Dance
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The Five Colleges share one of the nation's largest dance programs. As a Hampshire student, you can participate in over 25 concerts per year.
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The Hampshire Dance Program prepares students for advanced work in dance and movement studies.
Students can concentrate in specific areas such as choreography and performance; dance history and criticism; or somatic studies; or combine dance with other fields such as theater, film, anthropology, psychology, kinesiology, education, or religion. Final projects might involve choreographing and producing a concert of original work, or undertaking in-depth research and writing.
The Hampshire Dance Program and Five College Dance Department have a very active program for students interested in other applications of dance studies or related fields as well, including such areas as dance and technology; somatics and expressive arts; dance education; and community outreach.
| Student Project Titles |
- » Allow Dance And Movement (A.D.A.M.): Creative Dance and Creative Drama in the Inclusive Special Education Classroom
- » Contemporary Dance Practice: Identity, Multiculturalism, and Fusion
- » Strategic Rebellions from Revelations to Revolutions: A Choreographic Investigation into Social Justice Through
- » Concert Dance
- » An Education of the Movin’ and Groovin’: Why We Should All Be Dancing
- » A Choreographic Exploration Inspired by Alvin Ailey
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| Sample First-Year Course |
Somatics: Thinking Body/Moving Mind |
In our increasingly fast-paced and multi-tasking culture, what happens to the body? Disembodiment, being out of sync with one's own body, can cause a host of problems including stress, injury, and a decreased sense of well-being. And for artists and performers these problems can dampen creativity, imagination, and resourcefulness as well as undermine technique. Different somatic disciplines offer a range of strategies for increasing body/mind integration and all share the goal of helping bring people back to themselves and to their senses. In this course we will explore principles, theories, and philosophies behind a few of these somatic disciplines with the goal of experiencing what they awaken in us somatically and how they help us better cope with environmental stimuli and stressors, and creative challenges. Students will also have the opportunity to independently research a somatic discipline of their choosing for the final project. This course may be of interest to students planning to concentrate in dance/performance arts, or who have a serious interest in the martial arts, athletics, or yoga. Prior experience in any movement practice is welcomed but not required, however students must be willing to engage fully, deeply, and energetically in a range of movement activities.
| Sample Courses at Hampshire |
- » Black Traditions in American Dance
- » Contemplative Dance/Authentic Movement
- » Choreography on Film
- » Dance Activism
- » Dance and Culture
- » Dance Repertory
- » Dancing in Context
- » Dancing Motown: Rhythm and Blues, Soul and Funk
- » Division III Dance Seminar
- » Embodied Imagination
- » Fleeting Images
- » Group Improvisation: Exploring Creative Dance
- » Jazz Modernism
- » Laban Movement Analysis
- » Making Dances I and II
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- » Modern Dance I, II, III, IV, and V
- » New Millennium Choreographers
- » Somatics: Thinking Body/Moving Mind
- » The Body and Film
- » Twentieth Century American Dance: Sixties Vanguard to Nineties Hip Hop
| Through the Consortium |
- » Ballet I, II, III, IV, and V
- » Comparative Studies of Latin American Dance
- » Contact Improv
- » Contemporary Dance Technique and Repertory
- » Dance Education: Theory and Practice
- » Rhythmic Analysis
- » Scientific Foundations of Dance
- » Twentieth Century Dance History
- » West African Dance
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| Facilities and Resources |
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Hampshire Dance Program
The Hampshire Dance Program’s facilities include two sprung-floor dance studios, one of which converts into a fully equipped performance space; state-of-the-art sound and video equipment; and a substantial dance, video, and film collection. Both the small and main dance studios are found in the Music and Dance Building in the Longsworth Art Village, as are the faculty offices.
The Hampshire College library and archives recently acquired the Barbara Mettler dance archive, an extensive collection documenting her career of more than 60 years in creative dance. Mettler’s hallmark was creative improvisation, and her conviction that all people could participate in this creative act led her to work primarily with laypeople rather than professional dancers. She wrote extensively and produced a number of films and videos that document her teaching. The collection includes films and videotapes, correspondence and other paper records, scrapbooks, and photographs. The collection comes to Hampshire as a bequest from Mettler’s estate after her death in 2002.
Five College Dance Department
The Five College Dance Department is one of the few coordinated multi-college departments in the country. This program is an incredible resource. Among the Five Colleges, a complete and varied schedule of classes is offered, with courses planned and coordinated together as a complete curriculum. A unique benefit of the Five College Dance Department is the ability to work with a wide range of faculty members. Performances, lectures, workshops, and special events are continually happening throughout the Pioneer Valley.
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