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Academics > Catalog > 2012-2013 > Courses of Instruction > THDN

Theater and Dance

Theater

The major in theater combines the study of dramatic literature from the Greeks to the present with work in acting, directing, dance, design, and film. Students thus acquire skills in production and performance while learning the history and literature of one of the world's major forms of artistic expression. Majors are prepared for graduate work in the humanities or for further professional training in theater, dance, or film. The theater major is also a valuable asset for a wide variety of careers—such as business, law, or teaching—requiring collaborative effort, public poise, imagination, and a broad background in the liberal arts.

In addition to its academic work, the department annually produces more than a dozen plays, films, dance concerts, and other performance events in its three theaters. These require the participation of large numbers of students, both majors and nonmajors. The department invites all members of the community to join in the creation of these events.

Majors in theater who are interested in secondary school teaching should consult the Department of Education about requirements for teacher certification.

Majors in theater interested in acting should consider junior-year study at the British American Drama Academy or the London Drama Academy. Majors in theater interested in narrative film production should consider junior-year study at the Queen's University (London) Film Production Program or the Prague Film and Television School of the Academy of Performing Arts.

More information on the theater curriculum is available on the website (www.bates.edu/THEA.xml).

Major Requirements

Option 1. Theater majors in the classes of 2013 and 2014 have the option of completing either the following requirements or those listed below in Option 2.

1) a) All of the following:
THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.
THEA 130. Introduction to Design.
THEA 200. The Classical Stage.
THEA 261. Beginning Acting.

b) One of the following:
THEA 132. Theater Technology.
THEA 231. Scene Design.
THEA 232. Lighting Design.
THEA 233. Costume Design.

c) One of the following:
DANC 151. Introduction to Dance Composition.
THEA 370. Directing.
THEA 371. Acting and Directing for the Camera.

d) Two additional courses in theater.

2) Two courses from two of the following: art and visual culture, music, and dance. At least one of these courses must be in the history of the field.

3) A comprehensive examination in the senior year, except for those majors invited by the department to enroll in THEA 457 or 458. Majors not completing a thesis may fulfill their [W3] requirement by completing a [W2] course in art and visual culture, dance, English, a foreign language, music, or rhetoric. Students pursuing this option must consult with their advisors before selecting the [W2] course, which may not be taken pass/fail.

Theater majors must enroll in one semester of dance or in a physical education activity course approved by the Department of Theater and Dance.

Option 2. Requirements for the theater major beginning with the Class of 2015.

The theater major comprises two tracks, each requiring ten courses. Track A, Drama on Stage, focuses on the study and production of live theater. Track B, Narrative Film and Video, combines work in digital video production with the study of film as a dramatic medium.

Track A: Drama on Stage:

1) All of the following:
THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.
THEA 130. Introduction to Design.
THEA 200. The Classical Stage.
THEA 220. The Modern Stage.
THEA 261. Beginning Acting.

2) One of the following:
THEA 132. Theater Technology.
THEA 231. Scene Design.
THEA 232. Lighting Design.
THEA 233. Costume Design.

3) One of the following:
DANC 151. Introduction to Dance Composition.
THEA 263. Voice and Speech.
THEA 370. Directing.

4) Two additional courses in theater, which may include one course credit for THEA 290
performance.

5) THEA 457 or 458, the senior thesis, by departmental invitation. Students who are not
invited to complete a thesis must fulfill their [W3] requirement by completing an additional
course in theater with an augmented writing component making it a [W2] course.
Alternatively, they may fulfill their [W3] requirement by completing a [W2] course in art
and visual culture, dance, English, a foreign language, music, or rhetoric. Students
pursuing this option must consult with their advisors before selecting the [W2] course,
which may not be taken pass/fail.

Track B: Narrative Film and Video:

1) All of the following:
THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.
THEA 130. Introduction to Design.
THEA 132. Theater Technology.
THEA 232. Lighting Design.
THEA 242. Screenwriting.
THEA 261. Beginning Acting.
THEA 370. Directing.

2) Two additional courses in film theory or history chosen from the Bates curriculum in
consultation with the major advisor.

3) THEA 457 or 458. Senior Thesis.

Courses completed in off-campus or study-abroad programs in film may substitute for one or more of these requirements.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

There are no restrictions on the use of the pass/fail option within the major, except for a [W2] course taken in lieu of the [W3] requirement (see above).

Minor in Theater

The minor in theater consists of six courses drawn from the following:

1) THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.

2) Five courses from the following two lists:

a) Two or three of the following:
DANC 151. Introduction to Dance Composition.
THEA 130. Introduction to Design.
THEA 132. Theater Technology.
THEA 231. Scene Design.
THEA 232. Lighting Design.
THEA 233. Costume Design.
THEA 235. Dress and Adornment.
THEA 261. Beginning Acting.
THEA 263. Voice and Speech.
THEA 362. Advanced Acting.
THEA 364. Advanced Voice and Speech.
THEA 370. Directing.
THEA s26. Theater Production Workshop I.
RH/TH s40. Digital Video Production.

b) Two or three of the following:
THEA 200. The Classical Stage.
THEA 220. The Modern Stage.
AA/TH 226. Minority Images in Hollywood Film.
THEA 240. Playwriting.
THEA s33. Central European Theater and Film.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

There are no restrictions on the use of the pass/fail option with the minor in theater.

Courses

THEA 101. An Introduction to Drama: Theater and Film.

A survey of the nature and history of drama on stage and in motion pictures. Beginning with a discussion of action, plot, and character, the course moves on to consider the elements of theatrical performance—including acting, directing, and design—as well as important plays from the Greeks to the present. These may include works by Sophocles, Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekhov, Brecht, and Beckett. It then shifts focus to film, examining the elements of mise-en-scène, cinematography, editing, and sound, and concluding with a study of major films from the silent era to the twenty-first century. These may include works by Chaplin, Wells, Bergman, Hitchcock, Scorsese, and David Lynch. Normally offered every year. M. Andrucki.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 130. Introduction to Design.

The creation of theater is a synthesis of text, performance, and visual imagery. This course explores how the visual aspect of theatrical design affects the way an audience perceives, feels, and responds to text and action. Students learn to use line, mass, color, and texture to communicate metaphoric and thematic ideas as they relate to the overall theatrical experience. They examine how forms of art, architecture, and music use these tools to influence and transform the audience, and build on this foundation to create a design vocabulary for theater. Students discuss how clothing, adornment, and body language influence the way individuals perceive others and present themselves. They learn the fundamentals of collaborative creation, and design scenery and costumes for a classic work of dramatic literature. Required of all majors. No previous art or theater training is required. Enrollment limited to 14. Normally offered every year. B. McDowell.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 132. Theater Technology.

This course provides a look "behind the curtain" to reveal the secrets of theater magic. Students learn the geography of various types of theaters as well as mechanical and electrical systems. They are introduced to the materials and methods for fabricating scenery and rigging, practice the safe use of woodworking tools, experiment with painted scenic finishes, and learn the basics of stage lighting and sound. Many of the skills introduced in this class are transferable to other artistic practices or domestic needs. This is a hands-on course; all students participate in the preparation and presentation of theater department productions. Enrollment limited to 14. M. Reidy.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 200. The Classical Stage.

We still measure theatrical excellence by the achievements of ancient Greece and Rome, Elizabethan England, and seventeenth-century France. This course studies selected plays and works of critical theory from those remarkable times and places. Authors may include Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Plato, Aristotle, Plautus, Terence, Horace, Marlowe, Shakespeare, Jonson, Webster, Corneille, Racine, Molière, and the neoclassical theorists of France and Italy. The viewing of filmed versions of several of the plays on the syllabus reveals the continuing vigor of these classical works in performance. Open to first-year students. M. Andrucki.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 205. Shakespeare on Film.

A study of the film versions of several plays by William Shakespeare. These may include Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, Richard III, Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado about Nothing, Titus Andronicus, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Film directors may include Reinhardt, Olivier, Kurosawa, Kozintsev, Branagh, and Taymor. Readings in film analysis and criticism supplement the close study of the texts of the plays and careful viewing of the films. Open to first-year students. M. Andrucki.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 220. The Modern Stage.

The premiere in 1879 of Henrik Ibsen's incendiary masterpiece, A Doll House, sparked an explosion of creativity in Western theater and drama over the next 125 years. This course studies two dozen of the most important plays staged during that turbulent period. In addition to Ibsen, authors may include Strindberg, Chekhov, Shaw, Pirandello, Brecht, O'Neill, Beckett, Genet, Pinter, and various contemporary playwrights. Students also read critics and theorists who have attempted to make sense of this revolutionary period. Viewings of filmed versions of several of the plays on the syllabus help to reveal their power in performance. Open to first-year students. M. Andrucki.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

AA/TH 226. Minority Images in Hollywood Film.

This course explores representations of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans both in mainstream Hollywood films and those by oppositional independent filmmakers. Film viewings, discussions, readings, and written assignments explore the construction of racial otherness through specifically cinematic techniques. The careers and oeuvres of influential minority filmmakers and actors including Sidney Poitier, Oscar Micheaux, Anna May Wong, Dolores del Rio, Ang Lee, and Spike Lee are examined. Open to first-year students. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

CI/TH 230. Drama and Theater of China.

Nothing is impossible in Chinese theater. On stage, we see a wronged soul lamenting his tragic death, a young lady being brought back to life by true love years after passing away, and a series of misunderstandings and coincidences twisting a funeral into a comedy. Chinese people celebrate happiness, joy, crisis, dilemma, desperation, and pain through theater. In this course, students experience breathtaking performance practices, apprehend inspiring theatrical aesthetics, and examine Chinese theatrical performances from ancient shamanistic rituals to contemporary intercultural collaborations. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 40. X. Fan.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 231. Scene Design.

This course presents in-depth study of the creative and practical tools used by set designers to visually enrich and shape the theatrical experience. Students study a history of theatrical architecture and design, focusing on how they have shaped the uses of stage space and the vocabulary of modern scene design. The course builds on aesthetic fundamentals developed in THEA 130, and examines in greater depth the relationship between set designers and theatrical texts. Practically, students learn fundamentals of theatrical drafting, perspective and scale drawing, and model making. This course is recommended for students with an interest in the visual and emotional impact of effective scene design on drama and performance. Prerequisite(s): THEA 130, or an individual portfolio review. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 14. Instructor permission is required. B. McDowell.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 232. Lighting Design.

This course provides an introduction to the unique aesthetic and technical decisions a lighting designer must make. Students examine the modern lighting aesthetic by studying popular culture and learning to translate these images to the stage. Students also are required to serve on a lighting crew for one of the department's productions and design part of the spring dance concert. Prerequisite(s) or corequisite(s): one of the following: THEA 101, 130, or 132. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 14. Instructor permission is required. M. Reidy.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 233. Costume Design.

In theater, as in life, clothes often "make the man." This course focuses on the myriad aspects of personality, position, and state of mind created and enhanced for stage characters by the art of costume design. Emphasis is placed on analyzing play texts and bringing characters to life. The course builds on aesthetic fundamentals developed in THEA 130, and offers further instruction in costume research, figure drawing, and sketching and painting skills used to present costume design information. This course is recommended for students with an interest in visual and emotional impact of effective design on drama and performance. Prerequisite(s): THEA 130 or an individual portfolio review. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 14. B. McDowell.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 235. Dress and Adornment in Western Culture.

Dress means more than just fashion. The history of dress and human adornment reveals political, sexual, economic, and cultural conditions, often entwined in subtle or ephemeral ways with the aesthetics of what we perceive as fashion. This course begins with early Greek culture and continues through the Roman and Byzantine empires, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Restoration, the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and into the current era. Students examine not only physical appearance, but also the other factors that have driven the myriad changes in the history of fashion in Western culture. Enrollment limited to 20. B. McDowell.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 236. Pattern Drafting and Draping.

This course introduces students to the skills of pattern drafting, draping, and fitting garments, as well as some advanced costume construction skills and increased familiarity with the properties of different textiles. The course is structured as a series of lectures, demonstrations, and the completion of several hands-on projects by students. Recommended background: basic sewing skills. Enrollment limited to 12. B. McDowell.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 240. Playwriting.

After reviewing the fundamentals of dramatic structure and characterization, students write one full-length or two one-act plays. Recommended background: two courses in theater or dramatic literature. Not open to students who have received credit for THEA s41. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA 242. Screenwriting.

This course presents the fundamentals of screenwriting: concept, plot, structure, character development, conflict, dialogue, visual storytelling and format. Lectures, writing exercises, and analyses of films such as The Social Network, Chinatown, and Rushmore provide the student with the tools to create a short screenplay. Prerequisite(s): THEA 240. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 261. Beginning Acting.

This course introduces the student to the physiological processes involved in creative acting. The student learns the Stanislavski approach to the analysis of realistic and naturalistic drama. Exercises leading to relaxation, concentration, and imagination are included in an improvisational context. Studies in motivation, sense perception, and emotion-memory recall lead the student to beginning work on scene performance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 16. Normally offered every semester. P. Kuritz.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 263. Voice and Speech.

Students examine the nature and working of the human voice. Students explore ways to develop the voice's potential for expressive communication with exercises and the analysis of breathing, vocal relaxation, pitch, resonance, articulation, audibility, dialect, and text performance. Recommended background: one course in acting, performance, or public speaking. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every year. K. Vecsey.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

TH/WS 264. Voice and Gender.

This course focuses on the gender-related differences in voice from the beginning of language acquisition through learning and development of a human voice. A variety of interdisciplinary perspectives is examined according to the different determinants of voice production—physiological, psychological, social interactional, and cultural. Students explore how race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, and age affect vocal expression. Students also analyze "famous" and "attractive" human voices and discuss what makes them so. Recommended background: THEA 263 and/or WGST 100. Open to first-year students. K. Vecsey.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DN/TH 270T. Studio Dance: Movement for Theater.

Movement skills for performers focusing on body conditioning (mechanics, strength, flexibility), dance steps commonly used in theater and musical theater, and character development through movement and stance. This course is valuable for actors, dancers, and musicians. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DN/TH 270U. Studio Dance: Alexander Technique.

Introduction to the principles and practices of the Alexander Technique, a practice that is critical for actors, dancers, and musicians for freeing the body for maximum efficiency by identifying unwanted movement patterns and constrictions. Alexander Technique helps teach performers relaxed and efficient ways to work that enhance performance and avoid injury. Class work includes simple anatomy, developmental movement, monologue work, analysis of movement, analysis of tension, journaling, breathing, and relaxation techniques. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DN/TH 270V. Studio Dance: Movement for Actors.

This course explores the dynamics and dimensions of movement in theatrical space for actors. Through exercises and techniques based on the work of Jacques LeCoq and Jerzy Grotowski, actors free themselves of limiting physical habits, develop trust in their instinctual reactions, and deepen their characterizations. Utilizing neutral mask, improvisation, and an experimental entry into the natural world, and other artistic forms, actors build physical breadth, intensity, and nuance as a cornerstones of a more complete embodiment of tragic and comedic performance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DN/TH 290. Performance.

Working under faculty direction, students perform major roles in departmental productions as actors, designers, or technicians. Two semesters of DN/TH 290 constitute one course credit. No more than one course credit may be earned through DN/TH 290. Department chair permission is required. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

SP/TH 341. Spanish Theater of the Golden Age.

This course focuses on the study of Spanish classical drama of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Reading and critical analysis of selected dramatic works by Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, Calderón de la Barca, Miguel de Cervantes, Ana Caro, María de Zayas, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz among others offer an insight into the totality of the dramatic spectacle of Spanish society during its imperial century. Conducted in Spanish. Prerequisite(s): one 200-level Spanish literature course. Not open to students who have received credit for SP/TH 241 or SPAN 241. Enrollment limited to 20. B. Fra-Molinero.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 360. Independent Study.

Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA 362. Advanced Acting.

Students extend their technique to explore two unique performance challenges—the classical dramas of the world's stages and the peculiar nature of comic performance. Prerequisite(s): THEA 261. Not open to students who have received credit for THEA 262. Enrollment limited to 16. P. Kuritz.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 364. Advanced Voice and Speech.

A study of vocal and physical techniques for the exploration of theatrical texts. Specialized topics for the vocal professional include: characterization as it relates to voice and speech; cold readings; assessing and preparing for the vocal demands of a role; working with the vocal coach. Recommended for students intending to focus on acting or performance art in the senior thesis. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. K. Vecsey.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 365. Special Topics.

Offered occasionally in selected subjects. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA 370. Directing.

An introduction to the art of directing, with an emphasis on creative and aesthetic problems and their solutions. Included is an examination of the director's relationship to the text, the design staff, and the actor. The approach is both theoretical and practical, involving readings, rehearsal observation, and the directing of scenes and short plays. Prerequisite(s) or corequisite(s): THEA 261 or 265. Open to first-year students. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every year. P. Kuritz.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA 457. Senior Thesis.

By departmental invitation only. Students undertake a substantial academic or artistic project. Students register for THEA 457 in the fall semester and for THEA 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both THEA 457 and 458. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA 457, 458. Senior Thesis.

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA 458. Senior Thesis.

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

Short Term Courses

THEA s26. Theater Production Workshop I.

Working under faculty supervision and with visiting professional artists, student actors, directors, designers, and technicians undertake the tasks necessary to produce a play. Readings and discussions explore various ways of understanding and producing a text. Instructor permission is required. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA s26C. An Introduction to Puppet Design and Construction.

Working with Bates faculty and a visiting artist from Figures of Speech Theatre, students explore various materials and methods for building articulated puppet figures with a focus on the process of creating an object intended expressly for performance. An overview of the history of puppet design and the current state of the art accompanies practical work in puppet making. The course concludes with a showing of student work. Recommended background: THEA 101 and 130. Enrollment limited to 12. M. Reidy.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA s27. Scenic Painting.

Scene painting, a long-practiced art form, relies on visual illusion to create realistic effects. Crucial to scene painting is meeting the challenge of producing paintings on a large scale that will be seen at great distances, as Michelangelo did in giving life to the Sistine Chapel. This course focuses on mastering a broad array of tools and techniques that allow scenic painters to accomplish both realistic effects and visually interesting art. Projects include marbling, wood graining, trompe l'oeil, and painting on a large scale. The course is hands-on and project-based. Projects are cumulative, building skills that can be incorporated into individually chosen final projects. Recommended background: Some painting or drawing experience. Enrollment limited to 10. B. McDowell.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA s30. Theater Production Workshop II.

Experienced students, working under faculty supervision and occasionally with visiting professional artists, produce a play under strict time, financial, and material constraints. Readings and discussions explore various ways of understanding and producing a play. Prerequisite(s): THEA s26. Instructor permission is required. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA s32. Theater Production Workshop III.

The most experienced theater students work under faculty supervision and in leadership positions with other students in the production of a play. Readings and discussions challenge students' notions about acting, directing, and design for the theater. Prerequisite(s): THEA s26 and s30. Instructor permission is required. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA s33. Central European Theater and Film.

A study of Hungarian, Polish, and Czech theater and film, focusing on the impact on these arts of the social and political changes of the last fifty years, from the Polish and Hungarian uprisings of 1956 to the rebuilding of culture in the region following the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989. While in Budapest, students view films at the Hungarian National Film Archive and attend performances of central European theater at the International Contemporary Drama Festival and the Hungarian National Theater. Visits to theater and film centers in Prague are also included. Prerequisite(s): some background in one of the following: theater, film, or modern European history. Enrollment limited to 18. Instructor permission is required. M. Andrucki, K. Vecsey.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

RH/TH s40. Digital Video Production.

A hands-on, immersion course at Maine Media Workshops in Rockport, Maine, in the art of storytelling through digital video production, including both narrative fiction and documentary genres. Students learn cinematic language, storytelling, storyboarding, drafting a shooting script, location scouting, casting talent, rehearsing, blocking, and directing actors and crew. They also consider the roles of filmmakers, from producers and directors to camera and sound specialists and editors. Students are introduced to Final Cut Pro and the postproduction process. During the course students are expected to research, write, shoot, and edit a number of finished works. Enrollment limited to 8. Normally offered every year. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

THEA s41. Playwriting.

After reviewing the fundamentals of dramatic structure and characterization, students write one full-length or two one-act plays. Recommended background: two courses in theater or in dramatic literature. Not open to students who have received credit for THEA 240. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

THEA s50. Independent Study.

Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Theater Arts (C028)

Dance

Bates offers a major and a minor in dance based in the concept of dance as a contemporary performing art form. Integrating both theory and practice within the framework of a liberal arts education, the dance program develops an understanding of art, culture, and humanity through dance. The program encourages original choreographic work and provides a variety of performing opportunities for students at all levels of experience. Students may major or minor in dance and may also incorporate dance into interdisciplinary studies programs.

Major Requirements

1) Two courses in creative process from the following:
DANC 151. Introduction to Dance Composition.
DANC 251. Dance Composition.
DANC 351. Advanced Composition Seminar.
DANC 253. Dance Repertory Performance.
DN/ED s29. Tour, Teach, Perform.

2) Two courses in dance theory and context from the following:
DANC 250. Early Modern Dance History.
DANC 252. Contemporary Issues in Dance.
FYS 399. Reading Dancing, Writing Dance.
FYS 353. Making Performance.
INDS 256. Rites of Spring.

3) Three full credits in dance technique from the following:
DANC 230. Dance Improvisation.
DANC 240. Technique: A Kinesthetic Approach.
DANC 340. Technique: Bodies in Motion.
Any combination of DANC 270 studio dance courses.

4) One course in theater production or design from the following:
THEA 130. Introduction to Design.
THEA 132. Theater Technology.
THEA 232. Lighting Design.
THEA 233. Costume Design.
THEA 236. Pattern Drafting and Draping.

5) One additional course in dance, or one course in theater, music, or art and visual culture.

6) At least one Bates Dance Festival Short Term course (DANC s30).

7) DANC 457 or 458. Senior Thesis.

8) Performance participation in a minimum of four department-produced dance pieces at the college.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

The use of the pass/fail option is restricted to one course within the major.

Minor Requirements

1) Two courses in creative process from the following:
DANC 151. Introduction to Dance Composition.
DANC 251. Dance Composition.
DANC 351. Advanced Composition Seminar.
DANC 253. Dance Repertory Performance.
DN/ED s29. Tour, Teach, Perform.

2) One course in dance theory and context from the following:
DANC 250. Early Modern Dance History.
DANC 252. Contemporary Issues in Dance.
FYS 399. Reading Dancing, Writing Dance.
FYS 353. Making Performance.
INDS 256. Rites of Spring.

3) Two full credits in dance technique from the following:
DANC 230. Dance Improvisation.
DANC 240. Technique: A Kinesthetic Approach.
DANC 340. Technique: Bodies in Motion.
Any combination of DANC 270 studio dance courses.

4) One additional course in dance, or one course in theater, music, or art and visual culture.

5) Performance participation in a minimum of four department-produced dance pieces at the college.

Participation in the three-week summer Bates Dance Festival (DANC s30) is strongly recommended.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

The use of the pass/fail option is restricted to one course within the major or minor.

Courses

DANC 151. Introduction to Dance Composition.

This course explores the physical language of dance. Students develop skills in inventing and structuring movement through improvisation and by creating solo and group studies. Significant reading, writing, and viewing assignments inform class discussions. Enrollment limited to 15. C. Dilley.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 230. Dance Improvisation.

Improvisation is a vital skill for any performer and embodies vital modes of both practicing and thinking dance. In this course students explore contemporary approaches to improvisational dance composition, movement invention, and partnering while also engaging with current literature in this area of dance studies. Enrollment limited to 20. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 240. Technique: A Kinesthetic Approach.

This modern dance technique course develops an understanding of the use of the physical body in dance. Topics include a basic study of anatomy; the mechanics of movement; and the use of time, space, and energy for efficient and effective movement. Recommended background: previous dance training. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. C. Dilley.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 250. Early Modern Dance History.

At the turn of the twentieth century, modern dance emerged as an exciting new art form. From Isadora Duncan to the collaborations of Cage and Cunningham, modern dance has been deeply rooted in innovative exploration and a convergence of diverse cultural expressions. This course focuses on the early dance pioneers, the ideas and conditions that informed their work, and their subsequent influences on the art world. Open to first-year students. R. Boggia.
Concentrations Interdisciplinary Programs

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)

American Cultural Studies

DANC 251. Dance Composition.

An exploration of the craft and the art of making dance performance from human gesture. Readings, critical analysis, and informal showings support the complex process of creating a finished movement-based piece for public performance by the end of the semester. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 9. Normally offered every year. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

AA/DN 252. Contemporary Issues in Dance.

This course focuses on current dance works and some of the issues that inform contemporary dance practices. Discussions include the ways in which choreographers, performers, and societies confront matters of political climate, cultural diversity, entertainment, globalization, and the politicized human body in dance. Open to first-year students. [W2] C. Dilley.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 253A. Dance Repertory Performance I.

Students experience a variety of approaches to making and performing dance through intensive choreographic residencies with professional guest choreographers. The course culminates in a concert of the accumulated pieces at the end of the semester. Recommended background: previous dance experience. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 253B. Dance Repertory Performance II.

A further exploration of the many different ways to approach choreography. Through working with a number of artists, students experience a variety of pieces that expose them to a unique combination of ideas and practices. Prerequisite(s): DANC 253A. Instructor permission is required. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

INDS 256. Rites of Spring.

Le Sacre du printemps—The Rite of Spring— began as a ballet, with music by Igor Stravinsky, choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky, and sets and costumes by Nicholas Roerich. Premiered in 1913 to riots in Paris, The Rite of Spring has lived on to become one of the most important pieces of music in the Western canon and the zenith of stature and daring for choreographers. This course examines where it came from and how it has evolved over time through dance works, music, and cultural context. Cross-listed in dance, music, and Russian. [W2] C. Dilley.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Music and Culture (C080)

DN/ED 265. Teaching through the Arts.

This course examines arts education theory and policy and methods and models of arts education, and considers career options. Class sessions include large- and small-group work, participatory experiences, lectures, group discussions, and student-led activities and presentations. Through a thirty-hour field placement, students explore teaching in and through the arts. Recommended background: EDUC 231. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 18. B. Sale.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270. Studio Dance.

This series of studio courses provides instruction in a variety of dance practices. DANC 270 may be repeated. One-half credit is earned for each course completed. Students register for DANC 270A, 270B, 270C, or 270D, etc.; the appropriate sequential course number (271–278) is recorded on the student's transcript. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270A. Studio Dance: Modern.

In this modern technique course, students address problems of performance, practice, style, and form in order to build strong technique and enhanced artistry and understanding. Recommended background: experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every semester. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270B. Studio Dance: Beginning Ballet.

In this ballet technique course, students develop strong technique and enhance artistry through work on the traditional practice, style, vocabulary, and form of classical ballet. Recommended background: experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every semester. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270C. Studio Dance: Modern Partnering.

Contemporary partnering techniques, including contact improvisation skills, weight sharing, spatial and physical relationships, and personal responsibility, are combined with modern dance technique. Recommended background: sufficient experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270D. Studio Dance: Repertory Styles.

This advanced modern technique course explores a variety of approaches to modern dance training and practice as experienced with different guest teachers throughout the semester. Recommended background: sufficient experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270E. Studio Dance: Jazz.

In this technique course, students address problems of jazz dance performance, practice, style, and form in order to build strong technique as well as to enhance artistry and understanding. Recommended background: experience in dance. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every semester. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270F. Studio Dance: Advanced Jazz Repertory.

This jazz technique course explores a variety of approaches to creating dance repertory in a jazz style. It is for advanced dancers and leads to performance at the end of the semester. The instructor approves enrollment based on the level of experience of the student. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270G. Studio Dance: Dance Ensemble.

This intermediate/advanced-level course focuses on modern technique, clarity of intention, and general performance skills, in order to maintain a strong technique and develop one's personal contribution to ensemble dancing. Recommended background: intermediate experience in dance and some modern training. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every semester. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270H. Studio Dance: Intermediate/Advanced Ballet.

In this ballet technique course, students strengthen their technique and enhance their artistry through the practice of classical ballet. This level is appropriate for intermediate or advanced ballet dancers who are already at ease with the ballet vocabulary. Recommended background: a solid experience in ballet technique. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every semester. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 270I. Studio Dance: Improvisation.

Students explore improvisational dance skills essential to any style of dance through the use of body weight, momentum and physical contact. Some familiarity with any form of dance is helpful. Open to first-year students. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DN/TH 270T. Studio Dance: Movement for Theater.

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DN/TH 270U. Studio Dance: Alexander Technique.

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DN/TH 270V. Studio Dance: Movement for Actors.

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DN/TH 290. Performance.

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 340. Technique: The Body in Motion.

Continued study and practice of modern dance technique, focusing on the physicality of movement and the structure of the human body. Prerequisite(s): DANC 240. C. Dilley.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 351. Advanced Composition Seminar.

A further investigation of the compositional tools used in creating dance and the continued development of a better understanding of the intention behind the movement. The course emphasizes the personal exploration of creative process, craft, artistic intention, and integrity in dance making. Prerequisite(s): DANC 251. R. Boggia.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 360. Independent Study.

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 457. Senior Thesis.

A substantial dance-related project, usually in the form of choreography. Students register for DANC 457 in the fall and DANC 458 in the winter semester. Normally offered every year. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 457, 458. Senior Thesis.

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC 458. Senior Thesis.

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

Short Term Courses

DN/ED s29A. Tour, Teach, Perform I.

This course uses the diverse collective skills of the students in the class as base material for the creation of a theater/dance piece that tours to elementary schools. The first two weeks are spent working intensively with a guest artist to create the performance piece. The remaining weeks are spent touring that piece, along with age-appropriate movement workshops, to elementary schools throughout the region. This course open to performers and would-be performers of all kinds. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every year. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DN/ED s29B. Tour, Teach, Perform II.

Continued study of the integration of dance and other arts for the purpose of producing a performance piece for elementary school children. Students participate in all aspects of creating the performance, encompassing a wide variety of topics and movement-based performance styles, and developing a creative movement workshop to be taught in the classrooms. This course is open to performers and would-be performers of all kinds. Prerequisite(s): DANC s29A. Enrollment limited to 6. Normally offered every year. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC s30I. Bates Dance Festival 2013.

This course provides Bates dance students with the opportunity to participate in the Bates Dance Festival Professional Training Program. Full participation in the festival requires four daily courses including a technique course, a composition/creative process course or repertory course, an improvisation course, and an elective from among the festival's offerings in complementary studies. Festival courses are taught by leading scholars, artists, and practitioners in their fields. Students attend concerts, informal showings, discussions, and video presentations in addition to their courses. Enrollment limited to 10. Instructor permission is required. N. Salmon.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations

DANC s50. Independent Study.

Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. Staff.
Concentrations

This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations