Ballet I is designed to introduce the concepts and vocabulary of ballet with a focus on developing students' body awareness and control. Students will learn about the art form of ballet in relationship to theatre, music, and other forms of dance.

Modern Dance I is designed to increase students' body awareness, strength, flexibility, and musicality. The course studies the technique and theory of Fall and Recovery developed by Doris Humphrey.

Jazz I is designed to increase the student's body awareness, enjoyment of movement, and appreciation of Jazz dance in theatrical productions.

Prerequisite Skills: Students should be familiar with the five feet and arm positions and be able to work in 5th position of the feet.  Dancers should demonstrate correct alignment of the pelvis and spine in plie’ and releve’ and while working at the barre.  Dancer must be able to execute correct articulation of the feet and leg in tendu. They should be familiar with basic petite allegro and action of the feet, hips, and legs while jumping.

Outcome: This class further develops strength, posture, flexibility, and coordination. Progressions include more work en relev, at the barre, development of leg extensions, single leg, jumping and more complex movement combinations. Students will develop awareness of a dancer's role in a ballet production.

Prerequisite Skills: Dancers should be able to maintain correct alignment of the legs, back and pelvis while standing and shifting their weight. Must be familiar with 1st and 2nd position of the legs and demonstrate basic articulation of the legs in tendu and jumping.

This course is designed to further increase students' body awareness, strength, flexibility, and musicality. We will study the technique and theory of Fall and Recovery developed by Doris Humphrey as well as learn short excerpts of repertory to be analyzed. May be repeated once for credit.

Outcome: Students will further develop their modern dance technique and be able to execute more physically challenging falls and longer and more complex movement combinations.

Prerequisite Skills: Dancers should demonstrate correct placement of the legs, back, and pelvis standing and in plie’. They should be able to demonstrate basic jazz turns, jazz runs, and pas de bouree’. Dancers need to use correct position and opposition of the arms in combinations.

Jazz II is designed to further develop students' technical ability and awareness of Jazz dance in theatrical productions. Students will learn about professional Jazz dance in Chicago and improve their strength, coordination, flexibility, and correct posture in increasingly complex combinations, applying the vocabulary and principles of jazz dance. May be repeated once for credit.

Outcome: Students will improve their dance technique, performance skills and appreciation of Chicago's rich tradition of Jazz dance performance.

This course is a survey of the history of theatrical dance from the Renaissance through the present. It provides a basic knowledge of the origins of theatrical dance forms, from the development of ballet in the courts of Louis XIV, through Vaudeville and stylistic revolutions of Modern Dance, to contemporary choreographic innovators and performance practices.

Outcome: Students will be able to identify and describe significant events, artists, performance practices, forms, and styles in the history of theatrical dance; to locate these facts in cultural context; to relate the evolution of dance forms to cultural history; and to apply this comprehension to enhanced appreciation and informed critique of contemporary dance.

This course is a studio course that explores the theories and techniques of various dance forms. A specific dance genre will be selected each time the course is offered. The course may be repeated two times for credit.

Outcome: The student will gain a historical perspective on the dance form presented, as well as demonstrate specific skills required of the dance form.

This course is an introduction to the cultural concepts and vocabulary at the foundation of various dance forms from around the world. The course may be repeated two times for credit.

Outcome: Students develop a vocabulary to discuss both how world dance movements originate and the role of music within culture. In addition, this class develops strength, posture, flexibility, and coordination. It facilitates critical thinking and pattern recognition.

This seminar explores developments in the fields of dance science and medicine. Work focuses on the theoretical underpinnings of anatomical techniques and core conditioning.

Outcome: Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of Alexander, Putnam, and Feldenkrais techniques; yoga, pilates, and gyrokenesis; and an understanding of somatics; and practice of wellness, injury prevention, and rehabilitation of injury.

Prerequisite Skills: An Intermediate Level ballet student can demonstrate correct alignment and articulation at the barre, in the center and traveling. Students should be strong enough to work on releve’ on one leg at the barre and in the center, should have proficiency in pirouettes en dehors and en dedans, and should have basic skills and vocabulary of petite allegro. Students should be able to demonstrtate correct technque for pique’ both turning, in center, and travelling as well as balance’ both en face and en tournant.

This class is designed to develop students’ ability to execute ballet skills at an intermediate level.  We develop adagio and jumping skills on one leg as well as grand allegro and various pirouettes. Dance students perform as part of the requirement. Students will improve their strength, coordination, musicality, performance skills and appreciation of professional dancers.

Prerequisite: DANC 212 or permission of the Department.
Co-requisite: DANC 311

This course is practice-oriented and builds on dancers' knowledge of ballet vocabulary, alignment, and strength. Pointework is geared towards the development of a higher level of articulation in classical footwork. It must be taken concurrently with DANC 311, Ballet III.

Outcome: The student will gain a deeper understanding of ballet technique en pointe, as well as demonstrate specific skills required of the dance form.

Prerequisite Skills: Students must be able to execute ballet technique at an advanced level. They must demonstrate correct alignment in all elements of class and have a strong working vocabulary of adagio, pirouettes, petite allegro and grand allegro.

This course instructs ballet technique at the pre-professional level. In addition to complex and challenging vocabulary, coursework develops sensitivity to style, musicality and presentation.

Prerequisite Skills: Dancers must have developed strength, coordination, and flexibility, and be able to apply these skills at an intermediate level.

This course focuses on furthering dancers’ artistic process and offers more challenging combinations and difficult technical sequences. Students are required to perform as part of the course.

Prerequisite Skills: Dancers should be able to maintain correct alignment of the pelvis, back, and legs while standing, shifting their weight, turning, and jumping. They should demonstrate correct articulation of the leg and foot in tendu, leg extensions, and jumps. Dancers should use correct coordination of the arms while turning, jumping, and shifting weight.

This class is designed to develop students' ability to execute Jazz dance technique at a pre-professional level. Students present a studio performance as part of the requirement. Students will improve their dance technique, performance skills, and appreciation of professional dancers.

Outcomes: Students will improve core strength, coordination, flexibility, and correct posture befitting a Jazz dance student at the intermediate level in increasingly complex combinations, applying principles and vocabulary of Jazz dance technique.

Prerequisite: Written permission of chairperson. Independent study projects may be of various kinds and in any recognized area of dance. Such projects should be done under the close supervision of a dance faculty member.

Outcome: To be determined by the student in consultation with the chairperson and dance faculty supervisor.