Modern and Contemporary Dance Practice 2

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Contents

Learning objective:

The content of the course Modern and Contemporary Dance Practice MST 2 leads to the acquisition of practical skills and to the acquisition of professional theoretical knowledge and information concerning methodological procedures in teaching contact improvisation with regard to the movement - dance level of students. It can take the form of a solo, duet or group dance. This course can be taught in a block format in the form of intensive workshops in a given semester.

The aim is to learn how to work with the common centre of gravity of two bodies, the principle of counterbalance in duets, push and pull. In the context of a duet or group dance, the student learns to conduct a non-verbal dialogue between two or more bodies in a creative way (i.e. abandoning movement stereotypes) while consciously respecting the biomechanical laws of the human body and logically exploiting the laws of physics. It teaches sensitive listening to the partner in action and reaction, awareness of shared space and openness of the senses - peripheral perception.

A recommended component of the Modern and Contemporary Dance Practise course is active participation by students in a workshop of a repertory company, contact improvisation, or partner dance organized by Dance Department other institutions.

Thematic areas:

Practical topics

• The centre of the body and the common centre of gravity of two bodies
• Balance - imbalance - counterbalance (susspension, accumulation and transformation of potential energy into kinetic energy)
• Weight work (basic principles of José Limon's technique, falls in Eastern martial arts - aikido, tai-chi)
• Push and Pull

Theoretical topics

• The influence of postmodernism on the emergence of contact improvisation.
• The main features of contact improvisation, its principles and forms of presentation.
• Teachers and other sources of information.
• The influence of contact improvisation on the emergence of contemporary partner dance.

Learning outcomes

The student will gain practical experience, understand the laws and procedures in working with a partner or in a group in contact improvisation. The student has a basic understanding of the origins and development of contact improvisation and its importance in the field of dance and its influence on the emergence of contemporary partner dance.

Prerequisites and other requirements

none

Literature

Required reading:

BREMSER Martha and SANDERS, Lorna, ed.: Fifty Contemporary Choreographers, 2nd Edition, Routledge, 2011. ISBN 9780415380829.

NOVACK, Cynthia J. Sharing the dance: contact improvisation and American culture. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1990. ISBN 9780299124403.

REEVE, Justine Diane. Dance improvisation: Warm ups, Games and Choreographic tasks. 1. Human Kinetics Publishers, 2011. ISBN 9781492578369.

SERREBRENIKOV, Nicolai. The art of pas de deux. Transl. by Joan Lawson, London: Dance Books 1978, ISBN 0-903102-46-3.

TUFNELL, Miranda. Body Space Image. 1. Dance Books, 1993. ISBN 1852730412.

E-learning:

https://ubu.com/dance/index.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FeSDsmIeHA (Contact improvisation Steve Paxton, 1972)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaCZvIbl860 (Andrew Harwood/ Ray Chung/Nancy Stark Smith – guru KI)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8JiB2Nv5Qo (Contact Improvisation - A couple of basic exercises s popisem postupů)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2EZu49hFi0 (Scott Wells, teaching Contact Improvisation in Athens, ukázka výuky)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydwk9kBgAew (The Art Of Contact - CI workshop with Sebastian Flegiel, ukázka výuky)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi-OaiQvnTU (Contact Improvisation: An Intuitive, Non-Verbal and Intimate Dialogue: Itay Yatuv at TEDxBGU – ukázky + popis, co je to za taneční metodu, systém)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Pt0OXK7es (The poetics of touch: NANCY STARK SMITH, a pathway into contact improvisation)

https://vimeo.com/81138309 - Vienna festival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEFFlCvkS44 (Physical Theatre Strange Fish - fragment)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1BbxTWsoO4 (Wim Vandekeybus – Blush – fragment)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY6rEZU9K8I (DV8 - Enter Achilles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3ueEgUqO5A (La La La Human Steps)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1SIUcfS1Zw (Piping Tom)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rA6E9IpVGA (Body and Soul by Crystal Pite (Léonore Baulac & Hugo Marchand)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g5fLgsSQWU (Zero degrees - Akram Khan and Sidi Larbi)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=313kN-vWes0 (the fault lines - Meg Stuart/Damaged Goods)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwlTGJ1tcRs&t=729s&ab_channel=SviatoslavSherstiuk (Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui – Puzzle)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFfSxgKst_8&t=270s&ab_channel=PeepingTomDanceCie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouFMGc9JLAU&ab_channel=PeepingTomDanceCie (PeepingTom - Le Sous Sol, duet a trio)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-seMzK4Rsw&ab_channel=DanielStashkin

(Damien Jalet - Anima, rehearsal)

Evaluation methods and criteria

Credit is awarded on the basis of oral (methodological-didactic interpretation) and practical verification of understanding of the content of the subject, which may take the form of a demonstration of own practical exercise or presentation of a dance-movement phrase (created as a result of own creative work).

Additional requirements: 80% attendance, activity in class, portfolio development (includes workshop reflections, dance performance reviews, and reports from observation of teaching at public or private dance institutions). Reading of required and recommended readings.

Further information

No schedule has been prepared for this course

The subject is a part of the following study plans

• Dance Pedagogy (MA) - Modern and Contemporary Dance (required subject with the possibility of repeat registration)