95881 - Theories and Practices of Dance (Lm)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will acquire articulated knowledge about the theoretical thoughts developed between XIX Century and the present days about on the theatrical dance; will acquire articulated knowledge about the practices developed by choreographers and dancers in the same period; will be able to autonomously practice their own ability of analysis on critical and theoretical texts about dance; will be able to analyze related iconographical and video documents.

Course contents

The aim of the course is therefore to offer useful coordinates in the panorama of the theories and practices of theatrical dance in the twentieth century and today; to allow to acquire historical, critical and aesthetic skills around the Italian dance scene; to develop and exercise skills of analysis of the dance performance and the drafting of a scientific text.

The first part of the course will be dedicated to bringing together some theories of dance created by choreographers active in the twentieth century, and then to analyze some examples of the performances result of such theories. In particular, we will focus on fundamental elements, such as the language of movement and the processes of choreographic creation.

The second part of the course, with a more practical approach, will be developed by studying some of the themes touched on in the first part and analysing some specific case studies from the field of Italian dance between the second half of Twenty Century and these days. This analysis will be useful to provide elements to be used in the realization of the written work that will be carried out by students, individually or in small working groups.

The lessons will be complemented by meetings with artists and experts in the field; participation, as auditors, in some tests of shows debuting in the 2023/2024 season; enjoyment of some of the cultural initiatives organized by the Centro La Soffitta.

 

Practical information

Lessons will start on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.

The first 30 hours of lessons (from September 20 to mid-November approximately) will cover the topics related to the 6 cfu course; the 60 hours of lessons (from September 20 to mid-December approximately) will cover the topics related to the 12 cfu course.

Lessons will take place at the headquarters of the Department of Arts, in via Barberia 4, according to the following schedule:

Wednesday, 9,00-11,00
Thursday, 11,00-13,00
Friday, 11,00-13,00

Readings/Bibliography

6 cfu course

To take the 6 cfu exam you must study the two texts listed below, taking care to view a good selection of examples of entertainment or video dance creations mentioned in the same texts:

1) Elena Randi, Il corpo pensato. Teorie della danza nel Novecento, Dino Audino, Roma 202;

2) Elena Cervellati - Elena Randi - Giulia Taddeo (a cura di), Settanta! Fermenti e percorsi d'innovazione nella danza italiana, Atti del Convegno Internazionale (Bologna, 3-4 novembre 2021), numero speciale di "Danza e ricerca. Laboratorio di studi, scritture, visioni", n. 15, luglio 2023, online: https://danzaericerca.unibo.it/.

 

12 cfu course

In order to take the 12 cfu exam, it is necessary to study the two essays llisted below in point 1 and in point 2, as well as an essay between the list in point 3; in addition, a written report, as referred to in point 4, shall be drawn up.

1) Elena Randi, Il corpo pensato. Teorie della danza nel Novecento, Dino Audino, Roma 2020.

2) Elena Cervellati - Elena Randi - Giulia Taddeo (a cura di), Settanta! Fermenti e percorsi d'innovazione nella danza italiana, Atti del Convegno Internazionale (Bologna, 3-4 novembre 2021), numero speciale di "Danza e ricerca. Laboratorio di Studi, scritture, visioni", n. 15, luglio 2023, online: https://danzaericerca.unibo.it/.

3) One essay among:

• Adriana Borriello – Ada D'Adamo – Francesca Beatrice Vista, Chiedi al tuo corpo. La ricerca di Adriana Borriello tra coreografia e pedagogia, Edizioni Ephemeria, Macerata 2017;
• Elena Cervellati - Giulia Taddeo (a cura di), La danza in Italia nel Novecento e oltre: teorie, pratiche, identità, Macerata, Edizioni Ephemeria, 2020 (only the following essays: ***);
  
• Vito Di Bernardi, Ossatura. Mimmo Cuticchio e Virgilio Sieni: marionette e danza in Nudità, Bulzoni, Roma 2019;
• Silvia Garzarella, Valeria Magli o la poesia ballerina, Mimesis, Milano 2021;
• Taddeo, Giulia, Festivaliana. Festival, culture e politiche di danza al tempo del “miracolo italiano”, I Libri di Emil, Bologna 2020;
• Valentina Valentini – Valeria Vannucci – Chiara Pirri Valentini (a cura di), Nel migliore dei mondi possibili. Intorno all’opera di Roberto Castello, Edizioni Ephemeria, Macerata 2021.

 

4) The preparation will be completed by a written paper, the content of which, however to be agreed with the teacher, will focus on a theme connected to the macro-area of dance in Italy.

The paper must have a length of 5-10 pages, be complete with a bibliography and a videography and follow the editorial rules available among the materials on the "Virtuale" online platform.

Attending students will be able to present their work during the lessons; non-attending students must deliver the paper at least one week before the exam date and must be able to orally illustrate its content during the exam.

 

*** Regarding item 3 of the examination bibliography, the essays to be read are as follows:

• Elisa Guzzo Vaccarino, La postcritica. Riflessioni per una “critica della critica” dagli anni Ottanta a oggi, pp. 39-55
• Giulia Taddeo, Come prima, meglio di prima: danzare in Italia dal Dopoguerra al miracolo economico, pp. 95-109
• Patrizia Veroli, “Camminare avanti, avanti, avanti”. Gli ultimi anni della carriera di MiLLoss in Italia, pp. 115-127
• Silvia Poletti, Danza italiana. La difficile conquista di un equilibrio permanente, pp. 129-138
• Marinella Guatterini, In assenza del reale. Il desiderio di non essere qui, pp. 141-150
• Aline Nari. Presenza: note di quore, pp. 143-176
• Alessandra Sini, All’inizio del nuovo millennio: corporeità e costruzione fra autorialità e condivisione, pp. 177-189
• Roberto Fratini Serafide, Caterina Sagna. Un esercizio di anamorfosi, pp. 197-211
• Elena Cervellati, Nuova/”vecchia”/nuova danza. Alla ricerca di un’identità della nuova Danza italiano, 213-226
• Rossella Mazzaglia, Verso la danza verticale attraverso l’opera di Wanda Moretti: primi passi di una ricostruzione coreografica, pp. 233-247
• Franca Zagatti, Consapevoli prossimità. Vicinanze, distanze e traiettorie della danza di comunità, pp. 249-258
•  

Bibliographical variations are possible, in accord with the professor.

Teaching methods

Lessons will be supported by commented view of the videos and pictures, as well as by meetings with artists and, possibly, attending at live performances. The active participation of the attending students will be solicited suggesting readings and discussions.

Assessment methods

The students’ learning outcomes on the course’s themes will be verified through an interview concerning the recommended bibliography and through a conversation about the written paper.

It will be assessed as excellent the performance of those students achieving an organic vision of the course contents, the use of a proper specific language, the originality of the reflection as well as the familiarity with the tolls for analyzing the course’s themes.

It will be assessed as discrete the performance of those students showing mostly mechanical or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, not articulated synthesis and analysis capabilities, a correct but not always appropriate language, as well as a scholastic study of the course’s themes. It will be assessed as barely sufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, lack of knowledge of the discipline. It will be assessed as insufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, no orientation within the recommended bibliography and inability to analyze the course’s themes.

Teaching tools

Visual documentation through projections of fixed and moving images.

Office hours

See the website of Elena Cervellati