PERFA 182 - Dance History I

Upper Division

Through a feminist and anti-racist lens, this course examines the emergence of ballet as a dance form with its roots in Greek drama. The course asks us to consider the Renaissance, Baroque, and Romantic periods and how those movements or erasnerased certain forms of dance to allow for a crystallization of ballet in the 20th century. We will also look at the history of the Americas to discuss the effects of colonization on dance in relationship to indigenous forms and the development of ballet. Political, social, cultural and economic contexts will be regarded in their connection to how ballet has shaped itself in history, finding its unique role in society. We will continuously examine, imagine, and “try on” the embodied experiences of these forms so that students can conduct research and to analyze causation and change.

Core Curriculum Designation(s)
AA - Artistic Understanding (Analysis); CP - Artistic Understanding (Creative Practice)

Course credits: 1