Syllabus


Compositional Assignments

Journal Guide

Compositional Devices

Compositional Study Evaluation Form


  WebCt
(grade postings & course calendar)

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January 9, 2005
www.ilstu.edu/~lmerri
copyright © L.Merriman

Choreography is a creative process that requires practice as well as some knowledge about the craft of choreography.  This semester we will continue to pursue knowledge of the craft and will continue to practice making dance.  As many of you likely experienced last semester, not each work you create will be a "master piece."  You may not be inspired at the needed hour.  That is when you rely on "play" and exploration.   Twyla Tharp is quoted in her book, Push Comes to Shove:

People ask, "How do you make a dance?"  My answer is simple.  "Put yourself in motion."

Dance Composition II has been designed for undergraduate students at the intermediate level.  Enrolled students are expected to have the prerequisite of the Dance Composition I course within the School of Theatre of Illinois State University or obtain consent from the instructor (that would be me!).  It is further assumed that each student enrolled in this course is committed to the making of dance and the creative process, and therefore has the organizational skills, discipline and fortitude in the continual effort to develop creative work both inside and outside of the studio classroom.   A large portion of your evaluation this semester will be designed around your creative solutions to the Compositional Assignments given.  Yet as important as it is to continually practice your craft of choreography, your skills in analyzing work and discussing work will be stressed.  As in any course within the Dance Program, your attendance is essential to your understanding of the material and development as a creative artist.  All choreographers will be held accountable for their work and the deadlines agreed upon.

WebCT

WebCT is a separate environment with an account reserved only for our class.   Below is a brief description of what can be found there.  Please click WebCT in the left column, select "course listings" as a new user, select"THE" in the category column, and then click on our course in the courses column.  You will be asked for an ID and a password.  Each is set initially to your ULID.  This takes you to the set-up screen.  The system requires that you complete the set-up procedure before gaining access to the account.  Please follow these steps:

• Read through the first set-up screen and respond to the question "Have you already set up my WebCT?"  If you have done this for another class, click "yes".  If not, click "no".
• The next set-up screen lists all of your WebCT courses.  It is quite possible that only this class will be listed.  If this information is correct, click "validated".
• In the next set-up screen, re-enter your password and click "validate passwords".
• The next set-up screen asks for your   name and new passwords.  Please continue to use your ULID as your Global ID and then select a password that you will remember but will not be identifiable to others.   Click "submit". 
• The final set-up screen confirms your completion of this process.  You may wish to record the web address given, or you may continue to enter by linking to WebCT through the course web page. 
• From now on, when you click on WebCT from you course page, you will select "my WebCT", instead of "course listings", since you are now a registered user.  Remember to use your new passwords.
• For subsequent log-ons, the screen you will initially reach allows you to click directly on our class account, as well as to check whether any new developments have been posted.  Once you click on the course, you will see the course home page in WebCT. You should find it to be menu-driven from that point with the use of icons.
• PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN ENROLLED IN ONE OF MY COURSES REQUIRING YOU TO LOG ONTO WEBCT YOUR COURSE ID AND PASSWORD WILL CARRY OVER INTO THIS COURSE.

Communicating (Forum, Chat Room, etc.)
In the interest of facilitating communication among students in the class each of you will have access to WebCT.   Here you will be able to communicate with each other in real time in a chat room setting as well as receive and respond to messages as you log on.  This account is available only to class members and the professor and thus you must enter the password (which will be given to you at the start of the semester) in order to sign on.  Assigned discussion questions will be posted to the Discussion Forum throughout the semester.  See Journal Guide.

Grades
I will make every attempt to evaluate your work fairly and to turn assignments around in a timely fashion.  Each grade that you receive will be posted to the gradebook in WebCT as soon as it is available.  If a grade does not appear on the spreadsheet, you can assume that your work has not been graded and therefore need not ask about it.   However, if you believe a grade has been entered inaccurately, you are encouraged to let me know via e-mail. I make mistakes every day. 

Calendar
The calendar in WebCT should keep us on track throughout the semester.  Please refer to the course calendar in WebCT for any changes throughout the semester.  This should be clearer to you once you log onto WebCT.

Course Goals

1.  Understand and demonstrate knowledge of theoretical concepts of group
     compositional design.

2.  Organize original movement material into choreographed studies involving
      more than one dancer - to be performed in class.

3.  Understand and be able to effectively analyze the creative work of fellow classmates.

4.  Communicate effectively and clearly compositional ideas and concepts in
     discussion and in a class notebook.

5.  Analyze and evaluate choreography and works of art of a professional stature.

6.  Organize rehearsals and complete choreographic projects in a timely fashion adhering to
     timelines set by the instructor.

7.  Demonstrate effective coaching techniques while working with dancers in a rehearsal
     atmosphere.

8.  Experience working with traditional and non-traditional approaches to choreography.

Course Description

Continued theory and practice in the principles of dance composition learned in THE 125.00, Dance Composition I, with emphasis on expanding problem-solving compositional skills in choreographic assignments.

About this Site

In this course, students will study and learn the theories and fundamentals of dance composition. You will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge in a variety of ways -
both inside and outside the classroom. It is my hope that you will find this site of great assistance throughout the semester as a supplement to our class and for use outside of the classroom. I will be continually updating information for classroom use on this page and strongly suggest you "check in" on a regular basis. This page serves two important 
functions for our class...1) to communicate; and 2) to explore the vast use of
computer technology in an academic/performing arts environment.

On the left hand column of this page you will find a number of useful links for our class. You
are responsible for each of these links. In that technology is what it is...you are responsible for the material associated with these "links". If you have any "techno difficulty" I would expect that you will come and see me during my office hours or problem solve (a skill as composition students has become much stronger!) on your own to find a solution to your problem. Most of you have become familiar with using the Internet for my classes, so go ahead and click away and get a jump start!


"The world needs dances!   Each one offers a look into the heart of a unique world.  The more a dance succeeds in revealing that world, the better dance it is.  That is the true measure of a dance's worth.  Form is immaterial, technique incidental, and the potential is dazzling.  Making a dance is no less than a chance to add meaning to life."  

New York Times...