles, from Martha Graham’s classic retelling of a Greek myth of the Minotaur, Errand Into the Maze, to Mark Morris’ 1950’s post-modern version of the Nutcracker ballet, The Hart Nut. III.W, V.6a