Glorious Antinomies – Open-Level Improvisational Dance Practice
Course Description
Summary
To do or not to do? The decision itself is a mystery. The moment of choice is often confusing, ambiguous, even traumatic—yet it is also thrilling, brimming with possibilities.
Our actions frequently arise at the intersection of embodiment and disembodiment.
For instance, imagine you’re at a dining hall with a menu offering both a hamburger and a pizza. If you feel torn between the two, wanting to eat both or struggling to choose just one, that is embodiment—a positive antinomy. On the other hand, if you feel indifferent, merely seeing the hamburger and pizza as items on a menu with no personal connection, that is disembodiment—a negative antinomy. Ultimately, when these two states intertwine, a decision must be made. And sometimes, opting to forgo both and go home to sleep might just be the best choice. In dance improvisation, the elements of disembodiment can be unexpectedly delightful!
As the semester progresses, we will also extend our practice beyond the studio into various environments—outdoors, indoors, and throughout the city—engaging in site-specific movement research. These explorations will highlight the dynamic relationship between movement and space, encouraging students to respond intuitively to their surroundings.
This course is open to students of all levels who are curious about improvisational movement, embodied decision-making, and physical dialogue. No prior dance experience is required—just a willingness to explore, experiment, and embrace the unknown.
Learning Outcomes
- Observe and refresh your decision-making process
- Expand your perspectives on dance
- Reveal undiscovered possibilities of dance in your daily life
- Understand the relationship between spatial recognition and physical sensation
- Develop various ways of communicating with others through the body
Corequisites
Dance or Drama lab assignment if students sign up for 4 or more credits in designated dance courses.