ACD104 - Exploring Dance Styles

Unit details

Year:

2024 unit information

Enrolment modes:Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne)
Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Unit Chair:Trimester 2: Luigi Vescio
Prerequisite:

Nil

Corequisite:Nil
Incompatible with: Nil
Typical study commitment:

Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.

This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site.

Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment:

2 x 1.5-hour practicals, 1 x 2-hour seminar per week

Content

Students will learn two out of several different cultural dance styles (such as, Hip-Hop and Indian dance) through practical, studio-based dance classes. Students will also participate in weekly contemporary dance technique classes. A transcultural workshop will practically examine ways in which the cultural attributes of the different styles can be brought together in choreographic and performance-based ways as a means of enabling cross-cultural dialogue.

ULO These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes
ULO1

Utilise the attributes of dance and choreography to embody and communicate cross cultural activity and examine possible scenarios for cultural change

GLO2: Communication

GLO5: Problem solving

ULO2

Evaluate and interpret the theoretical and cultural values of specific forms of cultural dance styles and apply in individual and collaborative practice

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

GLO7: Teamwork

ULO3

Engage with transcultural issues through the physical means of dance and choreography to create and share examples of respectful inter-cultural convergence

GLO2: Communication

ULO4

Take responsibility for personal development to be able to practise contemporary dance with a high level of technical skill and with an ethical regard for the social context of the classes

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

GLO2: Communication

GLO6: Self-management

GLO8: Global citizenship

Assessment

Assessment Description Student output Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)
Indicative due week
Assessment 1: On-going assessment in technique classes according to stated criteria Participation in 2 x 1.5-hour practicals per week 30% Ongoing
Assessment 2: Choreographed response to transcultural workshops 1600 words
or equivalent
40% Week 11
Assessment 3: Written critical reflective task 1200 words
or equivalent
30% Week 12

The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.

Hurdle requirement

Students enrolled in this unit must participate in 2 practical, dance technique workshops per week, through which they will undertake the practical work for assessment task one.

These practical experiences (workshops) will enable students to develop physical skills including:

  • consistent control and articulation of different parts of the body,
  • understanding movement principles such as the use of weight and momentum,
  • developing musicality, rhythm and timing,
  • differentiating different movement qualities,
  • understanding safe dance practices, and;
  • participating in a process of learning prescribed movement vocabulary from an expert teacher.

The workshops aim to develop a shared appreciation amongst students of the capacities of the human body in dance and in a context in which dance is understood as an artform. This appreciation, and accompanying embodiment of physical skills, will form the creative grounding for choreographic explorations, creative tasks, and practical assessments that occur in this unit. The practical experiences will enable all students to participate in the unit from a position of physical understanding, safety and personal confidence. They will also ask students to engage with standards and expectations as they exist in the professional context. 

In order for students to develop physical strength and physically integrate their learning, students must participate consistently in these dance technique workshops. Therefore, students must attend at least 90% of their allotted practical experiences (workshops) (or make up workshops at another time subject to availability).

Learning Resource

The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via ACD104
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.

Unit Fee Information

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