Home 2012-2013 Undergraduate College Catalog Undergraduate Programs of Study Dance & Theatre

Dance & Theatre

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Undergraduate Programs of Study

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Dance & Theatre Honors and Prizes

Dance & Theatre Major Requirements

Theatre Education Concentration

Dance Therapy Concentration with Minor in Psychology

Drama Therapy Concentration with Minor in Psychology

Dance Minor

Theatre Minor

Within the context of Manhattanville's liberal arts tradition, the Department of Dance & Theatre offers studies in performance technique, history, literature and critical theory. Areas of concentration include: Dance, Theatre, Theatre Education, Dance Therapy, and Drama Therapy. The curriculum provides basic understanding and practice of the elements of performance and explores the collaborative frontiers where Dance & Theatre meet. Emphasis is on creative process.

Majors are required to complete a Core Study, which includes: basic theory and performance techniques, studio exploration, seminar studies, and design, technical and production skills. The four-year program culminates in a year-long capstone Senior Thesis Seminar, which reflects the initiative, interests and skills of the individual student.

The spine of the Dance curriculum is a sequential study of Modern Dance technique. The basic course of study is enriched through a rotating selection of dance forms including Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Afro-Caribbean, Classical Indian Dance and Flamenco. Each semester, professional guest choreographers teach advanced technique and choreograph works for performance. Recent guest choreographers have worked with the Joffrey Ballet, Pilobolus Dance Theatre, Pucci Plus, Bill T. Jones, Dance Theater of Harlem and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center.

Theatre training includes a sequential study of acting, dramatic literature and history, directing, design, technical theatre, production and stage management. Acting training places primary emphasis on the vocal and physical life of the actor and integrates both traditional and experimental models. Special emphasis is given to Shakespeare studies, enhanced by an annual spring Shakespeare production in Reid Castle.

The program in Theatre Education requires a double major in Dance & Theatre and Education. It examines how the theatrical process can be transformed into an educational philosophy that is engaging, experiential and student centered. The degree combines pedagogy and practice and culminates in a Theatre K-12 New York State Teaching Certification.

Concentrations in Dance and Drama Therapy prepare students for graduate study and include introductory and advanced courses with a minor in Psychology.

Opportunities to perform are available through a full schedule of plays, dance concerts, musical and performance events, and senior thesis projects. Students are encouraged to take an active role in projects generated by the student-run clubs including, Dance Ensemble, Players Guild, and others.

The Department's primary performing spaces include: The Little Theatre, an intimate 125-seat facility with excellent sight lines and acoustics; The Performance Space in the new Student Center, the EXperimental Theatre, a flexible black box theatre in Founders’ Hall, and the Kennedy Dance Studio, a bright, spacious environment for classes and rehearsals. Proximity to the artistic and educational resources of New York City provides a strong support for the Dance & Theatre program.

Faculty and Professional Interests

Michael Posnick — Director, Dramatic Literature, Shakespeare Studies, Directing

Ara Fitzgerald — Associate Director & Chair of Dance, Modern Dance Technique, Composition, Improvisation

Hannah Fox — Performance Studies, Playback Theatre, Acting

Zachary Moore — Theatre Education, Acting,

Michael Lounsbery — Technical Director – Technical Theatre, Lighting & Sound Design

Peter Pucci — Artist-in-Residence

Adjunct Faculty (Partial List)

Mark Cherry — Musical Theatre

Danielle Jolie Dale — Yoga

Robert Daley — Stage Management

Pepi Diaz-Salazar — Dance Therapy

Bertie Ferdman — Viewpoints

Michael Garber — History of Musical Theatre

Craig Haen — Drama Therapy

Jon Huberth — Acting for the Camera

Andrei Kisselev — Ballet

Stephanie Larriere — Tap

Judith Malina — Theatre of Protest

Julio Matos — Musical Theatre

Jan Nolte — Voice & Speech

Liz Prince — Resident Costume Designer, Costume Design

Valerie Pullman — Modern Dance Technique

Ken Rothchild — Resident Set Designer, Scene Design

Steve Shulman — T’ai Chi

Chris Smalley — Stage Combat

Beth Soll — Dance History

David Storck — Improvisation, Acting

Bonnie Walker — Dance for Musical Theatre

Jeff Wanshel — Playwriting

Procedures For Acceptance and Entrance Requirements

Students wishing to major in Dance & Theatre must audition for the department in the spring of their senior year of high school. Acceptance and Performing Arts Scholarships are based on the audition rating, high school GPA and SAT and ACT scores or equivalent.

To arrange an audition, contact Manhattanville Admissions: 914.323.5464 or 1.800.32.VILLE or admissions@mville.edu. For more information, visit our website at www1.mville.edu/dancetheatre

Undergraduate Audition Requirements:

Completed application for admission to Manhattanville College.
Essay describing why you would like to study dance and/or theatre at Manhattanville College and your career goals.
A resume detailing when, where and how long you have studied your craft, performance experience and any other skills you may have (musical instruments, etc.)
A letter of recommendation from a teacher in the field.

Transfer students will be admitted as majors on a case-by-case basis.

NOTE: Musical Theatre Auditions: The major in Musical Theatre is administered by the Music Department. Contact the Music Department through the Manhattanville website: www.mville.edu.

Dance & Theatre Honors and Prizes

Departmental honors are conferred by the faculty to graduating seniors who have achieved the highest grade point average and who have demonstrated exceptional creativity, leadership and service.

Bachelor of Arts in Dance & Theatre is available with Concentrations in:

Dance
Theatre
Theatre Education (Double Major in Education, N.Y. State Certification)
Dance Therapy (with a Psychology Minor)
Drama Therapy (with a Psychology Minor)

Minors

Dance
Theatre

Dance & Theatre Major Requirements

Note: Students pursuing a B.A. in Dance & Theatre must complete a total of 130 credits including a minimum of 90 liberal arts credits. Courses followed by a double asterisk (**) do not receive Liberal Arts credit.

Majors and Minors must receive a grade of C or better in all Dance and Theatre courses. A grade below C in any course for the major places the student in a provisional status within the Department and the student must meet with Department Advisors.

Information in this catalog is subject to change. Current information is in the Dance & Theatre Handbook.

Core Courses (All Students)

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
DTH 1000	Creative Process	3
DTH 1001	Acting I	3
DTH 1440	Freshman Project	2
DTH 1500	Stagecraft**	2
DTH 2002	Viewpoints**	2
DTH 2535	Lighting Design I**	2
DTH 2318 & 2319	Junior Seminar (Fall & Spring)	4
DTH 3XXX	Performance Seminars (2)	6
DTH 3320, DTH 3321	Senior Thesis Seminar (Fall & Spring)	6
DTH 3542	Stage Management**	3
DTH 4010	Voice & Speech I	2
DTH 4101	Modern Dance Technique I**	2
DTH 4112 or 4129	Yoga or T’ai Chi	1
DTH XXXX	Improvisation**	2
DTH 4XXX	Performance Project	2
DTH 4500	Stage Crew** (3 productions, Pass/Fail)	N/C
	Attendance at Department Meetings	N/C
	TOTAL:	42

Dance Concentration

All CORE Courses, plus:

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
DTH 2214	Romantic & Classical Traditions in Dance	3
DTH 2216	History of American Dance	3
DTH 2245	Movement Studies or equivalent	3
DTH 2635	Introduction to Dance Therapy I	3
DTH 4102	Modern Dance Technique II**	2
DTH 4103	Modern Dance Technique III**	2
DTH 4120	Composition **	2
DTH 4420	Choreographers' Workshop**	2
DTH XXXX	Dance Electives	3
DTH 4XXX	Performance Project/Dance**	2
DTH XXXX	Design Elective (Scene Design is a Liberal Arts Course)	3
MUH 1007	Listening to Music	3
	TOTAL:	31
	Total Credits for DANCE CONCENTRATION	73

Theatre Concentration

Core Courses (All Students)

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
DTH 1000	Creative Process	3
DTH 1001	Acting I	3
DTH 1440	Freshman Project	2
DTH 1500	Stagecraft**	2
DTH 2002	Viewpoints**	2
DTH 2535	Lighting Design I**	2
DTH 2318 & DTH 2319	Junior Seminar (Fall & Spring)	4
DTH 3XXX	Performance Seminars (2)	6
DTH 3320, DTH 3321	Senior Thesis Seminar (Fall & Spring)	6
DTH 3542	Stage Management**	3
DTH 4010	Voice & Speech I	2
DTH 4101	Modern Dance Technique I**	2
DTH 4112 or DTH 4129	Yoga or T’ai Chi	1
DTH XXXX	Improvisation**	2
DTH 4XXX	Performance Project	2
DTH 4500	Stage Crew** (3 productions, Pass/Fail)	N/C
	Attendance at Department Meetings	N/C
	TOTAL:	42

Theatre Education Concentration

Double major in Dance & Theatre and Theatre Education: 135 credits.

Professor Zachary Moore, Advisor

Distribution requirements

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
	Freshman Writing	4
HIS XXXX	History course	3
MATH XXXX	Math course	6-8
BIO, CHEM, PHYS	Science course	6-8
SPN, FRN, ITL	Foreign Language courses (2)	8
	Social Science courses	6-8
LIS	Information Retrieval/Library Skills	1
	TOTAL:	27-29

Note: English requirement (Shakespeare course) is counted below in the Theatre section

Theatre Education Theatre Requirements

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
DTH 1000	Creative Process	3
DTH 1001	Acting I	3
DTH 4101	Modern Dance Technique I1**	2
DTH 1440	Freshman Project	2
DTH 1500	Stagecraft**	2
DTH 4002	Acting II	2
DTH 4010, 4012	Voice and Speech I & II	4
DTH 2640	Intro to Drama Therapy	3
DTH 2535	Lighting Design I**	2
DTH 3202, 3203	Survey of Dramatic Lit I & II	6
DTH 2318, 2319	Junior Seminar I & II	4
ENG XXXX	Shakespeare (English)	3
DTH 2030	Directing	3
DTH 2530	Concepts in Scene Design	3
DTH 3542	Stage Management**	3
DTH 2650	Theatre for Young Audiences	3
DTH 2665	Shakespeare with Young People	3
DTH 4003	Playing Shakespeare	3
DTH 2540	Costume Design**	3
DTH 1555	Make Up**	1
DTH 4400	Performance Project - Shakespeare	2
DTH 3320	Senior Thesis Seminar Fall	3
DTH 4400	Performance Project	2
DTH 3XXX	Performance Seminar	3
DTH 4500	Stage Crew (two semesters)**	N/C
	Liberal Arts or DTH or other electives	3
	TOTAL:	74

Theatre Education Education Requirements

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
EDU 2000	Fundamentals of Schools and Teaching	3
SSE 2025	Child Development and Learning	3
EDU 2010	Educating Learners with Diverse Needs	3
EDU 3367	Methods of Teaching Literacy I	3
EDU 3370	Aesthetic Literacy	3
EDU 3040	Theatre Education: Early Childhood/Childhood	3
EDU 3041	Theatre Education: Grades 7 – 12	3
EDU 3020	Student Teaching & Seminar: Theatre Education	12
EDU 5260	Seminar on Child Abuse	0
EDU 5373	School Violence Prevention/Intervention	0
	TOTAL:	36
	DEGREE TOTAL:	137-139

Dance Therapy Concentration with Minor in Psychology

All CORE Courses plus:

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
DTH 2214	Romantic & Classical Traditions in Dance	3
DTH 2216	History of American Dance	3
DTH 2245	Movement Studies	3
DTH 3645	Anatomy & Kinesiology	3
DTH 2653 & DTH 3635	Introduction to Dance Therapy I & II	6
DTH 4102	Modern Dance Technique II**	2
DTH 4103	Modern Dance Technique III**	2
DTH 4120	Composition**	2
DTH 4420	Choreographers' Workshop**	2
DTH XXXX	Dance Electives (one Liberal Arts course)	5
	TOTAL:	31
	Total Credits For Dance Therapy Concentration	73

Drama Therapy Concentration with Minor in Psychology

All CORE courses minus one Performance Seminar plus:

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
DTH 2030	Directing	3
DTH 2316	Playback Theatre Seminar	3
DTH 2530	Concepts in Scene Design	3
DTH 2640	Introduction to Drama Therapy I	3
DTH 2641	Drama Therapy with Children & Adolescents	3
DTH 2642	Drama Therapy with Special Populations	3
DTH 3202 & DTH 3203	Survey of Dramatic Literature I & II	6
DTH 3642	Advanced Studies in Drama Therapy	3
DTH 4002	Acting II : Scene Study	2
DTH 4012	Voice & Speech II	2
ENG XXXX	Shakespeare (ENG 2000 or 3000 level)	3
	Total	34
	TOTAL	73

NOTE: Before graduation, all Majors are strongly encouraged to participate in an internship, intensive or equivalent program under the guidance of Department advisors.

Dance Minor

Students choosing to minor in Dance & Theatre with an emphasis on dance are required to take the following courses:

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
DTH 1000	Creative Process	3
DTH 2216
DTH 2214	History of American Dance OR Romantic & Classical Traditions in Dance	3
DTH 4101 & DTH 4102	Modern Dance Technique I & II or equivalent	4
DTH 2245
DTH 2635	Movement Studies OR Introduction to Dance Therapy	3
DTH 4410	Performance Project	2
DTH XXXX	Departmental electives: 1 Liberal Arts course and 3 Technique courses	9
DTH 4500	Stage Crew** (2)	N/C

Theatre Minor

Students choosing to minor in Dance & Theatre with an emphasis on theatre are required to take the following courses:

COURSE #	COURSE NAME	CR.
DTH 1000	Creative Process	3
DTH 1001	Acting I	3
DTH 2200 or DTH 2201	Survey of Dramatic Literature I or II	3
DTH 3XXX	Performance Seminar	3
DTH 4010	Voice & Speech I	2
DTH 4XXX	Performance Project**	2
ENG XXXX	Shakespeare (ENG 2000 or 3000 level)	3
DTH XXXX	Two Departmental electives (including one Liberal Arts course)	5
DTH 4500	Stage Crew** (2)	N/C

SELFDESIGNED MAJOR: Students wishing to create a self-designed major in performance related area should consult with the Directors of the Department. See the current catalog for requirements.