Process and Practice 2

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

140 hours

The Master of Dance offers graduates of BFA (Dance), equivalent degrees and those with appropriate levels of industry experience in choreography and performance the opportunity to further develop and enrich their professional practice. The structure and content of the course places a distinctive focus on the integration of performance skills and choreographic practice (both live and screen based), facilitating a holistic physical sensibility underpinned by a commitment to collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches. The Master of Dance is suited to dancers, performers, improvisers, dance-makers and body-based practitioners and will equip them with a high level of professional skill and expertise as multi-dimensional dance artists.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject extends the knowledge and application of dance-based approaches to the development and presentation of generative materials for performance creation. Students explore different creative directing/choreographic/performance processes in realising solo and group studies. Idiosyncratic approaches are evaluated along with alternative forms of conceptualising and realising dance. The further development of skills in utilising various modes of artistic material in dance-based performance includes the creation and incorporation of digital, audio and visual materials. Contextual seminars provide a basis for application of the strategies in a range of choreographic and performance practices.

On completing this subject students will:

• Exhibit the ability to develop and apply various strategies in choreographing, directing and performing new artistic work
• Develop the ability to recognise different directing approaches and inherent roles and responsibilities
• Develop the ability to adapt and modify recognised structures as appropriate to one’s own work
• Develop the ability to critically analyse and evaluate the development of a piece of work
• Develop the ability to analyse the structures of performance work and locate one’s own work (structures) in national and global fields
• Develop the ability to work individually and as a team in the creation and organisation of multi-disciplinary work
• Exhibit the ability to work creatively within different artistic modes
• Exhibit the ability to communicate ideas and aesthetic values in artistic modes involving movement, sound and moving image

• 3-5 minute dance works and practical presentations each with specific objectives (4 minimum) - Regular intervals through semester (55%)
• Written reports or documentation based upon practical presentation equivalent to no more than 2000 words (4 minimum) - Regular intervals through semester (20%)
• 1 x 1000 word written paper - End semester (25%)
• Hurdle requirement 80% attendance

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of the subject students should have developed

• The ability to create organise and present aesthetic material
• The capacity to respond to unfamiliar problems with a flexible and innovative approach
• The capacity for critical thinking and evaluation of data
• The ability to access and synthesise data and other information from a range of sources
• The ability to use relevant computer software