DANCE 140 – BALLET TECHNIQUE I

Section A & B

WINTER 2014

Instructor: BETTY ANN PLATT

E-mail: bplatt@bellevuecollege.edu

Phone: (425) 564-2968

Office location: R016

Office Hours: Immediately before or after class or by appointment. Please discuss any problems and/or attendance issues that arise.

Course Information

Course Outcomes

• Understand the composition of a dancer's line and form and apply correct
  body alignment and posture to ballet technique.
• Begin to develop muscle strength, joint flexibility, balance and coordination by
  using fundamental ballet conditioning exercises.
• Know the French terminology used in basic ballet vocabulary.
• Understand how a system of exercises at the barre prepare
  dancers for to use proper ballet technique.
• Analyze the way in which acquired skills developed at the barre
  coordinate with movements in center.
• Develop an awareness of musical phrasing and how it is used in ballet.
• Improve physical fitness and cultivate self-expression.
• Understand how the mechanics of ballet technique can be used to
  progress toward a mastery of other dance styles.

How Outcomes will be met

Students will be able to apply correct ballet technical theory to a basic ballet barre during the warm-up portion of the class. Through the knowledge and practice of these fundamental conditioning techniques students will improve basic strength, flexibility, placement and balance. As students learn the French terminology for steps by connecting the terms to movement sequences which are practiced, they begin to discover how mastering the fundamentals coordinates to greater self-expression and can be applied to other styles of dance.

Grading

GENERAL GUIDLINE:

Based on attendance, participation, and mastery of ballet fundamentals while taking into account each student’s previous dance training.

40% - Attendance and behavior as outlined below in the “Student Code.”

30% - Know fundamentals of barre work.

20%. Know the French Terminology.

10% Be able to perform center and across the floor sequences.

Attendance, attention and effort are rewarded.

Although grading dance is by nature subjective, grades are based on attendance, participation and individual progress toward mastery of technique and performance. After 4 unexcused absences, you grade will drop. Please notify instructor of any days you will be absent. .

Dance 140 Tue/Thu Section A Final: 3/18/14 – R014 – During class time

Dance 140 B Mon/Wed Section B Final: 3/18/14 – R014 – During class time

So You Know You Can Dance: Winter Dance Showcase

You have the opportunity to participate in a performance at the end of Winter Quarter to showcase your work as a creator/choreographer of the style of dance of this class.  You will create your own group.  Music choices should be between 1-2 minutes long and will be approved by the instructor and should not contain profanity.  You are responsible if you would like costumes, which must also be approved by the instructor.

The Showcase is not mandatory but you will receive extra credit if you participate and perform in this Showcase: “So You Know You Can Dance.”

Class time will be set aside for rehearsal. 

Schedule:

Technical /Lighting rehearsals are Wed. March 19th and Thurs. March 20th during class time.

Friday March 21st at 2:00 for a full run.

Show is Friday March 21st at 7:30pm. Admission is $7

So You Know You Can Dance: Winter Dance Showcase is only produced once a year in March.

Books and Materials Required

No books are required

Classroom Learning Atmosphere

Instructor’s Expectation

All students are expected to display behavior in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct at Bellevue College, respect and be courteous to everyone in the class and make a sincere effort to attend, participate, and show personal progress.

Affirmation of Inclusion

Bellevue College is committed to maintaining an environment in which every member of the campus community feels welcome to participate in the life of the college, free from harassment and discrimination.

We value our different backgrounds at Bellevue College, and students, faculty, staff members, and administrators are to treat one another with dignity and respect. http://bellevuecollege.edu/about/goals/inclusion.asp

Division Statements

[Include any division statements and links.] Include your division statement on plagiarism in this location.

A common, campus-wide minimum standard regarding student cheating, stealing, and plagiarizing provides enough autonomy for instructors and programs to set their own standards. It is the instructor's responsibility to clearly articulate to the students what is considered appropriate and inappropriate behavior in the classroom and what action will be taken in the case of inappropriate classroom behavior. It is recommended that this be done through the course syllabus.

Information about Bellevue College’s copyright guidelines can be found at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/lmc/links/copyright.html

A good resource for Plagiarism is the Writing Lab: http://bellevuecollege.edu/writinglab/Plagiarism.html

Student Code

“Cheating, stealing and plagiarizing (using the ideas or words of another as one’s own without crediting the source) and inappropriate/disruptive classroom behavior are violations of the Student Code of Conduct at Bellevue College. Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to: talking out of turn, arriving late or leaving early without a valid reason, allowing cell phones/pagers to ring, and inappropriate behavior toward the instructor or classmates. The instructor can refer any violation of the Student Code of Conduct to the Vice President of Student Services for possible probation or suspension from Bellevue College. Specific student rights, responsibilities and appeal procedures are listed in the Student Code of Conduct, available in the office of the Vice President of Student Services.” The Student Code, Policy 2050, in its entirety is located at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/policies/2/2050_Student_Code.asp

Important Links

Bellevue College E-mail and access to MyBC

All students registered for classes at Bellevue College are entitled to a network and e-mail account. Your student network account can be used to access your student e-mail, log in to computers in labs and classrooms, connect to the BC wireless network and log in to MyBC. To create your account, go to: https://bellevuecollege.edu/sam .

Should you have concerns about any aspect of the class, I encourage you to come to me with them. If for any reason you don’t feel comfortable raising your concerns with me, the next step is to talk with the program chair, Tammi Doyle, tammi.doyle@bellevuecollege.edu 425-564-2319, office in E100a. You can bring concerns about the class to the Arts and Humanities Division Dean, Maggie Harada (maggie.harada@bellevuecollege.edu) or the Assistant Dean, Scott Bessho (scott.bessho@bellevuecollege.edu) in the Arts and Humanities division office (R230). An additional resource for concerns you find aren’t being addressed by faculty or administration is the Ombuds Office. (http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/ombuds/default.html).

Disability Resource Center (DRC)

The Disability Resource Center serves students with a wide array of learning challenges and disabilities. If you are a student who has a disability or learning challenge for which you have documentation or have seen someone for treatment and if you feel you may need accommodations in order to be successful in college, please contact us as soon as possible.

If you are a person who requires assistance in case of an emergency situation, such as a fire, earthquake, etc, please meet with your individual instructors to develop a safety plan within the first week of the quarter.

The DRC office is located in the Library Media Center (L126) or you can call our reception desk at 425.564.2498. Deaf students can reach us by video phone at 425-440-2025 or by TTY at 425-564-4110. . . Please visit our website for application information into our program and other helpful links at www.bellevuecollege.edu/drc

Public Safety

The Bellevue College (BC) Public Safety Department’s well trained and courteous non-commissioned staff provides personal safety, security, crime prevention, preliminary investigations, and other services to the campus community, 24 hours per day,7 days per week. Their phone number is 425.564.2400. The Public Safety website is your one-stop resource for campus emergency preparedness information, campus closure announcements and critical information in the event of an emergency. Public Safety is located in K100 and on the web at: http://bellevuecollege.edu/publicsafety/

Additional Information

No photography or video. All valuables must not be left in the hall or dressing room. Lockers are available and will be discussed at the orientation.

NO STREET SHOES TO BE WORN IN THE STUDIO.

Apparel: Leotards and tights, or any style of dance/exercise clothing, which will allow stretching and movement. Ballet slippers are necessary and will be discussed at the first meeting.

Class: Usually begins on the floor followed by exercises at the barre. Five extra minutes are given to change clothing, but punctually is important, in that this time not only prevents injury, but includes important work on technique. The next section of the class consists of movements incorporating steps and techniques learned at the barre into progressive movements in center and across the floor. Movement combinations require the student to work on timing, phrasing and eventually dynamics