HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE COURSE EVALUATION

Name: Katherine Ann Watier Term: Fall 1994

Number and Title: HA I5I Elementary Dance Composition

Instructor Rebecca Nordstrom

This course served as an introduction to the elements of dance choreography and performance. Through use of structured improvisation students explored movement with attention to: the articulation and sensation of the body, the use of space and kinesphere, the perception and manipulation of time through phrasing and rhythm and the dynamic use of energy. Goals included: deepening awareness of the expressive and kinetic possibilities in movement, appreciation of those qualities in the movement of others and the discovery of resources and tools that facilitate the process of conceptualizing and forming dance impulses. Students were also asked to look at how other art forms such as music, literature and the visual arts relate to and inspire movement. Course requirements included regular class attendance, journal writing, two written critiques of dance performances, and attendance-at theater, music and art events. Students were also given weekly reading assignments from materials on reserve in the library and were asked to read and report on a biography of a dancer of their choice. The final project was a two to three minute solo study and short process paper.

Kathy successfully fulfilled all of the requirements for this class and her attendance was excellent. She was an active and engaged participant in all of the class improvisations and contributed freely to class discussions. She came to the class with years of ballet training but was open to experimenting with different kinds of movement. Kathy seemed to enjoy the process of exploring movement dynamics and sensations without having to adhere to a particular set vocabulary. She chose to return to the ballet idiom for her final study but worked to incorporate ideas and experiences from the class. The narrative she was working from was too complex to be fully presented in a short study but she succeeded in presenting an interesting sketch that crystallized many of the elements of her story. She performed with concentration and feeling.

Kathy's written work for this course was quite good. She was a prolific journal writer and her entries clearly showed a high level of engagement with the class and the readings. Kathy's critiques were well written and organized and she did not hesitate to present her opinions of the work she saw.

Kathy is in the process of developing a Division I project in choreography and I look forward to seeing how her work progresses.

1/2 DIV I Yes





				HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE COURSE EVALUATION Name: Katherine Ann Watier Term: Fall 1994 Number and Title: HA I5I Elementary Dance Composition Instructor Rebecca Nordstrom This course served as an introduction to the elements of dance choreography and performance. Through use of structured improvisation students explored movement with attention to: the articulation and sensation of the body, the use of space and kinesphere, the perception and manipulation of time through phrasing and rhythm and the dynamic use of energy. Goals included: deepening awareness of the expressive and kinetic possibilities in movement, appreciation of those qualities in the movement of others and the discovery of resources and tools that facilitate the process of conceptualizing and forming dance impulses. Students were also asked to look at how other art forms such as music, literature and the visual arts relate to and inspire movement. Course requirements included regular class attendance, journal writing, two written critiques of dance performances, and attendance-at theater, music and art events. Students were also given weekly reading assignments from materials on reserve in the library and were asked to read and report on a biography of a dancer of their choice. The final project was a two to three minute solo study and short process paper. Kathy successfully fulfilled all of the requirements for this class and her attendance was excellent. She was an active and engaged participant in all of the class improvisations and contributed freely to class discussions. She came to the class with years of ballet training but was open to experimenting with different kinds of movement. Kathy seemed to enjoy the process of exploring movement dynamics and sensations without having to adhere to a particular set vocabulary. She chose to return to the ballet idiom for her final study but worked to incorporate ideas and experiences from the class. The narrative she was working from was too complex to be fully presented in a short study but she succeeded in presenting an interesting sketch that crystallized many of the elements of her story. She performed with concentration and feeling. Kathy's written work for this course was quite good. She was a prolific journal writer and her entries clearly showed a high level of engagement with the class and the readings. Kathy's critiques were well written and organized and she did not hesitate to present her opinions of the work she saw. Kathy is in the process of developing a Division I project in choreography and I look forward to seeing how her work progresses. 1/2 DIV I Yes
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