Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE DCS3009

 
TITLE Choreological Perspectives

 
UM LEVEL 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 6

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Dance Studies

 
DESCRIPTION An introduction to specific research approaches in the dance and performance studies disciplines, with the use of case studies, to exemplify ways in which the study of dance is developing as a scholarly activity with evolving modes of enquiry, to include:

- The body in dance;
- Cultures and identities;
- Postcolonial studies;
- Philosophy

Study-Unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to extend the students' theoretical work, by introducing them to deeper study of some of the theoretical and methodological stances which have been applied in scholarly dance literature. In general terms, this gives the student opportunities to consider new kinds of approaches to interrogation.

- To present a variety of research methods;
- To delineate common approaches for investigating dance;
- To explore ideas of interpretation, significance and understanding;
- To problematise issues of perceptual value: historic, aesthetic and contextual.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- discuss theoretical and methodological stances in scholarly dance literature;
- consider new approaches to critically interrogate and investigate issues in dance;
- develop, present, and engage with a variety of research methods in written and verbal modalities;
- explore ideas related to the interpretation, significance, and investigation of dance theory and practice;
- problematise issues of perceptual value in dance in areas historic, aesthetic and contextual.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Identify appropriate approaches for application to particular case studies;
- Apply particular approaches to simple case studies;
- Extrapolate and synthesise particular approaches;
- Create/design and discuss individual ideas for research topics.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- Dodds, Sherril (ed.) (2019) The Bloomsbury Companion to Dance Studies. (London: Bloomsbury).
- Franco, S. and M. Nordera. 2007. Dance Discourses: key words in dance research (Routledge).
- Giersdorf, Jens Rrichard and Wong, Yutian (Eds.) (2019). The Routledge Dance Studies Reader, Third Edition. (London: Routledge).
- Lepecki, André. 2004. Of the presence of the body: Essays on dance and performance theory (Middleton, CT: Wesleyan University).

Supplementary Readings:

- Bunker, J., Pakes, A. and Rowell, B., (eds). 2013. Thinking through dance: the philosophy of dance performance and practices. (Hampshire: Dance Books Ltd).
- Thomas, Helen.1995. Dance, Modernity and Culture: Explorations in the sociology of dance (Routledge).
- Pavis, Patrice. 2003. Analysing Performance: Theater, Dance and Film (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan).
- Schechner, Richard .2007. Performance Studies: an Introduction (sec.ed.) (New York: Routledge).

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture and Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Oral Examination (20 Minutes) SEM1 Yes 50%
Essay SEM1 Yes 50%

 
LECTURER/S Deborah Williams

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit