96431 - History of Dance

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student: acquires a basic knowledge of the history of the dance, especially in the context of the European theatrical culture from the 19th century until today; learns and is able to use some analysis methodologies of the dance performance; is able to read and understand bibliographical, iconographical and video documents.

Course contents

During the first part of the course, an overview of the history of theatrical dance that has emerged in Europe and the United States from the 19th century to the present day will be outlined, with a hint of earlier eras. It will touch upon the repertoire of the 19th century, then move on to the revolutionary instances of the early 20th century and the expansion of research experiences that marked the second half of that century, up to the varied multiplicity that characterises the times in which we live, in which future-oriented experimentation coexists with the legacy of the past.

During the second part of the course we will focus on contemporaneity, through the viewing, analysis and commentary of a few examples of choreographic creations, suitably introduced and contextualised, with which we will be able to actively confront ourselves through the viewing of video recordings.

The lessons will be enriched by meetings with artists and scholars.

The course will start on Monday 30 January 2023 and will run at the following schedule:

Monday, 3:00-5:00 PM
Thursday, 1:00-3:00 PM
Friday, 1:00-3:00 PM

Readings/Bibliography

Preparation for the examination is based on reading three books and three short articles, supplemented by watching some videos, according to points a), b), c) indicated here:

a) a book on the history of dance between XIX and XXI century:

• Elena Cervellati, Storia della danza, Pearson, Torino 2020 (from p. 53);

b) two books chosen from the following list:

• Eugenia Casini Ropa, La danza e l'agit-prop. I teatri non-teatrali nella cultura teatrale del primo Novecento, Cue press, Imola 2016 (I ed. Il Mulino, Bologna 1988);
• Elena Cervellati, Théophile Gautier e la danza. La rivelazione del corpo nel balletto del XIX secolo, CLUEB, Bologna 2007;
• Roberto Giambrone, Pina Bausch. Le coreografie del viaggio, Ephemeria, Macerata 2008;
• Concetta Lo Iacono, Il volo di Tersicore. Una storia per immagini del balletto russo, Piretti Editore, Bologna 2023 (solo a partire dai capitoli relativi al XIX secolo);
  
• Elisa Guzzo Vaccarino, La danza d'arte. Balanchine, Cunningham, Forsythe, Dino Audino Editore, Roma 2015;
• Vera Maletic, Rudolf Laban. Lo sviluppo del suo pensiero in movimento, a cura di Francesca Falcone, Dino Audino, Roma
  2023;
• Cynthia Novack, Contact improvisation. Storia e tecnica di una danza contemporanea, Dino Audino, Roma 2018;
  
• Elena Randi, La modern dance. Teorie e protagonisti, Carocci editore, Roma 2018.

c) three short articles dedicated to the analysis of dance performances and the relationship between dance and the screen, useful to contextualise the viewing and analysis of the videos seen and commented during the lessons or viewed individually.

The three short articles and the list of videos to watch are available on Virtuale. For the videos, please refer to the file updated on 29 April 2024.

ATTENDING students will choose one video to comment on during the exam.

 

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NON-ATTENDING will complete their exam preparation by watching, in full or in significant excerpts, some of the main plays covered in the same texts, through the aid of video recordings, which may be viewable on the web (youtube, vimeo, numéridanse and similar). In particular:

for point (a): La fille mal gardée (1789), by Jean Dauberval; Giselle (1841), by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot; The Nutcracker (1892), by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov; Apollon musagète (1928), by George Balanchine; Lamentation (1930), by Martha Graham; Event (1964), by Merce Cunningham; Blaubart (1977), by Pina Bausch; Blue Lady (1983), by Carolyn Carlson;
for point (b): two performances from those mentioned in each of the selected volumes;

for point c): the videos listed on Virtuale.

Part of the examination interview may then involve viewings of performances.

Teaching methods

Lessons will be supported by the commented viewing of iconographic materials and recordings of performances, as well as enriched by meetings with artists. The active participation of attending students will be solicited through proposed readings and classroom discussions.

Assessment methods

The students’ learning outcomes on the history of the dance and the arts of the movement will be verified through an interview concerning the recommended bibliography to verify their ability 1) to move within the key phases of the history of the theatrical dance beginning from the Renaissance and to make specific reference to specific artistic experiences.

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 analysing the History of The Dance and The Arts of The Movement.

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 History of The Dance and The Arts of The Movement. 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 analyse the History of The Dance and The Arts of The Movement.

Teaching tools

Vision of iconographic and videographic documents, analysis of performances through playful tools.

Office hours

See the website of Elena Cervellati