Dance
College of Liberal Arts
Division of Performing, Visual, and
Digital Arts
Faculty
Carol Ann Tubbs, Dance Coordinator
Tomas M. Tamayo
Coordinator's Office: LCH E-303, (310) 243-3164
Melodee A CJ Wilcox, Division Secretary
Division Office: LCH E-305, (310) 243-3543
Program Description
The area of dance is affiliated with the Division of Performing, Visual and Digital Arts at CSU Dominguez Hills. A Dance minor is offered and requires a total of 23-24 semester units. A minimum of 12 semester units are required in upper division courses.
Dance as an art form is a means of communication through movement of the human body, which is stimulated by external and internal perceptions and feelings. It is a discipline concerned with the study and research of the aesthetics of physical movement related to social and cultural influences.
Features
Two large dance studios are available to students. One is equipped with a mirrored wall and ballet barres, and the other has a moveable wrestling mat. Ample modern locker and shower facilities also are available. Dance students have unique opportunities to perform in a fully-equipped, modern university theatre. The full-time and part-time faculty is comprised of working professionals as well as educators. Since exposure to working professionals can broaden the students’ perspective, guest artists and master dance teachers also are scheduled to work with students throughout the academic year.
Academic Advisement
To obtain an advisor for dance, the student should contact the secretary in the Division of Performing and Digital Media Arts to schedule a meeting. During the first advisement meeting, educational goals and previous dance experience will be discussed. On the basis of this discussion, the progression of the student’s dance minor requirements will be planned. Career opportunities also will be discussed. If transferring from a community college, the student should bring a copy of his/her transcript.
Preparation
If high school students are considering pursuing a career in dance, the department suggests study in ballet, modern and jazz dance technique. Also, students should take advantage of all available choreography and performance opportunities, and view as many dance performances as possible at school and in the community. In addition to high school graduation requirements, the student should study art, music, drama, literature, philosophy, and physiology.
While attending community college, students should seek choreographic and performance experience in theatre presentations and view as many dance performances as possible.
Courses taken at community colleges in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and other selected dance styles will transfer and satisfy the lower division requirements for the dance minor.
Helpful Hints
1. Seek advisement regularly.
2. Take one year of ballet and modern dance before enrolling in choreography.
3. Study dance technique during the summer months.
4. Take a heavier academic load during the fall semester in order to avoid being overworked in the spring when the annual Dance Concert takes place.
5. Attend as many live dance concerts as possible.
6. Attend master classes offered at the University.
Career Possibilities
The Dance Minor is designed for students who desire to become a choreographer, teacher or performer. The purpose of the minor is to provide students with a broad based foundation in dance and to prepare them for work in public schools, private dance studios, fitness programs or theatres and television. The student studies a variety of dance subjects including Dance Technique, Dance History, Choreography, Music for Dance, Dance Performance and Dance Production.
Student Organizations
Dance Club - Open to all students interested in dance.
CDEA - California Dance Educators Association is open to all students interested in teaching dance.
NDA - National Dance Association is open to all who are interested in dance.
Minor in Dance (23-24 units)
A. Lower Division Requirements (11-12 units)
1. Required Courses (10 units)
DAN 200. Jazz I (2)
DAN 210. Ballet I (2)
DAN 215. Ballet II (2)
DAN 220. Modern Dance I (2)
DAN 225. Modern Dance II (2)
2. Select one course from the following (1-2 units):
DAN 110. Dance of World Cultures (1)
DAN 120. Tap Dance (1)
DAN 205. Jazz II (2)
B. Upper Division Requirements (12 units)
1. Required Courses (10 units)
DAN 330. Beginning Choreography I (2)
DAN 335. Beginning Choreography II (2)
DAN 340. Dance Production (1)
DAN 345. Music for Dance (2)
DAN 355. History of Dance (3)
2. Select one course from the following (2 units):
DAN 310. Ballet III (2)
DAN 320. Modern Dance III (2)
Technique Advancement
Students may advance to a higher level in a dance technique requirement if they receive prior permission from the Dance Coordinator.
Course Offerings
The credit value for each course in semester units is indicated for each term by a number in parentheses following the title. For course availability, please see the list of tentative course offerings in the current Class Schedule.
Lower Division
DAN 110 Dance of World Cultures (1).
Introduction
to a variety of ethnic and social dance forms; and appreciation of their
historical and cultural origins. Repeatable for credit. Two hours of activity per week.
Development
of proficiency in performing elementary tap technique with emphasis on skills,
steps, combinations and terminology. Appreciation of origin and
evolution of tap dance. Repeatable for credit.
Two hours of activity per week.
DAN 130 Dance Perceptions (3).
Introduction to dance
in America through viewing of dance films, videotapes and live performances. Applications of aesthetic perception and criticism skills to
determine artistic value of ballet, modern, jazz and tap dance performances. Three hours of lecture viewing per week.
Development
of proficiency in performing beginning jazz dance technique. Emphasis on theory, terminology, steps and combinations in a
variety of jazz styles. Appreciation of origin and evolution of jazz. Repeatable for credit. Four hours of activity per week.
Prerequisite: DAN 200 or consent of instructor.
Continuing
development of proficiency in performing beginning jazz dance technique. Emphasis on theory, terminology,
steps and combinations in a variety of jazz styles. Appreciation of origin and
evolution of jazz. Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
DAN 210 Ballet I (2).
Development
of proficiency in performing elementary ballet technique. Emphasis on basic theory, positions, steps, combinations and French
terminology. Appreciation
of ballet as an art form. Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
DAN 215 Ballet II (2).
Prerequisite: DAN 210 or consent of instructor.
Continuing
development of proficiency in performing elementary ballet technique. Emphasis on basic theory, positions, steps, combinations and French
terminology. Appreciation of ballet as an art form.
Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
Development
of proficiency in performing beginning modern dance technique. Emphasis on basic technical development, movement theories,
movement phrasing and terminology.
Appreciation of basic movement discoveries of early
pioneers in modern dance, and of modern dance as an art form. Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
Prerequisite: DAN 220 or consent of instructor.
Continuing
development of proficiency in performing beginning modern dance technique. Emphasis on basic technical development, movement theories,
movement phrasing and terminology. Appreciation of
basic movement discoveries of early pioneers in modern dance, and of modern
dance as an art form. Repeatable for credit. Four hours of activity per week.
Upper Division
Prerequisite: DAN 205 or consent of instructor.
Development
of proficiency in performing intermediate jazz dance technique. Emphasis on theory, terminology, steps and combinations in a variety
of jazz styles. Appreciation of the origin and
evolution of jazz. Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
Prerequisite: DAN 300 or consent of instructor.
Continuing
development of proficiency in performing intermediate jazz dance technique. Emphasis on theory, terminology,
steps and combinations in a variety of jazz styles. Appreciation of the origin
and evolution of jazz. Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
DAN 310 Ballet III (2).
Prerequisite: DAN 215 or consent of instructor.
Development
of proficiency in performing intermediate ballet technique. Emphasis on theory, positions, steps, combinations and French
terminology. Appreciation
of ballet as an art form. Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
DAN 315 Ballet IV (2).
Prerequisite: DAN 310 or consent of instructor.
Continuing
development of proficiency in performing intermediate ballet technique. Emphasis on theory, positions, steps, combinations and French
terminology. Appreciation
of ballet as an art form. Repeatable for credit. Four hours of activity per week.
Prerequisite: DAN 225 or consent of instructor.
Development
of proficiency in performing intermediate modern dance technique. Emphasis on intermediate technical development, movement theories,
movement phrasing and terminology. Appreciation of intermediate
movement discoveries of early pioneers in modern dance, and of modern dance as
an art form. Repeatable
for credit. Four hours of
activity per week.
Prerequisite: DAN 320 or consent of instructor.
Continuing
development of proficiency in performing intermediate modern dance technique. Emphasis on intermediate technical development, movement theories,
movement phrasing and terminology. Appreciation of
intermediate movement discoveries of early pioneers in modern dance, and of
modern dance as an art form. Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
DAN 330 Beginning Choreography I (2).
Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in a dance technique class.
Introduction
to dance composition, effort shape, and aesthetic perception and criticism. Lab
experiences exploring principles of dance composition, improvising, creating
solo and small group short studies, developing performance skills, and applying
aesthetic scanning models to dance. Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
DAN 335 Beginning Choreography II (2).
Prerequisites: DAN 330 and concurrent enrollment in a dance technique class.
Progressing
from creating introductory studies to creating extended studies. Lab
experiences applying principles of dance composition, improvising, extending
introductory studies, creating large-group short studies, and further
developing performance and aesthetic scanning skills. Repeatable
for credit. Four hours of
activity per week.
DAN 340 Dance Production (1).
Prerequisites: DAN 330 and DAN 335 or consent of instructor.
Designed to teach
students how to coordinate and produce a dance concert. Emphasis on technical aspects of dance
production such as lighting design, costume design and construction, recording
sound, applying dance makeup, staging dances, and concert publicity and
promotion. Repeatable for credit. Three hours of activity per week.
Prerequisites: DAN 330 recommended.
Basic
music notation of simple and complex rhythmic patterns and a brief survey of
the historical periods of music for dance. One hour of lecture and two
hours of activity per week.
Study
of the historical and cultural development of dance movement as ritual, social
and performing art activity in world cultures from early man and woman to the
present time.
DAN 410 Ballet V (2).
Prerequisite: DAN 315 or consent of instructor.
Development
of proficiency in performing intermediate-advanced ballet technique. Emphasis on intermediate-advanced theory, positions, combinations
and French terminology. Appreciation of ballet as an
art form. Repeatable
for credit. Four hours of
activity per week.
DAN 415 Ballet VI (2).
Prerequisite: DAN 410 or consent of instructor.
Continuing
development of proficiency in performing intermediate- advanced ballet
technique. Emphasis on
intermediate-advanced theory, positions, combinations and French terminology.
Appreciation of ballet as an art form. Repeatable for credit. Four hours of activity per week.
Prerequisite: DAN 325 or consent of instructor.
Development
of proficiency in performing intermediate-advanced modern dance technique. Emphasis on intermediate-advanced technical development, movement
theories, movement phrasing and terminology. Appreciation
of movement discoveries of contemporary modern dancers, and of modern dance as
an art form. Repeatable for credit. Four hours of activity per week.
Prerequisite: DAN 420 or consent of instructor.
Continuing
development of proficiency in performing intermediate-advanced modern dance
technique. Emphasis
on intermediate-advanced technical development, movement theories, movement phrasing
and terminology. Appreciation of movement discoveries of contemporary modern
dancers, and of modern dance as an art form. Repeatable for credit. Four hours of activity per week.
DAN 430 Intermediate
Choreography
(2).
Prerequisite: DAN 335 and concurrent enrollment in a dance technique class.
Progressing from
creating dance studies to creating dances. Introduction to
process of putting choreography on dancers. Emphasis
on refining one’s unique way of moving and composing dances, creating dances
that represent a unified whole, and refining performance and criticism skills. Repeatable for credit. Fours hours of activity per
week.
DAN 440 Dance for Children (3).
Study of
developmentally appropriate creative movement experiences for children. Examination of teaching methodology designed
to develop foundational movement skills, artistic exploration of movement
elements, improvisational techniques, imagination and creativity, and how these
learning activities can be taught across the curriculum.
DAN 480 Dance Rehearsal and Performance (2).
Prerequisites: DAN 200, DAN 205, DAN 210, DAN 215, DAN 220, DAN 225 are recommended.
Participation as a
performer and/or choreographer in a Dance Program approved, University
sponsored production. Concert
participation is by audition only. Repeatable for credit.
Four hours of activity per week.
DAN 494 Dance: Independent Study (1-3).
Advanced study in
dance, with each student participating in a special project mutually agreed
upon by student and instructor.
DAN 496 Internship
in Dance (1-3).
Prerequisites: Upper division class standing; PED 448 is recommended.
Planned
internship in alternative dance careers at a cooperating institution, agency,
organization or company under professional supervision. Application of
principles and skills acquired in student's chosen professional preparation
program.
DAN 495 Special Topics in Dance (1-3).
Intensive
study of a dance topic of current interest. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 6.0 units.