The Art of Rehearsing

DAN4229.01
Course System Home Terms Fall 2025 The Art of Rehearsing

Course Description

Summary

What happens when you start a rehearsal process and you are not sure what you are wanting yet? How do you present movement phrases, concepts, and structures and incorporate new information from the performers? What is it that you see? How do you change your mind?

This is a laboratory setting to explore how to make, teach, and rehearse short selections of movement material. Working with others in the class, students will have the opportunity to try multiple approaches to help understand more of what they want and how to get closer to it within each student鈥檚 own rehearsal practice. We will workshop how to transfer movement to others, how to translate ideas, and how to adjust to various circumstances throughout the process. This is a collaborative venture.

Students are expected to make movement material outside of class and then bring it in to teach and rehearse it; all are expected to join in a rehearsal process led by their peers. Throughout, participants will be contributing their perspectives and experiences as they clarify their own ways of making. 

Learning Outcomes

  • Develop and alter movement material swiftly and nimbly.
  • Find ways to approach teaching movement material.
  • Learn to articulate what one wants.
  • Develop collaborative skills.
  • Hone observational and feedback skills.
  • Notice and explore the interrelationship of timing, spacing, quality of movement, focus and intent.

Prerequisites

Prior experience in making movement pieces; intermediate/advanced level work in Dance, and permission of Instructor. Please email the faculty with a brief explanation of your interest in this course. You will receive a reply prior to 4000 level registration.

Please contact the faculty member : dreitz@bennington.edu

Corequisites

Dance or Drama Lab Assignment. Participation in Dance Workshop (Th 7:00-8:30 PM) is highly recommended.

Instructor

  • Dana Reitz

Day and Time

MO,TH 3:40pm-5:30pm

Delivery Method

Fully in-person

Length of Course

Full Term

Academic Term

Fall 2025

Area of Study

Credits

4

Course Level

4000

Maximum Enrollment

12

Course Frequency

Every 2-3 years