THDA 60, Brown Spirits Dance Ensemble: Macalester’s Brown Spirits Dance Ensemble engages the techniques and histories of selected dance forms from the African diaspora, especially those coming from West Africa and that emerged in the Caribbean and the Americas. Brown Spirits Dance Ensemble performs in Theater and Dance Department concerts, as well as Macalester events such as Africa Week, Black History Month, and Family Fest.
Completion of Dances of the African Diaspora 1 and/or 2 are recommended.
Audition, and Permission of the instructor are required.
Open workshops, and auditions are held during the first two weeks of each semester.
2 credits are awarded upon successful completion of Ensemble. 4 credits of fine arts general distribution are awarded upon completion of two semesters of the Ensemble. Contact the department directly for registration information.
Course Objectives
- To foster immersion in an embodied communal experience.
- To challenge members, while helping them to deepen into their training, knowledge, and understanding.
- To continue learning about dancers and choreographers of African descent who have made/make enormous contributions to dance, and who have impacted the shaping of its history.
- The instructor will create choreography in preparation for the Theater and Dance Departments’ Fall Dance Concert, as well as for any additional requests for presentations and performances.
- To have students experience practices for production preparation, including rehearsals, learning movement and choreography, showings, costumes, tech week, performances, etc.
Methodology
Students will achieve these objectives through class/rehearsal attendance and participation, commitment, research, dance videos/documentaries, readings, discussions, learning movement and choreography, experiencing production practices such as showings, costumes, tech week, performances, etc. being present.
Methodology
A final grade is based on the following:
- Attendance, participation, attitude, effort, focus, commitment, communal class structure integration, progress, achievement, skill, production preparations and practices, rehearsals, showings, costumes, tech week, performances, etc.