Goucher College 2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalogue

Dec 04, 2024

Goucher College 2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalogue PLEASE NOTE: This is an archived catalog. Programs are subject to change each academic year.

Dance Major

The Bachelor of Arts degree in dance offers a liberal arts education that consists of 120 credits. By carefully choosing elective courses with an academic advisor, students may choose to double major or minor.

All dance majors must complete 44-46 credits of dance coursework (including studio practice) that includes a core course of study and self-selected courses from the technical and theoretical elective clusters to fulfill their major requirements.

Departmental Honors

Majors in Dance are encouraged to strive for honors in the major upon graduation. Program honors will be awarded to students who exhibit mastery of the subject in both course work and additional academic endeavors.

Requirements for honors in dance:

A minimum grade point average of 3.7 in 300 and 400 level courses in the major. All courses specifically required for the major must be taken for a grade. No more than two approved courses away from Goucher will be counted in the average.
Some evidence of maturity and creativity in dance, such as outstanding work on a senior thesis, independent work, paper or final examination in a 300 or 400 level course.
Approval of the dance program.

Multiple Failed Courses

It is the program’s policy that students majoring in dance must receive at least a C- in every course taken toward the completion of the major.

Placement

All new students are placed in technique levels by audition through placement classes during fall orientation of their first year and the tenth week of classes every semester in residence thereafter.

Progression through Dance Technique Levels

The specific technical skills for each level must be achieved before a student may progress to the next level of technique.

The following courses are repeatable up to eight credits:

DAN 395 - Special Topics in Dance (4 Cr.)

The following courses are repeatable up to three times:

REQUIRED THEORETICAL CORE COURSES

All dance majors are required to complete the following 8 core courses totaling 26 credits.

DAN 135 - Dance Seminar (2 Cr.)
DAN 260 - Composition and Improvisation (4 Cr.)
DAN 351 - Dancing in the Past and Present: Romanticism and Beyond (4 Cr.) OR DAN 418 - Reimagine Heritage in USA Concert Dance (4 Cr.)
DAN 389 - Labanotation (4 Cr.)
DAN 409 - The Politics of Performance (4 Cr.)
DAN 497 - Senior Capstone (4 Cr.)
Student Production Requirement: All majors and minors are required to complete a backstage or crew service production activity for a Dance or Theatre Program sponsored performance. This practical requirement is a hands-on, real-world production experience requiring students to fill crew positions and provide production support for main stage and studio concerts. Approved production experience, assigned by the Production Manager, is required for completion.
Study Abroad or Internship in Dance: All dance majors are required to complete either a dance program approved study abroad experience or an internship in dance to complete the degree. The study abroad will also serve the general college requirement of study abroad.

REQUIRED TECHNICAL CORE COURSES

B.A. students must explore each genre (Ballet, Modern, and Africanist) during their course of study. A single level of technique course may be taken for credit up to three semesters. All technique courses require official placement.

All dance majors are required to complete 18 credits of studio practice: 2 courses in each genre by the end of their second year of study, for a total of 6 courses/12 credits. Juniors and Seniors are required to take a minimum of 6 additional technique credits (3 courses) in the genre(s) of their choice. All students are encouraged to take technique classes each semester.

Technical Proficiency - All dance majors are required to achieve the following technical competency for graduation:

Level 4 in at least one genre
Level 3 or higher in a second genre
Level 2 or higher in a third genre

TECHNICAL CORE REQUIREMENTS

BALLET

DAN 121 - Ballet I

DAN 221 - Ballet II

DAN 320 - Ballet III

DAN 421 - Ballet IV

MODERN

DAN 115 - Modern I

DAN 215 - Modern II

DAN 316 - Modern III

DAN 415 - Modern IV

AFRICANIST

DAN 133 - West African Diasporic Dance I: West African (2 Cr.)

DAN 233 - West African Diasporic Dance II: West African (2 Cr.)

DAN 333 - West African Diasporic Dance III: Hip Hop/Jazz/Tap (2 Cr.)

DAN 433 - West African Diasporic Dance IV: Hip Hop/Jazz/Tap (2 Cr.)

REQUIRED THEORETICAL TECHNICAL AND ELECTIVES

In addition to the above core courses, students must select 6-8 credits from the theoretical studies cluster and 2 credits from the technical studies cluster to complete their course of study.

THEORETICAL

TECHNICAL

Required Technique Electives - Choose 2 credits (classes meet 14 weeks)

Related Emphasis:

Students may also pursue any of the following related areas of study.

Concentration in Dance Science

Science with Dance Concentration: See Academic Catalogue under Biological Sciences for details.

This concentration focuses on knowledge and technique in the field of dance science. Study of the sciences is combined with technical and theoretical dance training to provide a basis for understanding problems in dance performance, nutrition, and care and prevention of injuries. With additional course work, this concentration provides preparation for graduate studies in physical therapy, sports medicine, dance medicine, and related fields. In addition to fulfilling all requirements for a major in the biological sciences, requirements for a concentration in dance science are:

DAN 215 or DAN 221 or DAN 233
DAN 260
DAN 263
PHY 115
An internship or research in dance science

Concentration in Arts Administration

Students who wish to pursue a concentration in arts administration must complete a dance major. Additional courses are required in business management and are designed to give students a fundamental knowledge in the content areas of business, arts administration, and economics.

Arts administration is a rapidly expanding profession in performance and institutional arts organizations, including museums and galleries; in community or regional centers for the arts; and in government, corporate, and foundation agencies that are concerned with the development of the arts. Students who pursue a concentration in arts administration take a major in one of the arts and supplement that major with courses in arts administration and business management. The courses in the major provide a solid foundation in an art form. The additional courses enhance knowledge appropriate to the student’s interest in arts administration. The courses in arts administration may also be taken independently of the concentration.

The Concentration is open to students majoring in the arts: those students housed in the Center for Art and Media and the Center for Dance, Music and Theatre, as well as art historians in the Center for Humanities.

Requirements include:

4 additional credits from the list of approved courses

ART 256 - Professional Practices for Visual Artist (4 Cr) COURSE INACTIVE
BUS 130 - Intro to Small Business Management (2 Cr.)
BUS 290 - Internship in Business Management (0-4 Cr.)
COM 105 - Introduction to Media and Communication (4 Cr.)
COM 238 - Public Relations (4 Cr.)
EC 111 - Essentials of Economics I (4 Cr.)
THE 105 - Speech (4 Cr). COURSE INACTIVE
WRT 206 - Professional Communication (4 Cr.) (formerly BUS 206)

See details under Business Management.

Dance Education Teacher Certification:

Students pursuing certification to teach dance must complete the dance major, DAN 484 and DAN 484L . In addition, see Secondary Education Certification, Grades 7-12 for specifics regarding secondary education courses. Be aware that a ninth semester student teaching in the school system may be required at the undergraduate level, or students may engage in the 4+1 Accelerated Degree option available through the Graduate Programs in Education.

STUDENTS MAY DOUBLE MAJOR OR SELECT TO PURSUE A SPECIFIC COURSE OF STUDY, LISTED BELOW, IN PREPARATION FOR SUCCESSFUL ENTRY TO GRADUATE OR PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS FOR IDENTIFIED CAREERS IN DANCE:

Dance/Movement Therapy

To practice movement/dance therapy one must obtain a masters degree. At the undergraduate level, students may major in dance and gain knowledge in the content areas of psychological theory, human development, multicultural perspectives, group process, behavioural research, psychopathology, psychodiagnosis and assessment skills. This program of study is designed to fully prepare a student to enter a masters program in dance therapy and require the following psychology courses: PSY 105 (intro and lab), PSY 244 (developmental), PSY 219 (diversity), PSY 230 (social), PSY 302 or PSY 305 (methods), and PSY 238 (abnormal).

Dance and Science with entry to physical therapy programs or dance science graduate programs

Students can major in dance and take additional courses in the sciences that are designed to give students a fundamental knowledge in the content of biology and chemistry. The following courses have been identified as requirements for successful application to physical therapy programs: BIO 101 (4), BIO 102 (4), BIO 210 (4), BIO 360 (4), BIO 261 (4), CHE 111 (4), CHE 151 (4), MA 268 , PSY 105 and PHY 115 or PHY 125 . Students opting to pursue entry to a dance science graduate program will major in dance and select appropriate courses in the sciences for specific graduate programs as requirements for each program vary considerably.