Course Material Information for Anthony Roberts

• Course Handouts & Resources for Modern Dance Technique I and II and Senior Dance Seminar - Fall 2012
• Movement Intensive Dance Class Activities/Assignments
• Samples of Student Work from Modern Dance Technique and Movement, the Camera, and the Creative Process

Sample Course Syllabi & Resources

Course Syllabi

• Modern Dance I - Fall 2012
• Modern Dance II - Fall 2012
• Senior Dance Seminar - Fall 2012
  • Sample Assignments/Activities
    • Course Calendar
    • Student Discussions Assignment - W/O Student Information
    • Senior Dance Project Artist Statement
• Movement, the Camera, & the Creative Process - Interim 2011 (Taught alternate years and slated next for Spring 2013)
  

Articles

• Dance Fitness: http://www.iadms.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=303
• First Aid for Dancers: http://www.iadms.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=290
• Putting Sleep Myths to Rest: http://www.publicradio.org/tools/media/player/news/midmorning/2005/01/24_midmorn2
  • Audio Segment from NPR Midmorning discusses the latest sleep research and examines the purpose and process of sleep.

Movement Intensive Dance Class Activities/Assignments & Student Work Samples

Modern Dance I & II

1. Initial Goal, Rationale, Physical Feat & Additional Information
• Includes Student Samples
2. Name Phrase Creative Activity
   • Includes Links to Student Samples
3. Modern Dance History Video Forum
4. Modern Dance Performance Attendance & ‘Impressions’ Visual Poem Assignment
• Includes Links to Student Samples
5. Modern Dance Examination
6. Observation Paper
   

Modern Dance II ONLY

1. Dance-210 Independent Dance Technique Project Assignment (for students registered for .50 credit)
2. Modern Dance II Student Imagery/Intention
• Includes Links to Student Samples

Movement, the Camera, & the Creative Process

• 2004-09 Student Screendance Compilation
• 2011 Student Screendance Compilation

• INITIAL GOAL & RATIONALE
• In essence, you should ask yourself, "What is the one thing I wish to work on most in this course?" "Getting the G.E. credit out of the way," although a reality for some students, is not an acceptable goal to select in successfully completing this assignment.
• You may Include an aspect of your physicality that you consider a strength and another that you believe is a liability.
• If you have taken a previous dance course, your goal may address your dance technique and/or performance, including an habituated physical/movement pattern, or another aspect relevant to your individual process and this course.
• Include a rationale for your goal.
• INTERESTING, DARING, or ENJOYABLE PHYSICAL FEATS, SANS DANCE
• Share one or two examples of previous physical feats you have engaged in that were interesting, daring, or enjoyable to you.
• You should be comfortable in sharing your physical feat, and please be respectful of others in making your selection.
• CREATE LIMERICK
• You will create a limerick that includes your initial goal, rationale, and physical feat.
• Two quick and easy resources for limericks with examples may be found here:
• http://www.poetry-online.org/limericks.htm
• http://www.webexhibits.org/poetry/explore_famous_limerick_atglance.html
• INCLUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: In addition to but separate from the body of your limerick, include your:
• full name
• year in school
• major/s
• previous dance experience
• POST INITIAL GOAL LIMERICK & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• To post your initial goals, rationale, personal tidbit, and additional information:
• click on the button below with the label "Add a new discussion topic"
• you will see a place to post your limerick
• type or copy/paste your text, then
• click "Post to forum."
• Please view your post after submitting, and if there is unrecognizable text in your post, click on edit your post and delete the unwanted text and save.
• You can eliminate much of the unwanted text if you click on the "toggle html source" button (<>) in the bottom row of the toolbar above the text field BEFORE typing/pasting your text into the text field.

Student Samples of Initial Goals & Tidbit Sharing Limericks

2) Name Phrase Creative Activity

Name Phrase Creative Activity 1.0

1. Write Your Name: Place the imaginary piece of chalk in various body parts, as you write your name on an imaginary chalkboard.
   • You may choose the order of the body parts.
   • You may choose to write your name more than once.
   • "Write" your name using 5 different body parts, and at least 2 of these need to reside in the trunk area of your body.
2. Space
   • Explore and include 360 degrees of space around you as you write your name.
   • Explore and include the extremes of high and low levels of the general space as you write your name.
3. Time:
   • Explore and include the extremes of time (fast as lighting, slow as a turtle), including stillness as you write your name.
     

Name Phrase Creative Activity 2.0

1. Continue your consideration and development of Name Phrase Creative Activity 1.0 & incorporate the following into your phrase:
2. Effort/Energy:
• Attack:
1. Sharp/Smooth
2. Sudden/Sustained
• Quality:
1. Flowing
2. Tight/Bound
3. Actions of Spine (class concepts)
• Forward Flexion (curve)
• Lateral Flexion
• Hyperextension (arch)
• Rotation
4. Peer Feedback:
• Consider and incorporate peer feedback you have received into your creative phrase.

Name Phrase Creative Activity 3.0

1. Continue your consideration and development of Name Phrase Creative Activity 1.0 & 2.0 and incorporate the following elements from the Constructing a Movement Phrase document (on our Moodle page) into your phrase:
1. Two Body Shape Elements
2. Four Action Elements
3. One or two Mood/Feeling Elements
4. Three Locomotor Elements
5. One Position in Room to begin your phrase
2. Abstraction: Express your name (note that I did not use write - this is a subtle shift in our perception & process), using the dance elements from class and included in versions 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0 of your creative phrase activity, with little or no attempt at creating (showing) a realistic rendering of your written name.

Name Phrase Creative Activity 4.0

1. Group Work: You will be placed with other students in class to create a group phrase from your individual name phrases.
• As a group you will determine relationships of:
• Space
• Time
• Energy
• For example:
• What is your beginning relationship in space (location, facing, level, design)?
• When and how do individual dancers begin moving in relationship to the group (simultaneously, staggered in time (canon/round), cause and effect, etc.)?
• Are there moments of:
• interaction (spatial, movement without contact, movement with contact)
• unison (dancers performing the same movement material at the same time) and non-unison movement
• repetition
• speed changes
• stillness
• change and extremes of levels

Videos of Student Performance of Spring 2012 Modern Dance Technique Course Material

3) Modern Dance History Video Forum - Through Spring 2012

1. You are expected to select and view one historical video on modern dance this term to gain insight on some of the modern dance artists who were catalysts for its development and evolution.
2. After viewing the video, you will make an initial posting by the specified due date/time in response to questions posed by the instructor.
3. You will then read all posts by your classmates and respond to at least two of your classmates' posts by the specified due date/time.

• The link below is to a resource list of appropriate and easily accessible videos covering some aspect of modern dance history. You may select any video on this list to view.
• You may also select a modern dance historical video that is not on the resource list, but prior approval from the instructor is required. Please plan ahead.
• Modern Dance History & Artists Resources

1. At this point in your life and as you begin or continue your training in modern dance via this course, what information introduced in the video was interesting or meaningful to you and why?
2. Describe a situation in which you were called upon or compelled to be a 'pioneer' (an originator who helps open up a new line of thought or activity or a new method, etc.).
3. Artists have been known to be "ahead of their time", suffering the fate of being unappreciated during their lifetime, while achieving high regard postmortem. Take a few minutes to ponder an artist of any age that you like and believe is or was under appreciated. Name the artist and tell us why you like her/him.

• There will be one class period dedicated to viewing a modern dance history video this term. The exact date will be announced later.
• Due to the logistics of location and availability, The History of Modern Dance will be shown in Rolvaag 145-A, which is on the first floor inside the World Language Center (past circulation, down central stairwell, proceed through the World Language Center).
• Please consult Modern Dance History & Artists Resources for information on this video.
• You are welcome to view a different modern dance history video, either one from the resource list or a different one that you find on your own. If the video is not on the resource list,prior approval from the instructor is required before using it for this assignment. If you choose to watch a different video:
• You may watch it during our class period on the day designated to show the class video but in a different location; however, you should plan ahead to coordinate with other students interested in watching the same video during that time.
• You may watch it outside of class at a time of your choosing. Again, you are encouraged to coordinate with others in class, to reduce possible congestion in checking out the video you are interested in.
• You are also welcome and encouraged to watch any of the modern dance history videos in advance of the designated class day.

• After viewing the video:
• go to the Modern Dance History Video Forum
• refresh yourself with the Pre-Video Viewing questions
• click on "Add a New Question" at the bottom of the window
• in the 'Subject' field, enter the name of the video you viewed.
• in the text field, enter your responses to the Pre-Video Viewing questions
• Initial Post Due Friday, 3/29 by 10pm
• after the due date/time for the initial post has expired
• go back to the Modern Dance History Video Forum
• read all classmates’ initial posts and
• post responses to at least two classmates' initial postings.
• Follow-up Posts Due Monday, 4/02 by 10pm
• Feel free to respond to additional classmates' postings.

• You are required to attend a minimum of one fully produced (onstage, lights, costumes, etc.) modern dance concert by a professional (preferred) or college dance company.
• Neither a ballet, play, musical, informal showing nor 'works in progress' will count toward this requirement.
• If you are unsure if a potential dance concert fulfills this requirement, ask me.
• You are encouraged to attend as many dance events as possible.
• VISUAL/CONCRETE POETRY RESOURCES
• Visual/Concrete poetry: the typeface and arrangement of text, images, etc. upon the page can be as important as the words themselves in conveying a message or effect.
• An article on Visual Poetry with examples at the end may be found at: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/article/182397. Feel free to research other online sites.
• A Brief Guide to Concrete Poetry from the Academy of American Poets: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5649
• The Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry: http://ww2.rediscov.com/sacknerarchives/browsecollections.aspx
• CREATE YOUR VISUAL/CONCRETE POEM
• Within one week after the concert date, you will create a visual/concrete poem based on your impressions of the dance concert.
• Your visual/concrete poem must be completed and posted/uploaded as an electronic file.
• The preferred file formats are graphics files (.jpg, .png, .gif), as these will allow your poem to be viewed in Moodle, without the need to download it first.
• Your poetic impressions must include:
• your favorite part or the most interesting part of the performance
• your least favorite aspect of the performance
• a justification for your point of view concerning the favorite and least favorite parts
• All of the elements of your poem must be created by you (no ‘borrowed’ elements from the Internet, etc.).
• INCLUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• In addition to but separate from the main body of your poem, include:
• Your full name
• Class number/section (dance-111a or dance-111b)
• Title of specific piece/s, including choreographer/s (if your poem is on a single piece or two)
• Title of Concert (if your poem is on the entire concert)
• If you are writing about specific pieces, please include the names of the pieces and the choreographers.
• Date & Location of Concert
• Why you believe the various elements of your poem (text, images, colors, line, etc) contribute to the meaning or content of your poem.
• NAMING SCHEME FOR VISUAL/CONCRETE POEM ASSIGNMENT FILE
• YourLastName_FirstInitialOfYourFirstName_Impressions_CourseNumberAndSection.jpg (or .gif, or .png, or other depending upon the specific program with which you create your visual poem).
• POST VISUAL/CONCRETE POEM & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION VIA MOODLE FORUM:
• To post your visual/concrete poem and additional information, click on "Add a New Discussion Topic".
• Next Window
• Subject Field: type Visual/Concrete Poem.
• Message Field: leave blank
• Click Browse to find your visual/concrete poem file on your computer
• Once your file has been located, click Open
• You should see the path to your file next to the browse button.
• Click Post to Forum.
• Your visual/concrete poem will be visible to the rest of the class.
• DOUBLE-CHECK THAT YOUR FILE HAS BEEN POSTED TO FORUM

Samples of Student Visual Poetry Written in Response to Modern Dance Concerts
(Flash Player required for viewing)

5) Modern Dance Examination
This modern dance class examination will be taken via Moodle. Click on the 'Quizzes' link on our course Moodle site to access the examination.
The modern dance examination is in matching format, covering modern dance history, movement language and concepts used during class, present in the modern dance history video/s viewed earlier in the term, and listed in the modern dance class glossary.

1. The examination will be taken online during one of our class periods, unless prior accommodation has been requested.
2. You may not utilize study aids (whether in paper, human, or electronic) other than a computer or other electronic device focused only on the examination site while taking this examination.
3. You have 55 minutes to complete this examination.
4. There are two non-graded questions pertaining to the Pledge at the end of the examination. Please consider and sign the Pledge as appropriate.
5. You must receive a grade of 70% or higher to pass this examination.
6. You are allowed three attempts to take this examination.
7. Please let me know ASAP if you have questions about or problems with this examination.

• Bring pen/paper/laptop with you to the class you plan to observe. You should take detailed notes on the process/progress of the students in class, taking into consideration dance technique, performance and other aspects from class that we are working on and you deem relevant.
• You should reflect upon your individual class process and submit a one-page paper comparing/contrasting your process with that of the other students in class.
• The observation paper must be submitted as an online assignment via Moodle prior to the beginning of the next class period to avoid receiving an absence for the observed class.
• Please carefully follow the Written Assignment Submission Guidelines in the course syllabus.

• the theoretical and experiential research of another form of dance, including but not limited to: tango, jazz, hip-hop, Irish Step dancing, Bharatanatyam [form of classical Indian Dance], contact improvisation, etc.
• compare/contrast different styles of modern dance technique, including but not limited to: Graham, Humphrey, Limón, Hawkins, Horton, Cunningham, Nikolais, classical/release technique, etc.
• The examination of a dance artist who has made a significant contribution to dance.

• an in class oral presentation incorporating audio/visual media* in the form of video excerpts that exemplify and/or highlight relevant aspects of your research.
• a movement exploration or mini-class in which other members of the class participate
• an outline of your presentation with annotated bibliography.

1. Near the beginning of the term, you will select a movement intensive dance topic that interests you, and you will engage in preliminary research on that topic.
2. You will submit via this Google doc your dance discussion topic along with a rationale for selecting this topic, and a preliminary annotated bibliography (MLA style) of three evaluated sources. You may be asked to revise your topic.
3. You will then begin to conduct more extensive, in depth research of the dance topic and compile a more extensive corresponding annotated bibliography (MLA style). You should indicate the category that each of your resources falls under and why (what makes this resource ‘primary’, for example).
4. You must consult with a reference librarian at Rolvaag Memorial Library and Beth Christensen at Halvorson Music Library to assist you in locating, retrieving and utilizing the most appropriate, effective sources for your discussion. The research sources for your discussion should include:
• Two or more primary sources
• Two or more secondary sources
• Two or more tertiary sources
• Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources
5. New Resource: You must work with the St. Olaf Speaking Center: See Google Doc at: https://docs.google.com/a/stolaf.edu/document/d/1mgtGMp4WbPbqWfFKYMMEPXBjkHXLVvfe5W4I5VqQCEE/edit

1. You will test your presentation using the technology cart stored in the faculty prep studio. You will need to arrange with me or another dance faculty to gain access to the technology cart, so plan ahead to make sure your test run is successful.

2. You will introduce the topic of your discussion by briefly providing background information on your dance discussion topic. Preparing responses to the following questions will assist you in your preparation:
1. Why is this topic of interest and/or relevant to you as a student dancer?
2. What is the historical timeline and significance of this topic, and what is the current standing and/or relevance of this topic to the dance field?
3. Who are some of the leading figures, and what are some of the dominant factors in shaping the path and relevance of the dance topic?
3. You will submit a hard copy of your presentation outline and your annotated bibliography to the instructor.
4. You will also submit via Moodle an electronic copy of your presentation outline, your annotated bibliography, and PowerPoint presentation (if applicable) if file size permits (50 MB, I believe). Look for the Independent Dance Technique Project Assignment Files Submission module on Moodle.

1. Evaluation Criteria:
1. Preparation: Was your presentation topic and bibliography submitted and on time? Did you appear to be adequately prepared to lead the presentation?
2. Research: Did you utilize the library staff in the pursuit of your resources. Did you utilize the appropriate category and number of resources?
3. Content: Did you provide contextual information as an introduction of your dance topic? Was the relevant information on your topic given during your discussion?
4. Delivery: Did you clearly deliver and moderate your discussion? How were the speed, volume, and confidence during the oral presentation of your discussion?
5. Fostering discussion: Did your presentation generate interest, questions and discussion amongst the class?
6. Outline and Bibliography: Was the outline coherent and relevant to the discussion, and was the bibliography complete and relevant to the discussion. Were both the outline and bibliography appropriately submitted?

You may submit/upload several files, one at a time, via this assignment module. After uploading all files, you will click on "Send for marking", and then you will be directed to another page that will ask: "Once the assignment is sent for marking, you will no longer be able to delete or attach file(s). Do you want to continue?" Click, "yes."

2) Modern Dance II Student Imagery/Intention
Students were asked to generate a list of ideas/images corresponding to six movements from the 1st 8 counts of an Across the Floor Phrase to encourage performing with intentionality.