Introduction to Dance This entry-level dance course introduces movement techniques, improvisation/composition, performance, experiential anatomy, and the history of dance. Students develop flexibility, strength, coordination, rhythm, and vocabulary in the modern idiom. Concepts of time, space, energy, and choreographic form are presented through improvisation and become the basis for a final choreographic project. Readings, research, and reflective and critical writing about dance performance round out the experience.

From Africa to the Americas: Moving from Our Core This course is an introduction to dance emphasizing the influence of traditions from the African Diaspora on contemporary modern dance. Technique sessions incorporate styles from West Africa and Central and South America with performance work. Discussion of readings on the history and current practice of movement forms originating in Africa, as well as on the work of artists developing fusion styles, supports written and creative work. Compositional studies explore the intersection between technique, history/theory, and performance.

Writing the Body In this course we will examine the dialogue between the language of the dancing body and the written word through the mediums of movement, contemplative practice, and creative writing, with a focus on poetry and spoken word. Our principal modalities of somatic investigation, textual analysis, reflective writing prompts, and a final performance project all serve to facilitate the discovery of authentic artistic expression in bridging body and voice. This is an experientially based seminar aimed at building a creative process: connecting the insights that emerge from physical discovery to the artful design of language.

African Music and Dance Performance This course will introduce students to various techniques of performing East African (primarily Ugandan) musical and dance traditions through regular rehearsals, culminating in an end-of-semester concert. As an ensemble, we will learn and master how to play and sing/dance to bow-harps, thumb-pianos, xylophones, tube-fiddles, bowl-lyres, gourd shakers, struck gourds, reed-box rattles, ankle bells, leg rattles, and various types of drums. Some background in performing music is recommended, but prior knowledge of performing African music and dance is not required.

Technique & Composition  This is the first course in the studio sequence for students entering Middlebury with significant previous dance experience. It is also the course sequence for those continuing on from DANC 0160 and provides grounding in the craft of modern dance needed to proceed to more advanced levels. Modern dance movement techniques are strengthened to support an emerging individual vocabulary and facility with composition. Students regularly create and revise movement studies that focus on the basic elements of choreography and the relationship of music and dance. Readings, journals, and formal critiques of video and live performance contribute to the exploration of dance aesthetics and develop critical expertise.

Improvisational Practices In this course students will gain an embodied understanding of the practices and techniques needed to proceed to advanced improvisational work. Research into forms such as partnering, ensemble work, text, musical exercises, compositions, and scores/projects will focus on mapping the moving body in the moment. Readings, journals, and responses to video viewings and live performances contribute to the exploration of historical contexts, aesthetics, and cultural improvisations.

Body and Earth This course is designed to bridge the relationship between the human body and the environment. The goals of the course are to deepen knowledge of physical faculties and sensory possibilities, heighten sensitivity to natural processes and forms in the Vermont bioregion, and engage awareness through the study of perception of and interaction with the non-human world. Learning modalities include analytical reading and formal writing assignments for the lecture section, place-based exploratory journaling, experiential movement-based practices, site-specific dance making, and regular field trips and outdoor activities during the lab section, culminating in final performative research projects.

Modern Dance History in the United States: Early Influences to Postmodern Transformations In this seminar we will focus on the emergence and development of 20th century American concert dance--especially modern and postmodern dance forms--from the confluence of European folk and court dance, African and Caribbean influences, and other American cultural dynamics. We will look at ways in which dance reflects, responds to, and creates its cultural milieu, with special attention to issues of gender, race/ethnicity, and class. Readings, video, and live performance illuminate the artistic products and processes of choreographers whose works mark particular periods or turning points in this unfolding story. Our study is intended to support informed critical articulations and an understanding of the complexity of dance as art.

Children & the Arts: Teaching Movement & Arts Integration in the Classroom This course will examine the integration of the arts and kinesthetic learning in elementary curriculum. Students will teach standards-based lessons that include the literary, dance, theater and visual arts. Activities will include art projects, sketch journals, reading assignments, and the exploration of community and teaching resources. Students will gain an understanding of the important role the arts integration and hands-on learning can play in the development and implementation of the curriculum.

Choreography & Performance This course involves concentrated intermediate-advanced level work in contemporary dance technique and choreography culminating in production. Theoretical issues of importance to the dancer/choreographer are addressed through readings, writings and practice.

Movement and Media In this course we will take an interdisciplinary look at the dynamic relationship between the body and digital media.  Students will develop skills in basic film editing, real-time software manipulation, open-source media research, project design, and collaboration.  We will address design history and theories of modern media through readings and multimedia sources.  Process and research papers and work-in-progress showings will document ongoing collaborations that will culminate in an informal showing at the end of the semester.  This course is open to students of all artistic backgrounds who are interested in significantly expanding their creative vocabularies and boundaries to include dance.

Production Workshop In preparing two fully produced dance productions for the stage, students will participate in and be exposed to professional production practices in all areas of dance technical design, including sets, costumes, props, lights, and sound. Students will be involved in planning, building, operating, lighting, documenting, striking, and publicizing  fully produced dance program concerts.

Anatomy and Kinesiology This course offers an in-depth experiential study of skeletal structure, and includes aspects of the muscular, organ, endocrine, nervous, and fluid systems of the human body. The goal is to enhance efficiency of movement and alignment through laboratory sessions, supported by assigned readings, exams, and written projects.

Dance Company of Middlebury Dancers work with the artistic director and guest choreographer as a member of a dance company, learning, interpreting, rehearsing, and performing dances created for performance and tour. Those receiving credit can expect four to six rehearsals weekly. Appropriate written work, concert and film viewing, and attendance in departmental technique classes are required. One credit will be given for each term of participation. Performances and tour(s) are scheduled in January. (Limited to sophomores through seniors, by audition.)

Dance Company of Middlebury Dance company of Middlebury (0381) is a continuation of Dance Company Lab (0380) taken in the fall. Both 0380 & 0381 are required to participate in the Dance Company of Middlebury. Dancers work with the artistic director and guest choreographer as part of a dance company, learning, interpreting, rehearsing, and performing repertory dances. Participants can expect daily rehearsals plus technique classes, campus performance, and a tour. Appropriate written work is required. Auditions are held in the spring semester for the next fall (DCM 0380). Approval Required; limited to sophomores through seniors by audition.

Special Topics in Dance: Independent Study

Performance & Production In this course we will investigate three aspects of place in relation to dance: where we source movement, the relevance of dance in culture, and the effects of place on the moving dancing body. Material covered will include body systems dance technique at the intermediate/advanced level, improvisation and composition toward choreography and site specific work, readings and reflective writing, and performance viewing.  The course culminates in formal and informal showings of performance work. The emergence of a personal philosophy and dance aesthetic will be engaged and formally articulated in writing. (DANC 0260, DANC 0360) 4.

Intermediate/Advanced Dance IV: Advanced Dance Improvisation Students will gain rigorous training in the simultaneous conception, composition, and performance of dance works.  This will include units in techniques such as contact improvisation, performance improvisation, site specific work, musical collaboration, and elemental integration. The body will be developed as an articulate, responsive instrument while the mind is honed toward quick, clear perception of potential form with a willingness to act and react. Personal philosophy and dance aesthetics will be cultivated and formally articulated in writing. Musicians proficient with their instrument and interested in improvisation are strongly encouraged to seek admission. (DANC 0261) 6 hrs lect.

Technique Workshop This advanced physical and theoretical study of a variety of movement techniques will further prepare dance majors and minors for the rigors of performance, technical craft, and physical research.  Exercises and discussions will revolve around increased subtlety, strength, flexibility, musicality, and dynamics with the goal of heightening the communicative range of the moving body.  Rotating movement aesthetics taught by dance faculty. (Major/Minor Only)

Salsa Culture and Performance: Hybridity in Social Change In this course we will learn beginner-level salsa technique: New York Mambo style, Caracas street style, as well as elements of Cuban Casino style. Students will master variations of the salsa basic step, turns, connecting steps, and arm work. Through the study of salsa’s history, political dimensions, lyrical content, and matrilineal legacy, students will develop an understanding of this artistic expression as a dance form, musical genre, and as a voice of resistance and liberation for Caribbean and Latino cultures. We will investigate the legacy of Celia Cruz, Gloria Stefan, Omara Portuondo, and La Lupe. Class discussions, brief writing assignments, and creative projects will serve as opportunities to reflect upon and expand our understanding of the form. Miguel Castillo Le Maitre is a dancer, choreographer, and performer from Caracas, Venezuela. He holds a bachelor’s degree in dance and theatre from Middlebury College, and an M.F.A in Choreography and performance from Smith College.

Introduction to Butoh Dance This course is an introduction to the fundamental principles of butoh dance. Butoh is a contemporary dance form that originated in Japan in the 1950s and has since spread worldwide. This form values explorations of presence, transformation, and the development of curiosity to create full-bodied performance. Students experience butoh techniques through a series of movement exercises, choreography, and improvisational activities. This course explores butoh’s themes, history, and evolution, investigating how it differs from western contemporary dance by subverting dance norms and embracing refusal. Through embodiment, supporting course materials, creative writing practices, and artistic generation, students understand butoh’s physical and emotional components while strengthening creative expression and confidence in the body.   Meshi Chavez is a teacher, butoh dancer, and choreographer and was recently Artist in Residence at Middlebury College from the Fall of 2021 to the Spring of 2023. He received his MFA at the University of the Arts.

Bachata & Cuban Salsa Bachata, from the Dominican Republic, and salsa casino, from Cuba, have become two of the most beloved social dances globally. Both dances are an integral form of artistic and emotional expression from the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. In this course students will learn how to dance these styles, explore their cultural significance, and engage in self- reflection through movement. We will focus on footwork, movement mechanics, partner work dynamics, musicality, and social/party etiquette. This is a beginner-level course from zero; we will be starting with the absolute basics, so anyone is welcome regardless of prior dance experience. Course resources and assignments include documentary/video material, journaling, readings for historical context, reflections, and student-led choreographies.

Bert Crosby

Christal Brown

Christina Johnston

Damascus Kafumbe

Daniel Miramontes

Karima Borni

Laurel Jenkins

Lida Winfield

Meshi Chavez

Michael Abbatiello

Michael Nunziante

Miguel Castillo

Read 67 reviews for Dance courses at Middlebury College. Find the best Dance professors and courses.  Discover your new major today!

Took this course because I needed a 4th class and everyone told me to take a dance class because it would be fun and in the end, even if it was difficult, I would get an A. Well, now the time has come and my grade is no where near that... I went to almost every single class except when sick, turned in all assignments on time, did them well to my knowledge, and gave it my best effort. There was no clear rubric for what the grade would be and I think grades surprised many people in the class. I think the content of the class is valuable and she is a great dancer. I think the dance labs could have been a bit slower for beginner level dancers. Overall, if you love dance, dance well, and are liked by her, then maybe you would do well in the class. Take at your own risk, your GPA could end up affected...

One of my favorite courses so far. This course is really for everyone, whether a dancer or non-dancer, the lessons are created for anyone. It provides skills like listening, responding, leadership, following, complex unison, and more that can be applied in all areas of life. It was a great introduction to get a sense of what liberal arts means at Middlebury College.

Laurel is the best! Improvisation does not come easily to me, but I got so much out of this course and I feel much stronger as a dancer coming out of it. There are no exams and just a few written reflections in the semester, plus the final showing at the end. I highly reccommend anyone take this class with Laurel.