Theatre and Dance (T/D)

THEATRE AND DANCE (T/D)

The Department of Theatre and Dance at Gustavus Adolphus College broadly educates future theatre and dance artists and educators and also provides artistic experiences for the wider Gustavus community. Within a supportive liberal arts context, Theatre majors acquire foundational skills in acting, design, and directing, while Dance majors and minors study dance composition as well as ballet and modern dance technique. Both theatre and dance students examine the history, theory, and literature of their disciplines and work to develop their own identities as artists. Through classes and production, nonmajor students also develop as performers and experience the richly varied ways in which theatre and dance artists interpret life. All members of the Gustavus community—students, faculty, and staff—enjoy the diverse, challenging, entertaining series of plays and dance concerts produced by the department each year.

The Theatre major consists of a sequence of 11.5 courses, including a senior project which is prepared under the supervision of a faculty adviser. The major is intended to produce insightful interpreters, skillful collaborators, and expressive creators of theatre art; it lays the foundation for graduate studies and beginning level work in theatre or such allied fields as broadcasting, communications, arts management, and human services. The Dance major consists of a sequence of 12 courses, including a senior project that is prepared under the supervision of a faculty adviser. The major is intended to produce technically skilled, articulate movers, who utilize dance as a way to perceive, discover, create and communicate. In addition the department offers minors in both theatre and dance. In order to facilitate the advising process, students declaring a major in theatre or dance must have a departmental adviser no later than the second semester of the sophomore year.

The Theatre and Dance Department strongly encourages its majors and minors to take advantage of the College’s internship and international study programs. Gustavus theatre and dance students have held internships at many major theatres and dance companies in this country and have received credit for study all over the world. Internships and study abroad programs in theatre and dance are arranged individually, based on the interests of the student. Gustavus students have studied in Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Nepal, Germany, and England. To encourage and accommodate study abroad and internships, the department will consider substitutions in major and minor programs. Students should talk to their departmental adviser early in their studies about opportunities for international programs and internships and to make sure that credit received for such study will count toward the major or minor.

Theatre Major: A minimum of 11.5 courses, including T/D-103, T/D-102 or T/D-105, T/D-106, T/D-215, T/D-247, T/D-381, T/D-399; T/D-230, T/D-231; and T/D-221 or T/D-222; one other Level III theatre course; and one other course chosen in consultation with the departmental adviser.

Dance Major: A minimum of 12 courses, including:

1. Four full course equivalents (4.0) selected from the following dance technique courses, at least two (2.0) courses at the intermediate level. Intermediate and advanced courses may be repeated for credit):
   1. Modern Dance - T/D-102 or T/D-105, T/D-235, T/D-375
   2. Ballet - T/D-104, T/D-234
   3. Jazz Dance - T/D-109, T/D-239
2. HES-305, T/D-103, T/D-221, T/D-232, T/D-245, T/D-377, T/D-381, T/D-399
3. One elective course chosen with departmental approval

Theatre Minor: Five courses, including one course from T/D-230, T/D-231, or T/D-236, one full credit of Theatre Practica, and at least one course at Level III.

Dance Minor: Five courses, including T/D-104 or T/D-234, T/D-235 or T/D-375, T/D-232, T/D-245, and one other course chosen in consultation with the adviser.

101 Theatre Appreciation (1 course) An introduction to the theory and practice of the theatrical arts—playwriting, acting, design, and directing—aimed at enhancing appreciation of the nature and place of theatre in contemporary culture. ARTS, Fall semester, alternate years.

Courses

102 Fundamental Modern Dance (1 course) This course introduces students with no prior dance background or training to the fundamental elements of modern dance technique. Emphasis is on anatomy and kinesiology as applied to dance movement, improvisational explorations, and total body awareness of the elements of space, time, design, energy, and force. The class also provides an introduction to the history and theory of modern dance as an art form. ARTS, Fall and Spring semesters.

103 Beginning Experiments in Design (1 course) The course acquaints the student with principles of theatrical design. Students will work experimentally with a range of materials to conceptualize dramatic works in visual terms. Although part of the major program in theatre, the course also is intended as an introductory class in fine arts for nonmajors. ARTS, Spring semester.

104 Beginning Ballet (1 course) Beginning Ballet is designed as a basic introduction to classical dance and a complement to Beginning Modern Dance. The key concepts of the course include: an appreciation for ballet theory and history, alignment and anatomy for the dancer (from a practical perspective), and an awareness of the performing “style” and aesthetic particular to ballet, all ingredients for critical discussion of ballet in relation to other arts. ARTS, Fall and Spring semesters.

105 Beginning Modern Dance (1 course) This course is designed for students who have studied dance (private studio or college courses) but have not studied modern dance technique. Emphasis is on body alignment and body awareness in relation to the elements of space, time, design and energy. Introduction to the history and theory of modern dance as an art form. ARTS. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Fall and Spring semesters.

106 Beginning Acting (1 course) A beginning class in acting technique with emphasis on improvisation, movement, voice, text analysis, and realistic scene studies. ARTS, Fall and Spring semesters.

107 January Play Production (1 course) This course is an intensive four-week play production workshop culminating in performances in February. The play is selected annually and is part of the production season of the Theatre and Dance Department. In alternate years, the play is a musical produced in conjunction with the Department of Music. The daily schedule may include some combination of acting, singing, dance or instrumental rehearsals as well as scenery and costume construction. Performers and musicians may also be assigned to production crews. There will be opportunities to discuss the work as it progresses with the directors and designers to gain insight into the theatrical process. Students wishing to perform must audition in late October or early November. Limited spaces are available for students interested only in working on the technical crews. Such students must interview with the Technical Director in October or November. January Interim.

109 Beginning Jazz Dance (.5 course) This course provides an introduction to the basic styles and dynamics of jazz dance for the student who has had no previous dance training. Students acquire a movement vocabulary within the jazz idiom while developing greater efficiency and ease of movement through proper body alignment. The course emphasizes the isolation of individual body parts and a diversity of rhythmic patterns, and also focuses on the integral role that jazz dance has played in theatre. ARTS, Spring semester, odd years.

110-316 Theatre and Dance Practica (.13–1 course) These courses provide the student with practical experience in performance or technical production. May be repeated for credit. Permission of instructor is required. Offered annually or by arrangement.

110 Performance Practicum

111, 211, 311 Scenery/Props Practicum

112, 212, 312 Lighting/Sound Practicum

113, 213, 313 Costume Practicum

314 Directing Practicum

115, 215 Stage Management Practicum

216, 316 Theatre in the Community Practicum

117 Dance Repertory Practicum

144, 244, 344 Special Topics in Theatre/Dance (.5–1 course) Study of special problems or areas in theatre or dance research, individual and/or group projects, seminar reports, and discussion. Topics to be announced annually. May be repeated for credit. Permission of instructor required.

221 Stagecraft: Lighting and Sound (1 course) Theory and practice in the equipment and methods of lighting and sound for performance events. Students will explore basic instrumentation and design of lighting and sound for all types of live performance and a variety of venues. The class is centered on the practical aspects of lighting and sound. Requirements include reading of the text, class exercises, tests, projects and 20 hours of work in the theatre lab or on a departmental production running crew. Fall semester, odd years.

222 Stagecraft: Scenery and Costumes (1 course) Theory and practice in the equipment and methods of constructing scenery and costumes for performance events. The unit on scenery explores the use of woodworking tools, hardware, materials, and techniques used in constructing scenery and props with an emphasis on hands on learning. The unit on costumes explores the use of sewing equipment, fabrics, and techniques used in constructing stage costumes. It also includes segments on costume history and costume design. Requirements include reading of the text, class exercises, tests, projects, and 30 hours of work in the theatre lab or on a departmental production running crew. Fall semester, even years.

230 Studies in World Theatre I (1 course) Historical overview of theatre practice and plays to 1800, with a particular emphasis on key periods or cultures. Developments or changes in practice or form will be considered, and the relationship between artistic and cultural values will be discussed. Close readings of the dramatic texts and study of the contributions of individual theatre artists will provide the focus of the course. Consideration is given to both Western and non-Western theatre forms. Fall semester, even years.

231 Studies in World Theatre II (1 course) Historical overview of theatre practice and plays from 1800 to the present, with a particular emphasis on key periods or cultures. Developments or changes in practice or form will be considered, and concurrent trends in literature, philosophy and art will be discussed in relation to theatre. Close readings of the dramatic texts and study of the contributions of individual theatre artists will provide the focus of the course. Prerequisite: T/D-230 or permission of instructor. HIPHI, Fall semester, odd years.

232 Studies in Dance History (1 course) This course presents an historical overview of dance as a performing art form. The class explores the evolution of European and American ballet as well as the integration of African-American and European-American dance traditions as they influence the development of modern dance in America in the twentieth century. Through readings, video viewings, attending performances, individual research projects and class discussions, students explore principles and traditions of concert dance in their historical and cultural contexts. Spring Semester.

233 Intermediate Design/Stagecraft (1 course) Advanced work in theatrical design and stagecraft. Students master the tools and methods of the theatrical designer while working on projects that use a variety of scripts and performance venues. Prerequisite: T/D-103 or permission. Offered annually.

234 Intermediate Ballet (.5 course) This course is for students with previous ballet training and emphasizes further development of ballet technique and increased understanding of ballet terminology. Emphasis is on developing the ability to perform longer movement phrases than in beginning ballet with proper body placement, increased rhythmical perception, and musical sensitivity. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: T/D-104 or permission of instructor. ARTS, Fall and Spring semesters.

235 Intermediate Modern Dance (.5 course) Intensive study and practice of modern dance techniques with an emphasis on the development of performance skills. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: beginning modern dance or permission of instructor. ARTS, Fall and Spring semesters.

236 Theatre and Society (1 course) An overview of the ways that art of theatre is a reflection of society’s values, as well as the ways that theatre artists have challenged and resisted conventional beliefs. In particular, the course will focus on an analysis of the ideological, artistic, and cultural meanings in Western theatre from the perspectives of gender, race, class, ethnicity, and sexual identity. We will examine theatre’s use of stereotypes, the issue of ethnicity in representation, and the role of performance in creating social identities. The course includes readings of key dramatic texts, theoretical works, and performance art. ARTS, HIPHI, Fall Semester, odd years.

239 Intermediate Jazz Dance (.5 course) The course is for students with previous training in jazz dance. Students continue to develop their movement vocabularies within the jazz idiom while developing greater efficiency and ease of movement through proper body alignment. Emphasis is placed on performing longer, more sophisticated jazz dance combinations while understanding the role jazz dance has played in the development of social/vernacular dance, concert dance, and musical theatre. Prerequisite: T/D-109 or permission of instructor. ARTS, Spring semester, even years.

245 Dance Composition (1 course) This course provides an introduction to the process, art and craft of choreography (making dances), using improvisation to experientially explore the elements of dance. Prerequisites: beginning and intermediate modern dance or permission of instructor. Fall semester.

246 Intermediate Acting (1 course) Advanced work in characterization and beginning consideration of style in scenes drawn from various genres and periods. Continued training in voice and movement. Prerequisites: T/D-106 and at least sophomore standing. Spring semester.

247 Beginning Directing (1 course) Study and practice of basic principles, skills, and methods of the theatre director, culminating in the in-class production of scenes from dramatic literature. Prerequisite: T/D-106, or consent of instructor. Spring semester.

255 Playmaking/Playwriting (1 course) This process-based course provides students with the experience of creating original theatre through a variety of methods. The class may focus on skills for writing a formal playscript, or on improvisational techniques for creating, developing, and performing a play. While the specific approach will vary with the interest and expertise of each instructor, every class will be able to participate in the progress of a piece of theatre from the early idea phase through a collaborative development process and culminating in a public performance (staged reading, full production, or other presentation). ARTS, Spring semester, even years.

268, 368 Career Exploration, Internship (Course value to be determined) Off-campus employment experience related to the student’s major. See description of the Internship Program. Prerequisite: junior or senior status. Offered any term by arrangement.

373 Advanced Design/Stagecraft (.5 course) Group and individual tutorials in theatrical design and technology. While structured according to the skill levels of individual students, the course is intended to provide advanced design/tech students with a master class for preparation of materials for graduate school or professional auditions and to work on special problems in design/tech, i.e. rendering, drafting, patterning, cutting, etc. Students may work with those in T/D-378 on assigned projects. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: T/D-233 or consent of instructor. Offered annually.

375 Advanced Modern Dance (.5 course) This course is for students with previous training in modern dance technique and emphasizes technically challenging elements of modern dance technique and development of performance skills. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: One full course of T/D-235 intermediate modern dance, or permission of instructor. Fall and Spring semesters.

376 Advanced Performance Studies: Acting (.5 course) Group tutorials and individual coaching sessions in acting. While structured according to the skill levels of individual students, the course is intended to provide the advanced acting student with a master class for preparation of materials for graduate school or professional auditions and to work on particular acting problems, i.e. the classical repertoire, non-realistic acting styles, etc. Students may work with those in T/D-378 on assigned projects. Prerequisites: T/D-106 and at least junior standing. Spring semester.

377 Advanced Performance Studies: Choreography (.5 course) In this course, advanced dance students engage in individual choreography projects under the supervision of a member of the dance faculty. The focus of the students’ work is preparation for graduate school or professional auditions and/or presentation of a final project for a public performance. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: T/D-235, T/D-245, and permission of instructor. Fall and Spring semesters.

378 Advanced Performance Studies: Directing (.5 course) Group tutorials and individual coaching sessions in directing, which address special problems in directing, such as style and genre. The focus of the student’s work is the preparation of a one-act play for public performance. Students may work with those in T/D-376 on assigned projects. Prerequisite: T/D-247 and at least junior standing. Fall semester.

379 Advanced Performance Studies: Social Justice Theatre (.5 course) Group tutorials and individual coaching sessions in advanced techniques of Theatre of the Oppressed and other modes of creating theatre for social justice, which address specific issues in community-based theatre and performance art. The focus of the student’s work is the preparation of a short performance for public witness. Prerequisite: T/D-106, T/D-236, or permission of the instructor. Fall and Spring semesters.

381 Performance Theory (1 course) This intensive writing course for both Theatre and Dance majors explores the theory, analysis, and interpretation of dramatic texts and dance performances. Study of major theoretical writings on theatre, dance and performance from classical roots to contemporary praxis - with an emphasis on 20th and 21st century developments in performance theory. Examination of contemporary performance criticism, analysis of selected performances from the standpoint of artist and audiences. Prerequisite: junior or senior majors. WRITD, Spring semester, odd years.

291, 391 Independent Study (Course value to be determined) Fall and Spring semesters.

399 Senior Project (1 course) The Senior Project is a substantial work of dance or theatre art or scholarship undertaken by the senior dance or theatre major in consultation with a departmental adviser. Projects may be designed in the areas of acting, directing, design, dance, theatre history, or dramatic literature. Students will be expected to have adequate preparation in the area chosen i.e., advanced coursework in acting, directing, design, dance, history, or literature. Prerequisite: approval of adviser. Fall and Spring semesters.