UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT DANCE - OhioLINK ETD Center

UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT DANCE:

AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENT WRITINGS

WITH PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

DISSERTATION

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy

in the Graduate School

of the Ohio State University

By

M. Candace Feck, B.A., M.A.

*****

The Ohio State University

2002

Dissertation Committee

Approved by

Professor Terry Barrett, Advisor

Professor Sheila Marion __________________________

Advisor

Professor Sydney Walker Art Education Department

Copyright byM. Candace Feck

2002

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ABSTRACT

Coursework in dance criticism has been historically absent from the curricula of

higher educational programs of dance study. Developing the premise that such

coursework represents a beneficial and much-needed component within dance studies

programs, and grounded in a constructivist view about the nature of learning and

understanding, this study presents a descriptive analysis of nine student papers about a

single dance concert in an effort to expose and examine the underlying understandings

about dance that these writings make manifest.

The study is conducted using a systematic method of content analysis, through

which emergent elements of understanding are examined and patterns of understanding

identified and categorized. The analysis is divided into two sections: the first focuses on

understandings revealed in the work produced by the nine individual writers of the study;

the second on understandings revealed in these writers’ responses to the six individual

dances that were the subject of their writing efforts.

Results of the study include an excavation of the underlying elements of

understanding that emerged through the analysis of the writings, the introduction of a

conceptual model delineating the spectrum of understandings about dance, the

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presentation of evidence that learning activities in dance criticism have the capacity to

promote understandings about dance, and a discussion of implications for the

development of course work in dance criticism.

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To Rino, Gabe, Josh and Allegra,— who waited, and believed

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As is often voiced in pages such as these, I am indebted to more people than it

would be permissible to print, for I have been variously inspired, mentored, supported,

and just plain tolerated during untold months of work on this project. The mentors who

led me, colleagues who fed me, authors who influenced me from within the borders of

their own pages, family members and friends who supported me in every way

imaginable, and students who taught me back have collectively nudged this document

into existence. My gratitude for all these gifts, both large and small, breathes between the

lines of this work, within the classrooms where I am privileged to continue teaching and

learning, and in my heart.

Without a committee — an abstract term that belies the human and largely

thankless labors of its individual members toward the lucky recipient of their collected

wisdom — documents such as this would never find their way to comprehensible form. I

am most grateful to Terry Barrett, who both ignited my passion for this subject and

guided my labors to completion. As my advisor, he possessed that rarest of attributes: he

believed in me with a depth that allowed me to do so myself. I am deeply thankful to

Sydney Walker, who not only introduced me to the surprising landscape of content

analysis, but made regular appearances along the route with additional maps, compasses,

and — when needed — a sturdy walking stick to guide me in the dark. Sheila Marion

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held the difficult post of encountering me most often during this process, and managed to

fairly radiate with enthusiasm, knowledge of dance, and unconditional support at every

turn. I was also fortunate during the initial phase of work to enjoy the guidance of one of

the authors whose scholarship sparked the initial idea for this project, Judith Koroscik.

The students whose work served as the literal foundation for my study have

remained purposely nameless here, but know who they are. Without their trust and

generosity, their splendid writings, and their willingness to accompany me on the

adventure that became the first of many efforts toward teaching dance criticism, this

project would have neither substance nor reason to exist. I am grateful as well to the

many students who came before and after, for trusting me with their thoughts and their

words, and for inspiring me on a daily basis.

My immediate and extended family deserves the deepest measure of my gratitude.

It was to Grandaddy and Papa that I wrote my first piece of criticism, though I was far

too young to recognize it, nor to realize what their excitement about it would eventually

spawn. My dancing mother, Joan Arden, first opened the windows onto the great vista of

this art form, and my father, Thomas Feck, knew that I could write long before I did.

More extraordinary than all of these, however, were the steadfast love, patience, and

tireless cheerleading of my husband, Guerino Angelini and our three children, Gabe, Josh

and Allegra. As the everyday bodies who patrolled the front lines during the vagaries of

an unexpectedly protracted and unpredictable battle, they rose to the occasion with more

skill and equanimity than I could have imagined. Rino listened, dreamt and theorized

with me about much of the content here, while serving as an exacting live-in editor; it

was he who stretched out a hand and pulled me back onto the page when I had toppled

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precipitously outside the margins, and he did so with grace, love and even humor. My

sister, Lisa, left behind her southwestern paradise for Columbus only to prop me up in

countless loving ways with one hand, while deftly feeding my family with the other. Jess

and Paul, sister and brother of unblood, tended the fires, as always, through all the

seasons, and kept them roaring through a very long winter.

The OSU Department of Dance both furnished and fertilized the ground for

anything that I have accomplished in and surrounding these pages. Helen and Vickie

made possible the initial path, followed by Angelika, Vera, Odette and Lucy. Karen Bell

made a pair of momentous journeys to my doorstep, tossing wide the door when I

imagined it had been bolted fast. Michael Kelly Bruce first suggested a quarter off to

write, and then gallantly lived with the consequences. I have benefited directly from the

conversations and encouragement of Karen Eliot, Melanie, Val, Natalie, Ellie and Esther

Beth, among others. Kristin Horrigan taught like a lioness while I foraged around, nosing

for footpaths through the thicket. Jim Cappelletti produced the amazing concert about

which my students wrote; choreographers created and dancers danced; Art and artists

were everywhere, in lighting and costumes, in sculpture and music. Without them, there

would be nothing to discuss.

Many more thanks go to the cast of dozens who played supporting roles of award-

winning proportions: Dad and Suellen bestowed a month in an amazing writing womb. I

could not have persevered without Chris and Summers and Jesse; Barb and Butch; Ron

and Bobbi and Belinda; Jonathan and Andrea; Jenai, Leslie and Ron. Others stepped in at

just the right moment with the exact provisions required, especially Jim Buckley, Mike

Kaylor, Robbie Shaw, and Liz Waterhouse with timely technical wizardry. Kareen

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Balsam helped me render a far more appealing conceptual model than my impoverished

graphic skills could produce, and in fifteen minutes Lillian Gray solved a problem that an

entire OIT office could not solve. There were encouraging taps at the door from Karl

with all-seeing eyes, from Paul, the bringer of books, and Erika, the carver of pumpkins.

Mikey added support from the wings, and Tim, Jamie and Ann lit up my writerly

dungeon as if it were a beach. In the end, there was even an episode of high adventure: a

flooded office and a corps of eleventh hour angels, led by the amazing efforts of Sheila

Marion and Seth Beale.

I am privileged to belong within such a community of minds and hearts, and it is

with a mixture of gratitude and wonder that your names are all here inscribed.

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VITA

October 8, 1950……………………….Born, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

1972…………………………………...B.A. Social and Behavioral Sciences Webster College, St. Louis, Missouri

1982…………………………………...M.A. Dance The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

1991 – 2000 …………………………..Lecturer, Department of Dance The Ohio State University

2000 – Present………………………..Visiting Assistant Professor Department of Dance, The Ohio State University

PUBLICATIONS

Research Publications:

1. M. Candace Feck. “In Miller’s World.” CD-ROM by Mockabee, Valarie,and Mila Parrish: Prey: An Innovation in Dance Documentation:Enhanced Process Based Instruction Companion for the LabanotationScore “Prey.” 2001

M Candace Feck. “Writing Down the Senses: Honing Perception through Writing about Dance.” Dancing in the Millennium International Joint

Dance Conference Proceedings, July 2000, Washington DC. 2000. 168 –174.

M Candace Feck and Vera Maletic. “The Potential of CD-ROMTechnology For Enhancing Art-Making Intelligence And Behavior.” 30th

International Congress On Research in Dance Proceedings, Tucson,Arizona: November 1997. 159 – 175.

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Vera Maletic, A. William Smith, M. Candace Feck et al. Victoria Uris:Choreographer and Videographer, CD-ROM OSU-MDP (Ohio State

University Multimedia Dance Prototype) 1996

FIELDS OF STUDY

Major Field: Art Education

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................v

VITA..............................................................................................................................ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...............................................................................................xi

LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………..xxi

LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………..xxiv1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................1

1.1 Background of the Problem ...................................................................................1

1.1.1 Modern Dance and Higher Education..............................................................11.1.2 External and Inherent Obstacles ......................................................................31.1.3 Problems of Preservation ................................................................................51.1.4 A Delayed Literature.......................................................................................61.1.5 The Audience and the Curriculum...................................................................71.1.6 Resistance to Criticism....................................................................................8

1.2 Reasons for the Study ..........................................................................................10

1.2.1 The Need for Curricular Reform ...................................................................101.2.2 Shifting Academic Agendas ..........................................................................111.2.3 Personal Assumptions ...................................................................................121.2.4 Curricular Benefits of Writing.......................................................................13

1.3 The Absence of Empirical Data ...........................................................................16

1.4 Background of the Study......................................................................................17

1.4.1 Classroom Convictions .................................................................................191.4.2 Interdisciplinary Bridges ...............................................................................20

1.5 Statement of the Problem.....................................................................................21

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1.6 The Research Design ...........................................................................................22

1.6.1 Context for the Study ....................................................................................221.6.2 The Study Population....................................................................................221.6.3 Selection of an Analytical Methodology........................................................231.6.4 Criteria for Text Selection.............................................................................241.6.5 General Design of the Analysis .....................................................................25

1.7 Need for the Study...............................................................................................26

1.7.1 Limitations of the Study................................................................................27

1.8 Overview of Chapters ..........................................................................................28

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ....................................................................................31

2.1 Introduction to the Chapter ..................................................................................31

2.2 Literatures of Dance ............................................................................................31

2.2.1 Dance Criticism ............................................................................................322.2.1.1 The Growth of Dance Criticism..............................................................33

2.2.1.2 Inadequate Critical Coverage..................................................................35

2.2.1.3 Meta-Critical Works...............................................................................35

2.2.1.3.1 Indirect Pedagogical Approaches.....................................................362.2.1.3.2 Pedagogical Approaches..................................................................40

2.2.1.3.2.1 Lavender’s Model ......................................................................................................................412.2.1.3.2.2 Oliver’s Model ...........................................................................................................................422.2.1.3.2.3 A Descriptive Approach ...........................................................................................................43

2.2.2 Movement Analysis ......................................................................................432.2.2.1 Contributions of Laban...........................................................................44

2.2.2.2 Laban’s Influence...................................................................................45

2.2.2.3 Selected Principles of Laban...................................................................47

2.2.2.4 Language Limitations.............................................................................49

2.3 Art Criticism........................................................................................................49

2.3.1 Similarities and Differences ..........................................................................502.3.2 Critical Activities..........................................................................................51

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2.4 Art Education ......................................................................................................53

2.4.1 A Constructivist Approach............................................................................532.4.2 Knowledge Acquisition.................................................................................532.4.3 Domain Specificity .......................................................................................552.4.4 Knowledge Transfer......................................................................................57

2.5 Writing to Learn ..................................................................................................58

2.5.1 Fundamental Concepts ..................................................................................592.5.2 Related Aspects of Thinking and Learning....................................................60

2.6 Content Analysis .................................................................................................62

3. METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................65

3.1 Introduction to the Chapter ..................................................................................65

3.2 Preliminary Components of the Framework .........................................................66

3.2.1 Description of the Data .................................................................................663.2.2 The Context of the Data ................................................................................67

3.2.2.1 The Classroom Context ..........................................................................67

3.2.2.2 The Concert Context ..............................................................................68

3.2.2.3 Data Selection ........................................................................................69

3.2.2.4 Limitations of the Data Selection............................................................72

3.2.2.5 The Study Population .............................................................................73

3.2.2.6 Limitations of the Study Population .......................................................74

3.2.3 The Analyst’s Role in Partitioning the Data ..................................................74

3.3 Purpose for the Analysis ......................................................................................77

3.3.1 Writings as Evidence ....................................................................................78

3.4 Preliminary Procedures........................................................................................79

3.4.1 Baseline Descriptions....................................................................................793.4.2 Formation of Categories of Understanding ....................................................803.4.3 General Impressions of the Student Writings.................................................80

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3.5 Stages of the Analysis..........................................................................................80

3.5.1 Emergent Questions ......................................................................................813.5.2 Refining the Instrument.................................................................................82

3.6 The Coding Sheets...............................................................................................82

3.6.1 Units of Analysis ..........................................................................................823.6.1.1 The Papers .............................................................................................83

3.6.1.2 Paragraphs and Sentences.......................................................................84

3.6.1.3 Sentence/Segments.................................................................................84

3.6.2 Coding Sheet Design: Horizontal Organization .............................................853.6.2.1 Row I .....................................................................................................85

3.6.2.2 Row II....................................................................................................86

3.6.2.3 Row III...................................................................................................86

3.6.3 Coding Sheet Design: Vertical Organization .................................................873.6.3.1 The Numbering Column.........................................................................87

3.6.3.1.1 Micro-Numbering Issues .................................................................883.6.3.1.1.1 Isolated Words/Phrases .............................................................883.6.3.1.1.2 Double Meanings....................................................................89

3.6.3.2 Sentence/Segment ..................................................................................89

3.6.4 Remaining Rows: The Research Questions ...................................................913.6.3.3 Clarification ...........................................................................................92

3.6.3.3.1 “Member Checks” ...........................................................................93

3.7.1 Type of Information......................................................................................943.7.1.1 Audience/Performance Interaction (API)................................................96

3.7.1.1.1 API General.....................................................................................983.7.1.1.1.1 API General: Section I ..............................................................98

3.7.1.1.1.1.1 Section I Exemplars ...........................................................993.7.1.1.1.2 API General: Section II...........................................................100

3.7.1.1.1.2.1: Section II Exemplars ......................................................1003.7.1.1.1.3 Overlapping Categories...........................................................1013.7.1.1.1.4 Distinctions between Categories .............................................102

3.7.1.1.2 API: Particular...............................................................................103

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3.7.1.1.2.1 API Particular: Exemplars.......................................................1033.7.1.1.3 Meta-API.......................................................................................104

3.7.1.1.3.1 Meta-API Exemplars ..............................................................1043.7.1.2 Intrinsic Information ............................................................................104

3.7.1.2.1 Intrinsic Information: Movement and Choreography......................1063.7.1.2.1.1 Exemplars...............................................................................1063.7.1.2.1.2 Movement: by Category.........................................................1073.7.2.1.2.1 Group I: ..................................................................................1083.7.2.1.2.2 Group II:.................................................................................1083.7.2.1.2.3 Group III: ...............................................................................1083.7.2.1.2.4 Group IV: ...............................................................................1093.7.2.1.2.5 Group V:.................................................................................1093.7.2.1.2.6 Group VI: ...............................................................................1103.7.2.1.2.7 Group VII: ..............................................................................1103.7.2.1.2.8 Group VIII:.............................................................................1103.7.2.1.2.9 Group IX: ...............................................................................111

3.7.1.2.2 Intrinsic Information: Theatrical Elements.....................................1113.7.1.2.2.1 Exemplars...............................................................................111

3.7.1.2.3 Intrinsic Information: Concert and Concert Collaborators ..............1133.7.1.2.3.1 Concert Exemplars..................................................................1133.7.1.2.3.2 Collaborators Exemplars.........................................................1143.7.1.2.3.3 “Concert Basics” Category......................................................115

3.7.1.3.Extrinsic Information ...........................................................................117

3.7.1.3.1 Exemplars .....................................................................................1173.7.1.4 “Metaphysical” Information .................................................................118

3.7.1.4 Exemplars ............................................................................................118

3.7.1.5 Reflexive Information: .........................................................................119

3.7.1.5.1 Exemplars .....................................................................................1193.7.2 Source of Information .................................................................................120

3.7.2.1 Source of Information Exemplars .........................................................121

3.7.2.1.1 Association:...................................................................................1213.7.2.1.2 Awareness of Time:.......................................................................1213.7.2.1.3 Awareness of the Writing Agenda: ................................................1223.7.2.1.4 Cultural Knowledge.......................................................................1223.7.2.1.5 Domain Knowledge.......................................................................1223.7.2.1.6 Hearing .........................................................................................1233.7.2.1.7 Hearing and Observation ...............................................................1233.7.2.1.8 Observation ...................................................................................1233.7.2.1.9 Opinion .........................................................................................124

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3.7.2.1.10 Personal Knowledge ....................................................................1243.7.2.1.11 Program.......................................................................................1243.7.2.1.12 Public Knowledge .......................................................................1253.7.2.1.13 Self-Awareness............................................................................1253.7.2.1.14 Video...........................................................................................125

3.7.3 Kind of Understanding................................................................................1263.7.4.1 Kind of Understanding Exemplars........................................................126

3.7.4.1.1 Affective .......................................................................................1263.7.4.1.2 Conceptual ....................................................................................1263.7.4.1.3 Empirical.......................................................................................1273.7.4.1.4 Factual...........................................................................................1273.7.4.1.5 Hermeneutical ...............................................................................1283.7.4.1.6 Ontological....................................................................................1283.7.4.1.7 Qualitative.....................................................................................1283.7.4.1.8 Reflexive .......................................................................................129

3.7.4 Critical Activity ..........................................................................................1293.7.4.1 Critical Activity Exemplars ..................................................................130

3.7.4.1.1 Description ....................................................................................1303.7.4.1.2 Interpretation .................................................................................1303.7.4.1.3 Evaluation .....................................................................................1303.7.4.1.4 Contextualizing .............................................................................1303.7.4.1.5 Theorizing .....................................................................................130

3.7.5 Triangulation Measures...............................................................................131

4. DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................................................148

4.1 Introduction to the Chapter ................................................................................148

SECTION I: THE WRITERS......................................................................................150

4.2 Organization of the Section................................................................................150

4.3 Paper n1: Dawn ................................................................................................151

4.3.1 Student Profile....................................................................................................1514.3.2 Type of Information....................................................................................1544.3.3 Source of Information .................................................................................1554.3.4 Kind of Understanding................................................................................157

4.4 Paper n2: Renée.................................................................................................159

4.4.1 Student Profile ............................................................................................1594.4.2 Type of Information....................................................................................1614.4.3 Source of Information .................................................................................1634.4.4 Kind of Understanding................................................................................165

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4.5 Paper n3: Laura..................................................................................................166


4.6. Paper n6: Erin...................................................................................................173


4.7 Paper n7: Kelly ..................................................................................................180


4.8 Paper n8: Brianna ..............................................................................................187


4.9 Paper n9: Nigel ..................................................................................................195

4.9.1 Student profile ............................................................................................1954.9.2 Type of Information....................................................................................1974.9.3 Source of Information .................................................................................2004.9.4 Kind of Understanding................................................................................202

4.10 Paper n10: Nicki ..............................................................................................203

4.10.1 Student Profile ..........................................................................................2034.10.2 Type of Information ..................................................................................2064.10.3 Source of Information ...............................................................................2084.10.4 Kind of Understanding ..............................................................................210

4.11 Paper n12: Elena..............................................................................................212

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4.11.1 Student Profile ..........................................................................................2124.11.2 Type of Information ..................................................................................2144.11.3 Source of Information ...............................................................................2174.11.4 Kind of Understanding ..............................................................................219

SECTION II: THE DANCES ......................................................................................221

4.12 Organization of the Section..............................................................................221

4.13 Ciona...............................................................................................................222

4.13.1 Type of Information ..................................................................................2234.13.2 Source of Information ...............................................................................2254.13.3 Kind of Understanding ..............................................................................227

4.14 Plum Tarts .......................................................................................................229


4.15 Passing ............................................................................................................237


4.16 Partial .............................................................................................................246


4.17 Carpe Diem .....................................................................................................256


4.18 Circle Walker ..................................................................................................264


5. CONCLUSIONS.....................................................................................................273

5.1 Overview of the Chapter ....................................................................................273

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5.1.1 Preliminary Remarks...................................................................................274

5.1.2 Concentric Hermeneutical Circles: ....................................................................Viewing, Writing, and Reading............................................................................275

5.1.2.1 Pedagogy .............................................................................................277

5.2 Types of Information .........................................................................................278

5.2.1 The Complex Nature of Writing about Dance .............................................2785.2.2 A Spectrum of Information .........................................................................278

5.2.2.1 Pedagogy .............................................................................................280

5.2.2.2 Writing: A Performance of Understanding ...........................................281

5.3 Sources of Information ......................................................................................281

5.3.1 The Multi-Sensory Nature of Dance............................................................2815.3.1.1 Pedagogy: Multiple Points of Entry......................................................284

5.3.1.2 Forging Connections between Writer and Dance: .......................................Association ......................................................................................................285

5.3.1.3 Forging Connections between Writer and Dance ........................................Domain Knowledge .........................................................................................287

5.3.1.4 A Missing Piece .........................................................................................Kinesthetic Information ...................................................................................288

5.3.1.4.1 Pedagogy.......................................................................................290

5.4 Kinds of Understanding .....................................................................................290

5.4.1 A Conceptual Model ...................................................................................2915.4.1.1 Pedagogy: Variations among Learners..................................................294

5.4.1.2 Pedagogy: Dance Criticism and Knowledge Transfer ...........................295

5.4.1.2.1 From the Lattice to the Hub ...........................................................2955.4.1.2.2 Beyond the Information Given: Knowledge Transfer and DanceWriting ........................................................................................................298

5.5 Critical Activities...............................................................................................299

5.5.1 Pedagogy ....................................................................................................299

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5.6 Additional Limitations and Benefits of the Study...............................................300

5.6.1 The Slippery Specificity of Language .........................................................3005.6.1.1 Pedagogy: At the Level of Words.........................................................301

5.7 Concluding Observations...................................................................................302

5.8.1 Towards a Pedagogy of Dance Criticism:..........................................................The Tangible Meets The Ephemeral ....................................................................304

BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................305

APPENDICES ............................................................................................................316

Appendix A: Questionnaires I And Ii...........................................................................316

Appendix B: Human Subjects Consent Form...............................................................345

Appendix C: Description Of Concert Works................................................................346

Appendix D: Paper Assignment...................................................................................356

Appendix E: The Coding Sheets ..................................................................................357

Appendix F: Type Of Information Analysis By Writer ................................................462

Appendix G: Movement by Category ..........................................................................466

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Critical Activities composite: n1...................................................................152

Figure 2: Type of Information composite: n1...............................................................155

Figure 3: Source of Information Composite: n1 ...........................................................156

Figure 4: Kind of Understanding composite: n1...........................................................158

Figure 5: Critical Activities Composite: n2..................................................................161

Figure 6: Type of Information composite: n2...............................................................162

Figure 7: Source of Information composite: n2............................................................164

Figure 8: Kind of Understanding composite: n2...........................................................166

Figure 9: Critical Activities Composite: n3..................................................................168

Figure 10: Type of Information composite: n3.............................................................169

Figure 11: Source of Information Composite: n3 .........................................................171

Figure 12: Kind of Understanding Composite: n3........................................................172

Figure 13: Critical Activities for writer n6...................................................................174


Figure 15: Source of Information composite: n6 ..........................................................178


Figure 17: Critical Activities Composite: n7................................................................181

Figure 18: Type of Information Composite: n7............................................................183

Figure 19: Source of Information Composite: n7 .........................................................185


Figure 21: Critical Activities Composite: n8................................................................189

Figure 22: Type of Information composite : n8............................................................190


Figure 24: Kind of Understanding composite: n8.........................................................195

Figure 25: Critical Activities composite for n9 ............................................................197

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Figure 28: Kind of Understanding composite: n9.........................................................202

Figure 29: Critical Activities composite: n10...............................................................205

Figure 30: Type of Information Composite: n10 ..........................................................207

Figure 31: Source of Information composite: n10 ........................................................210

Figure 32: Kind of Understanding composite: n10.......................................................211

Figure 33: Critical Activities composite: n12...............................................................214

Figure 34: Type of Information composite: n12...........................................................215

Figure 35: Source of Information composite: n12 ........................................................217

Figure 36: Kind of Understanding: n12........................................................................220

Figure 37: Critical Activities composite for Ciona.......................................................222

Figure 38: Type of Information composite for Ciona ...................................................224

Figure 39: Source of Information composite for Ciona ................................................227

Figure 40: Kind of Understanding Composite: Ciona ..................................................228

Figure 41: Critical Activities for Plum Tarts................................................................230

Figure 42: Type of Information composite for Plum Tarts ...........................................231

Figure 43: Source of Information for Plum Tarts ........................................................234

Figure 44: Kind of Understanding for Plum Tarts........................................................237

Figure 45: Critical Activities composite for Passing ....................................................238

Figure 46: Type of Information composite for Passing ................................................240

Figure 47: Source of Information Composite: Passing.................................................243

Figure 48: Kind of Understanding for Passing.............................................................245

Figure 49: Critical Activities: Partial ..........................................................................247

Figure 50: Type of Information composite Partial.......................................................248

Figure 51: Source of Information composite for Partial...............................................253

Figure 52: Kind of Understanding Composite: Partial.................................................255

Figure 53: Critical Activities Composite: Carpe Diem.................................................257

Figure 54: Type of Information Composite: Carpe Diem .............................................258

Figure 55: Source of Information composite for Carpe Diem.......................................261

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Figure 56: Kinds of Understanding Composite for Carpe Diem ...................................263

Figure 57: Critical Activities Composite: Circle Walker ..............................................264

Figure 58: Type of Information composite: Circle Walker ...........................................266

Figure 59: Source of Information composite for Circle Walker....................................269

Figure 60: Kind of Understanding: Circle Walker........................................................271

Figure 61: Hermeneutical Circles of the Study.............................................................276

Figure 62: Conceptual Model of Understandings about Dance………………………...293

Figure 63: The Spectrum of Understandings among Writers ........................................294

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Design for the top row of each of the coding sheets .........................................85

Table 2: Design for the top two rows of the coding sheets. ............................................86

Table 3: Design for the top three rows of the coding sheet .............................................86

Table 4: Numbering system for sentence and sentence segments. ..................................87

Table 5: Exemplar of the numbering system for “embedded segments” of information..89

Table 6: Exemplar of the numbering system for“double meanings” within units of analysis. ..................................................................90

Table 7: Illustration of sentence division into two segments ..........................................91

Table 8: Design for preliminary rows of first twoparagraphs of coding sheet for n6, abbreviated to reveal structure..................................91

Table 9: Exemplar of “clarification” category of coding sheet,excerpted from n8:P1/4.1-4.5. .......................................................................................92

Table 10: List of entries compiled from student writings for “Type of Information” ......95

Table 11: Three Types of API Information, listed alphabetically, by subdivision...........97

Table 12: Movement and Choreography Subdivision of Intrinsic Information .............105

Table 13: Concert/Concert Collaborators Subdivision of Intrinsic Information ............105

Table 14: Theatrical Elements Subdivision of Intrinsic Information.............................105

Table 15: List of components that make up “concert basics”category of type of information, arranged according tojournalistic questions, Who? What? Where? When? ....................................................116

Table 16: Extrinsic Information Category of Type of Information ...............................117

Table 17: Metaphysical Category of Type of Information............................................118

Table 18: Reflexive Category of Type of Information..................................................119

Table 19: Coding Sheets for writer n3 .........................................................................133

xxv

Table 20: Evaluative Activity of writer n1, n8 .............................................................152

Table 21: Entries per paper and average words per entry: n1 .......................................154

Table 22: Source of Information from program: n1......................................................156

Table 23: Self-Awareness as a Source of Information: n1............................................157

Table 24: Ontological Understanding: n1 ....................................................................158

Table 25: Empirical and Hermeneutical Understanding: n1, n2....................................159

Table 26: Descrption, Interpretation and Evaluation: n1, n2.........................................160


Table 28: Audience Performance Interaction: n2 .........................................................162

Table 29: Observation as Source of Information: n2, n6, n9.........................................164

Table 30: Hermeneutical Understanding: n2 ................................................................165

Table 31: Descriptive Activity: n3...............................................................................168


Table 33: Movement and Choreography as Type of Information: n3............................169

Table 34: Observation as Source of Information: n3 ....................................................170

Table 35: Program Information and Domain Knowledge: n3 .......................................171

Table 36: Evaluative and Interpretive Activities: n6 ....................................................173


Table 38: Observation and Opinion as Sources of Information: n6...............................177

Table 39: Hearing as Source of Information: n6...........................................................177

Table 40: Empirical Understanding: n6 .......................................................................178

Table 41: Factual and Qualitative Understanding: n6...................................................179

Table 42: Hermeneutical Understanding: n6 ................................................................179

Table 43: Contextualization and Theorizing Activities: n7...........................................182


Table 45: Affective Understanding: n7 ........................................................................186

Table 46: Descriptive and Evaluative Activities: n8.....................................................188

Table 47: Entries per paper and average words per entry: n8 ......................................189

Table 48: Audience/Performance Interaction Information: n8......................................191

Table 49: Observation as a Source of Information: n8 .................................................192

xxvi


Table 51: Selected Types of Information: n9 ...............................................................198

Table 52: Observation and Opinion as Sources of Information: n9...............................200

Table 53: Domain Knowledge and Program Information: n9 .......................................202

Table 54: Entries per paper and average words per entry: n10 .....................................205

Table 55: Domain Knowledge, Opinion and Association: n10 .....................................209

Table 56: Conceptual, Qualitative and Hermeneutical Understanding: n10 ..................211

Table 57: Entries per paper and average words per entry .............................................213

Table 58: Association as a Source of Information: n12 ................................................218

Table 59: Empirical and Hermeneutical Understanding: n12 .......................................219

Table 60: Descriptive and Evaluative Activities: Ciona ...............................................223

Table 61: Observation, Opinion and Association: Ciona..............................................226

Table 62: Evaluative Activity : Plum Tarts ..................................................................229

Table 63: Theatrical Elements as Type of Information: Plum Tarts .............................233

Table 64: Video as Source of Information: Plum Tarts ................................................234

Table 65: Association as Source of Information: Plum Tarts .......................................235

Table 66: Hearing and Hearing/Observation as Sources of Information: Plum Tarts ....236

Table 67: Interpretive Activity: Passing ......................................................................238

Table 68: Concert/Concert Collaborators as Type of Information: Passing ..................239

Table 69: Theatrical Elements and Concert/Concert Collaborators: Passing ................241

Table 70: Critical Activities: Partial............................................................................247

Table 71: Theatrical Elements and Concert/Concert Collaborators: Partial .................250

Table 72: Observation, Opinion and Hearing as Sources of Information: Partial .........252

Table 73: Personal Knowledge as Source f Information: Partial ..................................253

Table 74: Conceptual Understanding: Partial ..............................................................254

Table 75: Audience/Performance Interaction: Carpe Diem ..........................................258

Table 76: Movement/Choreography; Concert/Concert Collaborators: Carpe Diem ......259

Table 77: Qualitative and Hermeneutical Understanding: Carpe Diem ........................262

Table 78: Theatrical Elements: Circle Walker..............................................................265

Table 79: Extrinsic Information: Circle Walker ...........................................................268

xxvii

Table 80: Observation, Opinion and Associationas Sources of Information: Circle Walker ....................................................................269

Table 81: Affective Understanding: Circle walker .......................................................272

Table 82: Variation in Types of Information: n3..........................................................280

1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Problem

Dance has been called the oldest of the arts. It is perhapsequally true that it is older than the arts. The human bodymaking patterns in time and space is what makes the danceunique among the arts and perhaps explains its antiquityand universality. (Peterson 3)

1.1.1 Modern Dance and Higher Education

These words, which open Anya Royce Peterson’s seminal text on the

anthropology of dance, find frequent echoes in conjectures about the origins of dance as

an art form. As an infant learns to roll over and sit upright prior to forming recognizable

sounds, early humans are believed to have relied upon bodily movements and mimetic

gestures to convey a wide range of information within their societies. Prior to the

development of language systems, dance may have been used to illustrate the presence of

danger, to retell the excitement of a great hunt, to pass on essential information to

younger generations of the group, to offer oblations, or to induce the skies to send forth

rains for the crops.

2

While the question of origin cannot be answered with certainty, recent research

has deepened existing knowledge about the antiquity of dance. Art educator and

anthropologist Ellen Dissenayake has suggested that the mimetic gestures of dance have

their likely genesis in the exaggerated facial expressions used by human and primate

mothers to elicit responses from their infant offspring.1 Other anthropological accounts

report precursors to dance within chimpanzee populations (Dissenayake What? 51).

Recently, an excavation by Israeli archaeologist Yosef Garfinkle unearthed evidence of

the existence of dance in preliterate societies as distant as 9,000 years ago (Wilford F1).

Although these and other studies point to the importance of dance in the

development of human civilization, dance as an academic discipline is a relative

newcomer within the curricula of western institutions of higher education. It was only

after music, theatre and the fine arts had been established as areas of academic inquiry,

that dance educator Margaret H'Doubler managed to forge a place for the first academic

department of dance, at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The year was 1926, in

the middle of a decade that had also become the turning point in the birth of a

revolutionary new American art form called modern dance. It was a decade which had

seen the untimely death of modern dance pioneer Isadora Duncan, and the departures of

historical dance figures Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman from the

Denishawn Dance Company and School in order to spearhead the development of this

1 Dissanayake presented this characterization during a keynote address at the 32nd CORD conferenceon Dance, Culture, and Art-Making Behavior, at the University of Arizona in Tucson October 31-November 2, and has addressed it as well in Art and Intimacy, chapter 1 (42 – 49).

3

indigenous American dance form. As it was, H'Doubler's prophetic vision of a marriage

between modern dance and the academy would prove to be a prototype for things to

come.2

1.1.2 External and Inherent Obstacles

A variety of explanations might be offered to address the belated nature of this

academic partnership. In the first place, dance in western culture has long been prey to

Puritan concepts built upon post-Enlightenment mind/body binaries, with roots as ancient

as Paul’s Hellenistic views of Christianity. Oversimplified Cartesian notions that mind

and body are of separate but unequal significance — with the rational, thought processes

of the mind believed to be superior to the more carnal processes of sensate or intuitive

knowledge — have rendered bodily activities suspect. Among these, theatrical forms of

dance — the display of human movement without definitive utilitarian value, “not

immediately practical” (Cohen Comment 165) — have been relegated at times to a status

not much higher than that of prostitution in an American culture dominated by the

Protestant work ethic. There exist still practicing religious groups which forbid dancing

to their members, and the cultural history of this country has been marked by various

waves of shock and scandal as new forms of social dance have emerged in the popular

culture. The dancing body, then, as an artistic medium in post-Colombian American

civilization, has been the site of contestation and ambiguity rather than an arena for

2The Dance Magazine College Guide (2002-3), lists over 180 academic programs of dance in Americaninstitutions of higher learning today, and hundreds of others which offer courses in dance.

4

serious academic study. Dancers have been essentialized as primitive, irrational figures,

and dance as a subject for study has been marginalized as a pre-verbal experience beyond

the purview of intellectual inquiry.

A recent collection of articles surveying the state of dance in higher education

recapitulates many of these considerations, and points to their precursors in earlier phases

of the relationship between dance and the academy.3 While it is revealing that

coursework in written criticism is not specifically foregrounded in these essays, the

section devoted to overviews of the field and the one dealing with issues in the teaching

of choreography point to the ongoing debate within the discipline about the division

between theory and practice. An article by Jan Van Dyke (27- 32) interrogates the

emphasis in many academic dance settings on a conservatory approach, which tends to

privilege the physical training of the dancer at the expense of an education about more

comprehensive issues in the field. Also noteworthy is an article by Larry Lavender

(101 – 6), which challenges methods of evaluating choreography in studio work, and one

by Carol Press (95 –100), which illuminates the dichotomy between questions of process

and concerns about the craft of choreography in academic settings. It is evident in these

readings that past issues over the nature of the mind/body connection remain a significant

obstacle in considerations about appropriate curricula for dance in higher education.

Dance has also been plagued by internal problems surrounding the issues of

documentation, preservation and analysis. The development of a body of literature, that

requisite cornerstone of academic worthiness in any discipline, has been hampered by the

3 Edited by Wendy Oliver, this collection is entitled Dance in Higher Education, and is a project of theNational Dance Association, 1992.

5

ephemeral nature of the art form. Unlike its sibling arts — music with its long established

system of notation; theatre with its vast literary foundation; or the visual arts, which

inherently produce their own permanent artifacts for later study and analysis — dance

disappears even as it is materializing, leaving no tangible record for prolonged scrutiny or

attention. The quest to find a language capable of effectively capturing this transient,

non-verbal experience has proven troublesome for philosophers, dance historians, critics

and other scholars working to grasp its slippery materiality. Aside from scant pictorial

evidence, scattered attempts to produce a recording system similar to musical notation,

references to various dance practices within the texts of existing literary forms, and actual

but inconsistent written accounts by dance observers, dance has left a challenging path

for historians to trace, and specific dance forms and practices have managed to survive

primarily to the extent that they have been maintained through oral tradition and practice.

1.1.3 Problems of Preservation

Such has been the historical lot of dance: an art which leaves no reliable artifact;

an art bound to the vagaries of prevailing cultural attitudes toward the body; a temporal art

without an established system of notation or documentation. It is thus no accident that

Margaret H'Doubler's success at anchoring the first academic department occurred during

the early part of the twentieth century, when the fledgling arts of photography and film-

making were beginning to make the full force of their documentary possibilities felt.

Furthermore, it was at this same time that a young Hungarian theorist named Rudolf

Laban developed and introduced a system for describing and recording human movement,

which would come to revolutionize the manner in which dances could be captured and

6

preserved. This system, known today as Labanotation, was free of the style-based

limitations that had crippled previous attempts to create a universal system for recording

movement. Dance studies could now be based upon repeated observation of dance works,

and upon a substantive written record of specific dances from which sustained inquiry

could progress.4 This development, along with the advent of film and video as archival

methods, greatly advanced the possibilities for scholarship.

1.1.4 A Delayed Literature

Dancers are a people without a past. They have adopted neither thehistorical-aesthetic perspectives of American liberal education northe pop culture's obsession with recording and describing itself.Despite its extremely high level of performance and productionskill, dance is back in the Stone Age when it comes to developingthe techniques and technologies by which other achievements ofthe human mind get fed into the ideological mainstream ofcivilization. (Siegel Waiting 228)

Still, a bona fide and comprehensive literature of dance has been slow to

materialize until the latter decades of the 20th century for internal reasons also peculiar to

the practices of the art form. Dancers are readily preoccupied with the formidable

physical demands of their craft, typically devoting long hours each day to the refinement

and maintenance of bodily training, so that the pursuit of other aspects of inquiry can be

easily circumvented by the necessity for time in the studio and on the stage to

choreograph and rehearse. Historically, as dancers have aged, their efforts have shifted to

the process of passing on the knowledge of their history and tradition through the

4 Laban’s system, which has since been refined and expanded, was originally published in his 1926 work,Choreographie.

7

physical training of younger generations of artists. It remains true that many dance

professionals are drawn to the field as performers and choreographers, and are either

unaware of appropriate documentation methods or have not had the opportunity to master

their use.

In the preface to her recent anthology of dance literature, Alexandra Carter

suggests that the evolution of dance studies has followed a predictable path which

recapitulates the pattern of knowledge acquisition by an individual learner, beginning

with dance-making activities, followed by dance historical activities, and finally arriving

at dance theoretical applications (15). Since many dancers are drawn to this very physical

art form through an aptitude for what cognitive theorist Howard Gardner has labeled

"kinesthetic intelligence" as opposed to linguistic intelligence,5 the necessity of lengthy

hours in physical practice has perhaps coupled with a tendency not to be inclined toward

the verbal articulation of that practice. In addition, dancers have long been accustomed to

marginalization in a commodity-oriented western culture, and often have developed

"inside" modes of communicating about the art form, thus exacerbating the problem of

how the form might be articulated to the public upon which dance depends for an

audience. Thus, a vicious cycle is perpetuated.

1.1.5 The Audience and the Curriculum

Indeed, the inherent necessity for the presence of a live audience has posed still

other challenges for dance with implications at all levels of the art form, including

5The theory of multiple intelligences, developed and originally published in the work Frames of Mind, byHoward Gardner (1983), suggests that there are eight distinct kinds of intelligence.

8

curricular ones. The required presence of spectators has in turn raised the need to perfect

the production aspects of the form, often at the expense of other areas. Studio practice,

the development of technical expertise, and the need for the immediate attention to

theatrical elements such as costuming, lighting, and set design, have tipped much of the

supporting dance curriculum in higher education towards studies in these areas. Whereas

a painter can produce a work and hope for an audience in the future, since s/he has

produced a relatively permanent artifact for extended viewing over time, a dance work

requires visual and technical perfection in its brief moments of performed existence, thus

perpetuating curricular priorities that are studio-based.

1.1.6 Resistance to Criticism

To further problematize the uneasy relationship between dance education and the

study of criticism, it is important to note that many practicing performers have developed

an established antipathy for critical practice.6 The location of dance as an art form on the

margins of both the academy and the popular culture, the need for a sizable audience to

view and justify the considerable expenses of production, and the often inordinate power

of the critic's pen to foster or dismantle the viewing population, have conspired to

produce a partnership between the dance and critical communities fraught with many-

6 This remark is based not only on observations drawn from accumulated experience in the field, but is alsorepeatedly referenced in existing dance literature (see, for example Judith Dunn’s remarks in The Vision ofModern Dance (140), or C.L. Carter’s statement, reproduced on pg. 9 of this document.

9

sided difficulties. Moreover, the vernacular use of the term "criticism"7 connotes a

negative approach to the subject under consideration, and this seems to be reinforced in

the unfortunate reputation of criticism among dance practitioners.8 Considering that the

most common form of published dance criticism consists of newspaper reviews of current

performance events, which then possess disproportionate gate-keeping power in the

market success or failure of a given production or artist, the misconception of critic-as-

enemy is consistently re-inscribed. To further compound the problem, published reviews

are typically printed after the fact, due to the brevity of performance schedules, and

reviewers are often journalists with no formal education in dance, but have rather been

hired as music or theatre critics and expected to produce an occasional dance column. It

is no wonder that the writing which does get accomplished is often inadequate, serving to

burn bridges between art, artist, and audience rather than to construct them.

The absence of a positive inclination toward critical writing among dance students

has its counterpart in a frequent lack of critical dance discussion as well. Dance

aesthetician C.L. Carter, not unlike adherents of Gardner's theory of multiple

intelligences, attributes this to a preference among dancers for action rather than words:

Neglect of the theoretical aspects of dance, such as aesthetics and history, anddeliberate anti-intellectual attitudes among dancers who believe that it issufficient to do rather than to discuss dancing have undoubtedly hamperedtheoretical efforts on behalf of dance. (75)

7 My own sense of the term is aligned more closely with Harry Broudy's characterization of criticism as"enlightened cherishing," a definition which is regularly received with surprise and skepticism by thestudents with whom I have worked.

8 Dissociation with the term, moreover, applies even to professional critics. Marcia Siegel has stated onseveral occasions that she refuses this label, preferring to substitute the term 'dance writing.’ (personalcommunication with Sheila Marion, May 1998).

10

Although Carter's argument has merit, I believe it paints an overly reductionistic

picture of the problem. Also complicit in this unfortunate view of criticism is a tendency

among dancers to espouse a particularly modernist view of the art form, often indicating

when asked to discuss their work that it will "speak" for itself. This may in part be a

defensive position, based on the frustrations which result from working in an already

marginalized art form. Moreover the tendency, borne of extended, shared training and

rehearsal schedules, to develop specific discursive communities based on nonverbal as

well as highly specialized verbal cues, creates a condition in which dance artists often do

not develop adequate verbal skills to communicate effectively with the general public

about their art form.

1.2 Reasons for the Study

1.2.1 The Need for Curricular Reform

While dancers may justly react against the cultural privileging of word over deed,

a lack of educational opportunities to develop skills in 'translating' dancer expertise into

accessible language ignores the reality that verbal communication remains the most

common form for conveying meaning as well as for stimulating productive interaction.

From a curricular perspective, there has been until fairly recently a lack of commitment

to the education of dancers in critical writing; from the dancers' point of view, there has

been a similar myopia, a seeming lack of awareness of dance as praxis — theory and

practice interwoven — which can reveal itself in the telling as well as in the doing.

Ultimately, dancers who do not develop skills in articulating their art face obstacles in

procuring funds for their work and limit the pathways of approach to an art form in

11

search of an audience. Thus, to preclude appropriate educational opportunities to develop

expert writers and speakers about dance is tantamount to perpetuating a self-destructive

system.

1.2.2 Shifting Academic Agendas

Thus, dance in academe, not unlike the history of studies in the visual arts, has

traditionally focused more on studio practice than on critical, historical and theoretical

studies. According to art educator and historian Efland (History 237 – 8), the trend

towards discipline-based art education (DBAE), which arose out of the Woods Hole

conference in the early 1960s and dominated the next two decades of art education theory

and practice, made significant inroads in the curricular design of art departments. Not

until the very recent past, however, with the passage of the national Goals 2000: Educate

America Act,9 has the call intensified for integrating a more multi-dimensional approach

to all the arts, encompassing a balance of studies in production, aesthetics, history and

criticism, in addition to the traditional core of studio-based courses. As well, there has

been increasing interest among other disciplines — such as cultural studies, ethnography

and gender studies, among others — in scholarship which foregrounds the body.10

9 Following passage of this act in 1992, the official document summarizing a national strategy forincorporating the arts in K-12 education was published under the title National Standards for ArtsEducation: What Every Young American Should Know And Be Able To Do In The Arts. Reston, VA:Music Educators National Conference, 1994.

10This interdisciplinary discourse is so far-reaching that it is impossible to summarize here. I am thinking ofsuch examples as Susan Bordo’s work in feminist scholarship; Judith Butler’s scholarship in comparativestudies; and cross-cultural studies such as the work of Sally Ann Ness.

12

Likewise, Daly (Revolution 48), Desmond (1) and others within the field have noted the

exponential growth in dance literature within the past fifteen years. It is into this

academic, cultural and historical climate that my own interest has arisen to pursue the

introduction of dance criticism into the academic curriculum.

1.2.3 Personal Assumptions

As both educator and student, I have been convinced that the educational practice

of criticism holds vital advantages for dance studies, and that the introduction of such

coursework could not be more timely than in the current embattled arts climate. At an

historical moment when censorship and funding issues regularly threaten the very

existence of a viable arts community, the study of dance criticism seems to offer specific

advantages to educational practice — advantages which tangibly address many of the

problems previously identified as obstacles to dance study. Critical practice holds the

potential for developing articulate spokespersons and advocates for an art form that needs

immediate and ongoing financial and audience support. It develops the ability among

practitioners to succeed at grants-writing efforts, an increasing necessity in an arts

funding climate that creates more need than promise. It fosters the creation of written

documentation of an ephemeral form, generating a 'paper trail' which outlives the

performed moments and provides an essential component of dance historical research and

study. What has fascinated me most, however, is the opportunity which the practices of

writing and talking about dance seem to offer for deepening and reflecting knowledge

acquisition and understanding of the art form.

13

Since good critical writing is both a persuasive and an interpretive writing task,

the critical classroom presents an ideal context for opening new possibilities in the

development of personal responses to dance while simultaneously providing experiences

in listening to a variety of alternate views. Students of criticism are routinely required to

produce deliberate and carefully formed responses to artworks, and to listen and respond

to other students' writings. Herein lies the potential for the development of both

individual agency and the location of one's place among what Stanley Fish has called the

"community of interpreters."11

1.2.4 Curricular Benefits of Writing

The writing process seems to hold untapped potential as a vital piece in the

overall knowledge project of understanding the art of dance. In the first place, it offers to

heighten the level of engagement of the viewer who will be writing. It is a far too

common experience to walk away from a concert with only a dim handful of afterimages,

soon to be replaced by others. If dance itself is ephemeral, so too the memories of a given

performance one has viewed for pleasure, education or curiosity, unless these thoughts

are reified in some way, either by discussing the dance or writing about it. Additionally,

the writing task itself can serve to “fan the flames” of memory: it obliges the writer to

carefully recall as much as possible about what was seen, and to give those memories and

thoughts visible and organized form — in words on paper.

11I have been exposed to this concept indirectly through both Barrett’s and Walker’s scholarship, andespecially in Fish’s work Is There a Text in this Class?

14

When dance critic Marcia Siegel presented a lecture to dance students at The

Ohio State University,12 she stated flatly: "Writing is not typing; it's thinking on

paper." Indeed, the necessity to formulate, organize and concretize thoughts on paper

about an essentially non-verbal, elusive experience is often not only a productive exercise

in the development of observation-skills and memory, but one which constitutes a

valuable challenge for the development of higher-order thinking skills and linguistic

abilities. Still, such coursework remains the exception rather than the rule within the

curricula of higher education. Students are typically expected to engage in discussion of

the work of their peers and other artists in the context of composition classes, or to write

occasional brief critiques of performances as a requirement in technique classes; yet there

exists no established pedagogy for imparting these critical writing skills, and studio-based

instructors often find themselves ill-prepared to provide guidelines or useful feedback

about such writing tasks. Ironically, some professional writers, including Edwin Denby

(Theodores 96) and Marcia B. Siegel (Stöckemann 20), have acknowledged a measure of

gratitude for the absence of an established methodology for writing dance criticism,

admitting that this void has permitted them to pursue their writing unfettered by

restrictive conventions. While this may be satisfactory for skilled professional writers,

there is a pressing need for developing such guidelines and criteria among students of

dance.

12Siegel's comments were made in an unpublished address to students of the Dance Department in SullivantHall, November 19, 1998.

15

With regard to one of the benefits of the critical writing experience, Barrett

(Photographs 13), Feldman (Practical 26), and others describe the pleasure its requisite

contemplation offers practitioners, by necessitating the time to linger over the works of

art to be discussed. As the temporal nature of dance distinguishes it from the visual arts in

this respect, the luxury of sustained viewing is not part of the equation of benefits in

producing dance criticism. Far from decreasing the value of criticism, however, the

transience of performance only increases the urgency of critical practice, which can serve

to extend the moment, allowing dance a sense of presence in its absence. When dealing

with an art form that disappears as it is being performed, any task which offers to keep

the experience on the viewer's mind stands to benefit the viewer as well as the form.

While the focused attention necessitated by critical writing creates the potential

for sharpening observation skills and awareness of both the surface and deeper

constituents of dance performance, the careful use of language in its service seems to

offer additional benefits that are especially helpful to the dance curriculum. An increased

facility with verbal communication on the part of dance students can be used to foster

audience development, providing tools to forge linguistic connections between artist and

viewers. Dance students also need to be able to communicate their ideas with

collaborating artists and to engage in productive discourse with others inside and outside

the dance discipline. Language skills become increasingly necessary as artists find

themselves advocates in the political arena as well as in the quest for funding, which

depends on a requisite supply of verbal justifications regarding the need and value of

16

support. There is also a case to be made for the many connections between the creative

process of making dances and the creative process of writing, and the possibilities therein

for enhancing one while working on the other.13

1.3 The Absence of Empirical Data

As a participant on both sides of dance educational practice in higher education

for more than twenty years, I have witnessed these issues as a teacher and as a learner.

From this dual perspective, I have experienced the struggles of attempting to capture the

transient experience of dance in words — a struggle aptly characterized by theatre critic

John Mason Brown as akin to the "attempt to tattoo soap bubbles" (qtd. in Cohen and

Copeland 424). I have also repeatedly encountered the value of existing published

criticism and other dance literature as a vital resource for teaching and research, and have

experienced the cognitive and expressive benefits of writing about other art forms. As an

educator, I have observed over time that the task of writing about dance can yield

promising insights among student writers.

It has thus been my growing concern that dance criticism should be explored as an

integral component in the dance curricula at all educational levels, but there is a deficit of

empirical data to propose or shape such reform. It is the purpose of this study to explore

the value of such curricular innovation by examining some primary evidence, a group of

student writings about dance. By looking closely at these writings, I hope to explore and

13There is a reciprocity here that I have observed numerous times, one that has also been frequentlyconfirmed in student testimonies. See Appendix A, Questionnaire II, especially questions 4, 6, 7, 8 and 12for examples of this point.

17

classify what kinds of understandings about dance they reveal, to speculate about whether

these writings suggest discernible benefits of critical coursework, and to uncover

pedagogical implications for structuring such coursework.

1.4 Background of the Study

In the autumn of 1998, I began to develop and teach a course in dance criticism at

the Ohio State University Department of Dance. A department noted for its excellence14

within the university, and regularly ranked from outside the university as one of the top

dance programs in the country, it has a longstanding reputation for its well-rounded

curriculum. In addition to an extensive network of studio-based courses in technique,

composition and production, the curriculum is also noted for the unusual strength of its

offerings in Laban studies, including courses in various levels of notation, as well as

repertory courses which promote regular performances of master dance works

reconstructed from Labanotation scores. The Department also has a unique relationship to

the Dance Notation Bureau in New York, as it houses the Dance Notation Bureau

Extension office and together with the university library system supports the archives of

that institution. In addition, there is a strong dance history track of study, which offers

courses from ancient dance history and ethnography to studies in postmodern and

14 Within the OSU community itself, the Department was designated a Center of Excellence in 1986, andreceived the first Teaching Excellence Award presented in 1996. Outside of OSU, Dance Teacher Nowbegan an annual poll of 100 national dance administrators in December of 1995, and the OSU departmenthas consistently ranked within the top five schools, frequently achieving the number one spot in manycategories.

18

contemporary dance. Recently, the department has been expanding its curriculum to

include studies and research in the intersections of dance, theory and technology.

As a regular lecturer in contemporary dance and theatre history, an occasional

lecturer in Labanotation, and a member of a research team which produced an award-

winning CD-ROM focusing on the documentation, preservation and analysis of the work

of a particular choreographer, it has been a natural extension of my interests to expand

into several new and established literature-based areas of the curriculum. At the time the

dance criticism course was first offered, I had reached the point in my doctoral studies of

preparing to defend my candidacy exams, which were concerned with issues surrounding

studies in dance criticism.

My experiences with the incorporation of student writing in teaching dance

history courses, a recognition of the profound importance to dance studies of the

literature generated through Laban's contributions, and the doctoral coursework I had

pursued in art criticism, combined to make a strong impact on my pedagogical concerns.

In my doctoral studies, I had also been influenced by coursework with Arthur Efland

which introduced me to research supporting an integrated literature and studio based arts

curriculum as well as to exposure with constructivist and neo-constructivist approaches to

learning through the work of Judith Koroscik, Richard Prawat, David Perkins, Sydney

Walker and others. In particular, I have been deeply influenced by the writings, teaching

and teaching methodologies of art educator and critic Terry Barrett.15

15Among Barrett’s published works, Criticizing Art and Criticizing Photographs contain many of theseinsights.

19

1.4.1 Classroom Convictions

In the course of teaching, I have regularly experienced the apparent power of

writing to open pathways to knowledge acquisition about dance which seem to remain

closed through standard lecture, reading and performance-viewing approaches. In many

cases, it appears that some students are able to achieve through writing what Prawat and

others refer to as knowledge transfer, a connection between areas of knowledge which at

first seem disparate, and the discovery of personal routes for linking dance with their own

lived experience. Since writing assignments are usually assigned in response to the

viewing of dance, I have noted the increased level of engagement with which students

participate in the performance event, as well as the depth of their written reactions by

comparison with the brief verbal responses usually offered in class. The necessity of

filling a required number of pages with structured observations and reflections about the

performances, and the task of organizing these observations into a logical format, appears

to prompt an integration of course concepts that might otherwise remain unclear.

It has been my cumulative experience as a learner in Barrett's art criticism

courses, however, that has grounded me in the conceptual tools for critical writing and

deepened my own insights about the critical writing experience. The guided acquaintance

with and practice in the standard critical activities of description, interpretation,

evaluation and theorizing on a bi-weekly basis fortified my understanding of these

operations. The opportunity to bring my dance background into play in the arena of

visual art criticism offered clarity and informed my understandings of both disciplines.

More personally, the realization that the critical task is an open-ended project, based on

20

the writer's individual acts of reception and interaction with a given artwork, followed by

the ability to articulate that experience persuasively, allowed me to realize a level of

autonomy as a viewer and writer that I had not previously experienced. Finally, the

opportunity to craft a written response with care and integrity, to read it aloud in the

classroom, and to subsequently listen to the equally persuasive but different approaches

of other writers on the same subject constituted one of the most arresting and

empowering classroom experiences I have yet encountered.

1.4.2 Interdisciplinary Bridges

It was with great excitement that I greeted the opportunity to bring these insights

and experiences into the dance department for the teaching of the new course offering in

dance criticism.16 In the absence of an established pedagogical method, I was eager to see

how the methodologies developed by Barrett and other art critics would adapt to the

particularities of writing about dance. Since no dance criticism textbook exists, I selected

readings from a variety of sources, and structured various writing assignments during

class and outside of it. I designed a pair of entry and exit questionnaires to ascertain

student dispositions toward the course material,17 maintained field notes of the teaching

process, and solicited student permissions for the use of their writings for further research

and analysis.18 In collecting this data, I was guided by my original intentions to

16By the time of this writing, the course has become an established annual offering in the department,1998 – 2002.

17See Appendix A for the protocol and coded responses to these questionnaires.

18 See Appendix B for a copy of the consent form signed by each of the student writers.

21

investigate the usefulness of specific course components, the benefits of the coursework

as perceived by the students and by myself, the emergence of "voice" in individual

writers over the ten week period, and evidence of increased tolerance for multiple

perspectives within the classroom community.

1.5 Statement of the Problem

Contemporary art education research recommends the integration of critical

coursework into the curricula of all the arts (Efland History 253). The literature of dance,

itself late in developing but doing so at present with an unprecedented rate of growth, has

scarcely addressed this area of inquiry. Dance presents unique benefits and challenges for

classroom critical practice, but contains as yet no text or research detailing a specific

methodology for teaching criticism within the dance curriculum. A great deal of work

needs to be done in order to address this gap in pedagogical knowledge.

What kinds of understandings about dance do student writings reveal? There has

been no research that looks at the kinds of writings students of dance criticism produce

when offered the opportunity to engage in critical coursework. Because little is known

about what such writings actually reveal about student understanding, it follows that an

analysis of student criticism will yield useful data for addressing this question, while

illuminating the possible implications for coursework within the dance curriculum.

22

1.6 The Research Design

1.6.1 Context for the Study

The context for the study occurred within a ten week course in Dance Criticism,

offered as an elective within the Ohio State University Department of Dance in Autumn,

1998. The course was offered for two quarter hours of credit, and met twice weekly for

an hour and a half each meeting. In addition to adapting many of the teaching methods

and practices of art educator Terry Barrett, the course was also punctuated at about the

halfway point with a week-long residency by dance critic Marcia Siegel, who took over

and extended the course activities during that week, offering the invaluable insights and

pedagogical strategies of a professional dance critic.

1.6.2 The Study Population

The class from which the student texts are taken consisted of a population of

twelve students: ten of them graduate students in dance; one, a fourth year honors student

in English with considerable dance experience; and one, a third year dance major. Eleven

of the students were female. Reasons for enrolling in the course varied from wanting to

experience the rare opportunity to study dance criticism within a classroom situation, to a

desire to sharpen existing abilities in writing about dance, to the objective of addressing

feelings of inadequacy about writing in general or writing about dance in particular.19

19 Appendix A, Questionnaire I, question #6 provides insight regarding student purposes for enrolling in theclass.

23

1.6.3 Selection of an Analytical Methodology

It was several months after the course had ended that continued reading and

reflection on ways to evaluate and illuminate the possible benefits of critical writing in

dance began to point me toward a useful methodology. The writings that the students had

produced over the ten weeks of the course had been, in general, stronger than I had

anticipated. In the absence of published research which actually examined or analyzed

student writings about dance, I became curious about the substance of student writings;

what they might reveal regarding the value of this kind of writing project; what might be

exposed about the writing and thinking strategies students had employed in the

construction of their texts; and what kinds of understandings about dance the writings

made manifest.

A year or two earlier, I had attended a lecture offered by Ohio State University art

educator Sydney Walker, who presented a method of content analysis she had employed

to unravel student writings about art. I had also completed some coursework with

ethnographer Laurel Richardson, who demonstrated a method of "line by line" analysis

for deconstructing written transcripts of verbal discourse. Content analysis offered me a

way to "break open" the texts students had produced in order to see what constituted

them, what they might suggest for future course development in critical writing, and what

kinds of issues they might exhibit as a group of individual texts composed in response to

a common topic. Particularly, content analysis offered a method for scrutinizing and

categorizing the underlying substance of student writings, one that could provide insight

24

about the similarities and differences between dance and art criticism, as well as one

which could expose overlapping elements of the student writings which might illuminate

future pedagogical applications.

1.6.4 Criteria for Text Selection

In addition to a variety of shorter writing exercises, the students had produced

three major papers during the quarter of study. The first of these, an "aesthetic

autobiography," based on a similar introductory assignment designed by Barrett, was

eliminated since it was not an exemplar of dance criticism. The third and final paper was

also ruled out, since it had offered students a choice between writing about two very

different kinds of performance experiences. The second writing assignment, a paper

written in response to a live concert consisting of works by a wide variety of

choreographers, seemed to offer the desired uniformity to yield results from a specific

method of textual analysis.

Produced midway through the course, this had been an assignment of a specific

word-length, and had been designed to address a general audience of readers. In addition,

the choice of this particular concert offered unusual and substantial benefits for future

studies of a similar nature. In the first place, the concert consisted of many established

works that had been professionally produced elsewhere, therefore extending the

probability that professionally published criticism about some of the works might be

located for later comparative purposes. Secondly, the concert had been professionally

25

videotaped and aired on local public television, thereby holding out the possibility of

future studies which might be based on different communities of writers at various levels

of expertise for comparative analysis.

1.6.5 General Design of the Analysis

Although the design of the analysis will be thoroughly discussed in chapter three,

it is important to note that the framework for analysis emerged from a grounded process

of inquiry, with categories arising from questions unique to the specific agenda of the

study (Strauss and Corbin 273). The guiding research objective that framed the study was

the desire to expose student understandings about dance. Analytical typologies for the

analysis were structured to determine what kind of understandings about dance student

writings would reveal, how similarities and differences among writers' understandings

could be conceptualized, upon what kinds of information such understandings were

based, and what critical activities were used to articulate these understandings.

Underlying these design elements was the agenda of extracting from the analysis

knowledge about effective teaching practices for future course development in dance

criticism.

Throughout the process of analysis, emergent typologies evolved and expanded,

prompting additional questions, new analytical categories, and the necessity for ongoing

revision, which will be thoroughly documented in chapters three and four. The process of

sifting through the students' use of language remained a compelling and challenging

pursuit throughout the study, offering insight about the process of writing about dance, as

well as implications for pedagogy and for further research. Data about the particular

26

sources of information used to construct the students' texts, for example, emerged as an

unexpected but enlightening category. It also became clear that the standard critical

activities of description, interpretation, and evaluation provide only an outline of the

writing enterprise, and that additional operations at work in the writings should be

considered. In prying beneath these useful but limited standard categories by means of

content analysis, a deeper look at the value of writing about dance comes into view,

offering the potential to illuminate future analyses of professional dance criticism, or to

open a method for comparative analyses of writings by dance viewers across levels of

domain knowledge.

1.7 Need for the Study

There are a variety of potential benefits and related issues that need to be

addressed regarding the inclusion of criticism in dance curricula. Among the benefits of

practicing criticism in an educational setting are: a deepened appreciation of the

intricacies of the art form; the formation of articulate spokespersons and spectators for

dance; the sharpening of viewer observation skills; the heightening of a sense of

engagement by the viewer, supporting what John Dewey has postulated as the difference

between (active) perception and (passive) recognition;20 and the capacities for developing

one's individual voice within a classroom community of multiple voices. Tools needed

20 This summary of Dewey's ideas was insightfully articulated in a 1993 article by Lavender and Oliver.

27

for developing these areas include the formulation and testing of effective teaching and

assessment methods, the creation of critical exercises and textbooks, and the availability

of audio-visual dance resources for use in the classroom setting.

As discussed in the background of the research problem and elsewhere in this

document, there is a demonstrated need for the production of research that may

strengthen curricular reform initiatives in dance. The necessity of contributing new

knowledge to this area within the field of dance, therefore, holds within it a large measure

of the significance of this study. Furthermore, it is expected that not only the results of

the study but also the analytical instrument designed for it will have generalizability

beyond the present application.

There has been as yet no research that systematically analyzes student writings

about dance, an absence which relegates advocacy for curricular reform to the realm of

speculation. The task of investigating such writings has the potential to inform the

development of pedagogical methods and teaching materials both for similar populations

of learners as well as the potential to illuminate the practices of a wider range of learners,

whether novices within the dance domain or professional critics. Additionally, I believe

that the analysis instrument may be useful in a comparative study, articulating differences

between the writing practices of dance criticism and those within the visual arts.

1.7.1 Limitations of the Study

Although further work utilizing the analytical instrument designed for this study

would be fruitful, the limits of this particular use are concerned with a specific population

in a given time period and context. In addition, this particular study has congealed around

28

a population made up of a specific kind of learner, the student with a considerable base of

domain knowledge in dance. Furthermore, the population itself was narrowed to eliminate

papers by three of the twelve students enrolled in the course based on reasons of student

writing-project selection and on writing ability: Two students who had performed in the

concert chosen as the topic for this particular paper preferred the task of writing about a

separate performance in which they could maintain more critical distance; one other

student exhibited considerable writing challenges of a grammatical nature, making the

textual analysis impossible to perform with the necessary reliability.

1.8 Overview of Chapters

This chapter has explored the background and context against which my study has

been conducted. It has also provided a disclosure of my role and assumptions as

researcher, while giving a characterization of the student population that generated the

papers for my study. I have asserted that development of critical and theoretical curricular

initiatives in dance studies have been slow to emerge in higher education, and I have

offered a number of reasons why this situation exists; I have also speculated about the

potential benefits of such coursework. Finally, I have sketched out the general design for

my study, based on my belief that a systematic analysis of student writings will provide

a means for discovering the kinds of understandings such writings reveal about dance.

Chapter 2 contains a review of various literatures that have informed my study.

Because the field of curricular offerings in dance criticism is an emerging area within the

discipline, this study sits at the intersection of a number of discourses. This chapter is

designed to locate and delineate those influences and connections, giving particular

29

attention to the fields of dance criticism, movement analysis, art criticism, and a variety

of issues drawn from the discipline of art education, including cognitive and pedagogical

research. In surveying the relationship between these discourses and the present study,

the chapter will illuminate the constructivist basis of understanding that has fueled my

inquiry. The chapter concludes with a brief introduction to the method of content

analysis.

Chapter 3 resumes this discussion of content analysis, providing a detailed

explanation of the methodology, foregrounding its procedures, and specifying

the manner in which the method has been adapted for this study. The chapter

includes a sequential explanation of each step taken in conducting the analysis, and a

thorough discussion of the terminology and conceptual basis for each of these stages.

Among the areas considered in this chapter are explanations of the typologies for

analysis that form the coding sheets of the student papers, exemplars of the evolution

and final version of the analytical instrument, and discussion of triangulation measures.

The chapter concludes with a complete set of coding sheets for one of the nine student

papers.

Chapter 4 presents the data analysis of the student writings that form the core of

the study. These writings, collected and analyzed on spreadsheets, comprise over 200

pages of raw data, and the chapter is designed to consolidate and synthesize these

findings, providing narrative and visual representations of the analysis. Due to the

volume of data, the chapter is sub-divided into two sections, the first one featuring

analysis of the nine individual writers, and the second section examining the six dances

about which they wrote.

30

Chapter 5 concludes the study with a discussion of the analysis, making

connections between the analytical framework and cognitive research about the nature of

understanding. A conceptual model of student understandings, derived from the analysis

of the nine papers, is presented. The chapter includes a discussion of limitations of the

study as well as suggestions for continued research, including the potential for additional

uses of the analytical instrument developed for this study. Pedagogical insights and

implications of my research are also presented.

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CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1 Introduction to the Chapter

Considering the relatively recent emergence of a substantive dance literature,21

my study is situated amidst a confluence of various discourses and their influences, inter-

acting with the literatures of dance criticism and movement analysis; art criticism; art

education, including cognitive research; and content analysis. In this chapter, I will

delineate the ways in which I am relating to these discursive communities and attempt to

make explicit the ways they have informed both the language and design of my study.

2.2 Literatures of Dance

The literature of dance grew steadily through the 20th century, and has accelerated

and broadened since the 1980s (Daly Revolution 48). It is a broad field, including

writings characterized by divergent perspectives, purposes and styles. For the aims of the

study, I will confine my attention to two areas of this literature most directly related to

the task at hand, the literature of and about dance criticism, and the literature of

21 See chapter 1, p. 5-6 for a brief summary of this conundrum.

32

movement analysis. The literature produced through the practice of dance criticism

constitutes a body of writing that points toward effective strategies for reviewing and

addressing performance. By reading this literature and by studying its fundamental

principles, one can gain access both to an aesthetic record of performance and to the

methods that have generated and supported it. The literature of movement analysis

constitutes a valuable ally for observing dance, offering both a theoretical framework and

a particular language for conceptualizing and articulating this essentially non-verbal

experience. Together, scholarship in each of these areas has both permitted and informed

the present study of student writings in fundamental ways.

2.2.1 Dance Criticism

Within the limited and diverse literature of dance, published criticism holds a

place that is both substantive and vital. Due to the ephemeral nature of the art form and

the historical absence of a widely accepted system of movement notation, it is to

published works of criticism that dance scholars often turn as primary sources of dance

knowledge and history. Film and video forms of documentation have contributed

important source material in recent times, but these methods have been neither

universally available, nor unanimously adopted, for a variety of reasons not central to the

present discussion.22 Additional sources of dance knowledge have included oral tradition,

22 Although such issues as expense, expertise and — before the advent of digital technologies — longevityof these methods, have been cited as obstacles for preserving dance, it comes as a surprise to many outsidethe field that the medium of a two-dimensional moving image is not an altogether effective means forpreserving or documenting the complexities of this three-dimensional art form. Consider, for example, thetask of capturing the movement details of a group of twelve dancers, all of whom perform differentiatedroles in a single work. Moving imagery offers great advantages, to be sure, and recently there has beenincreasing research in combining visual imagery with the notated record.

33

painting, drawing, sculpture, and photographs, as well as written accounts of fiction and

non-fiction, including biographies, health and recreational manuals and educational

resources. Still, it is not an exaggeration to suggest that without the written artifacts

created by literary witnesses to the dance experience, there would be no historical record

of dance at all in most cases.

2.2.1.1 The Growth of Dance Criticism

Earlier European dance critics such as Theophile Gautier and Andre Levinson,

and writers such as Edwin Denby in the United States, have produced notable collections

of writings about the dance of their times. During the fall of 1927, the publication of

American dance writing experienced a significant advance, when the practice of

including dance criticism in newspaper dailies began almost simultaneously with the

hires of John Martin at the New York Times, Lucile Marsh at the New York World, and

Mary F. Watkins at the Herald Tribune (Conner 1). The writings of dance critics such as

Martin, Clive Barnes, and Walter Terry, as well as forays into dance criticism by

practicing music critics such as Carl Van Vechten, or theatre critics such as Michael

Kirby, established and continue to provide the foundation for the contemporary

development of this literature.

A new generation of dance writers proliferated in New York and other major

cities during the 1960s, attracting such journalists as Marcia Siegel from outside the

dance domain, and the infusion of less conventional styles of writing as exemplified by

the writing of Jill Johnston at The Village Voice. John Martin’s successors at The New

York Times have included such prominent writers as Anna Kisselgoff, Jack Anderson

34

and Jennifer Dunning, while Deborah Jowitt and Elizabeth Zimmer have followed Jill

Johnston at The Voice. New Yorker critics Arlene Croce and Joan Acocella, who has also

published at the Wall Street Journal, and Nancy Goldner of The Nation have all produced

extensive bodies of work.

Many published critics have also produced collections of their writings, and some

have expanded upon their critical expertise to produce historical or theoretical texts, such

as the recent biographies of choreographers Mark Morris by Acocella and Alvin Ailey by

Dunning; or historical works such as The Shapes of Change by Siegel and Time and the

Dancing Image by Jowitt. Critics have also contributed essays on a variety of dance

subjects to diverse publications, and there has been growth in the creation of both popular

and scholarly journals and magazines about dance, with topics ranging from criticism to

marketing; anthropological studies to gossip columns.

In 1974, the Dance Critics Association (DCA) was founded, generating both

newsletters and conference literature, and occasional publications about the art and

practice of dance criticism written by the professional critics who belong to the

association. This organization boasts a present membership of approximately two

hundred individuals, and hosts an annual conference and workshop designed to bring

together and inform practitioners at all levels of dance writing. A recent publication of

that organization, entitled Looking Out: Perspectives on a Multicultural World, attests not

only to the reach of DCA, but also exemplifies the theme of its annual conference of the

same title, held in San Francisco during May of 1994.

35

2.2.1.2 Inadequate Critical Coverage

This breadth of critical output constitutes vital source material for scholarly

research as well as for pedagogical purposes. Still, a 1999 study by the National Arts

Journalism Program at Columbia University reported that dance gets only “cursory”

coverage in the American press and is rarely covered by a full-time critic (Miles and

McLennan). In August, 2002, during the revision of this chapter, New York Magazine

announced the termination of its longtime dance critic Tobi Tobias, and declared that it

will no longer review dance.23 In my own city of Columbus, Ohio, the presiding dance

writer of the daily newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch, is a music critic, and additional

pieces are written either by the theatre critic or by “stringers,” equipped with varying

levels of dance knowledge. In spite of deep pockets of excellence, good writing about

dance in mainstream publications remains relatively sparse, and most often coverage of

dance performance in American newspapers is either neglected or parceled out as an after

thought to theatre or music critics on staff.

2.2.1.3 Meta-Critical Works

Though the body of published writings about dance performance remains modest

compared to other bodies of critical writing, there is a deeper lacking in the area of

writings about dance criticism. To date, few works have been published that deal with

larger issues about the practice of dance writing, and little has been done to develop

23Andrea Snyder (Executive Director, Dance USA), “Your Voice is Needed,” on-line posting, 12 August2002 <[email protected]>.

36

materials toward a pedagogy of dance criticism. Existing works, which I shall exemplify

momentarily, include sections on criticism in anthologized dance collections, masters

theses and doctoral dissertations that examine the practices of selected professional

critics, published texts that use dance writings or writers as a point of departure for other

inquiries, and a small sample of specifically pedagogical writings.

2.2.1.3.1 Indirect Pedagogical Approaches

Though not explicitly pedagogical in their objectives, some meta-critical works

offer indirect perspectives for the teaching of dance criticism. What is Dance? Readings

in Theory and Criticism, is a landmark anthology of writings on dance edited by Cohen

and Copeland in 1982, and exemplifies the tendency for such anthologized works to

devote a section to issues of criticism. This particular volume contains a section that

includes six essays drawn from a selection of dance writers, all of whom have been

referenced in the introduction to this chapter: Gautier, Levinson, Van Vechten, Denby,

Jowitt and Croce.

Another valuable collection of four articles on criticism by dance scholar Sally

Banes introduces her anthology, Writing Dancing in the Age of Postmodernism. Banes’

collection includes historical, theoretical, and practical information about the practice of

writing about dance. Among her selections is a useful exemplar, “On Your Fingertips:

Writing Dance Criticism,” which provides explicit links between the traditional critical

activities of description, interpretation and evaluation, and their value in the practice of

dance criticism (24–43).

37

The Routledge Dance Studies Reader also contains a small section on “reviewing

dance” that features, among other entries, an essay in which Siegel discusses the

challenges of viewing dance forms from divergent cultures. Here, she acknowledges the

influence of Laban training in her approach to dance writing, and also points to several

other organizational devices she has found useful in viewing an embodied performance of

any kind or any cultural derivation (Siegel Bridging 91-97). She refers to the construction

of a lexicon for each piece,24 the identification of the structural elements and

orchestration of parts in a work, along with the performance practices of its participants.

Siegel highlights the element of selection in the writing enterprise, and concludes that

ultimately, it is the dance itself which informs the viewer about its constitutive properties.

Siegel’s essay points to another source of meta-critical works that often provide indirect

pedagogical implications. Since the 1980s, multicultural awareness in educational

research and publications has given rise to a number of works that address the problems

of writing about dance forms from diverse cultural traditions. Deirdre Sklar’s "Five

Premises for a Culturally Sensitive Approach to Dance,” Brenda Dixon Gottschild”s

“Some Notes on Choreographing History,” and Sal Murgiyanto’s "Seeing and Writing

about World Dance,” among others, exemplify this trend in recent scholarship, as does

David Gere’s previously cited anthology based on the DCA conference, Looking Out:

Perspectives on Dance and Criticism in a Multicultural World.

Several meta-critical works are even more specific in their scope, yet provide

interesting perspectives on the critical enterprise. A recent volume, First We Take

24A small pamphlet, “Using Lexicons for Performance Research,” presents an explanation of this device bySiegel.

38

Manhattan, by British author Diana Theodores argues that the work of four selected

American critics ought to be considered “The New York School” of dance criticism.25

From this polemical perspective, Theodores provides an analysis of critical excerpts from

four major dance writers, and includes interview material from each of the writers that

point to some of their approaches to the writing task. Here, for example, one can learn

that Jowitt (132) and Siegel (92) studied with New York optometrist Richard Kavner to

improve their visual perception, or that all four writers acknowledge their debt to the

earlier writing career of Edwin Denby. A notable revelation found in this volume attests

to the lack of established procedures for practicing dance criticism, in the

acknowledgment both by Siegel and her predecessor Edwin Denby that the lack of an

accepted set of practices for writing about dance offered them the freedom of

experimentation (96).

Lynne Conner added a valuable publication to this literature in 1997, Spreading

the Gospel of the Modern Dance, which presents the history of three early writers of

newspaper criticism, with an analysis of their writing styles and a discussion of the

relationship of their output to the concurrent development of modern dance as an

American art form. Another recent work, “Making Dances, Making Essays: Academic

Writing in the Study of Dance,” collaboratively researched by Mitchell et al., reports on a

project in the UK, which makes explicit links for students of dance between the practices

of choreography and writing. Focusing on the similarities between the development of an

essay and the making of a dance, the researchers advocate a socially oriented approach,

25The critics so considered are Marcia B Siegel, Deborah Jowitt, Nancy Goldner and Arlene Croce.

39

based on a model of personal identity formation by Rom Harré, and point to shared

choreographic and writing skills, such as organization and selection of material.

Published in a volume edited by Lea and Stierer, which features the use of writing in

“new” contexts,26 their efforts both point to the lack of established methods and literature

on the subject, and make a contribution to knowledge in this area.

Theses and dissertations which embrace a meta-critical approach to dance

criticism include works devoted to an analysis of the work of a single writer, such as

Herthel’s 1966 dissertation on the critical methods of John Martin, or Tomko’s thesis on

the writings of Carl Van Vechten, and those which take a comparative approach, such as

Meltzer’s thesis, which examines the work of Clive Barnes, Arlene Croce, Deborah

Jowitt, Elizabeth Kendall, Marcia Siegel, and David Vaughn.

Essays about their personal writing practices by professional critics, such as

Jowitt’s “A Private View of Criticism,” or Siegel’s “"Education of a Dance Critic: The

Bonsai and the Lumberjack,” also provide illumination on critical practice, as do

occasional published interviews with writers of dance, such as Patricia Stöckemann’s

conversation with Marcia B. Siegel in Ballett International or Walter Terry’s Dance

Magazine interview with John Martin.

26 Mary R. Lea and Barry Stierer, eds., Student Writing in Higher Education: New Contexts. (Buckingham:The Society for Research into Higher Education, 2000).

40

2.2.1.3.2 Pedagogical Approaches

As yet, however, there is not an extensive body of work devoted to the practice of

producing dance criticism, and no classroom textbook which might be used in the service

of an educator wishing either to improve the quality of dance writing in existing

coursework, or to introduce curricular offerings in this area. Larry Lavender’s scholarship

comprises the most comprehensive collection of work in this area, consisting of one

book, a PhD dissertation, “Critical Evaluation in the Choreography Class,” and various

scholarly articles. Wendolyn Oliver has also made a significant contribution, both in the

article she co-authored with Lavender, "Learning to "See" Dance: The Role of Critical

Writing in the Development of Students' Aesthetic Awareness," and in her own PhD

dissertation, “Dance Criticism in Education: An Event-Centered Pedagogical Model for

College Students.” Lavender’s Dancers Talking Dance presents a theory and detailed

method of critical evaluation for students of choreography, which contains useful

applications toward a more general pedagogy of dance criticism. Oliver’s PhD

dissertation proposes a method for including critical writing in performance-based

curricula, and argues for curricular change in this direction. The 1993 collaborative

article by Lavender and Wendy Oliver contains important groundwork for advancing

such curricular reform, but there has been little published follow-up to these ideas.

Recently, an anthology devoted to the teaching of writing in higher education included a

report on a study conducted by Sally Mitchell et al. about the value of establishing

parallels between choreography and writing for students of dance.

41

2.2.1.3.2.1 Lavender’s Model

Lavender’s book, Dancers Talking Dance, advances the argument that dance

writing is an essential element in classroom studio practice. Theorizing that the act of

writing about dance necessitates a period of reflection and organization that benefits the

creators of dance in their involve-ment with the compositional process, Lavender

delineates a procedure he has developed and tested in studio contexts. Adopting the

acronym O.R.D.E.R. (observation, reflection, discussion, evaluation and

recommendations for revision), the book methodically grounds and details these stages of

Lavender’s recommended classroom approach.

Lavender’s scholarship has been valuable in my own research in a number of

ways. He has grounded his work in educational and philosophical contexts that have

provided inspiration and support for my inquiries. In addition, he has established a

foothold within the dance discipline for advocating writing as a vital tool for practitioners

of the art form, has produced a body of literature on this subject, and has been a

spokesperson at scholarly conferences about the need for dance writing in the curricula of

institutions of higher education. Because of the longstanding reliance on studio practice

as the central approach to academic dance studies, Lavender’s work holds important

potential for influence in terms of curricular change, enabling the writing experience to

occupy a place of importance within the dance domain. While I concur with his findings

and support his commitment to incorporating the writing experience into studio practice,

my own aim is to mine the writings produced by student writers in order to uncover the

42

understandings they reveal, and to seek an approach to teaching dance writing as a

practice that is not explicitly linked to the context of choreographic work.

2.2.1.3.2.2 Oliver’s Model

Oliver’s concerns are aligned at many points to my own. Her dissertation

confirms that there is little research that addresses a pedagogical foundation for the

incorporation of dance criticism (Dance Criticism 35). Her assertion that “dance criticism

may be written primarily for the education of the writer” (1) echoes my own convictions

about the potential benefits of including writing in dance curricula, particularly with

regard to the links between higher-order thinking skills of analysis and synthesis required

in the writing process (2). Oliver’s approach to student criticism is driven by the tenets of

discipline-based art education (DBAE) theory, which suggest that the way to teach

students to write critically is to structure the writing project so that it imitates the

practices of professional critics. While I do not disagree that there is a great deal to be

learned about dance criticism from an investigation of professional critical practice, I

have indicated previously that critics themselves often acknowledge the lack of

prescribed rules for the practice of their craft.27 Oliver studies a group of critics and their

writings and infers from those a set of guidelines on which she bases her pedagogical

model. Again, I find value and inspiration in Oliver’s work, but what I am advocating

27 See pg. 38 for an acknowledgement of this situation by both Denby and Siegel, for example.

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— not in opposition, but rather as a complement to this approach — is an examination of

what students are actually doing when they write — as a means of exploring the value of

this enterprise.

2.2.1.3.2.3 A Descriptive Approach

These important pedagogical contributions are closely related to my inquiry in

various ways. As dance educators, we are all intent upon furthering knowledge about the

critical writing experience in dance. I share many of the pedagogical beliefs and values

promoted by both of these authors. What differentiates my approach in this particular

study, however, is that these are fundamentally prescriptive approaches, while it is my

intention to contribute descriptive research about dance writing. As Lavender and Oliver

have done through their prescriptive models, I hope to inform curricular development by

demonstrating the value and complexity of a set of existing student writings.

Furthermore, I am interested in the development of coursework in dance criticism

that is not limited to a specific studio or staged context, such as the use of writing within

Lavender’s choreography classes, or the critical writing assignments designed to be

incorporated within Oliver’s studio or history courses. By adding to these already

existing models for teaching critical practice, I hope to deepen the knowledge and expand

the conversation about the academic benefits of such curricular initiatives.

2.2.2 Movement Analysis

The quest to find a language capable of effectively capturing the transient, non-

verbal experience of dance has proven troublesome for philosophers, dance historians,

44

critics and other scholars working to capture the art of dance for centuries. The task has

proven sufficiently troublesome that the transmission of dance from one generation to the

next has been obliged to rely largely on oral tradition while its primary artifacts have

been pictorial or sculptural representations — thus relegating the understandings of a

moving art to the limitations of memory on the one hand, and to those attributes which

could be gleaned from still images on the other. Early attempts to devise methods of

recording western theatrical dance yielded a variety of style-specific systems, such as the

Feuillet method28 of notation in the 18th century which was created not with preservation

as its purpose, but as a self-teaching method. Similar to other attempts, this system of

symbols is limited to the specific ballet and court dance vocabulary of its own period and

tends to leave much to the imagination, especially for those not familiar with the

historical particulars of its style.

2.2.2.1 Contributions of Laban

In the early twentieth century, an important breakthrough in these longstanding

efforts occurred when Rudolph Laban produced a new system for recording movement,

called Labanotation. A Hungarian-born dancer and theorist who rejected the hegemony of

classical ballet and sought to free movement from the restrictions and conventions of any

prescribed tradition, Laban worked to create a system capable of recording any human

movement in order to produce a recording instrument not tethered to a particular style of

28This system, often referred to as the Feuillet-Beauchamps system, was originally published in 1700 in avolume called Choréographie by Raoul-Anger Feuillet.

45

dance, but one based instead on the universal movement capacities of the human body.

Laban’s system has continued to develop and expand into the present time, monitored

and regulated through biennial meetings of an international group of practitioners and

theorists known as the International Council of Kinetography Laban (ICKL), whose

active multinational membership itself attests to the relative success of this system over

its predecessors.

Laban’s principles have been effectively applied to the recording of a wide range

of human movement, encompassing the physical habits of factory workers to the folk

dances of many countries; from the movement of sports to various forms of theatrical

dance, and even to the movement of animals. In addition to providing a means for

recording the structural details of movement, Laban’s ideas have branched into several

inter-related systems for movement investigation, such as the system now known as

Laban Movement Analysis (LMA), which is concerned with the dynamic qualities of

movement and their many implications. Another branch, known as Motif Writing, has

been adapted from the structured notation system to record the broad intentions of

movement without all the detail, and has been useful in various pedagogical, research and

creative applications.

2.2.2.2 Laban’s Influence

Because Laban’s work is multi-faceted, it has been adopted in a wide variety of

research and higher education settings and has had a significant influence on the ways

that many western dancers and scholars have come to conceptualize movement. Like any

system of analysis, the Laban approach, once learned and practiced, has the capacity to

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influence its practitioners’ awareness and conceptualization of movement, much the way

the learning of a language sifts deeply down through the layers of understanding an

individual speaker constructs of the world. Siegel, for example, has acknowledged that

her awareness of the spatial, temporal and weight qualities of movement were heightened

through her studies of Laban’s work, and that she has adapted this knowledge to inform

both her perception and her writings about dance (Stöckemann 19). She has also

commented on her own tendency to privilege the dynamics of movement, the placement

of body parts, the spatial intentions of movement and other characteristics drawn from

her Laban training:

I am Laban-trained . . . . The Laban systems draw attention to dynamics,the use of space and time and weight, to phrasing, transitions, the shapeof the movement, parts of the body used or not used, and to theperformer’s sense of the space through which he or she is moving(Bridging 94).

My own dance education has also been deeply informed by Laban’s work, as is

the pedagogical orientation of the academic setting in which the papers were produced. In

an important but perhaps unquantifiable sense, I, my colleagues and students are all to

varying degrees inscribed by this way of conceiving movement and it is important to

acknowledge that these ideas inform our teaching and learning in ways both subtle and

profound.29 In the methodolgy for this study that is delineated in the succeeding chapter,

29 The pervasive influence of Laban’s work in the particular academic setting in which the student writingswere produced occurs in both direct and indirect ways. While some student writers had taken course workin Laban’s notation system, others had encountered language and a means of analyzing movement based onLaban’s work, either in composition classes or in physical training (technique) classes, where Laban’ssystem of categorizing time, space, weight and flow enter the world of studio practice.

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there are several components of the analysis that are concerned with movement and its

description. Because this is a study cast in my own words about the words of student

writers, the particular language that has shaped my thinking about movement is a central

component of the project. Although a detailed explication of Laban’s terminology and

approach to movement analysis is unnecessary, I will briefly review those principles of

the system that have influenced the language in which the coding sheets of the student

writings have been articulated.

2.2.2.3 Selected Principles of Laban

In Laban’s analysis of movement, the four movement factors which serve as the

connective tissue of a given dance are time, space, weight and flow. In any dance, there is

a temporal reality, which defines the duration of the event and also its internal rhythmic

character. A dance always occurs in space, so that it is possible to examine pathways and

levels of spatial usage, as well as attitudes towards space such as a direct, focused

approach or a more flexible, multi-spatial approach. Dance also involves the use of

weight, which can be characterized by various modifiers, such as lightness, buoyancy or

strength. The final of these factors is flow, that property of movement which is

concerned with the continuity of motion at any given time. A movement may be

performed, for example, with a free-flowing quality, or it may be performed in a

constrained, or bound manner.

Laban Movement Analysis (L.M.A.), as it is currently practiced, has been

influenced by a variety of scholars and practitioners of the system. It revolves around the

observation of four main categories, collected under the acronym B.E.S.S., which refers

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in turn to aspects of the body, the dynamics of the body’s range of effort, the bodily use

of space, and the formation of bodily shapes. The first component of this acronym refers

to aspects of the body, such as the identification and actions of body parts used in a given

performance, their relationship to each other and to the theatrical setting, and references

to the sequencing of those relationships, including the initiation and conclusion of

specific movement tasks. The second component refers to the effort expended by the

body in executing a given movement, or the dynamic range of the movement performed,

including the particularities of the body’s use of weight, the use of time, the flow of

movement, and the space in which the movement occurs. The component of shape refers

to the way in which the body interacts with its environment, and the component of space

refers to the directions, pathways and levels of movement.

There are a variety of other analytical approaches to movement description that

are based on Laban’s work. One model, set forth by Valerie Preston-Dunlop,30

conceptualizes a set of five body actions plus stillness as a blueprint for analyzing basic

dance movement. In this formulation, non-weight-bearing bodily action is referred to as a

gesture, a transfer of weight from one supporting body part to another is called a step, a

traveling sequence of actions is referred to as locomotion, a change of facing of the body

is called a turn or rotation, and an airborne action is referred to as a jump. These

30Preston-Dunlop’s work, A Handbook for Dance in Education, is an exploration of sixteen basic,movement themes delineated in Laban’s 1948 work Modern Educational Dance. The material I amdescribing here is concerned with “Theme VI: The Instrumental Use of the Body and Technique,” featuredin Preston-Dunlop on pp. 51 – 9.

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fundamental categories for describing movement, which are expressive without being

encumbered by the complexities of analytical jargon, were influential in my choices of

language for categorizing movement in the coding sheets.31

2.2.2.4 Language Limitations

Although Laban’s particular methods of analysis have had both a direct and

indirect hand in shaping this study, I hasten to add that it has been my habit and remains

my belief that in helping students to write critically about dance, a more evocative and

generally descriptive use of language is needed, one which puts the writers’ varying

degrees of familiarity with dance to work, but challenges them to go beyond domain-

centered language, whether Laban-influenced or otherwise. As I hope to demonstrate in

chapter 3 as well as in the coding of student writings, I have limited my reliance on

Laban-based language, and attempted to remain transparent in my usage when I have

borrowed from it.

2.3 Art Criticism

Because of the absence of extensive scholarship toward a methodology for dance

criticism, I have turned frequently to the domain of art criticism, which provides a

relative wealth of literature on this subject, from philosophical to pedagogical works.

Early authors and aestheticians such as John Dewey, Morris Weitz and Edmund Feldman

31I wish to reiterate here that this schema of Preston–Dunlop’s is one of many contained in her book, andnot the only analytical tool based on Laban’s work. Other models may privilege the notion of balance vs.off-balance, for example; still others place emphasis on relationships between dancers, and so on.

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established the foundations and laid important groundwork for the field. I have been more

directly influenced by the work of Terry Barrett and Sydney Walker, art education

scholars and critics of a more recent generation. Barrett’s numerous books and

publications on the subject, along with his teaching, have exerted the greatest influence

on my own thinking about critical writing as well as on my approach to teaching it.

Walker’s work in content analysis provided me with the basic introduction to this

method, and has served as my primary guide in the application of those tenets.

2.3.1 Similarities and Differences

In designing this study, I have been guided by the knowledge that art critics have

established, as well as by my growing interest in the differences between the practices of

producing art criticism and those involved in the production of dance criticism. Although

there is a great deal of shared terrain between the lexicon and practices of writing about

dance and those of the visual arts, fundamental differences between them underscore the

importance of creating a distinct pedagogical approach for the teaching of dance

criticism. While both practices share a concern for line, shape, form, color, and spatial

design, distinctions linked to the involvement of the moving human form must also be

considered, if effective pedagogical practices are to be developed for dance criticism.

Postmodern choreographer Yvonne Rainer once remarked that “dance is hard to

see” (68). Based on this statement, it follows that writing about dance is also a

challenging endeavor. The transient nature of dance poses unique perceptual and

linguistic challenges for its viewers. Unlike most visual art, dance disappears as it is

being produced, existing only in its moment-to-moment unfolding in time and space.

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While visual art offers the viewer the luxury of time in which to reflect and then write

about it, dance evaporates into thin air, leaving no trace but the memories it has produced

in the viewer. In this sense, even its “objective” reality might be called into question,

since it eludes traditional validation and replication practices. Indeed, philosopher Paul

Ziff has questioned the likelihood that the moving target of a dancer, caught in a temporal

situation that can never be exactly reproduced, and necessarily seen from a variety of

positions in the performing space, could ever be considered with the same kind of

expectations for validity that accompany statements about more stable art forms (Ziff

75). While many of the traditional procedures and theories which ground the practice of

art criticism are useful, therefore, there is also a need to examine those procedures and

practices which are specific to the elusive art form of dance.

2.3.2 Critical Activities

Whether critical writing addresses visual, aural, or performing, art, its task

demands a use of language which is not relegated to any particular system or theoretical

framework. I agree with art critic Edmund Feldman who advocates the use of ‘unloaded’

language (467) in describing an experience of art as well as with Barrett, who cautions

that critical description has documentary value for persons who may only experience a

work of art indirectly, through writing about it, and therefore demands accuracy.

(Photographs 17). Barrett thus calls for “carefully constructed language . . . which

increases our understanding and appreciation. . . (36).” As mentioned previously, I

strongly feel that a vocabulary weighted down by jargon or filtered exclusively through

the lens of one theoretical perspective belongs to a type of discourse too specific for

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criticism. Good critical writing is meant to inform a present or future reading audience

not necessarily familiar with the specific terminology of a given area of artistic inquiry.

The activities of description, interpretation and evaluation in writing about art

continue to form the core aspects in most guides on art criticism, and these traditional

aspects of criticism have been applicable in both my teaching as well as in the

formulation of categories for this analysis of student writings. To these, Feldman has

added the critical activity of analysis, which he describes as a further refinement of

description (Practical 28),32 and insists that criticism must proceed in a prescribed order:

description, analysis, interpretation, evaluation. Barrett, who does not prescribe a specific

order of activities, adds the activity of theorizing (Photographs 2),33 a useful category for

pointing to governing assumptions about works of art. I have also found useful a

distinction between internal and external information (Barrett Art 22), or intrinsic and

extrinsic criticism (Copeland and Cohen 422), in creating the analytical framework for

the student writings. Finally, the framework for my study has also incorporated into the

battery of critical operations Sally Banes’ category of contextualization, the activity of

placing a work of art in a larger landscape or network of specific external relationships

(Writing 25).

32 Barrett does not list this activity as a separate function from description in his textbooks for studentcriticism. Although I view it a useful distinction in principle, I agree with the conclusion in Oliver’sdissertation (117) that it is more often utilized by professional critics than student writers. I have thereforeeliminated it from the categories of critical activities used in the coding sheets of the student writings.

33 Barrett ascribes the addition of theorizing as a critical activity to the work of aesthetician Morris Weitz.

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2.4 Art Education

Both in the initial design of my study and in the revisions and conclusions I have

formed in its enactment, my approach has been grounded in various studies from the

expansive domain of art education. In reviewing the literature that has been especially

valuable in my thinking about my study, I will consider the areas of cognitive research on

the nature of understanding, on knowledge acquisition and learning transfer, and on the

role of writing in the learning process.

2.4.1 A Constructivist Approach

The central research question that lies at the heart of this study is an inquiry about

the kinds of understandings that student writings reveal about dance. Though it is widely

assumed that understanding is an essential goal of education, it is a term which has

multiple connotations, and I wish to ground my own approach to this complex concept

within a constructivist perspective on teaching and learning, a cognitive model that is

founded on the belief that knowledge acquisition is actively constructed by the knower.

2.4.2 Knowledge Acquisition

Dictionary definitions of understanding reflect its common usage as “a faculty of

comprehension or reasoning,” (Oxford English Dictionary), “the capacity for rational

thought or inference or discrimination” (Random House), or “a mental grasp:

comprehension, especially the capacity to apprehend general relations of particulars”

(Merriam-Webster). While these are useful definitions, closely allied with the nature of

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my inquiry, I find that Jerome Bruner’s simple but eloquent rendering of the term, “to go

beyond the information given,” both transcends them and is more specifically aligned

with the context of an investigation into teaching and learning.34

These characterizations of understanding conflict with previous ideas about the

nature of knowledge acquisition. In earlier ‘symbols systems’ and behaviorist theories

about learning, educational practice was based on a characterization of the learner as the

more passive recipient of an increasing supply of facts, which grew in complexity as they

increased in quantity. Recent cognitive research counters these models with an opposing

view of the learner’s role in understanding.

In Art, Mind and Education, Howard Gardner and David Perkins have collected a

series of articles that have summarized much of this research, which underpins the

research design for my study. Perkins, who has published numerous works on the subject

of understanding, states that understanding is web-like, and that it “involves knowing

how different things relate to one another” (114). For him, “understanding is a

performance, a capacity to think and act flexibly with what one knows, distinguished

from the more common view of understanding as a mental representation” (Wiske 7).

Vito Perrone, whose work is also featured in this collection, points out that what learners

need to do is to “make new connections between their various worlds” (14). This

premium placed on making relationships between elements of the learner’s experience is

34 Though I have been inspired by many of the writings of Bruner, this particular idea was referenced in awork by Perkins, and is a reference to Bruner’s 1973 work, Beyond the Information Given: Studies in thePsychology of Knowing.

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a principle which guided my exploration of student understandings and, as I will argue

later, is one of the primary reasons that work in criticism should be included in the dance

curriculum.

Based on this more active conceptualization of the learner’s role in understanding,

recent trends in educational practice call for the integration of “performance

assessments,” activities which require the learner to stretch beyond information-gathering

into a concrete demonstration of knowledge.35 Taking a similar stance, Perkins advocates

a “performance view of understanding,” explaining that the broad implication of this

view is that “developing understanding should be thought of as attaining a repertoire of

complex performances [in which] attainment is less like acquiring something and more

like learning to act flexibly (52). Fellow researcher Wiske adds that what is required for

students to reach understanding is "reflective engagement,” which she characterizes as

moving beyond simple recall or repetition of learned facts (76). My view of dance

criticism in classroom contexts matches this sense of “performance,” and has informed

my inquiry into the value and outcomes of student writings.

2.4.3 Domain Specificity

Previous views of cognition were also based on the notion that learning proceeds

in basically the same way without differentiation among fields of study. Efland has

referred to these as “content-free learning theories,” since all were believed to operate in

exactly the same way, regardless of subject matter, (Cognition 138) a misconception of

35A very useful and multi-perspectival collection of research on this phenomenon in education research isfound in Blum and Arter, including articles by the editors, Shavelson and Newmann.

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considerable influence among teachers according to Richard Prawat (“Beliefs” 357). The

works of more recent theorists, however, have demonstrated that there is a domain

specificity about knowledge, which holds important consequences for teaching and

learning (Perkins and Salomon 24; Koroscik “Understanding” 11). In addition, Efland

cites further research by Spiro, Feltovich et al. which describes what they have called

“cognitive flexibility theory” (Efland “Spiral” 143). Among other indications, this theory

suggests that while certain domains of knowledge such as physics or mathematics can be

described as “well-structured” — amenable to highly propositional, hierarchical forms of

instruction and organization, others such as various aspects of law, medicine and art can

best be described as “ill-structured,” or more complexly organized domains that require a

case-by-case approach for teaching and learning (Efland Cognition 121). Efland has

developed a visual metaphor and corresponding model for these findings,36 which cast

earlier learning theories into the form of a spiral curriculum, while current theories are

represented by a lattice curriculum, connoting a constant pattern of crisscrossing

information, thus fostering the making of connections (Efland, “Spiral”). This view of

art as an ill-structured domain, which insists that knowledge is best acquired through

exposure to a number of individual cases, lends the authority of cognitive research not

only to my advocacy of writing about individual dance works, but also to the decision to

build the study around a range of writings about a performance event.

36 Efland’s new work, Art and Cognition, which was instrumental in my thinking when it was still inmanuscript form, has just been released at the time of this writing. In it, he goes beyond the lattice conceptto yet another metaphor derived from city planning. This metaphor of “the hub” will figure in chapter 5.

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2.4.4 Knowledge Transfer

Another stream of information in the area of cognitive research concerns those

findings which substantiate significant differences between novice and expert learners

and their respective uses of lower-order and higher-order thinking skills (Koroscik

Potential). Research about these differences has uncovered relevant information about

variances in the organization of the learner’s knowledge base, strategies available to the

learner for acquiring new knowledge, predictable pitfalls which indicate problems in the

learner’s knowledge base, and the importance of learner disposition in the overall

development of knowledge. This information, in turn, is integrally related to issues of

domain structure, since patterns of involvement in these areas vary according to the type

of knowledge domain under consideration. Integral to the framing of my study has been

what Koroscik (“Understanding” 14), and others have defined as the most desirable

learning outcome, the “coalescence” of all of this activity — the ability to transfer

acquired knowledge to new learning situations. In chapter 5, I will argue that this notion

of transfer has particularly strong ties to the work of criticism.

Efland maintains that the educational task now at hand is to embrace what he calls

a neo-constructivist view of cognition, one which places the interconnectedness of ideas

and works as its central goal, a task he suggests is most easily accomplished through the

medium of language (Cognition 103). Jerome Bruner, credited with initiating the

cognitive revolution in the late 1950s, in his recent works Actual Minds, Possible World

and Acts of Meaning, has called for a return to the original impulse of that revolution,

which he describes as the quest to understand learning not as a computational function

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but as a meaning-making quest, accomplished through modes of reasoning that

foreground the understanding and application of knowledge. Michael Parsons describes

this change as a shift from epistemological to psychological concerns, emphasizing the

idea of teaching for meaning rather than for the accumulation of conceptual knowledge.37

In summary, both my philosophy as an educator in general, and the design of my

study of student writings in particular have been deeply influenced by a constructivist

view of knowledge and understanding. Recent research about the active nature of

knowledge acquisition, the domain specificity and complexly organized structure of

dance as a disciplinary activity, and the emphasis on knowledge transfer as the most

desirable outcome of the educational enterprise have conspired to shape my study in a

variety of ways, as will become obvious in succeeding chapters.

2.5 Writing to Learn

We do not select our words simply in recognition of outercircumstances, but also to satisfy inner desires . . . By composingour language, we compose ourselves.

(Gibson 17)

As a study which features the writings of students, my analysis has also been

influenced by the literature on writing to learn, a discrete body of work which began to

develop in the mid-1960s largely as a reaction to theories of learning that were based on a

computational model of cognition. According to acknowledgments in Mayher et al.,38 the

37 Personal communication, March 1997.

38 John S. Mayher, Nancy Lester and Gordon M Pradl. Learning to Write; Writing to Learn. (Portsmouth,NH: Boynton, 1983).

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trend began in Great Britain under the leadership of educator James Britton. In the United

States, Janet A. Emig was an early proponent of these ideas, which have also been

espoused by Peter Elbow, Donald Graves, Walker Gibson and other researchers.39

Though explicit theories of learning are not always acknowledged by these authors, a

constructivist perspective is implied in their views about the necessity for active, engaged

learning by individually motivated learners.

Written primarily by and for teachers of English composition for elementary

through college levels, this literature is filled with practical information and research, and

carries implications for writing in all disciplines. Although a wide range of issues is

addressed and various positions are taken, certain common assumptions and practices

emerge throughout the literature. I found in this work validation of my own experiences

with writing as teacher and learner, useful suggestions and applications for teaching

dance criticism, and clarifications on writing assessment practices and classroom

management strategies.

2.5.1 Fundamental Concepts

Writing-to-learn theorists define writing as “word choice on paper” (Mayher et al.

1), a definition which precludes copy-writing of any kind, multiple choice instruments,

and even the written regurgitation of memorized ideas. The point is frequently stressed

that the writer — unlike a speaker — can most often take words back during the

formative stages of writing through erasure or disposal, until they are deemed

39 The work of these scholars is discussed in Mayher et al. Citations of works by the individual authors arealso noted in the works cited section.

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satisfactory. The writer confronts an empty page, actively determines the words that will

be inscribed there, and shapes them through a process of revision and editing until

satisfied. This reflective, creative process often involves a phenomenon which Britton

describes as “shaping at the point of utterance,” as when a speaker in a social setting

responds to the dynamics of his listeners to produce a thought which had not previously

consolidated in his mind (Mayher et al. 5). Like E. M . Forster’s famous remark, “How

can I tell what I think, till I see what I say?”40 Britton’s interest lies in the way thought

can gel or develop in the very act of forming language to express it.

2.5.2 Related Aspects of Thinking and Learning

Several authors, including Emig,41 Mason and Washington, situate their

perspectives on writing within the framework of other inter-related aspects of thinking,

notably the additional language-based activities of reading, speaking and listening — and

for Washington and Mason,42 remembering. Janet Emig, whose collection of essays

attests by title to her affiliation with the ideas of Soviet psychologist Lev Vygotsky,

claims that the writer is obliged to engage in what Vygotsky referred to as a “deliberate

structuring of the web of meaning” (129). She cites Bruner’s three categories (Emig 126)

for representing actuality — the enactive, the iconic and the symbolic — as significantly

40 E.M. Forster. Aspects of the Novel. (San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1927).

41 Janet Emig. "Writing as a Mode of Learning." The Web of Meaning: Essays on Writing, Teaching,Learning and Thinking. Dixie Goswami and Maureen Butler, eds. (Upper Montclair, NJ: Boynton/Cook,1983).

42 Jeff Mason and Peter Washington. The Future of Thinking: Rhetoric and Liberal Arts Teaching. London:Routledge, 1992.

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linked in the writing act: “the symbolic transformation of experience through the specific

symbol system of verbal language is shaped into an icon (the graphic product) by the

enactive hand” (Emig 126). In addition, Emig points up the temporal qualities of writing

— its slowness compared to talking — and the characteristic necessity for the writer to

shuttle back and forth among past, present and future through the editing and revising

processes, thus connecting “the three tenses of [our] experience to make meaning” (129).

She proposes various alignments between reading, listening, speaking and writing, such

as her division between the processes of creating and originating. Thus for Emig, in

reading and listening one creates or recreates meaning from a text, while in speaking and

writing one not only creates but also originates the text (124). Michael Parson’s research

in the philosophy and history of art education has also provided grist for a study based on

the use of language. Convinced that language essentially supersedes other media for

understanding, Parsons writes:

. . . language is not just another medium to think with. It is uniquebecause it is indissolubly merged with our understandings of theworld in general. It embodies and represents our whole lifeworld,the horizon of meanings against which we live our life, the water inwhich we meaning-making humans swim (Cognition 83).

Also insightful with regard to my research has been Mason and Washington’s

plea for a return to the values of rhetoric in higher education. Though they do not

associate themselves specifically with the writing-to-learn school, they too imply a

constructivist orientation to learning, which posits an active learner, attempting to build

knowledge through meaning-making engagement with the content of study. Their

individual analyses of the aspects of thinking are insightful and stimulating investigations

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of beliefs that are often assumed or taken for granted in teaching. After examining them

in turn, the authors conclude that writing is the most complex activity, consolidating the

work of the other related aspects of thought:

Words on the page stay put in a way that sounds in the air do not.They have a kind of spurious stability. . . The writer can rereadwhat he or she has written . . . With that development, it canbecome a means of taking stock of one’s thinking so far, to lookback and ahead. To write is to call, “Time out, I am going to workthis out for myself” (Mason and Washington 31).

In reviewing various strands of inquiry from the diverse literature of art

education, I have tried to situate my study within a network of research that both

undergirds and connects my work within a broader discursive community. I shall return

to these concepts as I discuss their pedagogical relevance to the research findings of this

study in chapter 5.

2.6 Content Analysis

Content analysis is a qualitative research method that provides a systematic means

for extracting symbolic meaning from various kinds of data. In the chapter on data

collection methods in Designing Qualitative Research, Marshall and Rossman point out

that content analysis is a specialized instrument, “best thought of as an overall approach,

a method, and an analytic strategy,” entailing the “systematic examination of forms of

communication to document patterns objectively” (85). Walker,43 Callow,44

43 It was Sydney Walker who first introduced me to this research method. Her work "Thinking Strategiesfor Interpretation," published in Studies in Art Education 37.2, 1996 utilizes content analysis.

44 Kathleen Callow. Man and Message: A Guide to Meaning-Based Text Analysis. (Lanham, MD: UP ofAmerica, 1998.

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Krippendorff45 and others who have used and written about this research tool explain that

researchers using it must devise their own procedures, depending on the aims of their

inquiries and the types of data being explored. In choosing a method for my inquiry, I

found that content analysis permitted both a context-sensitive instrument, and a form of

document review that was unobtrusive, enabling me to examine student writings without

ongoing involvement of the students themselves. Its advantages as a method of analysis

include its explicit procedures, which allow the research findings to be confirmed by the

reader.

Klaus Krippendorff, Professor of Communication at the Annenenberg

School of Communication in Pennsylvania, defines content analysis as “a research

technique for making replicable and valid inferences from data to their context” (21).

Derived from the practices of journalism, this method has evolved into present uses that

encompass such diverse fields of inquiry as sociology, political science, propaganda

analysis, and advertising. Its methods are flexible enough to be used in the analysis of

visual and non-verbal data, and have been applied to media as diverse as comic strips and

political speeches; textbooks and radio broadcasts. In more recent research applications,

this method has also been adapted for the analysis of characters in quantified units of

television viewing (Krippendorff 31).

Walker has published some of her work with the methodology,46 and has taught

the method, which accounts for my introduction to it. I have followed a systematic

45 Klaus Krippendorff. Content Analysis: An Introduction to its Methodology (Beverl;y Hills, CA: SagePublications, 1980).

46Sydney R. Walker. "Thinking Strategies for Interpretation." Studies in Art Education, 37.2, 1996.69-91.

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procedure guided by her and informed by my readings of Krippendorff, Callow, and

others. The details of this methodology and my particular adaptation of it for this study

will be thoroughly explained in the following chapter.

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CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY


Content analysis is an established qualitative procedure that allows for the

systematic extraction of symbolic meaning from diverse forms of data. As the central

methodology for this study, it has enabled the kind of microscopic probing of texts

necessary to fulfill the objectives of the research design — an examination of student

papers for the purpose of illuminating what written responses to dance performance

might reveal about student understandings of dance. Content analysis was selected as a

tool for this inquiry because it offers the means to go beyond the data as physical

phenomena, and to make inferences about their meaning as symbolic representations. It

offers an unobtrusive tool that can be used without disturbing the setting (Marshall and

Rossman 86), and is capable of generating both qualitative and quantitative results.

Content analysis is a flexible methodology that obliges the researcher to

customize the analytical instrument in order to address the aims of a given inquiry. In this

chapter, I will unfold the particular design, aims, and underlying principles governing my

analysis of student writings. My objective is to make transparent the specific practices

and decisions that have driven and informed this study. The chapter will present a

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description and explanation of the guiding principles of the methodology, as well as a

detailed explanation of the kinds of conceptual and theoretical underpinnings that have

particularized its formation as a means of inquiry for this study.

3.2 Preliminary Components of the Framework

As outlined by Klaus Krippendorff, an established practitioner and theorist of the

method, preliminary components of a framework for content analysis include a

description of the data as communicated to the researcher, the context of the data, and the

ways in which the analyst’s knowledge partitions the reality of the data (26).

3.2.1 Description of the Data

The raw data as communicated to the researcher consist of a group of nine student

writings, generated during the course of a class on dance criticism offered at the Ohio

State University in the autumn quarter of 1998. These papers were written in response to

the assigned viewing of a dance concert produced October 29, 30, and 31, 1998 in

Sullivant Hall Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. Given the ephemeral experience that a concert

of dance represents, the writings that the students composed, based on their experience of

the concert, translate a part of their engagement with this elusive art form into document

form, thus constituting “a linguistic representation of facts and experiences” of a non-

verbal event (Krippendorff 43).

Each of the nine papers in this data pool is comprised of approximately one

thousand words, and all nine papers respond to the same concert experience. The data

thus offers a body of written work generated in response to a common artistic event.

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Though the fact that the papers were to receive a grade is likely to have influenced the

degree of attention that guided their construction and presentation, the writings were not

selected for the study based on an assessment of quality. Indeed, the papers do not

represent exemplary writing: they are the second, and final, drafts of papers written as

class assignments, and they were produced without awareness — on the part of the

researcher or the students — that they would become the objects of such sustained

scrutiny.

3.2.2 The Context of the Data

Krippendorff points out that content analysis is inherently “context-sensitive,”

that there must be “explicit or implicit correspondence between the analytical procedure

and the relevant properties of the context” (49). In this study, both the context of the

concert and the context of the classroom, including the data selection, and the

composition of the study population, are significant in the evolution of the analytical

procedures.

3.2.2.1 The Classroom Context

During the autumn of 1998, the student writers whose work constitutes the basis

for the study were enrolled in a course in the Department of Dance at The Ohio State

University, called “Dance 691G: Aesthetics and Criticism.” As members of a classroom

community in which a fixed number of participants were engaged in an enterprise of

specific duration, the context for the study represents what is designated in qualitative

research practice as a bounded study. That is to say, the classroom population of twelve

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writers remained consistent, as did the requirements for class meetings: students met

twice weekly for an hour and a half, over a time-limited, ten-week period of study. The

content of the course involved ongoing critical readings, discussion and student writings

about a variety of dance experiences.

3.2.2.2 The Concert Context

Guidelines for developing the papers for this study stipulated that each of the

students produce a written response to a concert called “The Consigliere Collection.”47

Produced in partial fulfillment of requirements for an MFA degree in Dance, graduate

student Jim Cappelletti selected the title of the concert in reference to a central character

in a series of films known as “The Godfather” trilogy.48 As Cappelletti explains in a

program note for the concert, the term consigliere means to advise, a function which

Cappelletti considered representative of his role as concert director while reflecting his

Italian/American heritage.

The role of advisor was an appropriate title for Cappelletti in this venture. He had

elected to produce a “repertory concert,” a collection of works by various

choreographers, rather than an evening of works by a single artist. As a specimen for a

student critical writing assignment, the concert offered the probability of excellence:

Cappelletti had come to the Department of Dance after working professionally as a

dancer, and his ambitious project was strengthened by ties he had to choreographers

47 See Appendix C for a chronological list and description of the components of the program for thisconcert.

48 These popular films, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, were released in 1972, 1974, and 1990.

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outside of the department. As anticipated, his project yielded an exemplary evening of

choreography and performance, and constituted an ideal subject for an engaging writing

experience.

3.2.2.3 Data Selection

The course from which the study was derived included both critical readings and

discussion, as well as a continual series of short writing assignments both in and outside

of class. These shorter assignments were augmented by three more substantial papers, for

which students were required to produce at least two drafts. Selection of this particular

paper for analysis occurred approximately six months after the course had ended. The

decision to analyze this paper among many others completed during the course of study,

was guided by a number of considerations.

Criteria for selection began with a post-facto review of the nature and pedagogical

objectives of each assignment, focused on a consideration of its potential with regard to

the research question. Early in this process, I determined to make a selection from one of

the three longer papers. Unlike the shorter assignments of the course, these writings had

been edited and revised by the students, thus amounting to a writing sample that had been

carefully considered, and providing a critical mass for the content analysis.

The first of the three assignments had been based on an exercise described as an

"aesthetic autobiography,” adapted from a course design by Terry Barrett, in which

students could trace and articulate selected portions of their personal histories and thus

reflect the developing process of their individual engagements with the art form of dance.

Pedagogically, the aim of this paper was to offer students an initial writing experience in

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which they could enter the topic as experts, and at the same time immerse themselves in

an experience of consciousness about their own aesthetic groundings in the art form

about which they would be writing for the remainder of the course.

The second paper required that the students attend and write about a live

performance of dance. Assigned near the midpoint of the quarter, the task in this paper

was to draw from previous short classroom writing experiences based on filmed

performances, and to develop a paper based on a full evening of live performance. The

students were assigned to produce a paper directed to a general readership, in which they

were to construct a general response to their concert experience. Given the assignments

already completed and my pedagogical objectives at this point within the ten week period

of study, the students were assigned to emphasize descriptive and interpretative writing,

though the paper criteria49 had indicated that it would be acceptable for an evaluative

sense to emerge through other writing choices.

The final paper returned, of necessity, to the medium of film,50 but proposed a

reading audience with a deeper base of knowledge in the dance domain, such as the

readers of an essay or scholarly article on a specific single work of dance. In this case, the

students were given a choice of two substantive dance works for the assignment, both

49See Appendix D for the assignment as given to the students.

50I make this point because one of the considerations in developing coursework in dance criticism is theavailability of dances to write about. In any given quarter in my own academic institution, for example,writing must be tailored around available performances, and then supplemented by film, rehearsals, andstudio exercises

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choreographed by prominent contemporary choreographers. They were asked to examine

a specific aspect of the selected work, and to establish a persuasive point of view

regarding that aspect.

The first paper was eliminated for this analysis, based on its personal content

rather than a critical examination of a specific dance event. The third paper was deemed

less desirable for two reasons. In the first place, it offered a choice of two dances about

which to write and thus yielded a smaller sampling of papers for the purposes of

comparative study. In addition, since the assignment had been based on a filmed record

of dance, the writings it produced precluded the live engagement central to the ideal

dance viewing experience, and was thus deemed less desirable for both research and

pedagogical ends.

After careful consideration, the second of the three papers was selected as the best

choice for analysis. In the first place, this assignment involved writing about a live event,

precluding repeated viewings of the works under consideration, and thus more imitative

of the actual task of a dance critic writing for a local paper. Secondly, as a repertory

dance concert, this event brought together the works of six individual choreographers and

thus offered a wide variety of movement styles and choreographic approaches for the

writers to consider. Finally, the concert represented an exceptional graduate project,

combining a strong cast of well-rehearsed dancers and a high level of choreographic

offerings under the umbrella of a single concert.

In selecting this paper as the source material for the study, the open-ended

features of the assignment also emerged as a significant factor. That students were not

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guided to take an inclusive approach to all six dances on the concert program, nor asked

to approach the dances in any particular order, held interesting possibilities for analyzing

a variety of individual responses to the concert.

Another factor that guided the selection of this particular writing assignment was

the potential that this concert held for future research, since it had been professionally

video-taped for an airing on local public television, and could thus be used for subsequent

inquiries. In addition, the range of choreographic offerings that comprised the concert

extended the potential for future study, since the concert featured the work of several

acclaimed artists, allowing for the possibility of a later comparative analysis, examining

student writings about the concert works in relation to those of professional critics.

3.2.2.4 Limitations of the Data Selection

The selection of this paper was not without its own circumstantial challenges,

however. Based on the goals of artistic director Cappelletti, the assigned concert was

designed to appeal to a particularly general audience. In specifically marketing the

concert to attract viewers not accustomed to watching dance, Cappelletti had attempted to

optimize the experience of these viewers by inserting into the concert a series of video

clips, providing “behind-the-scenes” rehearsal footage and interviews with each of the six

choreographers and several of the performers. In addition to viewing the featured dances,

audience members experienced the presence of a videotape introducing the concert itself,

and each of the individual pieces comprising it. This unconventional addition introduced

an element not usually present in the concert experience, and one that demanded special

treatment within the design of the analysis, as will be seen shortly.

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At the opening of the concert, then, and prior to each dance, a large video screen

dropped down onto the stage area, and audience members were given a glimpse into the

processes and purposes of the choreographers and dancers rarely available to a typical

concert audience. This created an added element to which the writers would in turn

respond in their papers; it also created an unusual source of information, from which the

writers could draw in constructing their responses.

In terms of the research question, this added element necessitated special

attention, since the source of information from which the writers could draw in

responding to the performance became significant as a coding category. In my view,

however, this addition also added a layer of richness to the assignment, and its potential

drawbacks to the research design were outweighed by the advantages it offered and the

outstanding quality of the concert itself.

3.2.2.5 The Study Population

The group of writers who produced the texts for this study represent a mixed

group of writers, whose reasons for taking the course varied from the desire to strengthen

perceived weaknesses in writing skills, to the desire to improve abilities in this area, to

the desire to learn more about the analysis of dance or the practice of dance criticism.51

An upper-level offering, the course drew an enrollment that exceeded its limit of

ten students. The final classroom population consisted of ten graduate students in dance,

51Appendix A consists of transcripts of the student questionnaires. Questionnaire I, question 6 isparticularly relevant to this point.

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including one man and nine women; and two undergraduate women: one third year dance

major, and one fourth year Honors English major, who entered with a substantial

background in tap dance.

3.2.2.6 Limitations of the Study Population

One paper was produced in response to this assignment by each of the pool of

twelve writers in the classroom population. Because two of the writers were involved in

the concert production, one as a performer and one as a lighting designer, they were

unable to view the concert in its entirety and were given an alternate concert to attend,

which came to be excluded from the analysis, since the difference in assignment

precluded a comparative study. A third student’s work was eliminated due to pronounced

grammatical challenges on the part of the writer, which surfaced as the course proceeded.

Because the sentence structure and syntax in this writer’s work were so incongruous, it

was impossible to break the sentences down into the smaller segments adapted as the unit

of measurement for the study, and inferences about the ideas expressed through this

language were impossible to decode with an acceptable degree of confidence.

3.2.3 The Analyst’s Role in Partitioning the Data

Krippendorff asserts that the researcher is obliged to make explicit assumptions

about the origin of the data, as well as assumptions about how the data and their

environment interact (27). In the case of the present study, several points merit disclosure

in this regard. The first of these is my own role as both analyst and instructor of the

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course in which the writings were produced, thus casting the study as a form of “action

research.”52 At the time when the papers for the analysis were produced, I had already

established an interest in using the course as a basis for an undetermined study. Although

the exact parameters of the anticipated project were unknown during the ten-week course

in which the writings were produced, I had speculated that a case study of the course

itself might become a research topic. As a result, I maintained records of many aspects of

the progress of the course, including lecture and field notes, copies of all written work,

grading records, and questionnaires conducted at the opening and closing of the quarter

of study. In addition, permissions to use student work for the purposes of an

undetermined study were sought and granted.53 In general, some of the data generated by

these broad, early research intentions became an asset as the study progressed.54 As noted

earlier, however, the selection of the papers used for this analysis was not known at the

time the assignment was created, the writings were produced, nor the assessments of the

papers within the structure of the course of study were made.

A second set of considerations about the ways in which my role as analyst

partitioned the reality of the data concerns my position as educator within the study. I

52As a general term, “action research” suggests an interactive relationship between the researcher and thestudy population. Although the term is sometimes used to connote research in which the researcher andstudy participants work together to create social change in the lives of the participants (Marshall andRossman, p.4), I am using the term simply to indicate an educational research model in which theresearcher and teacher are the same individual.

53 See Appendix B for Human Subjects research protocol and permission form, a copy of which was signedand dated by each student.

54 Although all sources of data actually used in the study will be disclosed in turn, suffice it to say here thatthe questionnaires were useful in assembling a characterization of each writer, and the fieldnotes were alsohelpful in this regard.

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bring to the classroom and therefore to this study an extensive base of knowledge in the

dance domain, and this knowledge has informed both the design of the paper topic for the

study, the choice of concerts for the assignment, and the knowledge of the discipline that

I bring to the reading and analysis of the papers. More specifically, it is important to note

that I also attended the concert about which the students wrote, and therefore also bring

my own viewing of the works and familiarity with the concert to my readings of their

papers.

Although more will be said in the final chapter about the concentric layers of the

hermeneutical circle which constitute the boundaries of this study, suffice it to say here

that as instructor, my attendance at the concert about which the papers were written,

became a significant factor in the framework and coding of the analysis. Krippendorff

addresses this issue directly when he declares:

Evidence about the empirical connection between data and what is to beinferred from them is obviously important in any content analysis. . . . Itis this knowledge that enables a researcher to place his data in a suitablecontext, to render them indicative of phenomena outside of themselves,and thus provides him with a logical bridge for making inferences. (172)

In summary, this specific study emerged from assumptions I have formed as a

dance educator, arts advocate, and writer. In my personal experience as well as in my

professional endeavors, whether writing about dance, or teaching its history, analysis or

theory, I have found the writing experience an invaluable ally to the development of

understanding. Not only does writing about dance oblige the writer to produce a verbal

record in response to a non-verbal form, but it also induces the writer to organize her

thoughts in a way not mandated by more casual speech acts following a concert. I believe

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that this additional reflection on and organization of ideas through the writing process

serves to enhance understanding about both the art form in general and the specific event

in particular; furthermore, I believe that it holds the potential to foster self-knowledge.

These beliefs and assumptions guided both my design of the course in which the papers

were produced, and the selection of a topic for the papers. My role as educator put me in

a position to become familiar with the student writers and to join them in viewing the

assigned concert.

3.3 Purpose for the Analysis

Krippendorff also makes the point that it is necessary to acknowledge that there is

not any one, single meaning in a given message or collection of data. Because the same

text or data field can be analyzed from multiple perspectives, depending on the aims,

background and assumptions of the researcher and the context for the study, it is

necessary to clarify the research target and to render it as transparent as possible in the

presentation of the analysis.

In the present study, my interest has been to investigate what kinds of

understandings about dance are revealed in student writings about the art form. In the

introductory chapter, I described the relatively low incidence of curricular offerings

designed to support such writing as well as the lack of scholarship to inform the

development of these courses. Because there is no existing research based on student

writings about dance, speculations about their value remains more theoretical than

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grounded. For these reasons, I was particularly interested in “unpacking” a group of

writings about dance, in order to look deeply at how they were constructed and what that

might have to say about the value of such work.

3.3.1 Writings as Evidence

How does one investigate student understanding about a non-verbal form such as

dance? One avenue for the analysis of understanding in dance studies is to look at the

non-verbal products students generate in response to it. A learner interested in

choreography might be evaluated through the compositions she creates; a notation

student might be assessed by the movement he translates into notated form, or by the

movement he recreates from a written score. As an advocate for the writing experience as

a curricular activity, it interested me to go directly to texts produced by student writers, in

an attempt to “open them up,” to take them apart to see how they are constructed, to

examine post-facto how and what they might reveal about students’ understandings of

dance. Content analysis offered an ideal tool for this exploration.

Ultimately, a dance education suggests an area of study in which the student

comes to understand the form. Such an education might typically center upon

performance, composition, history, notation or theory. In all cases, however, studies that

allow the student to refine the ability to be articulate about the art form are useful, and

might take the form of speaking or writing. Little has been codified, however, about how

these pursuits might be approached pedagogically.

I have many opportunities to procure student writings on dance. In my work as an

educator, I teach a variety of courses within the dance discipline, ranging from

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undergraduate and graduate contemporary dance history courses, to dance criticism, to a

graduate seminar dealing with “current issues” in dance and performance. In each of

these courses without exception, I assign and receive papers. The texts for this particular

study were selected from the course on dance criticism, a unit of study in which both

speech and written activities form the central transaction of the coursework. This course

seemed to have the most pointed association with what it is that has been absent from

dance curricula, and therefore the potential to illuminate the possibilities and limitations

for such work. In analyzing student understandings, I hope to produce evidence and gain

insight into whether and how the writing experience is a justifiable and valuable one in

fostering student understandings about dance.

3.4 Preliminary Procedures

3.4.1 Baseline Descriptions

Sydney Walker, a professor in Art Education at Ohio State University with

expertise in content analysis, suggested several preliminary steps prior to conducting the

analysis of the student writings. Following her recommendation, I first reviewed the

video-taped document of the dances, and established a brief written description of each of

the components of the concert. These summaries yielded a set of baseline descriptions of

each dance, offering a view of the concert independent of the student writings. They have

been integrated into the analyses of individual dances in chapter four, section two, where

they precede the analysis of student writings based on each of the six dances of the

concert.

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3.4.2 Formation of Categories of Understanding

Walker also recommended that once I had created descriptions of the dances,

generate an initial projection of what kinds of things I might expect student writings

about them to reveal. Asking the question, “What kind of understandings about dance

might someone gain by witnessing and writing about this concert and these dances?” I

created an extensive list of ideas, based upon the descriptions of the dances I had

produced, which became a means for conceptualizing the research questions for the

coding sheets.

3.4.3 General Impressions of the Student Writings

Walker suggested one last preliminary step before embarking on the close

readings of the student papers. Following this advice, I read each of the papers and

recorded some general impressions about each of them before proceeding with the

analysis. I recorded these impressions, and have used them to introduce each of the

writers in Chapter four, section one.

3.5 Stages of the Analysis

Once these preliminary steps had been completed, the business of engaging in a

close reading of the papers commenced. Initially, I began my approach to the papers by

attempting to search for and color-code kinds of understandings, based in part on the list

of potential understandings I had generated. This approach quickly proved ineffective,

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however. I found that the writings were too dense to be approached in this way, and that

understandings were often interwoven within a single sentence, amounting to overlapping

color codes, which became difficult to decipher.

This initial stage eventually gave way to a more extensive analysis, yielding a

series of questions that required breaking down the students’ sentences and developing

the resulting coding sheets that were designed to guide systematic scrutiny of the papers.

In this and other ways, the design of the study was emergent in nature, with both ques-

tions and categories for the analysis drawn out of the data, rather than superimposed from

an a priori position at the outset of the study.

3.5.1 Emergent Questions

Questions that I wanted to answer in order to get at the underlying elements of

student understandings thus arose gradually as I worked with the papers, and eventually

resulted in the following list:

• What type of information is the student using in writing this paper?

• From what source of information is the student drawing this writing?

• What traditional critical activities does the student employ in writing this paper?

• What kind of understanding about dance does this writing reveal?

These questions then formed the basis of the coding sheets that were used to sort and

quantify the answers to the questions.

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3.5.2 Refining the Instrument

The initial analysis produced a variety of negative instances,55 which then became

the source for additional theorizing and new categories for analysis. During the early

process of analysis, the coding sheets were refined several times. Color-coding was used

in the early stages both to label certain kinds of writing activities, such as the use of

metaphor in the writings, as well as to mark a variety of elements that were troublesome

or unclear. Although the color-coding system and several additional questions were later

discarded in favor of a more transparent design, the early grounded stages of developing

the instrument were formative in the final design and formulation of the coding sheets,

which will be described in the following section.

3.6 The Coding Sheets

3.6.1 Units of Analysis

Content analysis methods can be applied to an indeterminate spectrum of research

units. In the case of language “texts,” a line-by-line analysis can be conducted, or

searches can proceed for individual words, phrases, grammatical elements, idiomatic

elements, and key words, among others. The unit for an individual analysis can thus be

tailored to the research project under consideration. In order to arrive at the answers to

the research question specific to this study, it became clear that the unit for analysis

55A “negative instance” in qualitative research terminology refers to a piece of the research puzzle that isresistant to expected outcomes. Sometimes, these “pieces” remain recalcitrant and are disclosed as such inthe research conclusion; in other cases, these initial obstacles yield refinements of the research design. Thisstudy, as is more often the case, yielded both of these outcomes

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would be small, in most cases limited to a segment of each sentence. Initially, I attempted

to conduct the analysis by isolating the complex subject and complex predicate, but most

often these units had to be reduced further in order to answer the questions I was posing.

While individual words would not yield the answer to kinds of understandings student

writings revealed, whole sentences, which vary in complexity, were in most cases too

cumbersome. As the study developed, the research questions produced the coding

categories for analysis, and these in turn determined the unit of analysis.

3.6.1.1 The Papers

For the purposes of the study, each of the twelve student writers was assigned an

identification number. These numbers allow for writer confidentiality while also

permitting the level of identification necessary to organize and present the research. The

writer/identification number correlation is not known to anyone but the analyst and is not

disclosed at any point in the study. Because three student papers were eliminated from

the study, these numbers constitute gaps in the final list of coding sheets. The nine papers

used in this study are therefore represented by the following identification numbers: n1,

n2, n3, n6, n7, n8, n9, n10 and n12. These numbers, which are ascribed to the individual

writers, each of whom produced one paper, are used interchangeably in the text of the

study to represent both the writer and the writer’s paper.

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3.6.1.2 Paragraphs and Sentences

As the basic unit for research, each of these papers was also numbered by

paragraph. Therefore, the label “n3:P2” refers to the second paragraph in the paper

produced by writer n3. Within each paragraph, individual sentences were also assigned a

number, following the linear progression of sentences within the paragraph and then

beginning again with each new paragraph until the end of the paper was reached.

Therefore, n6:P1/2 refers to the first paragraph by writer n6, and isolates the second

sentence of that paragraph, whereas n6:P4/2 isolates the second sentence of the fourth

paragraph, and so on.

3.6.1.3 Sentence/Segments

Within each sentence, any segments subdivided for separate analysis were also

numbered in a sequential progression, so that n8 P4/5.3 refers to the third segment of the

fifth sentence in the fourth paragraph written by n8. Proceeding in this way, every

segment of each paper has been assigned a unique number, making it possible to pinpoint

and retrieve any sentence segment of the nine papers analyzed in the study. In the

chapters remaining, I will adapt the parenthetical citation convention of MLA style to

identify all segments used as exemplars in the analysis in the same way: the writer will be

identified by “n” and the number of the paper, followed by a colon, followed by a capital

“P” to indicate the paragraph number, followed by a slash to separate the sentence

number, and further subdivided by a decimal point and the number for each sentence

segment.

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The guiding categories that comprise the coding sheets underwent an ongoing

refining process as the study proceeded, eventually yielding the categories which are

explained below. Each category is followed by the coding instructions used to assign the

given student’s writing segment to that category. The categories will be described in the

order in which they appear from the top of the coding sheet to the bottom, and from the

left margin of the coding sheet to the right.

3.6.2 Coding Sheet Design: Horizontal Organization

The top of each coding sheet contains three rows of basic information, which

regulate and identify the remaining rows of analysis of each student’s paper. These top

tiers of the coding sheets identify the typologies that govern the remainder of the columns

and rows of each sheet.

3.6.2.1 Row I

In the top left section of each sheet, there is a small area in which the number of

the paper/writer is placed in bold, slightly enlarged type. Immediately adjacent and

horizontal to this number is a section highlighted in Table 1 in grayscale, which displays

the title, if any, of the student’s paper. Moving across the row to the immediate right is a

number which represents the total word count for this paper. Thus, Table 1 represents the

top row of each of the papers, with its corresponding category of information.

n # Titleof paper

wordcount

Table 1: Design for the top row of each of the coding sheets

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3.6.2.2 Row II

Immediately beneath this row of information in each of the coding sheets is a row

which provides the headings for the columns that are used to designate each category of

information for the coding sheet. Each heading refers to a basic unit of information

excavated in the analysis, which will be explained below. Table 2 represents the same

format which is used in the coding sheet for each of the nine papers. In order to illustrate

the relationship of this row to the one that preceded it, I have added it to the previous row

(see Table 1):

n# Titleof paper

wordcount

sentence/segment

type of info clarification sourceof info

kind ofunderstanding

criticalactivity

Table 2: Design for the top two rows of the coding sheets.

3.6.2.3 Row III

Table 3 illustrates the third row, which is located immediately below the other

two, and contains the paragraph number, the subject of the paragraph, and the word count

for the paragraph:

n # Titleof paper

wordcount

sentence/segment

clarification type of info source ofinfo


criticalactivity

P # subject ofparagraph

word count ofparagraph

Table 3: Design for the top three rows of the coding sheet

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3.6.3 Coding Sheet Design: Vertical Organization

In the following section, I will delineate each of the categories, with their

corresponding coding questions, in turn. I will address the categories in the order in

which they appear on the coding sheets, beginning with the left side of the sheet and

proceeding to the right, beginning with the numbering column at the far left of the sheet.

3.6.3.1 The Numbering Column

Located at the far left edge of each page of the coding sheet, aligned immediately

below the sections that contain both the number of the writer and the number of the

paragraph, are the cells which identify the numbers of the sentence or sentence segment.

The numbering system is sequential, beginning anew with each new sentence. Thus, in

Table 4, the numbering system on the left indicates that the column will deal with

sentence one, divided into three segments, and sentence two, divided into two segments:

sentence/segment

1.1

1.2

1.3

2.1

2.2

Table 4: Numbering system for sentence and sentence segments.

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3.6.3.1.1 Micro-Numbering Issues

As the coding process evolved, special circumstances gave rise to two adaptations

within the numbering system, both of which involve the designation “isolated word” or

“isolated phrase” under the “type of information” category of the coding sheets.

3.6.3.1.1.1 Isolated Words/Phrases

The first of these emerged as a result of what I would characterize as “embedded

segments” — small units of meaning that could not be isolated from the larger clauses or

sentences in which they appeared without changing their meaning, yet which connoted

information distinct enough to be considered separately within the coding system. In

these cases, I have employed an “A” and “B” system, which allows for an indication

within the coding system that a given sentence segment has a numerical match, yet merits

some distinction/s within the analysis. Table 5 exemplifies the procedure for treating such

segments. Here, the word “upbeat” is considered as an embedded segment within its unit

of analysis, because it is integral to the phrase, yet yields significant distinctions in the

remaining column or columns of analysis. Note that square brackets are used to enclose

the word within the “A” row, indicating that this segment will be treated as if the

bracketed material were not present; subsequently, the segment is removed from brackets

and given separate consideration in the “B” row. While the example shown in Table 5

gives a truncated view of the coding sheet, distinctions in both the “type of information”

and kind of understanding” columns are already apparent.56

56Although these rows are abbreviated here, the complete coding sheet for n6 is included in Appendix F.

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n8

sentence/segment clarification

type ofinfo


P3

1.1aSet to the [upbeat] Argentineantango of Astor Piazzola

composerand styleof music music factual

1.1b upbeat

lively, areference totempo andmoodtempo andmood ofthe music

isolatedword:music qualitative

Table 5: Exemplar of the numbering system for “embedded segments” of information.

3.6.3.1.1.2 Double Meanings

A second adaptation of the numbering system occurs when there is a “double

meaning” for a given segment of the analysis. Similar to the “embedded segment”

pattern, this special circumstance encountered within the analysis prompted the same

kind of “A” and “B” treatment already discussed. In the case of double meanings,

however, I have eliminated the square brackets and instead indicated the special

circumstance by repeating the selected unit of analysis exactly, using italics rather than

plain text. Table 6 exemplifies this procedure with an example from the paper of n12.

3.6.3.2 Sentence/Segment

In this second column from the left, the full text of the student paper is provided,

in vertical format, from the top of the coding sheet to the bottom, exactly as it was

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written. As indicated in Table 3.6, each paragraph is numbered, and within the paragraph,

each sentence is numbered. Further division and numbering of sentences into segments

n12

sentence/segment clarification type of info


P6

1.1a Next on the runwayintroduces thework that follows"Ciona,"

program order empirical

1.1b Next on the runway

references thetitle of essay. . .

isolated phrase:program order

hermeneutical

Table 6: Exemplar of the numbering system for “double meanings” within units of analysis.

governed by their ability to provide a single answer to the question that defines each of

the guiding categories. Thus, a sentence is divided when the answer to any of the

remaining horizontal categories contains more than one response.

The following example from paper n2 (Table 7) provides a simple illustration of

this function. In this opening sentence of paragraph two, the student has begun the

writing with: “Six dancers in shiny, sleek unitards. . .” (n2: P2/1.1 – 1.2), a sentence

which is subdivided immediately because it provides more than one answer to the coding

question, “What is the general type of information considered in this segment?”57 Since

the first part of this segment gives information about concert basics,58 and the second part

deals with costume information, it has been subdivided into two parts at this point in the

analysis.

57See Table 3.6 for a complete list of components that emerged within this coding category.

58 See Table 7 for a detailed explanation of this category

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P2sentence/segment

type of info

1.1 Six dancers concert basics

1.2 In shiny, sleekunitards

costume

Table 7: Illustration of sentence division into two segments

3.6.4 Remaining Rows: The Research Questions

Below the top three rows, and to the immediate right of the sentence/segment

columns for each paper, lies the bulk of the analysis. The remaining entries for each

paper are sequentially displayed, interrupted only by a variation of the third horizontal

row, identifying each new paragraph. Table 8. exemplifies the remainder of each coding

sheet by presenting a distilled version of the structure for the first two paragraphs of the

coding sheet for writer n6.

n6A SuccessfulConsigliere 752sentence/segment clarification

type of info

sourceof info


criticalactivity

P1Introduction.1 100

1

2

3.1a

3.1b

3.2

P2Introduction.2 77

1

2.1

2.2

Table 8: Design for preliminary rows of first two paragraphs of coding sheet for n6, abbreviatedto reveal structure.

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3.6.3.3 Clarification

As the study got underway, so did the emergence of an informal habit that seemed

to be necessary in answering each of the questions that constituted the coding system.

Essentially, this was a means for clarifying the meaning of each sentence/segment by

restating it in other words.59 The excerpt featured in Table 9, selected from Brianna’s (n8)

paper provides several examples of this process:

n6 sentence/segment clarification

P1Introduction.1

4.1The idea of unification was evident the motivating concept of

synthesis was clear

synthesiswas clear

4.2

in Cappelletti’s choice the selections were made by thedirector

4.3

to place the premium not only on theproduct,

the director gave attention to thecreation of a polishedperformance

4.4

but also on the process: he also placed value on themanner in which theperformance was developed

4.5

each dance was preceded by documentaryfootage of the rehearsals, and interviewswith Cappelletti and the choreographers, aswell as the dancers involved in the project.

dancers involved in the project.

the concert featured video clipshighlighting the process andpeople leading up to theproduction

Table 9: Exemplar of “clarification” category of coding sheet, excerpted from n8:P1/4.1-4.5.

59 With reference to my use of Laban-influenced language, the words selected for this task were carefullychosen to avoid that terminology. That is, in re-framing the sentence/segment, I took care to use whatFeldman refers to as “unloaded” language (see p 51. of chapter 2 for a discussion of this situation.)

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Though this step developed unconsciously, as a means of grappling with the students’

written material, it was not originally intended to become a part of the study. As the

analysis proceeded, however, it became clear that this clarification process should be

made transparent, leaving a record for anyone wishing to review the work.

It also became quickly apparent that there was an interpretive element involved in

this process, one that would necessitate a “member check,”60 in which the writers of these

papers could review the interpretations that had been made of their work and verify their

accuracy. Thus, the clarification process became both the reason for and the means to

enable the member checks. In analyzing the students’ writings, I found that I needed to

come to terms with the material in my own words, to "re-state" the information in such a

way that I could decipher it apart from the words of the writer — to complete the

remaining functions, such as the Type of Information column and other categories.

3.6.3.3.1 “Member Checks”

Throughout the analysis, I took steps to triangulate the research methodology. In

the case of the “clarification” section, I became acutely aware that, since I had explicitly

reworded the statements of the writers, that this constituted an important interpretive

element that would have an impact on the remainder of the analysis. I decided then to

contact each of the writers after completing the coding sheets, and requested that they

60 60The notion of a “member check” refers to any procedure that allows a participant in a research study toreview the work of the researcher. Frequently necessitated in the transcription of interviews, it is often citedin qualitative research literature. See, for example, Janesick, p. 216; Denzin, p.508 and 513; Lincolnand Denzin, 579 –80.

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review my clarifications of their statements. Each of the writers was thus given the

complete set of coding sheets that had been produced from his or her paper, and each of

them reviewed the columns representing the sentence/segment and the corresponding

clarification column. The writers were asked at this stage to mark any discrepancies

found in my interpretations of the writing. As a means of tracking these incidences, I

have retained my original interpretations in the coding sheets, and have noted the

corrections made by the writers by enclosing the changes in asterisks. The changes

requested by the writers were relatively small, but always significant. Most importantly,

in all cases of discrepancy, it is the writer’s corrected version of these clarifications that

guided the analyses, not my own.

3.7.1 Type of Information

This category is designed to provide a way of looking at the general type of

information the student has brought into the writing assignment. As the first category to

follow the actual sentence written by the student, it is intended to paint the type of

information used by the writer in broad strokes. Answers to this category were generated

by asking the question: “What, in general, is this segment of information about? What

sort of thing does it deal with?”

Of all the coding categories, this one produced the most extensive list of possible

responses. A complete, alphabetical listing of the types of information found in these

papers is provided in Table 10, and a thorough breakdown of the number of times any of

these items emerged, listed by component and by writer, is provided in Appendix F.

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art/culture relationship

audience composition

audience/art relationship

audience/concert relationship

audience/dance relationship

audience/director relationship

audience/music relationship

audience/performerrelationshipaudience/set relationship

audience/work relationship

cast selection

choreographer bio

choreographer/performerrelationshipchoreographer/workrelationshipchoreographic comparison

choreographic process

choreographic structure

choreographic style

comparison of concert works

concert basics

concert collaborators

concert comparison

concert concept

concert content

concert documentation

concert structure

concert type

costume

costume/meaning rela-ship

dance/culture relationship

director bio

director/concert relationship

director/dance relationship

director/work relationship

directorial role

history: dance

history: music/dance

history: work

(isolated word/phrase)

lighting

lighting/meaningrelationshiplighting/mov't relationship

lighting/performerrelationshiplighting/shape relationship

lighting/space relationship

mov't/costume/music/meaning relationshipmov't/lighting/meaningrelationshipmov't/meaning relationship

mov't/music relationship

mov't/music/meaningrelationshipmov't/set relationship

mov't/set/meaningrelationshipmov't/sound relationship

mov't/space relationship

mov't: by category

music

music/meaning relationship

nature of art form

nature of performance

performer bio

performer's skills

performer/concert rel-shp

performer/ensemblerelationshipperformer/set relationship

performer/work relationship

performers' physical attributes

production elements

program order

program order/audiencerelationshippublicity

publicity/audiencerelationshipset

set/meaning relationship

sound

sound/meaning relationship

statement: choreographer

statement: director

title/meaning relationship

title/set relationship

video

video/audience relationship

video/concert relationship

video/work relationship

viewer/concert relationship

viewer/dance relationship

viewer/video relationship

viewer/work relationship

work/meaning relationship

work/visual art relationship

writer identification

writing agenda

Table 10: List of entries compiled from student writings for “Type of Information”

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The extensive number of possible components of types of information proved

unwieldy for the analysis, and was therefore collapsed into more general groupings of

related components, delineated in Tables 8 – 14. In re-configuring these groups, I was

guided by the list of types of information themselves. Five major groupings of

information utilized by the student writers in their papers emerged from this category of

data, which will be considered in individual groupings below:

• Audience/Performance Interaction

• Intrinsic Information

• Extrinsic Information

• Metaphysical Information

• Reflexive Information

3.7.1.1 Audience/Performance Interaction (API)

This broad category of types of information embraces any information found in

the papers that is fundamentally concerned with the relationship between the spectator

and the performance. Within the category, three sub-categories emerged, including

general audience/performance interaction, particular audience/performance interaction,

and meta-audience/performance interaction, each of which will be described and

exemplified in turn. Table 11 provides a complete list of types of information in this

designation.

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AUDIENCE/PERFORMANCE INTERACTION

GENERAL:

audience composition

audience/art relationship

audience/concert relationship

audience/dance relationship

audience/director relationship

audience/music relationship

audience/performer relationship

audience/set relationship

audience/work relationship

lighting/meaning relationship

mov't/costume/music/ meaning relationship

mov't/lighting/meaning relationship

mov't/meaning relationship

mov't/music/meaning relationship

mov't/set/meaning relationship

music/meaning relationship

set/meaning relationship

sound/meaning relationship

program order/audience relationship

publicity

publicity/audience relationship

title/meaning relationship

video/audience relationship

work/meaning relationship

PARTICULAR:

viewer/concert relationship

viewer/dance relationship

viewer/video relationship

viewer/work relationship

META:

dance/culture relationship

art/culture relationship

Table 11: Three Types of API Information, listed alphabetically, by subdivision

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3.7.1.1.1 API General

This subdivision of the Audience/Performance Interaction (API) category

includes the majority of components that comprise the category. It includes two basic

categories of types of information. The first of these, Section I, presents a list of those

units of analysis that specifically refer to the existence of the audience as an element of

the concert experience. Section II consists of those units of analysis that are concerned

with the audience activity of making meaning.

3.7.1.1.1.1 API General: Section I

This group also incorporates any unit that deals with publicity, since publicity is a

function of drawing an audience to the performance. Each of the components that

constitute this sub-section of types of information is exemplified below. In order to

clarify the labels for these components that make up the first section of the API category,

I have selected an example from the student writings to illustrate each component. The

exemplar is in turn followed by the numbering information (in parentheses) which will

allows the reader to trace the exemplar back to the corresponding student writing. In

order to provide a context for the exemplified matter, it is sometimes necessary to include

a bit of the preceding or subsequent sentence excerpt: in these cases, I will highlight that

section of the phrase which has been designated with the type of label under

consideration by the use of italics.

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3.7.1.1.1.1.1 Section I Exemplars

• audience composition: “ . . .well-suited for its intended audience, thosewho are not familiar with modern dance”(n12: P1/2.5).

• audience/art relationship: “Those who hunger for insight into the artisticcreativeprocess will have an opportunity toobserve . . .” (n1: P1.1).

• audience/concert relationship: “The diversity of this collection was asuccessful formula for pleasing this audience”(n2: P3/1.3).

• audience/dance relationship: “ . . .is this what a dance novice should have todo when seeing a dance concert?(n7: P8/3.2).

• audience/director relationship: “ . . .and the standing ovation for Cappelletti onthe final night was well-deserved” (n6: P2/3.3 –4).

• audience/music relationship: “. . .the music of Bach returns to comfort the humorous visual and aural dissonance we experienced” (n8: P5/6.4).

• audience/performer relationship: “The film displayed humor and a genuine willon the part of those interviewed to share theirenthusiasm for dance with the audience”(n10: P3/2.3 –4).

• audience/program order relationship: “A welcome respite from Hadley's piece was ‘Partial’. . . “ (n8: P5/1.1).

• audience/publicity relationship: “Due to a thorough advertising campaign fromOctober 20-31, the Consigliere Collection waspresented to sold out audiences” (n12: P3/1.2).

• audience/set relationship: "If you lose focus for one moment, [it] may rolloff stage and kill somebody" (n1: P6/4.2).

• audience/video relationship: “At times, however, it seemed as though hisdesire to nurture the audience took priority overthe works themselves . . . “ (n2: P8/3.1).

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• audience/work relationship: “One doesn't often see Pilobolus' daringpartnering . . .” (n3: P2/1.1).

• publicity: “ It was technically smooth and well-promoted”(n3: P1/2.6).

3.7.1.1.1.2 API General: Section II

The next sub-section of API information includes any unit of analysis that is

concerned with the activity of meaning, since this is a function of the spectator

interacting with the performance. Examples of each of the components that constitute this

category, labeled as Section II, follow:

3.7.1.1.1.2.1: Section II Exemplars

• lighting/meaning relationship: “ . . .they join together and retreat into anindulgent sea of glowing red” (n2: P3/3.3a).

• movement/costume/music/meaning “Such foreign movement, in conjunction withrelationship: the unstructured music and futuristic costumes,

carried the dancers beyond the human realm”(n2: P2/4.4).

• movement/lighting/meaning “ . . .each dancer undulates one at a timerelationship: like a luminous glow worm” (n1: P2/3.5).

• movement/meaning relationship: “The dancers' movements were at timescontrastingly freeand energetic, suggestingyouth, and memories of days gone by” (n12:P7/3.4 –5).

• movement/music/meaning “’Passing,’ choreographed by Ohio State relationship: University's dance faculty professor Susan

Hadley speaks to our own life experiences as weobserve life and death through movement andmusic” (n1: P4/1.3).

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• movement/set/meaning relationship: “Indeed, man's environment responds to hisevery move” (n7: P7/7.1).

• music/meaning relationship: “I felt the dancers lacked the sexually chargedconfidence so apparent in the tango”(n6: P6/9.4).

• set/meaning relationship: “The prop itself (the "circle") looks and actsmuch like a gyroscope as its precisionengineering allows it to come alive” (n9:P8/5.3).

• sound/meaning relationship: “. . .clearly defined spatial arrangements to acollection of sound effects and futuristic . . .music” (n10: P5/4.8a).

• title/meaning relationship: “Short, sweet, not more than the title suggests,the plum tarts are five young girls” (n12:P6/2.3).

• work/meaning relationship: “’Passing,’ choreographed by Ohio StateUniversity's dance faculty professor SusanHadley speaks to our own life experiences”(n1: P4/1.2).

3.7.1.1.1.3 Overlapping Categories

Within this category, the second through sixth components listed include the word

“movement” within their designations. After careful consideration of this issue, I chose to

privilege the meaning-making property within the component, thereby including these

items in Audience/Performance Interaction, rather than placing them in the Movement

and Choreography subdivision of Intrinsic Information. Though these components could

have been appropriately included in either section, the decision was not arbitrary. As I

will discuss later, one of the more stunning properties of language is the slipperiness of

the boundaries between words, a reality which was inescapable in this analysis from start

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to finish. My reasoning in making this particular choice was guided by the recognition

that movement is so central to the dance enterprise as to be “understood,” even when it is

not directly referenced. Accepting the presence of movement as a given ingredient, then,

I have chosen to foreground the audience/performance interaction when these

components emerge in the text. Finally, as I will discuss in the final chapter, not only

movement, but also the audience, the writers and myself as analyst are inextricably bound

in the layers of interpretation for this study, rendering the divisions I am making here an

organizational device, for the purposes of illumination and discussion, rather than an

impermeable boundary.

3.7.1.1.1.4 Distinctions between Categories

Before proceeding further, I want to clarify several distinctions between related

labels for the types of information categories I have used to analyze this material. In the

coding system, the term “dance” indicates the art form as a whole, whereas the term

“work” is used to refer to a specific piece of choreography. With regard to the category

“audience/dance relationship,” for example, n10 writes that “audiences have most often

enjoyed . . . full evenings of choreography by one person” (n10: P1/3.1a), a segment of

writing which deals with the relationship between spectators and dance in a general way.

Later in the same paper, this writer makes specific reference to the dance “Ciona,” stating

that “. . . as the dance progresses, we are treated to a display of precarious poetry” (n10:

P6/8.1a – 8.2a).

Similarly, a coding distinction has been made between the designation of

“viewer” and that of “audience.” When writer n6, for example, states that “applause from

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the audience was warm-hearted and very enthusiastic” (n6: P2/3.1 –2), she is making

reference to a reaction from the entire group of spectators. When writer n7, however,

states that “with the rumors of people being turned away, my expectations were high”

(n7: P1/7.1 – 2), she is clearly specifying her own relationship to the concert experience.

These distinctions, which might be characterized as moving from “micro” to “macro”

levels of reference, are consistently employed throughout the analysis.

3.7.1.1.2 API: Particular

This sub-category is comprised of those types of information that deal specifically

with the relationship between the individual viewer — normally, the writer — and the

performance, rather than with a generalized notion of the audience as a group. The

components of this sub-category are represented below.

3.7.1.1.2.1 API Particular: Exemplars

viewer/concert relationship: “Jim Cappelletti's concert did a rare thing forme” (n7: P8/1.1).

viewer/dance relationship: “I realize immediately, the dance will neveragain be repeated as I see it now” (n1: P1/3.1).

viewer/video relationship: “Despite yet another video introduction . . .”(n12: P9/1.1b).

viewer/work relationship: “The lights go down immediately. I get chills”(n3: P5/6.6).

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3.7.1.1.3 Meta-API

This final sub-category is small, but significant in its difference from the other

two subdivisions. It is comprised of those types of information that deal with the

relationship between performance and the extended public, beyond the confines of the

audience attending the concert on a particular evening. The components of this

subdivision are represented below.

3.7.1.1.3.1 Meta-API Exemplars

dance/culture relationship: “I don't know if the real world can support atruly populist modern repertory dancecompany . . .” (n10: 10/5.2).

art/culture relationship: “What about people of cultures whereproscenium-oriented performance, asmanifested in European-descended Americanculture, isn't the only form of expression?”(n3: P8/7.3 –4).

3.7.1.2 Intrinsic Information

The second broad category of types of information is that which encompasses any

statement in the students’ papers that deal with the immediate concert experience. Within

this category, three significant subdivisions emerged in the student writings, which I will

discuss and exemplify separately:

• Movement and Choreography (Table 12)

• Concert and Concert Collaborators (Table 13)

• Theatrical Elements (Table14)

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INTRINSIC INFORMATION

Movement and Choreography:

choreographic structure

choreographic style

movement: by category

movement/space relationship

performer/ensemble relationship

performer/work relationship

performer's skills

Table 12: Movement and ChoreographySubdivision of Intrinsic Information

Theatrical Elements:

costume

lighting

lighting/movement relationship

lighting/performer relationship

lighting/shape relationship

lighting/space relationship

movement/music relationship

movement/set relationship

movement/sound relationship

music

production elements

set

set/performer relationship

title/set relationship

video

video/concert relationship

video/work relationship

Concert and Concert Collaborators:

Concert:

concert basics

concert concept

concert content

concert structure

concert type

concert documentation

program order

Concert Collaborators:

cast selection

choreographer bio

choreographer/performer relationship

choreographer/work relationship

concert collaborators

director bio

director/concert relationship

director/dance relationship

director/work relationship

directorial role

performer bio

performer/concert relationship

performers' physical attributes

statement: choreographer

statement: director

Table 13: Concert/Concert CollaboratorsSubdivision of Intrinsic Information

Table 14: Theatrical Elements Subdivisionof Intrinsic Information

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3.7.1.2.1 Intrinsic Information: Movement and Choreography

In this category, I have placed any statement that is concerned with the raw

materials of dance, the movement of the body and its organization into the dance works

that make up the concert experience. Culling these components from the list of types of

information yields the following list, with its exemplars.

3.7.1.2.1.1 Exemplars

choreographic structure: “The repetition and manipulation of thisrecognizable phrase was enough to provide asatisfying sense of clarity” (n2: P5/6.1 –2).

choreographic style: “The first piece on the program "Ciona," . . .choreographed in 1973, was in Pilobolus-fashion a consistent show of dynamicathleticism” (n8: P2/1.2).

movement: by category:61 “Dancers stream from the wings with even, sliding leaps, arms raised and heads upturned”

(n3: P5/3.1 – 3.3).

movement/space relationship: “What seemed to be the only interference of acompletely successful piece was the apparentlack of space needed for the specific paths” (n6:P8/4.2).

performer/ensemble relationship: “These six performers came across as a closelytied company . . .” (n9: P3/5.2).

performer/work relationship: “These . . . dancers brought a sense of maturityand professionalism to a well choreographed,post-modern, piece” (n6: P6/2.4).

61 See p. 102 and Appendix G for a detailed breakdown of this category

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performer's skills: “I was entranced by . . . Cappelletti’s sense ofbalance” (n12: P10/8.5).

3.7.1.2.1.2 Movement: by Category

Movement of the body, as the central medium of the dance experience, occupies a

predictably substantial portion of the student writings. In proceeding through the coding

sheets, I wanted to differentiate the kinds of movement components that the students

chose to articulate. While my analysis of movement is informed by the systems and

language of Rudolph Laban,62 I also resist the practice — both in labeling the student

papers and in my discussion of them — of relying on a lexicon that is too specific to be

generally understood.63 Movement categorization, then, is considered in two stages of

analysis. At the first level, the category called “movement” is placed in the “type of

information” cell, allowing movement references to be distinguished from other types of

information in the student papers. Following a colon, an additional label distinguishes

between thirty-four basic types of movement,64 providing a useful layer of analysis for

characterizing the individual dances, as discussed in chapter 4, section II. These separate

movement components have been organized into conceptual groups, identified and

exemplified below.

62 This issue is discussed in chapter 2, pp. 46-7.

63 This issue is discussed in chapter 2, p.49.

64 I his secondary level of movement cataloguing is quite general. While it was not my intention to do amicroscopic dissection of the movement component, this simple layer of analysis contributed to myanalysis of the ways that language reveals student understandings about individual dances.

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3.7.2.1.2.1 Group I:

Body Parts, Relationship of Body Parts,Body Actions, and Gesture

body action: “Slippery, like a cosmic ocean, each dancer undulates” (n1: P3/2.2).

body parts: “He flexes his muscles, and sends a violent ripple from his chest to his arms” (n3: P7/5.2a).

(facial) gesture: “. . .they surprised me by smiling serenely at the audience” (n3: P2/5.5).

gesture: “. . . with a sequence of clearly executed gestures: wiping, smoothing, and looking” (n10: P9/2.3).

locomotion: “Having traversed the space, the dancers have relocated in the upstage corner” (n10: P9/9.1).

relationship of body parts: “The tendency for Hauser to off-set the torso from the hips” (n2:P5/3.2).

3.7.2.1.2.2 Group II:

Sequential Actions of the Body

cause and effect: “ . . .to see directly the effects of a dancer's momentum, the transfer of energy as it is released from inside the body, and the reactions of the body when it receives impulses from an outside source” (n2: P7/4.2).

initiation: “. . .or lead a movement with a smaller and usually less predictable body part . . .” (n2: P5/3.3).

3.7.2.1.2.3 Group III:

Performer Relationships

contact: “Bodies balanced against one another in precarious positions . . .” (n6: P3/3.1).

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performer/ensemble “‘Plum Tarts,’ on the other hand, featured distinctiverelationship: characters, each trying to assert her presence within the group” (n2:P3/1.4).

3.7.2.1.2.4 Group IV:

Spatial Issues

direction: “. . . But as they strutted toward the back of the stage. . .” (n7: P6/8.2).

level: “. . .signified by a motif of looking up or off into the distance” (n2: P6/5.3).

space: “. . .the young ladies end up in a line across the front of the stage. . .” (n12: P6/3.2 –3).

spatial configuration: “. . . begins with six dancers connected by various body parts in a diagonal line” (n1: P2/1.3).

spatial orientation: “. . . each phrase is continuously interrupted by one dancer’s gravitation towards the white light. . .” (n2: P4/2.3).

spatial relationship: “They maintain a spatial relationship that symbolizes the Trinity” (n1: P4/2.4).

3.7.2.1.2.5 Group V:

Temporal Issues

duration: “. . . and move on — all in three seconds' time. . .” (n2: P2/3.7a).

time: “. . . as this woman walks slowly and steadily” (n12: P7/5.2).

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3.7.2.1.2.6 Group VI:

Manner of Performance

degree of challenge/ “. . .the potential of the body to take on nearly impossibledifficulty: sculptural forms and architectonic shapes” (n8: P2/1.4a).

degree of risk: “. . . of precarious poses and acrobatic dance phrases. . .” (n9: P3/3.4b).

flow of movement: “The dancers' movements were at times contrastingly free” (n12: P7/3.2a).

manner of performance: “. . .the dancers carefully carved the space around them” n6: P3/2.3a).

performer demands: “. . . partnered lifts, requiring tremendous balance, strength and concentration” (n1: P2/5.6).

use of energy: “. . .and the eventual burst of energy, whipping turns and quick jumps that follow” (n12: P8/3.4).

3.7.2.1.2.7 Group VII:

Genre and Style

genre: “. . .brought a sense of maturity and professionalism to a well-choreographed, post-modern piece” (n6: P6/2.5).

style: “Classical ballet lines layered with a modern dance movement style are carefully interwoven” (n1: P4/4.1a).

3.7.2.1.2.8 Group VIII:

Shape, Position, Stillness

final image: “The ending is a startling use of one of these stillnesses” (n3: P5/6.1a).

opening image: “He begins the dance standing on the floor, arms spread wide. . .” (n3: P7/4.1).

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shape: “Eight dancers. . . held crouched positions on the floor” (n8: P6/5.5).

stance: “. . .ladies. . . strike a pose” (n12: p6/3.4).

stillness: “. . . they abruptly stop in sideways poses” (n3: P5/5.3).

3.7.2.1.2.9 Group IX:

Body/Set Relationships

body/set relationship: “. . .the way in which Cappelletti ends the piece, trapped upside down within the framework . . .” (n2: P7/5.1a).

movement/set “Feet wide apart, arms grasping the metal bars tightly . . .”relationship: (n8: P7/1.2).performer/set “The dancer stands firm and powerful, center stage, amidstrelationship: the metalbars within the sculpture” (n7: P7/4.4).

3.7.1.2.2 Intrinsic Information: Theatrical Elements

The final sub-category of intrinsic information consists of that type of information

concerned with the theatrical elements of the concert, such as lighting, costume, sound,

music, set, and the video footage, which was an integral element in this concert. As with

the other categories of type of information, these components emerged from the student

writings.

3.7.1.2.2.1 Exemplars

• costume: “Cappelleti wears only a pair of flesh coloredtights, is bare-footed, bare-chested . . .”(n12: P10/5.1).

• lighting: “Just when our interest is piqued, they jointogether and retreat into an indulgent sea ofglowing red” (n2: P3/3.3).

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• lighting/movement relationship: “At one point, she slowly makes her way towards the light” (n3: P4/5.1a).

• lighting/performer relationship: “. . . the dancer is revealed as the lights comeup” (n10: P6/3.5).

• lighting/shape relationship: “. . .the saturated merlot hues softened, leaving us with the black silhouettes of five beautiful female bodies” (n8: P3/6.4a).

• lighting/space relationship: “. . . a source of light in the back corner of the stage beckons one woman” (n3: P4/4.2).

• movement/music relationship: “However, the choreography has to be strong enough to not only compliment the music, but shine through the music” (n6: P7/2.1 –2).

• movement/set relationship: “Gradually, the dancer manipulates thesculpture, its motion responding to physicalmovement” (n7: P7/8.1 – 2).

• movement/sound relationship: “. . .in clearly defined spatial arrangements to a collection of sound effects. . .” (n10: P5/4.7).

• music: “The music by Yaz Kaz hints at a Native American ritual, but clashing metallic sounds

make it at once futuristic and ancient . . .” (n12:P10/7.1; 7.3).

• production elements: “. . .production elements by a student crewunder the supervision of associate professorDavid Covey were flawless. . .” (n9: P9/3.2).

• set: “. . .it's formidable, made of two steel arcs abouttwelve feet across, set perpendicular to eachother with inner supporting structures”(n3: P7/1.5 – 6).

• set/performer relationship: “and the Circle Walker, a large, circularsculpture criss-crossed with metal bars, whichrolls and curves through the space whenmanipulated by the weight and touch of thedancer” (n7: P7/2.5).

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• title/set relationship: “. . . with the large circular sculpture after whichthe dance is named” (n10: P6/1.6).

• video: “Scenes of dancers in various studios learning dance phrases is overlaid with the personal

commentary of the choreographers . . .”(n9: P2/5.1 –5.3).

• video/concert relationship: “The program offered a wide variety ofchoreographic works intended for a non-dancespecific audience, as well as an instructionalblack and white video between each piece”(n6: P1/4.1 – 4.3b).

• video/work relationship: “Although danced beautifully . . . were almostlimited by the preceding video introduction”(n6: P5/6.6).

3.7.1.2.3 Intrinsic Information: Concert and Concert Collaborators

The next subdivision of the Intrinsic Information category of types of information

is that which deals with student statements about the concert and those who participated

in producing it. This category is further sub-divided into two units, which consider the

concert and the concert personnel separately. Accordingly, I shall delineate each of the

two lists of components individually.

3.7.1.2.3.1 Concert Exemplars

• concert basics:65 “Jim Cappelletti made a controlled debut inhis role as Artistic Director in the presentationof the Consigliere Collection, An Evening ofRepertory Dance, at the Sullivant Theatre of theOhio State University” (n9: P1/1.1; 1.3 – 4).

65 This category is discussed in detail on pp. 111 – 12.

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• concert concept: “The idea of unification was evident inCappelletti’s choice to place the premium notonly on the product, but also on the process” (n8: P1/4.1; 4.3-4).

• concert content: “The choreography presented was certainlyvaried, in line with the artistic director'sintentions” (n10: P4/1.1).

• concert structure: “The evening concludes with a duet byCappelletti . . .” (n2: P7/1.1).

• concert type: “. . .but Cappelletti's graduate project, anelaborate repertory concert . . .” (n2: P1/2.4a).

• concert documentation: “Cappelletti’s efforts also arranged to have theconcert video taped by WOSU for future airing”(n12: P3/2.2 –3).

• program order: “A very wise choice as a program closer for several reasons” (n9: P8/2a).

3.7.1.2.3.2 Collaborators Exemplars

• cast selection: “In partial fulfillment of his MFA at the OhioState University, and culling performers fromthe ranks of graduate and undergraduatestudents in the Dance Department . . .” (n10:P2/2.2).

• choreographer bio: “. . . choreographed by third-year graduatestudent Angie Hauser” (n8: P5/1.2b).

• choreographer/performer “She is objective in viewing the workrelationship: choreographically, but becomes subjective to

the experience when she is dancing with herpeers, which she clearly enjoys” (n1: P5/9.3 –4).

• choreographer/work relationship: “Hauser has worked well within the triostructure, playing with unison, duets andsolos . . .” (n6: P6/3.1 –2).

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• concert collaborators: “Cappelletti's concert. . .brought dancers andchoreographers together in collaboration” (n7:P2/1.2).

• director bio: “Though it was a sort of practice run for Jim Cappelletti, who plans to someday direct a

professional repertory company of his own . . .”(n3: P1/2.3).

• director/concert relationship: “Nevertheless, the Consigliere has proven himself a skillful artistic director” (n2: P8/5.1).• director/dance relationship: “. . . had Cappelletti found a way to make our art form more accessible?” (n7: P1/6.2).

• director/work relationship: “As Jim mentions in his experiences with‘Circlewalker’. . .” (n1: P7/4.1).

• directorial role: “Jim Cappelletti served as creative liaisonbetween his company of dancers. . . and an arrayof choreographers” (n12: P2/1.3 –4).

• performer bio: “The Consigliere himself closes the evening with. . . a signature solo from his Momix days”

(n12: P10/1.7).

• performer/concert relationship: “The concert appeared well rehearsed. . .”(n9: P9/3.1).

• performers' physical attributes: “Five women of all different shapes and sizes”(n7: P2/3.6).

• statement: choreographer: “Tipton also states, "I think all the dances I make are sexy” (n3: P3/3.1).

• statement: director: “Cappelletti states in the first segment of the video that he wanted a concert that had

‘something for everyone’” (n3: P8/2.1 –2).

3.7.1.2.3.3 “Concert Basics” Category

The basic journalistic questions of “who, what, where, and when” account for a

significant proportion of the student writings. Given that my search was focused on

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understanding, however, I viewed this category as fundamentally propositional in nature,

rather than a revelation of higher-order thinking about the concert. As I will demonstrate

in chapter 4, this information is often derived from the program or from the video clips,

and thus represents a reiteration of transmitted information, rather than a function of

critical understanding, and it became expeditious to isolate this kind of information into a

general category that I have called “concert basics.” Once the coding sheets were

completed, I made a thorough review of this category in order to excavate its contents,

and produced the following list of individual components, which delineates the range of

information placed in this category (Table 15).

Who?Identification of concert personnel:

directorrelated presenters: WOSU-TVchoreographersperformerscomposersset designer

gender of performersroles of concert personnel sculptor/set designer composeraffiliations of concert personnelProfessional/student status of concertpersonnel

Where?location of concert

What?Concert components: video # of performers # of choreographers # of works relative size of works in concert relative age of works in concert titles of works program order of works year of works previous performance of a work concert title size of cast

When?Date of concerttime of concert

Table 15: List of components that make up “concert basics” category of type of information,arranged according to journalistic questions, Who? What? Where? When?

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3.7.1.3.Extrinsic Information

Extrinsic information refers to any type of information that is derived from

outside of the immediate performance event. Although it is not a large category at this

level of domain expertise, it remains a significant one, providing a means for inserting

relevant personal knowledge into the discussion of the concert works (Table 16).

EXTRINSIC INFORMATION

choreographic comparison

concert comparison

history: dance

history: music/dance

history: work

work/visual art relationship

Table 16: Extrinsic Information Category of Type of Information

3.7.1.3.1 Exemplars

• choreographic comparison: “This work is a "Cirque Du Solei"- likeinterface” (n9: P8/4.1).

• concert comparison: “She had seen Trisha Brown recently at the Wexner Center for the Arts and had seen Jim Cappelletti's MFA dance project with the Ohio

State University's dance department.”(n7: P1/2.3).

• history: dance “Modern dance in the US has been primarily amovement driven by the idiosyncratic vision ofchoreographers” (n10: P1/1).

• history: music/dance: “Composer Philip Glass has been frequentlyused by choreographers this past decade, such as

Twyla Tharp and Doug Varone”(n6: P7/1.1 – 1.3).

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• history: work “Hauser, Cappelletti and Jacobs are the originaldancers of this work, which has appeared at the

American College Dance Festival and on otherOhio State University programs.”(n9: P6/3.4 – 5).

• work/visual art relationship: “This pair is introduced to the audience in a Da Vinci-like image. . .” (n2: P7/2.2).

3.7.1.4 “Metaphysical” Information

Yet another category of information exists in the students’ inclusions of

metaphysical information. This term, sometimes synonymous with the word

“supernatural,” is used here in a more literal sense. Merriam -Webster defines the term to

mean “highly abstract or theoretical;” “of or relating to the transcendent or to a reality

beyond what is perceptible to the senses”; “of or relating to the system of principles

underlying a particular study or subject.” Although metaphysical information represents

only a small fraction of the types of information used in the student papers, it does occur

in several instances, and thus required identification in the study (Table 17).

METAPHYSICAL INFORMATION

nature of art form

nature of performance

Table 17: Metaphysical Category of Type of Information

3.7.1.4 Exemplars

nature of the art form: “Possibly, Cappelletti underestimates how much of the meaning of the dance is inherent in not only the dance itself. . .” (n12: P4/6.2).

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nature of performance: “. . . every dancer performing takes a risk and a chance in the dance. If your timing is off, it

could be over” (n1: P7/2.4 – 3.1).

3.7.1.5 Reflexive Information:

The last category of information is that kind of writing which brings the writer

directly into the written discussion. Like the metaphysical category, this component of

the writing is small, but fulfills a function in the writing that cannot be conflated with any

other. Here, the writer departs, however briefly, from writing about the concert: in a

sense, s/he steps “out” of the discussion of the concert to introduce him/herself or to

comment on the writing as it is evolving (Table 18).

REFLEXIVE INFORMATION

writer identification

writing agenda

Table 18: Reflexive Category of Type of Information

3.7.1.5.1 Exemplars

writer identification: "It's better than Trisha Brown," remarked a dance novice as she came into my office.”

(n7: P1/1.3).

writing agenda: “Of course, all this contextualizingis futile without the dances themselves.”(n10: P4/6.1-2).

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3.7.2 Source of Information

This category is designed to excavate the variety of sources of information

accessed by the student writers in constructing their responses to the concert. In dealing

with a transient art form, which comes and goes without leaving an artifact for further

scrutiny, I wanted to identify the sources employed by the writers in order to construct

their responses. It is the first category to follow the “clarification” of sentence segments,

and was driven by the question, “What source of information has this writer incorporated

in constructing this segment of the paper?”

To be more accurate, this category might be defined as the "most likely" source of

information, since it is not always certain from the papers what source material was

actually used by the writer. Program information, such as the names of certain dancers,

may have been available to the writers through personal knowledge, for example; the

location and dates of the concert may have been known to the writer by means of public

channels, such as posters or newspaper ads, rather than accessed through the program.

This uncertainty was of particular concern due to the unusual nature of the concert, which

involved the use of video for much of the program information — in some, but not all,

cases duplicating the information in the program itself.

In order to insure consistency in this portion of the analysis, I established a

schema, based on consultations with colleagues as well as my own domain knowledge.

The resulting hierarchy of source selection privileges the most conventional source of

information in those cases when the information could have been derived from more than

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one source. If information appeared in both program and video,66 for example, I have

listed the program as the source of information. In cases which could not be ascertained

with certainty, I have marked the item with an asterisk, followed by a brief discussion of

my reasoning in privileging one category over another.

The complete list of sources of information that emerged in the analysis is

alphabetically listed below, followed by the definition of each item that guided the

analysis, and illustrated with an exemplar for each source, derived from the student

writings.

3.7.2.1 Source of Information Exemplars

3.7.2.1.1 Association:

Based on the definition “a state of being connected together as in memory or

imagination,” (Oxford English ) this designation was applied to those segments of

information which appeared to be derived from the writer’s memory or imagination.

"‘Plum Tarts" reminds me of the name of a Cover Girl lipstick I heardcheerleaders raving about in the 1980s” (n1: P3/1.2).

3.7.2.1.2 Awareness of Time:

This category is used when the sentence segment has been informed by the

writer’s temporal awareness in viewing the concert.

66 Appendix C includes a description of the video clips along with the other program components

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“A dancer could catch two people charging across the stage, hold them askewwhile spinning in a circle, put them down and move on — all in three seconds'time” (n2: P2/3.7a).

3.7.2.1.3 Awareness of the Writing Agenda:

This category is used when the writer interjects a statement acknowledging

awareness of the writing task itself, as opposed to focusing on the events of the concert.“How can I write all the above and not even preface the relationship of theconcert title ‘The Consigliere Collection’?” (n1: P7/1.1).

3.7.2.1.4 Cultural Knowledge

This designation is used when the writer taps into his or her source of general

cultural knowledge or awareness.

“What about people of cultures where proscenium-oriented performance, asmanifested in European-descended American culture, isn't the only form ofexpression?” (n3: P8/7.1 – 4).

3.7.2.1.5 Domain Knowledge

Based on research about distinctions in a learner’s ability to understand works of

art depending on his or her status as a novice or expert learner.67 This category reflects

those segments that are drawn from the writer’s base of knowledge in the dance domain,

distinguishing those statements that could not be made by a novice observer of dance.

67 I have discussed this research in chapter 2, and included a listing of articles by Koroscik, Efland andother scholars who address this topic in the works cited section of this document.

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“Beyond the University setting however, acquiring high quality choreographyis not an easy task and certainly not inexpensive” (n10: P10/2.1 – 2.4).

3.7.2.1.6 Hearing

These sentence/segments are derived from the writer’s sense of hearing.

“. .. the first work of the evening, was originally choreographed by Pilobolusand set against a score of haunting, mechanical sounds by Jon Appleton”(n7: P5/1.4a)

3.7.2.1.7 Hearing and Observation

It is often the case when writing about dance that both sight and hearing have

combined to generate a statement. In the case of this particular concert, with its use of

video clips between dances, this designation was especially useful. Exemplars which

demonstrate both the conventional instance of the interplay between music and

movement, as well as information that has been accessed from the video clips, are

included below:

“While the movements and changing spatial patterns were fast and seemed tokeep time with the music” (n6: P7/4.3).

“The opening is a short video presentation of each choreographer's process in creating their unique works” (n9: P2/4.2).

3.7.2.1.8 Observation

This category designates those segments drawn from the writer’s sense of sight.

“They begin moving frantically downstage left, but each phrase is continuouslyinterrupted by one dancer's gravitation towards the white light casting a narrow,diagonal path across the stage floor” (n2:P4/2.1a – 2.4).

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3.7.2.1.9 Opinion

Viewing opinion as a “personal belief or judgement not founded on proof of

certainty” (OED), this category is used to designate information accessed from the

writer’s personal perspective.

“[The concert] was produced as professionally as any student concert I've seen”(n3: P1/2.4a).

3.7.2.1.10 Personal Knowledge

This category is used to indicate information in the text that is factual, but not

available through the program, concert or video.

“Cappelletti is a Master of Fine Arts Degree candidate in his third and final yearat OSU pursuing the ultimate goal of the directorship of a repertory dancecompany” (n6: P1/3.1b – 3/2).

3.7.2.1.11 Program

This designation is used to indicate the writer’s use of information provided in the

program. Although this information was often included in the video clips as well, the

program offered the writer an opportunity to check this kind of information during the

writing process, and was therefore privileged as the more likely source of information.

“Our need to beat the time instead of seize the day was the theme exploredin "Carpe Diem," a work by Susan Van Pelt” (n8: P6/1.2).

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3.7.2.1.12 Public Knowledge

This category is used to indicate information not available by other means, but

publicly available at the time of the concert.

“Excellent campus-wide publicity ensured that the first two nights saw willing customers turned away at the door” (n10: P2/3.1).

3.7.2.1.13 Self-Awareness

This designation is used to label those segments that are accessed from the

writer’s own personal awareness during the viewing of the concert.

“The lights go down immediately. I get chills” (n3: P5/6.6).

3.7.2.1.14 Video

This category indicates that the writer has accessed the information used in a

given segment from the video clips that accompanied this concert. Two exemplars are

given: the first explicitly identifies the video as the source of information, while the

second exemplifies the use of information only available in the video. As already

discussed, the program is listed as the most likely source of information when the

segment could have been derived from either source.

“The evening opened with a video-program, in which the audience was given asummary of each dance on the program” (n12: P4/1.4).

“Choreographer Allison Tipton likes to make dances that are ‘sexy.’"(n1: P3/2.2 – 3).68

68 Tipton delivers this information in the video clip that precedes her dance “Plum Tarts”

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3.7.3 Kind of Understanding

As the central quest of the study, this category on the coding sheet attempts to

characterize the kind of understanding about dance each sentence/segment reveals about

its writer. Categories which describe this phenomenon, like the others, emerged from the

papers, and went through several stages of refinement. A conceptual model for student

understandings about dance will be presented in chapter 5, and is derived from the

following categories.

3.7.4.1 Kind of Understanding Exemplars

3.7.4.1.1 Affective

This category describes a kind of understanding that is characterized by an

emotion or a strong feeling. When a sentence segment suggests an awareness of an inner

feeling on the part of the student, “affective” is used to describe that kind of

understanding.

“Just when I had begun to see the dancers as humanoids, able to submit to the group's communal momentum at any time, they surprised me” (n3: P2/5.4)

3.7.4.1.2 Conceptual

Based on the definition of concept as “an abstract or general idea, inferred or

derived from specific instances,” (Merriam-Webster) this category describes an

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understanding that is characterized by concepts or their formation. When a sentence

segment reveals the formation of a synthesized idea, based on specific instances of dance,

“conceptual” is used to describe that kind of understanding.

“Hauser performs in her own dance, adding her individual expression to acollective whole.” (n1:P5/8.2).

3.7.4.1.3 Empirical

This category indicates that the writer understands dance as a material

phenomenon, one that has identifiable matter — bodies, clothing, and various production

elements. When a sentence/segment reveals specific properties of dance that are derived

from sensory information and experience rather than theory, “empirical” is used to

describe that kind of understanding.

“. . . one would suddenly peek out from amongst the group's mass of legs,while another would be momentarily left behind” (n2: P2/6.2 – 6.3a).

3.7.4.1.4 Factual

This category refers to a writer’s understanding that various facts — verifiable

pieces of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred — can

be brought to bear in writing about dance. When a sentence/segment refers to verifiable

information that can be confirmed by the reader, “factual” is used to describe that kind of

understanding.

“‘Ciona’ (1973), choreographed by Pilobolus, was first on the program”(n6: P3/1.1).

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3.7.4.1.5 Hermeneutical

Adapted from the philosophical concept of a “hermeneutic circle” of

understanding, this category that refers to the writer’s acts of interpretation

conceptualizing the spectator (writer) and the performance in an interactive sphere of

meaning-making. When a sentence/segment indicates that the writer considers what he or

she has seen to be about something beyond its material or manifested components,

“hermeneutical” is used to describe that kind of understanding.

“Our need to beat the time instead of seize the day was the theme exploredin ‘Carpe Diem,’ a work by Susan Van Pelt” (n8: P6/1.1).

3.7.4.1.6 Ontological

This category is used to characterize a writer’s awareness of the nature of dance

as an art form. When a sentence/segment refers to inherent properties that make dance

uniquely what it is, “ontological” is used to designate that kind of understanding.

“Although over twenty years old, this piece reminds us of the awesomephysicality of movement” (n7: P5/2.3a).

3.7.4.1.7 Qualitative

Based on the notion of quality as a distinguishing attribute of something or

someone, this category is used to characterize a writer’s statements about such

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distinctions. When a sentence/segment characterizes the writer’s particular view of the

manner in which something was accomplished, “qualitative” is used to describe that kind

of understanding.

“The Momix/Alan Boeding collaboration is a daring and imaginative‘Circle Walker’” (n9: P8/1.2).

3.7.4.1.8 Reflexive

This category is used to characterize statements in which the writer refers back to

him or herself. When a sentence/segment inserts a first-person awareness on the part of

the writer as viewer of the dance event, “reflexive” is used to describe that kind of

understanding.

“I realize immediately, the dance will never again be repeated as I see it now”(n1: P1/3.1).

3.7.4 Critical Activity

This category enabled me to plot the "standard" categories of critical writing

alongside the others in order to see how they might align themselves with "kinds of

understanding" and other aspects of the analysis.

As I have indicated in chapter 2, I have included the standard categories of

description, interpretation and evaluation, used by Feldman, Weitz, Barrett, Banes and

others, as useful components for this study. In addition to those, I have also incorporated

Barrett’s use of “theorizing” (after Weitz), and Banes’ use of “contextualizing.” Though

Feldman advocates the use of “analysis,” I have felt that this category was easily

130

subsumed by the other categories. Interestingly, Oliver eliminates this critical activity in

her model as well, claiming that it is too sophisticated an operation for the average

student writer.

3.7.4.1 Critical Activity Exemplars

3.7.4.1.1 Description

“As the lights come up we find the trio in a cluster to the right” (n12: P8/2.1 –3).

3.7.4.1.2 Interpretation

“Monkey agility registers in my mind, only to be replaced fractionally laterby thoughts of weightless astronauts” (n10: P6/10.1a – 10.3).

3.7.4.1.3 Evaluation

“The strong opener, ‘Ciona,’ a staple of the Pilobolus company, was obviously acrowd pleaser” (n9: P3/1.1b; 1.3).

3.7.4.1.4 Contextualizing

“Composer Philip Glass has been frequently used by choreographers this pastdecade, such as Twyla Tharp and Doug Varone” (n6: P7/1.2 –3).

3.7.4.1.5 Theorizing

“Cappelletti's concert also brought another aspect, which for me successfullybridged that gap between elitist art and entertainment” (n7: P2/3.3).

131

3.7.5 Triangulation Measures

It cannot be stated emphatically enough that content analysis is a system that

develops and becomes clarified through a constant redoubling effort, as information in

one category is clarified and relationships are made between this addition or clarification

and existing categories of information. The necessity of returning to the data again and

again as the instrument and coding categories emerge and are filtered through evolving

layers of analysis becomes one source of checks and balances within the research.

The member checks described earlier in this chapter also provided a measure of

triangulation, in testing my emerging interpretations of the data against the perspectives

of the student writers. The use of questionnaire data serves this purpose as well, as it

provides information from the study population through a separate means from the papers

themselves.

Once the coding sheets were completed, four complete sets of sheets were

dispersed to four colleagues from both the dance discipline and that of art education, in

order to test my consistency in applying the analytical framework to the research

material. Finally, the need to continually search back through the individual coding sheets

in the quest to find exemplars for the data analysis constituted a significant degree of

“sampling,” allowing me to check coding categorization of the students’ writing in a

random manner.

132

For the purposes of illustration, I am including here one complete set of coding

sheets, representing Laura’s paper n3 in its entirety (Table 19: pages 134 - 148). The

remainder of the coding sheets are included as Appendix E.

133

n3 Something for Almost Everyone 1096

sentence/segment clarification type of info source of infokind of

understanding criticalactivity

P1 Introduction 100

1.1aThe Consigliere Collection, a [showcase]of six dances, concert title; # of works concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.1b showcase

indicates something about thenature of repertory concerts;implies an "insider" view

isolated word: type ofconcert

domainknowledge conceptual descriptive

1.2was an entertaining evening of[proficient] dancing.

the evening of dance was *intendedto be* enjoyable concert/audience rel opinion qualitative evaluative

1.3 proficient the dancing was of high qualitymov't: manner ofperformance opinion qualitative evaluative

2.1 Though it was a sort of practice runthe director used the concert as amodel for future projects director/concert rel

personalknowledge conceptual descriptive

2.2 for Jim Cappelletti, identification of artistic director concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.3

who plans to someday direct aprofessional repertory company of hisown,

revelation of future goals of artisticdirector director bio

personalknowledge factual descriptive

2.4ait was produced as professionally as any[student] concert I've seen:

as a frequent observer of dance, shefinds this one exceptional production elements opinion qualitative evaluative

2.4b student students produced this concertisolated word: type ofconcert


2.5 it was technically smooth production details were flawless production elements observation qualitative evaluative

2.6 and well-promoted publicity was good publicitypersonalknowledge factual evaluative

2.7 enough to fill the house every night.the publicity assured capacityaudiences each performance publicity/audience rel


Table 19: Coding Sheets for writer n3

134



3.1The concert took place at the SullivantHall Theater on Oct 28-31, 1998.

dates and location of concert,which took place in the past concert basics in program factual descriptive

3.2A video documentary produced byWOSU accompanied the dances,

involvement of outsidecommunity resources in concert;unusual addition of a video*between dances* duringconcert concert basics video factual descriptive

3.3 allowing insight to audience members videos were helpful to viewers video/ audience rel opinion hermeneutical evaluative

3.4 that may not have been familiar

the main beneficiaries of thevideo component were thenovice viewers in the audience

audiencecomposition


3.5 with modern dance.identification of movementgenre featured in concert mov't:genre


P2 Ciona 160

1.1 One doesn't often see Pilobolus'It's unusual to see the Pilobolusmov't style audience/work rel

domainknowledge factual descriptive

1.2a [daring] partnering

the works of this company arecharacterized by distinctiverelationships between/amongdancers mov't: rel


1.2b daringthe ways that dancers worktogether conveys risk-taking

isolated word:mov't: manner ofperformance observation qualitative descriptive

1.3 and sculptural use of the bodythe bodies are characterized by acarved appearance mov't: shape association empirical descriptive

1.4 outside of that company's own shows,Pilobolus works are usuallyperformed only by Pilobolus audience/work rel


sentence/segment clarification type of info sourceof info

kind ofunderstanding critical activity

135



1.5probably because the style is sospecific to Pilobolus

the mov't style is closelyassociated with the company mov't style


1.6 and difficult to learn.the mov't is challenging toreplicate

mov't: degree ofchallenge

domainknowledge qualitative descriptive

2.1aThis concert gave six [traditionallytrained] dancers # of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

2.1b traditionally trained

implication that Pilobolus workrequires "non-traditional"training

isolated words:performers' skills

personalknowledge conceptual descriptive

2.2 a chance to try their hand (body?)

This piece gave the dancers anopportunity to attemptsomething new performer/work rel


2.3a at the [perilous] liftsperformers lift each other in thisdance mov't: contact observation empirical descriptive

2.3b perilousthe dancers support each other inrisky ways

isolated word:mov't: manner ofperformance observation qualitative descriptive

2.4a and [inhuman] shapes reference to body formations mov't: shape observation empirical descriptive

2.4b inhumanthe bodily forms appear to beother than human mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

2.5 usually only attempted by

It is rare for non-Pilobolusdancers to try to perform thismov't

mov't: degree ofdifficulty


2.6the makers of "Ciona," the members ofthe Pilobolus company.

identification of choreographersand company concert basics in program factual descriptive

3.1a Six [silver-clad] bodies, # of dancers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

3.1b silver-clad colorisolated phrase:costume observation empirical descriptive

3.2a [chiseled] by aqua and blue light, color lighting observation empirical descriptive

3.2b chiseledsculptural appearance achievedthrough lighting

isolated word:mov't/lighting rel observation empirical descriptive

136



3.3abent themselves into symmetrical[sculptures].

dancers' moved into well-defined, balanced designs mov't: shape observation empirical description

3.3b sculpturesthe dancers seemed to be carved,like statues

isolated word:mov't: shape association hermeneutical interpretive

4aAlmost as soon as they had formed,these sculptures [mutated].

dancers' shapes quicklytransformed into new ones mov't/meaning rel observation empirical description

4b mutatedsuggests creatures other thanhuman

isolated word:mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

5.1 Just when I had begun to see

her images of the dance vanishedalmost as soon as they hadregistered viewer/work rel observation ontological descriptive

5.2 the dancers as humanoids,at times the dancers exhibited*pseudo-* human qualities mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

5.3able to submit to the group's communalmomentum at any time,

the cooperative group activity isused to support the "humanoid"connotation mov't: rel, energy observation conceptual description

5.4 they surprised mesuddenly, the dancers made anunexpected change viewer/work rel observation affective description

5.5 by smiling

facial mov't and quality,suggesting a shift in awareness*and a genuine human-ness (cf.5.2)* mov't: facial gesture observation empirical descriptive

5.6 serenelymov't conveyed a decidedlyhuman tranquility

mov't manner ofperformance association hermeneutical interpretive

5.7 at the audience.the facial gestures seem directedto the spectators

audience/ performerrel. observation empirical descriptive



6 This happened repeatedly. repetition was used as a devicechoreographicstructure: repetition observation empirical descriptive

7.1They might have seemed at first likesingle-celled organisms

an analogy between the dancersand simpler life forms mov't/meaning rel. association hermeneutical interpretive

137



7.2 dividing and joining each other

the dancers' activities ofconnecting and disconnectingfrom each other support theanalogy mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

7.3 in a primordial soup,connotes a liquid melange, aswell as a primitive state mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

7.4but then suddenly they'd remind theaudience

a shift of "character" occurs inthe dance

audience/ performerrel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7.5 that they were only people,the dancers' humanity is againhighlighted mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7.6 doing tricks.

a humorous, circus-likereference to the difficulty of themov't mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

P 3 Plum Tarts 116 1.1 Allison Tipton choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2 states in the WOSU video

the video which precedes eachpiece has been filmed for airingon a local TV station

statement:choreographer in video factual descriptive

1.3 about her dance, "Plum Tarts," title of dance concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.4

I just want it to be big, and aboutenergy. . . .

choreographer's intention: tomake a large, spirited work

statement:choreographer in video empirical descriptive

2.1a Five [ravishing] women number, gender of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive



2.1b ravishing the performers are beautiful

isolated word:performers' physicalattributes observation qualitative descriptive

2.1c ravishing the performers are wild

isolated word:performers' phsicalattributes opinion hermeneutical interpretive

138



2.2battement, pirouette, and ronde dejambe, ballet (French) terminolgy mov't: body actions

domainknowledge empirical descriptive

2.3 with come-hither facial expressions.a colloquial expression,indicating seductive looks mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

3.1Tipton also states, "I think all thedances I make are sexy.

Tipton believes her dancesemphasize sexuality and allure

statement:choreographer in video hermeneutical interpretive

4.1 And that's a good thing." She approves of "sexy" dances.statement:choreographer in video qualitative evaluative

5The dance illustrates well herappreciation for sex appeal.

Given her desire to make "sexy"dances, this piece is an aptexemplar

choreographer/work rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.1a The dancers [prowl] the stage the dancers move about the stage mov't: locomotion observation empirical descriptive

6.1b prowltheir mov't is predatory in asexual sense

isolated word:mov't: locomotion association hermeneutical interpretive

6.2 with slinky, their motion is sleek and smoothmov't: manner ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

6.3a turned out [ballet] walksthe legs are rotated outward asthe dancers travel mov't: body actions observation empirical descriptive

6.3b balletthis rotation is characteristic ofballet

isolated word:mov't: genre


6.4aand occasionally strike [mock-flamenco] poses.

intermittently, the dancers pausein specific positions mov't: shape observation empirical descriptive



6.4b mock-flamencothese poses are unofficialimitations of the Flamenco style

isolated word:mov't: genre


139



8.2

the dance is sweet, tangy, and like asugary dessert, without muchsubstance.

it is saccharine, pungent and notvery nourishing mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical evaluative

P 4 Passing 148

1.1Passing, choreographed by SusanHadley title; choreographer of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2depicts two women's struggle with thedeath of their friend.

the dance portrays thedifficulties two women face inlosing a friend mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.1 They begin moving quicklythe dance starts out with rapidmov't mov't: time observation empirical descriptive

2.2 from the floor to the air,their mov't extends into variouslevels of space mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

2.3taking turns supporting and throwingeach other.

the performers alternate betweentossing each other and bracingeach other mov't: contact observation empirical descriptive

3.1 These repetitive movements these mov'ts are repeatedchoreographicstructure: repetition observation empirical descriptive

3.2 stay in one corner of the stage,

the dancers remain in aparticular section of theperforming space mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

3.3a metaphor for the mundanity of dailylife.

the repeated mov'ts in thisconfined area connote theeveryday events of life mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.1Death is present from the dance'sbeginning:

an awareness of death isestablished from the start mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.2a source of light in the back corner ofthe stage

this presence is represented bylighting which comes from aparticular location lighting/space rel observation empirical descriptive

4.3 beckons one woman.this symbolic presence of deathdraws one of the dancers

lighting/performerrel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

140



5.1aAt one point, she [slowly] makes herway towards the light

the dancer travels toward thelight lighting/mov't rel observation empirical descriptive

5.1b slowlythe movement occurs at anunhurried pace mov't: time observation empirical descriptive

5.2 as the other twothe remaining pair of dancersmoves separately from her mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

5.3 throw themselves in her paththey hurl their bodies in front ofher steps mov't: body actions observation empirical descriptive

5.4 with the abandon ofthey there is a fierce intensityabout these actions

mov't: manner ofperformance observation qualitative descriptive

5.5a mother laying down her life for herchild.

the intensity of their actions isanalogous to a mother'sdesperate attempt to save the lifeof her child mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.1 My impression of the dancewriter specifies personal view ofthe work viewer/work rel self-awareness reflexive descriptive

6.2is characterized by this and otherevocative images

the dance was visuallystimulating mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.3 that are burned in my mind's eye.this was an unforgettableviewing experience viewer/work rel self-awareness reflexive descriptive

7.1However, the organization of these richimages was rushed:

a downside of the piece is that itmoved too quickly from one partto another

choreographicstructure: use oftime opinion empirical evaluation

7.2at times, the simple, poetic statementsthey made

occasionally, the mov't conveyedclear and evocative messages mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpetive

7.4advanced too quickly to the nextsection.

images gave way prematurely tothe next segment

choreographicstructure: use oftime opinion empirical evaluative

P 5 Carpe Diem 117 1.1 Susan Van Pelt's "Carpe Diem" choreographer, title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2 is an outpouring of kinetic energy.the dance is generous in dynamicoutput

mov't: manner ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

141



2.1 Nine dancers number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

2.2 exhaust themselves,the dance requires maximumexertion from the dancers performer/work rel opinion empirical descriptive

2.3constantly moving one way and thenthe other.

there are continual changes ofdirection mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

3.1 Dancers stream from the wingsperformers flow onto stage fromvarious entrances mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

3.2 with even, sliding leaps, smooth. gliding mode of travel

mov't: body actions,manner ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

3.3 arms raised and heads upturned.uplifted gestures of head andarms

mov't: body actions,space observation empirical descriptive

4.1 These continuous leapsanother reference to sustainedairborne mov't

mov't: body actions,repetition observation empirical dsecriptive

4.2suggest an unyielding progression oftime through years, even centuries.

the constancy suggests therelentless mov't of time mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.1 But in the midst ofrefers to a point within the flowof mov't mov't: time observation empirical descriptive

5.2 this river of time's constant flow, time analogy, reinforced mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

5.3 they abruptly stop in sideways posessudden moments of arrest;spatial orientation of body

mov't: space,stillness, time observation empirical descriptive

5.4 like modern-day hieroglyphicssuggests timelessness andmessage system mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

5.5 that freeze in time everyday moments.the poses capture ordinarymov'ts mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.1aThe ending is a [startling] use of one ofthese stillnesses:

the piece ends with one of these"frozen" moments mov't: final image observation empirical descriptive

6.1b startling the ending comes as a surpriseisolated word:viewer/work rel opinion affective descriptive

6.2at the moment the music ends, all thedancers

dancers observe a musical cue atending mov't/music rel. observation empirical descriptive

142



6.3 look sharply into their open palm,they focus suddenly on theinside of their hands

mov't: gesture;focus observation empirical dsecription

6.4 as if they'd lost something precious.suggests an important sense ofloss mov't/meaning rel. association hermeneutical interpretive

6.5 The lights go down immediately. timing of final cue lighting observation empirical descriptive

6.6 I get chills.this is a profoundly affectingmoment viewer/work rel self-awareness affective descriptive

P 6 Partial 136 1.1 Angela Hauser's dance, "Partial," Choreographer; title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2 plays with the structure

suggests that Hauser has (hadsome fun) *thoroughly exploredthe possibilities* (with) of theform in making this work

choreographicstructure:investigation ofform


1.3 of a trio. the form of the dance is a triochoreographicstructure: form observation empirical descriptive

2.1 The dancers move in and out of unison,

they vacillate btwn doing thesame mov't together andbreaking into separate mov't

choreographicstructure: rel observation empirical descriptive

2.2 hardly acknowledging each otherthe dancers' obvious awarenessof each other is minimized mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

2.3even as their movements perfectlycoincide.

this continues even when themov't is precisely coordinated mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

3.1 The beginning develops smoothlythe dance opens in a flowingmanner mov't: flow observation empirical descriptive

3.2afrom a simple [gestural phrase] into aprogression

the dance builds from astraightforward sequence ofmov't into a more elaborate one

choreographicstructure:development


3.2b gestural phrasethe mov't consists of non-weight-bearing actions mov't: body action observation empirical descriptive

3.3 that moves down a diagonal.

the sequence expands into atraveling sequence in a specificspatial direction

mov't: space.development observation empirical descriptive

143



4.1 From here, a more unpredictablethe dance becomes lesspredictable audience/work rel opinion qualitative descriptive

4.2 and disjointed section beginsthe flow of this section is lesscontinuous than before

choreographicstructure: contrast observation empirical descriptive

4.3ato the sounds of a radio as someone[carelessly] flips through the stations.

identification of sound sourcethat accompanies mov't mov't/sound rel hearing empirical descriptive

5.1Finally the dancers return to thebeginning movement phrase,

an awaited (outcome) *moment*in which the original mov'tmaterial is repeated

choreographicstructure: repetition observation empirical descriptive

5.2which has now become quitepredictable.

original material has come tolook very familiar audience/work rel observation conceptual descriptive

6.1They repeat this phrase three times,and the dance is over.

the dance ends with threerepetitions of this sequence


7.1 The ending moment the close of the piece is reachedchoreographicstructure: ending observation empirical descriptive

7.2a

encapsulates the dancers' disconnectedyet [strangely] unified relationship toeach other

earlier mov't and relationshipmotifs are restated

choreographicstructure: part/wholerel observation conceptual description

7.2b strangelythe connection among thedancers is (unusual) *unnatural*

isolated word:mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7.2 in one single move:the recapitulation occurs in onefinal motion mov't: body action observation empirical descriptive

7.3 a dancer topples out of his ending pose,a dancer falls out of his finalposition mov't: body action observation empirical descriptive

7.4and is caught by the outstretched armof another

the dancer is supported in thisfall by another dancer, whosearm is extended

mov't: contact, bodyaction observation empirical descriptive

7.5awho isn't [even] looking in hisdirection

the "catching" dancer doesn'tlook at the "falling" dancer mov't: focus, rel observation empirical descriptive

7.5b evenemphasizes the oddity of thisdevelopment

isolated word:mov't: focus opinion qualitative descriptive

144



P 7 Circle Walker 175 1.1 Jim Cappelletti states reference to director concert basics in video factual descriptive

1.2in the video segment preceding thedance

reference to video clipcomponent concert basics observation factual descriptive

1.3that "Circle Walker" is a dance thatrequires great skill.

he asserts that the next piecerequires considerable ability performer/work rel hearing qualitative descriptive

1.4aHe could have let the sculpture [withwhich he dances] speak for itself; his explanation was unnecessary set opinion conceptual descriptive

1.4b with which he danceshe dances with a piece ofsculpture performer/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

1.5 it's formidable,it's an impressive piece ofsculpture set opinion qualitative descriptive

1.6

made of two steel arcs about twelvefeet across, set perpendicular to eachother with inner supporting structures. set material, size and shape info set observation empirical descriptive

2.1A dancer can swing on it, or standinside it and "walk" with it.

possibilities include swingingfrom, entering into, and travelingwith this sculpture mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

2.2The dancer can even ride the CircleWalker

the sculpture can also move thedancer mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

2.3as it rolls in arcing patterns across thefloor,

the sculpture rotates in a specificpath as it moves mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

2.4manipulating the sculpture's path byshifting his own weight.

the dancer's bearing influencesthe direction of the sculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

3.1 It offers many possibilities, the sculpture has much potential set opinion conceptual descriptive

but the choreography highlightsthe development of its potentialis found to be limited

choreographicstructure: emphasis opinion conceptual descriptive

3.3a the [tricks] that Jim can dothe dance privileges specialmaneuvers of the performer mov't/meaning rel observation empirical descriptive

145



3.3b tricks

the use of this word connotes theintention to dazzle the audiencein the tradition of circusperformance mov't/meaning rel

domainknowledge hermeneutical evaluative

3.4rather than the inherent grace of thesculpture.

it doesn't showcase the intrinsicelegance of the sculpture itself mov't/meaning rel opinion conceptual evaluative

4.1He begins the dance standing on thefloor, dancer's opening positon

mov't: openingstance observation empirical description

4.2 arms spread wide arms are stretchedmov't: gesture, bodypart observation empirical description

4.3 to support the Circle Walkerthe arms function to stabilize thesculpture performer/set rel. observation empirical description

4.4 as it balances on one arc. position of sculpture set observation empirical description5.1 He flexes his muscles, dancer contracts his muscles mov't: gesture observation empirical description

5.2aand sends a [violent] ripple from hischest to his arms.

there is a sequential consequencethrough the upper body

mov't: gesture, bodyparts observation empirical description

5.2b violentconnotes a fierce intention to thisaction

isolated word:mov't: manner ofperformance opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.1He begins to ride the sculpture as itswings

dancer coasts with thesculpture's rocking motion performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

6.2 flourishing an arm he makes a showy motion

mov't: gesture, bodypart, manner ofperformance observation empirical descrptive

6.3 at the peak.the arm action occurs at the topof the sculpture's moving arc performer/set rel. observation empirical description

7.1 Again, I feel like I'm at the circus.

the circus-like atmosphere is arepeated occurence in thisconcert mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

146



P 8 Conclusion 140

1.1a

As a whole, The Consigliere Collectionwas a [light, palatable] evening ofmodern dance.

overall, the concert wascomposed of modern danceworks concert structure


1.1b light, palatablethe concert as a whole waseasily "digested" concert/audience rel opinion qualitative evaluative

2.1Cappelletti states in the first segmentof the video

a quote from the opening concertvideo-clip statement: director hearing factual descriptive

5.3 — granted, a wonderful inclusionconcedes this as a significantaddition to the audience audience/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

5.4of a group usually alienated from thedance world.

it addresses a group typicallyseparate from the dance scene audience/dance rel opinion conceptual descriptive

6.1aBut what about people [outside of theuniversity] environment,

questions concert value for agroup she identifies as absentfrom the audience

audiencecomposition opinion conceptual evaluative

6.1b outside of the universityequates typical dance viewers asuniverstity insiders

isolated phrase:audiencecomposition opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.2

who would never even feelcomfortable entering Sullivant Hall'stheatre?

posits that those outside thisgroup would not even be at easeentering the (university) concertvenue audience/dance rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7.1 What about people of cultures

implies that other groups ofpeople have been left out ofCappelletti's "universal" formula

audiencecomposition

culturalknowledge conceptual descriptive

7.2awhere proscenium-orientedperformance,

alludes to conventional westerntheatrical space audience/dance rel


7.2bwhere proscenium-orientedperformance,

reveals a theatrical conventionof this concert audience/dance rel observation empirical descriptive

147



7.3as manifested in European-descendedAmerican culture,

American theatrical traditionsreflect the dominance ofEuropean immigrants art/culture rel


7.4 isn't the only form of expression?points to Euro-centric bias inCappelletti's concert choices art/culture rel


8This concert made dance moreaccessible for some, not all.

a final challenge to Cappelletti'sstatement audience/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

148

CHAPTER 4

DATA ANALYSIS


The primary data for this study consists of nine student papers of approximately

one thousand words each, written in the context of a specific class assignment. As

discussed in chapter 3, I have transferred these writings onto spreadsheets, subdivided

and coded them through a process of content analysis, in accordance with the research

design. I have drawn additional data from entry and exit questionnaires,69 completed by

the student writers before and after the class that served as the context for the study, as

well as from the recorded general impressions of each student’s paper that I made prior

to beginning the analysis.70 In this chapter, I will present an analysis and interpretation

of the data collected from these sources.

The coding sheets of the student writings have yielded a rich field of information,

capable of sustaining inquiry in a variety of directions. My investigation here is limited to

two major areas that pertain to the central research question, an inquiry about the kinds

69 See Appendix A.

70 See 3.4.3, p. 80 for a discussion of this stage of the analysis.

149

of understanding revealed in student writings about dance. This chapter unfolds the

analysis through narrative and visual representation, encompassing separate

investigations of the papers of individual writers, and the dances that were their writing

subjects. It is divided into two sections, dealing with each of these analyses in turn.

Each of the sections is subdivided into smaller units, which are identified as individual

sections are introduced. In both sections, I will examine separately the use of critical

activities employed, the types and sources of information used, and the kinds of

understandings that have emerged from the analysis of the writings. The first section

includes a profile of each writer, summarizing his or her approach to the writing

assignment, and discussing what the data suggests about the understandings revealed in

each paper. In the second section, where the data is mined to unearth differences and

similarities in the ways individual dances are considered by these writers, a description

of each of the dances is included.

150

SECTION I: THE WRITERS

4.2 Organization of the Section

This section examines the work of each of the nine students in the study

individually. In characterizing the work of each writer, I will draw from the knowledge I

gained about the student over the ten-week teaching period; the general impressions I

recorded of each paper prior to beginning the analysis; information from entry and exit

questionnaires completed by the student at either end of the course period; and the coding

sheets of the student writings.

The format for presenting the student profiles that introduce the individual writers

will remain uniform. Each writer will be introduced through a brief narrative, constructed

from the summary I developed about each paper before the analysis began, and

supplemented by selected remarks that the students made about themselves in the

entrance and exit questionnaires.71 This profile contains a discussion of the student’s

writing practices, based on the papers themselves and on my work in the classroom with

the student over the ten-week period of the course. Finally, the profile includes a visual

composite and a discussion of the ways in which the coded paper reflects the traditional

constellation of critical aspects of writing: description, interpretation, evaluation,

contextualization and theorizing.

71A complete transcript of the questionnaires is found in Appendix A.

151

The next sub-section contains an examination of the types of information the

student has accessed in developing the paper. This is followed by a sub-section that

illuminates the sources of information from which the student drew in formulating the

paper. The final sub-section concludes each individual analysis by exploring what

kinds of understandings about dance the student’s writing reveals. Each of these sub-

sections will be accompanied by a graphic representation, in the form of a pie chart,

which displays the findings visually, showing the relationship of individual parts of the

given analysis to the whole.

In characterizing each of the writers, I refer to the student and his or her paper by

the coding number assigned for the purposes of the analysis. In order to personalize these

portrayals, I also identify each student by a fictional name, and use this name as an

alternative way of referring to the student. Thus, the first writer is designated by the name

“Dawn”; additionally, the designation “n1” is used throughout the study to refer both to

Dawn and to her paper. This convention allows for consistency of reference as well as

anonymity for the writers.

4.3 Paper n1: Dawn

4.3.1 Student Profile

Dawn’s writing reveals a distinct pattern of understanding dance as an art form

with deep resonances to personal experience, both in terms of the associations she brings

into her writing, and in terms of a tendency, more pronounced than that of any other

writer in the study population, to reference personal awareness in the viewing of the

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concert and the writing of the paper. A reflexive and phenomenological style of writing

characterizes Dawn’s paper, which also exhibits a balance in types of information

between movement description and attention to the movement/meaning relationship. As

is immediately evident in the words of her title, “Here Today . . . Gone Tomorrow,”

Dawn exhibits a tendency to make references to the nature of dance as an art form in her

writing. With regard to traditional critical writing categories, Dawn’s focus is on

description and interpretation. There is very little evaluative writing in this paper, which

contains only slightly more evaluation than that of the least evaluative writer, n8 (Table

20).

Figure 1: Critical Activities composite: n1

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12

Evaluation 4% 13% 12% 24% 15% 3% 21% 13% 8%

Table 20: Evaluative Activity of writer n1, n8

Critical Activites: n1

descriptive62%

evaluative4%

interpretive34%

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A relative latecomer to dance, Dawn discussed openly her battles with the

confidence to pursue a profession in the field. As often happens with those who discover

a late calling, she was passionate about her newfound interest, and brought to the

classroom a refreshing enthusiasm, which is reflected in her writing. The introduction and

conclusion to her paper are personal and engaging, as are many of the introductions to

paragraphs dealing with individual dances. In her initial questionnaire, she acknowledged

this proclivity, stating that “because dance is primarily an emotional and spiritual

experience for me, I tend to write more about the larger overall experience, describing

feelings more than technical thoughts.”

Dawn identified herself as a student who found the writing process difficult, and

requested extra time to develop the first draft of each assignment, which she preferred to

generate by hand rather than by means of a word processor. Among the nine papers,

hers was the second shortest in length, submitting 935 words in response to a 1000-word

assignment. It remains unclear whether her exclusion of one of the dances, Carpe Diem,

was an oversight or an attempt to shorten her acknowledged labors with the writing

process. In any case, she was the only writer to simply skip one of the dances: While two

other writers elected to explicitly focus their attention on a specified number of dances,

her omission of a single dance constitutes a notable exception. She has also devoted more

than a third of her text to the dance Partial, a figure that represents the highest percentage

(36.7%) of total words in any paper devoted to one dance.

This paper contains the highest average words per entry rate of any writer in the

study. The sentence segments from her coding sheets yielded an average of eight words

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per segment, suggesting that she may be less efficient with language than her peers; at the

same time, her writing also yielded the lowest number of total entries per paper (Table

21).


entries/paper 116 183 198 127 177 181 175 206 235

avg words/entry 8 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.9 6.1 5.2 4.9

Table 21: Entries per paper and average words per entry: n1


Dawn is one of three writers in the group with a tendency to employ a self-

conscious presence in her writing. The other eight writers, for example, elected at times

to address the relationship between the audience and a specific work,72 which constitutes

a degree of distance between the writer and the audience that Dawn’s writing does not

reveal; nor does she step back from the concert as a phenomenon with specific reference

to its content,73 as do most of the other writers. Rather, her writing reveals a kind of

continual self-monitoring as the concert unfolds. She has a tendency to rely on program

information, and her paper yields a relatively high number of entries categorized as

“concert basics,” constituting almost 15% of her writing. The types of information

referenced in Dawn’s writing are represented in Figure 2.

72I am referring here to the designation “audience/work relationship” within the “Type of Information”category. See p. 92 –6 for a discussion of this designation, or Appendix G, to see how paper n1 compareswith the others in this regard.

73 I refer here to the designation “concert content” in the same category.

155

Figure 2: Type of Information composite: n1


Dawn has a higher tendency than most of the student writers to bring personal

associations into her discussion of the dances. Her introduction to the second dance on

the program, Plum Tarts, exemplifies this inclination when she quips, “‘Plum Tarts’

reminds me of the name of a Cover Girl lipstick I heard cheerleaders raving about in the

1980s” (P3/1.1-1.2). As well, in her discussion of the dance Partial, she writes that the

dance “reminds [her] of the busy rush hour in the midst of Manhattan” (P5/5.1).

Type of Information: n1

Choreography and

Movement22%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators23%

Theatrical Elements

14%

Metaphysical5%

Reflexive Information

1%Audience/

Performance Interaction

35%

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Figure 3: Source of Information Composite: n1

As in all of the papers, the two greatest sources of information in Dawn’s writing

are observation and opinion, which in this case are almost evenly split. She makes more

frequent reference to information found in the program than most of her peers, perhaps

compensating for a lack of domain knowledge, which plays a smaller role in her writing

than in that of most other students in the study (Table 22).


Program 12% 7% 5% 13% 5% 7% 9% 6% 9%

Table 22: Source of Information from program: n1

Source of Information: n1

opinion31%

hearing/observation

1%observation31%

domain knowledge

3%

association11%

hearing2%

program12%

self-awareness

3%

personal knowledge

2%video

4%

157

Though she is not alone in bringing an awareness of the self into the writing

project, there are several writers who do not interject this element at all into their papers

(Table 23). In a generally descriptive passage about the dance Ciona, for example,

Source ofInformation n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12

Self-Awareness 3% 2% 3% 3%

Table 23: Self-Awareness as a Source of Information: n1

Dawn begins the description with an explicit acknowledgement of her own engagement:

“Instantly I am enticed by . . . vibrations in the music” (P2/4-4.1).74 A representation of

the sources of information for n1 is found in Figure 3.


More than any other writer in the study population, Dawn reveals a pronounced

awareness of the nature of dance as a phenomenon. At nine entries, her writing yields the

largest number in the ontological category: Only four other students made ontological

statements, and the largest number of entries for another writer within that group was two

(Table 24).

74In selecting passages from students’ papers to illustrate a concept, it is often necessary to present a givenexcerpt embedded within its original sentence, so that the information makes sense in the present context.In cases such as this, I will clarify by adopting the convention of italicizing the segment that is relevant tothe discussion.

158


Ontological 8% 1% 1% 1%

Table 24: Ontological Understanding: n1

Dawn’s reflexive style of writing, characterized by a first and second person

approach to the text, a tendency to look at the big picture, and an inclination to

repeatedly re-introduce into the writing her own presence as a viewer, set her

apart from the other eight writers in terms of the kinds of understandings her work

reveals.

Figure 4: Kind of Understanding composite: n1

There is an almost equal distribution in Dawn’s tendency to understand dance

both as an empirical and an hermeneutical experience, a correspondence that only occurs

Kind of Understanding: n1

reflexive2%factual

13%affective

1%

conceptual11%

empirical29%

qualitative5%

ontological8%

hermeneutic31%

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in the understanding patterns of one other writer (n2) in the group (Table 25). Echoing

the high proportion of concert basics and program information, her writing relies more on

factual information and less on qualitative descriptions of the dance event than do the


Empirical 29% 36% 40% 27% 37% 49% 33% 31% 44%

Hermenutical 31% 32% 20% 12% 16% 23% 17% 17% 29%

Table 25: Empirical and Hermeneutical Understanding: n1, n2

others. Again, these tendencies may be related to Dawn’s relative inexperience with the

physical practice of dance and dance composition. Figure 4 represents the kinds of

understandings exhibited in the Dawn’s writing.

4.4 Paper n2: Renée


Renée’s paper reveals a confident writer who enjoys subtleties of language and is

not timid in taking firm positions about various aspects of the concert. The sentence

structures are nicely varied, the vocabulary is rich, and the transitions between paragraphs

are carefully constructed. Moreover, there is a play on words revolving around the mafia

connotations in the title of the concert, The Consigliere Collection, that makes an

appearance in both the opening and closing of her paper. Although the students were

160

asked to give their papers a title, not all of the writers did so; Renée is one who did

observe this requirement, and has cleverly entitled her paper to reflect this same wordplay

derived from the title of the concert.

Renée is one of the two undergraduates who enrolled in the course and, as an

Honors candidate in the English Department, is the only student who had declared a

major in an academic discipline outside of the Department of Dance. She did, however,

enter the course with a substantial background in tap dance, which included both

choreographic experience and professional teaching at several local studios.

In terms of traditional critical activities (Figure 5), this paper displays a similar

pattern of emphasis on the descriptive mode of writing to that of n1; there is an increase

in evaluative writing here, with a lower, though still significant, component of

interpretation in the paper (Table 26). Renée structures the paper by addressing each

dance in turn, enclosing these discussions between an engaging introduction and


Description 61% 56% 70% 61% 65% 73% 61% 65% 62%

Interpretation 35% 31% 18% 13% 17% 22% 18% 18% 28%

Evaluation 4% 13% 12% 24% 15% 3% 21% 13% 8%

Table 26: Descrption, Interpretation and Evaluation: n1, n2

conclusion. There is a balance of attention given to each of the dances, with the exception

of the second dance, Plum Tarts, which is allotted only 6% of the total number of words

used for the paper. Paper n2 exhibits an average words per entry ratio as well as an

average number of entries and number of words in the paper (Table 27).

161

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12entries/paper 116 183 198 127 177 181 175 206 235

avg words/entry 8 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.9 6.1 5.2 4.9


Figure 5: Critical Activities Composite: n2


A comparison of the Type of Information composites reveals a similar overall

pattern in the papers of n2, n1 and n7 (see Figures. 6, 2 and 22). Among all nine writers,

Renée displays the largest proportion of text that is concerned with the

Audience/ Performer Interaction (Table 28), and within that category, Renée has

concerned herself more than any other writer with the audience/work relationship,

exhibiting a tendency to draw the audience together into a communal act of viewing,

forging a link between her own response to the concert and those of fellow spectators.

Critical Activities: n2

descriptive56%

evaluative13%

interpretive31%

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Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12Audience/Performance

Interaction 35% 40% 31% 31% 38% 27% 26% 38% 36%

Table 28: Audience Performance Interaction: n2

This trend is a broad one, occurring in the discussions of a variety of the dances.

Examples include the following descriptive passage (P7/2.1), which refers to the

relationship between the dancer and the sculptural element in Circle Walker: “This pair is

introduced to the audience in a Da Vinci-like image . . .” as well as in a more interpretive

excerpt about Passing, in which she states,” . . . we all bear the burden of carrying the

dying to her destination . . .” (P4/5.2)



Theatrical Elements

11%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators17%

Choreography and Movement

31%

Extrinsic1%

Audience/ Performance Interaction

40%

163

Renée’s writing reveals a strong eye for movement detail, with almost a third of

her information falling under the category of movement description,75 a proportion that

places this paper among those of the top three writers in this respect.76 The writing

emphasizes structural elements, both at the choreographic level and in reference to the

concert itself. She refers to both the costume and the lighting as elements of performance

more than any other writer except n12, referring to the “shiny, sleek unitards” worn in

Ciona (P2/1.2), the white costumes worn in Carpe Diem (P6/1.5) and the black costumes

in Passing (P4/1.4). More particularly, Renée foregrounds the role of costume in making

meaning of the dances, such as in P2/4.3 when she refers to the “futuristic costumes” of

Ciona. Similarly, with regard to the lighting in Plum Tarts, she characterizes it as “. . . an

indulgent sea of glowing red” (P3/3.3a-3.4). A representation of the types of information

which constitute the Renée’s writing is represented in Figure 6.


As in all but the papers of two other writers (n6 and n9), Renée has drawn upon

observation more than any other source of information in constructing this paper (Table

29). At 37.4% of entries, observation provides the information for more than a third of

the paper, with opinion following close behind at 33.9%. Her incorporation of associative

references, constituting 9% of her writing, a strong component of her source material, is

75 I refer to the designation “movement: by category” in the Type of Information column, discussed on pp.102 –7, and also exemplified in Appendix G.

76 Although words such as “top” and “lowest” suggest connotations of value, I am using them simply in thequantitative sense throughout this chapter.

164

exemplified by such statements as “ [The dancers] offered small glimpses of frogs,

kaleidoscopes, wind chimes, stacked tables, drops of water, and Willy Wonka's oompah-

loompahs” (n2:P2/5). Given this writer’s involvement with the aural art of tap dance, it is

curious that few of the entries in this paper are derived from the sense of hearing. A

representation of sources of information in paper n2 is found in Figure 7.

Figure 7: Source of Information composite: n2

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12Observation 31%37%43%25%40%48%31%33%37%

Table 29: Observation as Source of Information: n2, n6, n9


personal knowledge

1%video3%

public information

1%program

7%hearing

2%

observation37%

domain knowledge

4%

association9%

hearing/observation

2%

opinion34%

165


Though only slightly higher than that of n1, Renée’s paper reveals the highest

tendency to emerge in any of the papers (32%) of understanding dance as a hermeneutical

phenomenon (Table 30). This tendency comes into play whether discussing sound, as in

her characterization of the changes in music as “. . . a desperate search up and down the

radio dial . . .” (P5/2.2-2.4 ); the movement, as in a framing of the group’s movement as

“an effortlessly evolving sculpture . . . “ (P2/3.4a); or in addressing the relationship

between the movement and the set in Circle Walker, which “. . . suggests a possible

commentary on the relationship between man and machine. . .” (P2/5.7). Renée’s work

shows a strong propensity toward understanding dance as an experiential phenomenon,

with a high degree of reference to both the


Hermenutical 31% 32% 20% 12% 16% 23% 17% 17% 29%

Table 30: Hermeneutical Understanding: n2

empirical and qualitative components of that category. Overall, Renée’s profile of

understandings about dance is similar to that of writer n1 (see Fig. 4.4); the most

significant difference emerges in a reduced pattern of foregrounding the factual in

understanding, combined with a higher tendency to write about dance from a qualitative

point of view. The visual composite of Renée’s understandings about dance is

represented in Figure 8.

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4.5 Paper n3: Laura


Laura’s writing is characterized by a strong sense of organization. She establishes

“throughlines” that recur through the paper, even as she considers each dance, one at a

time.77 One of these throughlines is a circus theme that runs through the writing,

emerging in phrases such as the one in which she reflects that the performers in Ciona

would transform themselves from a variety of non-human shapes until “suddenly, they’d

77 Part of the lexicon of Stanislavski’s method of acting, I am borrowing this theatrical term, as a way ofgesturing to the writer’s pursuit of a single objective or strand of meaning while considering various“scenes” of action — or in this case, a variety of distinct dances.


empirical36%

conceptual13%

qualitative10%

factual8%

hermeneutic32%

affective1%

167

remind the audience that they were only people, doing tricks” (P2/7.2-7.4). A different

kind of throughline is prefaced in the title “The Consigliere Collection: Something for

Almost Everyone,” in which the writer opens and maintains an ongoing question about

the concert director’s attempt to provide something for everyone.

In spite of the fact that Laura is an undergraduate, and the youngest member of

the class, there is a comfortable sense of authority in her approach to the writing project.

Her paper is threaded throughout with effective movement description. An obvious

familiarity with the dance domain is evident through her incorporation of domain and

personal knowledge, and the clarity with which she assembles her remarks about each of

the dances suggests an attitude of confidence. Each paragraph is tightly constructed:

vocabulary is carefully chosen, transitions between thoughts and paragraphs are seam-

lessly executed, and there is an excellent variation in sentence structure and rhythm. The

writing is a pleasure to read, and easily absorbed. Additionally, Laura is skillful in the use

of metaphor, which enlivens and strengthens her text. This tendency is exemplified in

passages such as the following description of Ciona: “They might have seemed at first

like single-celled organisms dividing and joining each other in a primordial soup . . .”

(P2/7.3).

With regard to critical activities, Laura’s paper demonstrates the second largest

use of description (Table 31). Like the majority of other writers in the study, she has

structured the paper to address each dance as it appeared in the concert, framed with

introductory and closing paragraphs. At 1096 words, she has used more words than six of

the other writers in developing this paper. There is a clear balance in her treatment of the

various dances, with the final piece, Circle Walker, commanding the highest percentage

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Description 61% 56% 70% 61% 65% 73% 61% 65% 62%

Table 31: Descriptive Activity: n3

of words at 16%. She falls in the lower third of writers in terms of the average number of

words per entry, an indication that her sentences are densely packed with regard to the

research questions, resulting in the need to break the segments frequently (Table 32).


avg words/entry 8 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.9 6.1 5.2 4.9



evaluative12%

interpretive18%

descriptive70%

169


Laura’s writing is characterized by the highest proportion of information based on

movement and choreography (Table 33). Furthermore, within that category, the paper

contains the largest quotient of entries addressing movement description, as well as the

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12Movement andChoreography 22% 31% 42% 21% 22% 38% 23% 20% 28%

Table 33: Movement and Choreography as Type of Information: n3


greatest emphasis on choreographic structure. Her tendency to look at the structural

aspect of choreography is typified in the following discussion of Partial: “The beginning


Choreography and

Movement42%

Audience/Performance Interaction:

31%

Theatrical Elements

13%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators14%

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develops smoothly from a simple gestural phrase into a progression that moves down a

diagonal. . .” (P6/3.1-3.3). Laura’s reference to theatrical elements, particularly those

entries concerned with set design as an integral component of the concert, also emerges

as a strong pattern in her writing. A composite of the types of information used to

construct this paper is represented in Figure 10.


With 43.3% of her paper based on observed information, only one other writer

(n8) has relied more heavily on observation than Laura (Table 34). She incorporates a

high degree of association in developing her response to the concert, and also brings

some self-awareness into her writing. In writing about Carpe Diem, Laura reveals both


Observation 31% 37% 43% 25% 40% 48% 31% 33% 37%

Table 34: Observation as Source of Information: n3

observation and self-awareness: “The lights go down immediately. I get chills.” (P5/6.5-

6.6) An example of the tendency to draw associations from observed information can be

cited in her discussion of Passing: “These repetitive movements stay in one corner of the

stage, a metaphor for the mundanity of daily life” (P4/3.1-3.3). This associative pattern

continues in her section about Carpe Diem, as she writes that the dancers “ . . . abruptly

stop in sideways poses, like modern-day hieroglyphics . . . “ (P5/5.3-5.4).

Laura’s writing is also characterized by the frequent integration of domain

knowledge, augmented by personal knowledge, corresponding to a lower than usual

171

degree of reliance on program information (Table 35). Her discussion of Plum Tarts

reveals not only this depth of domain knowledge, but points as well to her sophistication


with language, as she breezily transposes a series of French ballet terms into verbs,

simultaneously connoting the mildly sardonic attitude many writers exhibited toward this

particular dance: “Five ravishing women battement, pirouette, and ronde de jambe, with

come-hither facial expressions” (P3/2.1a-2.3). As an exemplar of her use of personal


Program 12% 7% 5% 13% 5% 7% 9% 6% 9%

Domain Knowledge 3% 4% 9% 5% 7% 3% 6% 14% 5%

Table 35: Program Information and Domain Knowledge: n3


video3%

personal knowledge

3%program5%

hearing2%

observation43% self-

awareness2%

domain knowledge

9%

association11%

opinion22%

172

knowledge, there is a passage about the concert director which brings into the writing two

pieces of information not contained in the program or otherwise known to the larger

audience: “Though it was a sort of practice run for Jim Cappelletti, who plans to someday

direct a professional repertory company of his own . . .” (P1/2.1-2.3). A composite of the

sources of information utilized in the writing of n3 is represented in Figure 11.


Laura tends to understand dance as an empirical phenomenon. Her tendency to

emphasize this aspect in constructing this paper corresponds to the high incidence of

observation, which appears in the sources of information category.

Figure 12: Kind of Understanding Composite: n3


ontological1%

qualitative9%

reflexive1% affective

2%

conceptual16%

hermeneutical20%

factual11%

empirical40%

173

The ratios of hermeneutical and conceptual understandings of dance are similar in

this paper, and there is a similar degree of balance in the writer’s understanding of the

qualitative and factual aspects of performance. In her discussion of Partial, Laura states

that “. . . a dancer topples out of his ending pose, and is caught by the outstretched arm of

another who isn't even looking in his direction” (P6/7.3-7.5a). Again, in writing set of

Circle Walker, Laura takes an almost strictly empirical approach to discussing the use of

theatrical elements: “A dancer can swing on it, or stand inside it and ‘walk’ with it.

The dancer can even ride the ‘Circle Walker’ as it rolls in arcing patterns across the floor,

manipulating the sculpture's path by shifting his own weight” (P7/2.1-2.4). Figure 12

presents a composite view of the kinds of understanding revealed in Laura’s paper.

4.6. Paper n6: Erin


Written using only 752 words, this constitutes the lowest number used in any

paper, well below the assignment expectation of 1000 words. There is a strongly

evaluative tone to the writing, which begins with its title, “A Successful Consigliere,” and

continues throughout the text: Of all nine writers in the group, Erin has the highest


Evaluation 4% 13% 12% 24% 15% 3% 21% 13% 8%

Interpretation 35% 31% 18% 13% 17% 22% 18% 18% 28%

Table 36: Evaluative and Interpretive Activities: n6

174

tendency to evaluate the concert, at 24% of her paper (Table 36). Descriptive activity is

also a strong component, and interpretive writing is lower than in most papers (Table 36).

There is also a small element of contextualization in Erin’s writing. Figure 13 provides a

composite of critical activities in Erin’s paper (n6).

Figure 13: Critical Activities for writer n6

In her entrance questionnaire, Erin remarked that criticism should “ . . . set

standards in the dance world for choreographers as well as dancers,” and should “. . .

offer people an objective and informed opinion of dance.” The writing in this paper,

though structurally and grammatically sound, fulfills these goals but remains somewhat

sterile. Written entirely in the third person, its short, crisp sentences become almost

formulaic. Her approach is analytical, displaying the second highest proportion of entries

that deal with choreographic structure. There is an absence of metaphor, along with a


evaluative24%

interpretive13%

contextual

descriptive61%

175

minimum of associative information. This paper, together with that of n9, contains the

lowest proportion of movement description, which might have offset or supported the

strong, evaluative thrust of the writing.

Erin considers each dance in its program order, with two paragraphs of intro-

duction, consuming 25% of the writing, and one of conclusion. Although attention to

each of the dances is fairly balanced, the last two works, Carpe Diem and Circle Walker,

are awarded the most weight. At an average of 6 words per entry, this paper represents

the exact average for the whole study population, and its low number of entries, second

only to those of paper n1, corresponds to the low number of words used to construct this

paper (Table 37).


avg words/entry 8 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.9 6.1 5.2 4.9



In keeping with her impersonal style of writing, Erin incorporates a high

proportion of “concert basics” in assembling this paper. At 13% of all the types of

information used, this paper outstrips all others except n1 in this regard. The paper also

contains the highest number of references to the “audience/ concert relationship,” again

pointing to Erin’s tendency to distance herself from the concert; conversely, there is no

entry for the more personal “viewer/concert relationship. . . ” in this paper. At 6% of her

176


entries, Erin’s reference to the movement/music relationship emerges as a significant

component, the highest among all writers. A composite of the types of information

found in Erin’s paper is represented in Figure 14.


The main categories to emerge as dominant in the source of information profile

of Erin’s paper are opinion (36%), observation (25%) and program information (13%). In

keeping with the evaluative tone of the writing, her paper displays the highest reliance on

opinion of any paper in the group. Reversing the more typical predominance of

observation over opinion in all but two of the papers, Erin’s writing reflects the lowest

incidence of observation, and the highest ratio of opinion over observation (Table 38).


Extrinsic2%

Theatrical Elements

23%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators23%

Choreography and

Movement:21%

Audience/Performance Interaction:

31%

177


Observation 31% 37% 43% 25% 40% 48% 31% 33% 37%

Opinion 31% 34% 22% 36% 27% 17% 36% 28% 25%

Table 38: Observation and Opinion as Sources of Information: n6

Reliance on domain knowledge is low in this writing, though it is among the few

papers to reference the student’s historical knowledge of the composer/choreographer

relationship, exemplified in this passage which points out that “composer Philip Glass

has been frequently used by choreographers this past decade, such as Twyla Tharp and

Doug Varone” (P7/1.1-1.3). Corresponding with the high percentage of information in

the movement/music relationship, there also emerges the greatest reliance on the sense of

hearing as a source of information for this writer (Table 39).


Hearing 2% 2% 2% 6% 2% 5% 4% 3% 4%

Table 39: Hearing as Source of Information: n6

In keeping with the tendency of this writer to adopt an objective distance in

developing her paper, the writing incorporates a large proportion of information that is

contained in the program. There is an absence of reflexive writing, and a low incidence of

personal association brought into play in the discussion of the concert. Figure 15

represents the overall pattern of sources of information used in Erin’s paper.

178



While Erin follow the group pattern of revealing a predominant empirical

understanding of dance, in her paper this component represents the lowest proportion of

any of the writers (Table 40). Rather, the conceptual and factual aspects of dance emerge

as prominent in this paper, revealing an analytical approach to the writing.


Empirical 29% 36% 40% 27% 37% 49% 33% 31% 44%

Table 40: Empirical Understanding: n6


video4%

personal knowledge

3%public

information2%

progam13%

hearing6%

hearing/observation

1%association

5%domain knowledge

5%

observation25%

opinion36%

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Furthermore, the paper presents the largest ratio of any paper in the categories of both a

factual and a qualitative understanding of dance (Table 41).


Factual 13% 8% 11% 22% 12% 10% 17% 14% 14%

Qualitative 5% 10% 9% 17% 15% 4% 14% 9% 6%

Table 41: Factual and Qualitative Understanding: n6

Examples of the latter trend can be seen in such passages as her discussion of Ciona, in

which “. . . the dancers carefully carved the space around them” (P3/2.3a), or as is more

frequent in this paper, in evaluative excerpts as in her characterization of Circle Walker

as “ . . . a wonderful end to the show” (P8/5.2). Finally, in keeping with the objecti-

fication that Erin seems to favor with regard to writing about dance performance, her

paper reveals the lowest proportion of hermeneutical understanding of any writer, at 12%

of her composite perspective (Table 42). Perhaps in the quest to maintain critical

distance, Erin views the meaning-making aspects of the art form too subjective to

include. A composite representation of the kinds of understanding in the writing of Erin’s

paper is found in Figure 16.


Hermeneutical 31% 32% 20% 12% 16% 23% 17% 17% 29%

Table 42: Hermeneutical Understanding: n6

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4.7 Paper n7: Kelly


Kelly’s writing reveals several distinctive characteristics, beginning with the

structure of the paper. Rather than proceed in a linear fashion through the concert, dance

by dance, Kelly has elected to eliminate three works from the concert in order to devote

herself to the remaining selections. She prefaces her discussion of these works with four

separate paragraphs of introduction that absorb nearly a third of the writing, one dealing

with a view of the concert from the perspective of a fictional audience member, one

describing the overall structure of the concert, emphasizing the collaborative nature of a


hermeneutic12%

conceptual20%

affective2%qualitative

17%

factual22%

empirical27%

181

repertory concert, one describing the unusual addition of video intervals between the

works of the concert, and one explaining that she will discuss only a specific number of

works.

With regard to traditional critical activities, the emphasis remains on descriptive

writing (65%), and Kelly falls among the upper third of the group in her attention to this

activity. Interpretively, she falls in the lower third of the group at 17%, and she is in the

upper third of writers to use evaluation (15%). Unique in Kelly’s composite of critical


activities (Figure 17) is the tendency to theorize: although this accounts for only 2% of

the writing, five out of the nine writers do not theorize in their papers at all (Table 43).

There is also a small but relatively significant degree (1%) of contextualization in Kelly’s

writing (Table 43).


evaluative15%

interpretive17%

theorizing2% contextual

1%

descriptive65%

182

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10n12theorizing 2% 1% 1%

contextualizing 1%1% 3% 1%

Table 43: Contextualization and Theorizing Activities: n7

Newly arrived in the United States from Great Britain, this student brought with

her a wealth of experience in writing and research, though she acknowledges in her

entrance questionnaire that she had no formal training in criticism. She is articulate and

adventurous in constructing her account, employing as a device the insertion of

“quotations” from a conversation with a fictional student, in order to consider the concert

from the perspective of an audience member unfamiliar with dance.

At 1007 words, Kelly came the closest to approximating the assigned length for

the paper. There is an air of confidence revealed in her decision to take a non-linear

approach to the assignment, her use of metaphor, and her ability to derive ideas for the

paper from an even-handed spectrum of types and sources of information. There is a

slightly clipped approach to her sentence construction, thus yielding a slightly lower than

average words per entry ration. At 177 total quantity of entries, her writing represents the

median for the group (Table 44).


avg words/entry 8 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.9 6.1 5.2 4.9


183


The extended introductory material in this paper and the reduction of dances

discussed to only half of the pieces that comprised the concert, yield a distinctive pattern

of types of information used to develop the paper. Because Kelly elaborates on the

structure of the concert, with particular attention to the element of video intervals

between the pieces, there are more opportunities for her to include references to these

Figure 18: Type of Information Composite: n7

issues and fewer incidences of writing that give emphasis to the movement. There is also

a comparison between this concert and another concert or concerts, a type of information

not included in any other paper.


Extrinsic1%Theatrical

Elements20%

Reflexive 2%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators16%


22%

Metaphysical1%

Audience/Performance Interaction

38%

184

Kelly’s paper also displays the second highest rate of reference to the video, and

is distinct from the other writers in that she voices a balanced and largely approving view

of this innovation by the concert director. In her second paragraph of introductory

material, for example, she points out one of the beneficial functions of this unique feature

of the concert, when she notes that “. . . a video projection took us back in time, behind

the scenes” (P3/1.2-1.3).

Kelly also theorizes about the apparent intentions of the director with regard to

bringing to the theatre an audience not accustomed to attending dance concerts,

employing a high component of information about the audience relationship to specific

works, as well as strong showings in the categories of viewer/concert relationship and

audience/video relationship. In the paragraph about Ciona, for example, she notes that

the piece “stirred up an excited ovation” (P5/7.5a), a passage which not only attempts to

characterize the audience, but in so doing, allows the reader to get a sense of what it was

like to be in the theatre during the concert performances. She acknowledges her own

relationship to the concert as well, theorizing along the way about the theme of her paper,

alleged distinctions between art and entertainment: “Jim Cappelletti’s concert did a rare

thing for me. It entertained me without burdening me with questions about what I saw ”

(P3/1.1-2.3 ). A representation of types of information in Kelly’s paper can be found in

Figure 18.


Kelly repeats the pattern of most writers in the study with regard to the two

largest sources of information, employing a greater proportion of observation (40.3%)

185

than opinion (27.8%). Consider the following passage about Plum Tarts, which

alternates back and forth between observation and opinion, achieving a blend at once

fluid and effective: “. . . hips wiggling to emphasize their curves, these five striking

silhouettes seemed to find a connection . . .” (P6/8.5a-8.8)


This writer draws equally from personal associations and domain knowledge in

fulfilling the next two most significant components of her paper. In a long descriptive and

interpretive passage about Ciona, for example, she seamlessly tucks into her writing an

association between the dancers and an image of “raging atoms” (P5/4.3). In a longer,

metaphoric passage about this dance, she writes of “the human body as soft as putty,

as sturdy as Lego bricks, as daring as Evil Knievel . . .” (P5/6.1-3). Similarly, her


self-awareness

3%personal

knowledge2%

observation40%

video5% opinion

27%

association7%

hearing/observation

2%

program5%

domain knowledge

7%

hearing2%

186

knowledge of dance is effectively incorporated in excerpts such as the following, which

allows her to present a long descriptive passage, deepened by reference to the larger issue

of genre: “Using the familiar stance of the tango — long, low strides, an arm held

forward, an arm held to the side, the chest lifted, an occasional flick of the head — these

women interwove . . . “ (P6/4.1-4.3)

Two slightly smaller but still significant sources of information make their way

frequently into Kelly’s paper, in the form of information that has been gleaned either

from the program or the video footage. This pattern corresponds to her emphasis on the

audience/video relationship. A composite of sources of information in the writing of n7 is



As with most of the writers, Kelly reveals a high level of empirical understanding

about dance. Beyond that, however, her writing suggests an unusual balance of

consideration for the hermeneutical, factual, qualitative and conceptual aspects of

performance as well. In addition, understanding the affective aspect of viewing dance,

revealed in word choices such as “surprising,” “thrilling,” and “infectious,” or phrases

such as “ . . . at times we feel nervous about the speed and flow of this swirling power”

is revealed more prominently in this paper than in that of any other writer (Table 45). A

representation of the kind of understanding in Kelly’s paper is found in Figure 20.

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10n12Affective 1%1%2%2%4%1%2%3% 1%

Table 45: Affective Understanding: n7

187


4.8 Paper n8: Brianna


Brianna’s paper opens with a strong introductory paragraph, providing basic

information about the concert as a whole, but also establishing a position toward it, which

is not evaluative, but serves as a framework — about the evidence of "consolidation" she

sees in the concert structure. At 1250 words, the paper not only exceeds the assigned

word limit, but is the lengthiest treatment of the concert. The dances are considered in

linear order, and treated in a balanced fashion, with the exception of Ciona, which is

allotted 25% of the total word count. The paper ends with a short but effective

conclusion.


affective4%

qualitative15%

ontological1%

hermeneutical16%

factual12%

empirical37%

conceptual15%

188

The writing, though generally good, occasionally includes what appears to be a

self-conscious word choice, like “precariousness,” or a an odd usage, such as "cartwheels

were achieved. . . "Brianna has a keen visual sensibility, and the text is enriched with

excellent movement description, and effective use of metaphor. Transitions between

paragraphs are carefully chosen, and there is ample variety in sentence structure and

rhythm. She appears to shirk evaluation, delivering the paper with the lowest amount of

evaluative content and the highest ratio of descriptive material of any writer. Her

interpretive remarks are usually subtle and spring almost seamlessly out of description.

The traditional critical activities composite (Figure 21) reveals the highest

percentage (73%) of descriptive writing among all nine of the papers, along with the

lowest percentage (3%)of evaluative writing (Table 46). The interpretive writing, which

makes up 22% of this paper, is similar to most writers in the group. There are also traces

(1%) of contextualization and theorizing in the writing.

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12descriptive 61%56%70%61%65%73%61%65%62%evaluative 4% 13%12%24%15%3% 21%13%8%

Table 46: Descriptive and Evaluative Activities: n8

Although Brianna’s paper contains the largest number of words, it is closer to the

group average with regard to the number of entries, yielding the second highest words per

entry rate of 6.9 (Table 47). Perhaps this is an indication of occasional redundancies in

word usage, such as the unnecessary double verb in “. . . . . program presented brought

together a varied consortium of works . . . “ (P1/2.2), and a lack of efficiency in sentence

189

construction as in the cumbersome “ . . . the effect was a concert that, in part, revealed the

work that is arrived at through the integration of input from artistic director,

choreographers and dancers.”



avg words/entry 8 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.9 6.1 5.2 4.9



Several features in the type of information category distinguish the writing of

Brianna within the study group. Most significantly, this paper contains the largest



1%interpretive22%

evaluative3%

descriptive73%

190

proportion of movement description, combined with one of the highest ratios of entries

that deal with the movement/meaning relationship. Additionally, Brianna incorporates

Figure 22: Type of Information composite : n8

the largest percentage of references to music, including those that simply describe the

music, as well as those which deal with the movement/music and music/meaning

relationships. It is interesting to observe in this regard that Brianna had chosen to focus

her dance studies in the areas of choreography and performance. Not surprisingly, then,

this paper also ranks in the top third of students who attended to choreographic structure

in their writing.

Given these high concentrations of movement description, Brianna’s writing

exhibits the second to lowest use of information that characterizes the interaction between

audience and performance (Table 48)). Also, the balance of information concerned with



38%

Metaphysical1%

Theatrical Elements

17%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators17%

Audience/Performer

Interaction27%

191


Interaction 35%40%31%31%38%27%26%38%36%

Table 48: Audience/Performance Interaction Information: n8

the concert and concert collaborators on the one hand, and theatrical elements on the

other is equal. In her entrance questionnaire, Brianna indicated her concern about

incorporating these components, noting that what she might “. . . find most difficult is

that when looking at a dance I not only have to write about the quality of movement,

[and] what the movement is evoking, but also how other elements (lighting, music,

costumes) enhance the performance experience.” Evidence that the writing seems to

address this goal can be cited in such passages as this introduction to the second work of

the program: “Set to the upbeat Argentinean tango of Astor Piazzola, was Allison

Tipton’s "Plum Tarts" (P3/1.1a-2). Lighting and costume are effectively addressed in an

excerpt from the same work, as Brianna remarks “. . . the saturated merlot hues softened,

leaving us with the black silhouettes of five beautiful female bodies . . . (P3/6.3-6.4a). A

representation of the types of information that constitute this paper is found in Figure 22.


More than all other writers in the study, Brianna draws the largest proportion of

information (48%) from observation (Table 49). These visual phenomena range from

descriptions of movement and performers, set design, costume details, and lighting, as

well as to observed relationships among them. An excerpt about the first dance on the

program, Ciona, exemplifies this pattern early in the text: “Six dancers dressed in silver

192


Table 49: Observation as a Source of Information: n8

unitards, repeatedly ran with full force gathering momentum to then propel themselves

onto their partners’ pelvises attaching to waists, waists attaching to hips as though

magnetic forces were hurling them onto one another” (P2/2.1-2.7).


Following this major emphasis on visual information, there are significant entries

in the categories of both opinion and association. With observation overshadowing


program7%

video4%

personal knowledge

2%

hearing5%

public information

1%

opinion17% hearing/

observation1%

association12%

domain knowledge

3%observation48%

193

opinion by a dramatic ratio of nearly three to one, the incidence of opinion as a source of

information displays the lowest rate among all writers at 17%. While the predominance

of observation and opinion emerge as the two largest categories in all the papers, a further

distinction of this paper is that it also contains the largest proportion of information

drawn from association (12%). In the passage cited above, the observed description sets

up an association between the relationships among performers and “magnetic forces.”

The following excerpt follows this pattern with another vivid movement description,

culminating in an association, created through the use of simile: “ . . . two dancers

attached at the waist and thigh of one dancer jut their heads forward and back like

chickens” (P2/8.5-8.6). This recurrent coupling of observation and association create an

evocative text that seems to bring back to life the performance experience of the writer.

Information found in the concert and information derived from hearing round out

the core of Brianna’s information sources. The predictable significance of hearing in this

paper corresponds to the frequency of information about the music and music/movement

relationships. A composite of sources of information in Brianna’s paper is represented in

Figure 23.


Brianna’s writing, in keeping with her tendency to foreground information

derived from observation (48%) in the development of her text, is characterized by a

corresponding tendency to understand dance as an empirical phenomenon (Figure 24).

Second in significance, however, is the writer’s understanding of the hermeneutical

aspect of dance, which is represented in 23.3% of the writing. This kind of understanding

194

is revealed sometimes in a single word, as in this excerpt about one of the performers in

Plum Tarts, who “. . . gave a sharp turn of the head to dart a seductive look at the

audience . . . ” (P3/3.4- 3.5a), or in more extended passages such as this introduction to

the dance Passing: “Next on the program was Susan Hadley’s solemn and emotionally

charged piece ‘Passing,’ choreographed in 1992” (P4/1.1a).

Also prominent in Brianna’s paper is the role that the conceptual (13%) and the

factual (10%) play in her understanding of dance. These aspects are revealed in such

statements as “The Consigliere Collection presented an eclectic assortment of repertory

providing an opportunity for its members to sample the varied nature of modern dance

and the collective nature of all theatrical productions” (P8:1.1-1.4). Conceptual

statements offer Brianna an opportunity to organize the viewing experience, and to frame

her extensive empirical information into an articulated whole.

Finally, there are small but significant components (3.9%) of qualitative and

affective (1%) understanding that make a showing in this paper. Frequently connected to

empirical understanding, these aspects serve to convey information about the manner in

which actions are carried out, or the ways in which the concert affects the viewer. The

following excerpt about Passing, in which the insertion of a single adverb changes the

entire tone of the scene depicted, exemplifies the qualitative aspect of Brianna’s

understanding: “The same dancer continually presses in to the light while the other two

gently take hold of her hand . . .” (P4/4.1-4/2a). Whereas the qualitative writing allows

Brianna to present the nuances of actions taking place on the stage, the affective

component allows her to give expression to the ways that those actions touched her as a

viewer. Her discussion of Ciona demonstrates this affective component in passages such

195


as the following: “Equally as stimulating were those sections of the piece where the

momentum was put aside for moments like this. . .” (P2: 4.1 – 4.3). A composite

representation of the kinds of understanding in paper n8 is found in Figure 24.

4.9 Paper n9: Nigel

4.9.1 Student profile

Nigel is the only writer who actually performed in the assigned concert and

elected to write about it rather than select the alternate, as did writer n5. We discussed

this issue from the outset, and since he appeared in only one of the works (Ciona), we


empirical49%

conceptual13%

affective1%qualitative

4%

factual10%

hermeneutic23%

196

agreed that he could attempt the assignment. The resulting paper suggests a writer who is

long on ideas and enthusiasm but short on proof-reading skills, especially with regard to

verb tenses, preposition selection, repeated word usages, and agreement issues. In the

entry questionnaire, Nigel acknowledged perceived weaknesses in his writing skills,

stating that writing “causes me a large amount of anxiety. I have a very difficult time

writing, and often become paralyzed at the thought of it.”

The paper begins with two introductory paragraphs, one to establish a general and

positive point of view, and the next to provide more specifics about the concert as a

whole. The body of the text then considers each dance in turn, allotting a fairly balanced

distribution of words to each work. A paragraph of conclusion completes the paper. The

writing exhibits good transitions between paragraphs, and a pattern of wrapping up the

paragraph with a closing, usually evaluative summary statement. Nigel is not afraid to

take a position regarding his preferences. At times, the language suggests the world of

promotion and public relations, exemplified in word choices such as "crowd-pleaser"

"uplifting winner" and ". . . pushed the quality of the program back to the upper echelons"

— a language of publicity hype, which may be imitative, based on the nature of the

assignment.

The paper runs slightly over the assigned word limit, containing 1067 words. In

terms of traditional critical activities, Nigel constructs a response to the concert that relies

on description (60.3%), combined with nearly balanced work in the evaluative (20.7%)

and interpretive (17.2%) realms. Nigel joins only two other students (n6 and n10), who

include a small component of contextual writing (1.7%) as well. The average words per

197

Figure 25: Critical Activities composite for n9

entry in this paper falls almost exactly at the class mean of 6.0, placing this writer as the

median exemplar for the study group. Table 50 shows the relationship of Nigel’s paper to

the classroom population in each of these categories.


avg words/entry 8 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.9 6.1 5.2 4.9



The type of information profile reflected in Nigel’s paper is distinct within the

study group in that the Audience/Performance Interaction component is the lowest among

the papers, representing 26% of the total writing effort. Correspondingly, this profile also

Critical Activites: n9

evaluative21%

interpretive17%

contextualizing2%

descriptive60%

198

presents a larger proportion than other writers of information about the concert and

concert collaborators, which is likely the result of personal knowledge derived from


Interaction 35%40%31%31%38%27%26%38%36%Concert and

Collaborators 23%17%14%23%16%17%29%22%14%

Table 51: Selected Types of Information: n9

participation in the concert (Table 51). Additionally, Nigel’s paper contains the highest

ratio of comments about both the director/concert relationship and the directorial role in

shaping the concert. The following example, taken from the second paragraph of

introductory material, illustrates this point: “Cappelletti chose a program . . . which he

has either appeared in himself or has previously staged for other programs” (P2: 2.2 –

2.4). In keeping with this line of reasoning, n9 is only one of two writers to address the

performer/ensemble relationship, outstripping the number of references in the paper of n2

by a three to one ratio. Additionally, the writing contains the second highest number of

references to the performer/work relationship, and as further evidence that this pattern

reflects Nigel’s dual involvement with the concert as both performer and writer, all

but one of these performer-related entries is located in the work in which he danced,

Ciona. The pattern is best exemplified in the following excerpt, characterizing the

dancers of this work as an intimate and cooperative group: “These six performers came

across as a closely tied company as they displayed trust in the support of each other . . .”

(P3: 5.2 - 5.4).

199


A high proportion of information about concert basics, combined with

information regarding the content of the concert, reveals a writer who is interested in the

concert as a whole event, rather than as simply a collection of individual works. Whereas

most writers dispense with the introductory material quickly in order to get on with the

business of describing its featured works, Nigel repeatedly draws the reader back to the

bigger picture against which these dances are cast, illustrated in passages such as the

following: “The works draw from the cache of fellow graduate students, Ohio State

faculty and internationally renowned choreographers” (P2: 3.1 – 3.2). Along the same

lines, this paper contains the highest ratio of entries highlighting the order of works on

the program.


Choreography and

Movement:23%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators29%

Theatrical Elements

20%

Extrinsic Information

2% Audience/ Performance Interaction:

26%

200

Finally, Nigel has devoted the largest proportion of text in any paper to a

discussion of the set. These references encompass descriptions of the set, the

performer/set relationship, and the set/meaning relationship. Again, it is curious that

Nigel’s involvement in the concert may be a significant factor here. Although he did not

appear in the work which involved the use of the set (Circle Walker), he was instrumental

in its construction. A composite of the types of information utilized in Nigel’s paper is



Although Nigel retains the practice of the other eight writers of relying on the two

primary sources of observation and opinion in developing his paper, here the balance

swings slightly toward opinion over observation, a reversal of the pattern established by

all other writers except n6 Table 52). While opinion is often linked to the practice of

evaluation, as in the reference to Ciona as “visually stunning” (P3: 2.3), it is also


Opinion 31%34%22%36%27%17%36%28%25%

Table 52: Observation and Opinion as Sources of Information: n9

frequently linked to the domain of interpretation, as in this closing passage about Carpe

Diem: “The message truly is ‘seize the day’ it might be your last” (P7: 4.4). In keeping

with the evaluative tone of this paper, already hinted in the title “Consigliere Seizes the

Stage” as well as in some of the previously noted hyperbolic language choices, Nigel

201


harbors clear opinions about the concert and doesn’t hesitate to state them, employing

opinion as a source of opinion in both evaluative and interpretive activities. Beyond the

two major categories of observation and opinion, Nigel’s writing is characterized by an

unusually balanced reliance on other sources of information. A notable exception is

found in his higher than usual tendency to access program information, coupled with a

relatively high inclusion of domain knowledge Table 53). In fact, this student supports

his paper with an effective use of artistic contextualization more often than most writers

in the study, whether through references to Ciona as “a staple of the Pilobolus group”

(P3: 1.3), or to the "Cirque Du Solei"-like interface” of Circle Walker (P8: 4.1). A

representation of the types of information found in Nigel’s paper is found in Figure 27.


video3%

personal knowledge

5%program

9%hearing

4%

association3%

hearing/observation

3%domain

knowledge6%

observation31%

opinion36%

202

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12Domain Knowledge 3% 4%9%5% 7%3%6%14%5%

Program 12%7%5%13%5%7%9%6% 9%

Table 53: Domain Knowledge and Program Information: n9


Nigel’s writing bears a striking resemblance to the profile of writer n7 with regard

to kinds of understanding. Although an exception occurs in a slightly lower tendency to

consider the affective and qualitative aspects of dance, with corresponding



qualitative14%

hermeneutic17%

factual17%

empirical33%

conceptual17%

affective2%

203

increases in factual and conceptual understanding, the profiles are the most similar of any

two writers in the group. In Nigel’s case, there is parity between the hermeneutical and

conceptual aspects of understanding, and a slightly lower though strong showing in his

attention to the qualitative range of understanding. In keeping with his tendency to

evaluate, and the reliance on opinion as a primary source of information, there is often an

evaluative tone to the qualitative statements made in this paper, so that they reveal more

about Nigel’s preferences than about characteristics of the works. To exemplify this

distinction, consider the description of Circle Walker as “visually captivating” (P8: 3.1),

whereas the dancers in Ciona are described as engaging “. . . in twelve minutes of

precarious poses . . . ” (P3: 3.2– 3.4a). While the first example remains in the domain of

opinion, providing qualitative information about the visual spectacle of the piece, the

second is buttressed by observation, providing a sense of the challenging positions

assumed by the dancers. A composite view of the kind of understanding represented in

Nigel’s writing is found in Figure 28.

4.10 Paper n10: Nicki


One of the immediate characteristics to distinguish Nicki’s writing from the

others in the study is her insertion of five paragraphs, constituting nearly 40% of the word

usage, of introductory commentary prior to dealing with the dances on the program. In

the first of these statements, she provides some historical background about the art form,

situating the present concert against a larger landscape. Next, she describes the context

204

and circumstances of the concert, beginning with the role of the director as MFA

candidate fulfilling the requisites of his qualifying project. The following two paragraphs

address the unusual element of video footage incorporated into the concert structure, with

one detailing the novelty of this approach and the next one raising questions about its

efficacy. Finally, there is a fifth paragraph which consists entirely of a brief segue into

the dances themselves, ending with the self-conscious acknowledgment that, “Of course,

all this contextualizing is futile without the dances themselves” (P5:1.1-2).

Nicki then goes on to address only three of the dances, arguing that the video

footage has usurped her ability to engage authentically with the remaining dances. Of the

three chosen works, Ciona is given 9% of the available text, Partial is treated to 16%,

and Circle Walker is awarded 22% of the total word allocation. A substantial paragraph

of conclusion finishes the paper.

A proficient writer, Nicki is clearly at ease with writing mechanics, well-educated

within the dance domain, and self-possessed, with a strong sense of preferences about

dance in general and this concert experience in particular. The text is lively and

confident, written largely in the first person, with an underlying sense of humor, smooth

transitions, and buttressed by a rich and evocative vocabulary. In the entry questionnaire,

Nicki characterized her objectives and concerns about writing in the following way: “I

enjoy words and the pursuit of the most fitting way to put across ideas, finding the

balance required to form sentences and paragraphs which are beautiful, lucid and

succinct. The elusiveness of such balance is part of the passion of that quest.” In terms of

the traditional critical activities (Figure 29), there is the usual configuration displaying an

205

emphasis on descriptive writing, followed by interpretive and then evaluative writing,

with small but noticeable components of contextualizing and theorizing. The average


words per entry rate is below the mean at 5.2, perhaps reflective of the density of Nicki’s

sentences, while the number of entries is high, considering that at 1077 words, she has


entries/paper 116 183 198 127 177 181 175 206 235

avg words/entry 8 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.9 6.1 5.2 4.9


only exceeded the limit by 77 words (Table 54). This is articulate writing, marked by

bold and colorful language, in which no word choice is redundant or wasted.


contextual3%

theorizing1%

interpretive18%

evaluative13%

descriptive65%

206


Several patterns in this paper distinguish the types of information utilized in

Nicki’s writing from others generated by the study population. Although she joins most

of the other students in privileging the Audience/Performance Interaction component of

this category, her profile is mitigated by a substantial and well-balanced inclusion of

information reflecting the movement and choreography component and the concert and

concert collaborators component. Attention to theatrical elements is slightly lower,

though still substantial. Additionally, there is a significant use of extrinsic information, as

well as a small representation of reflexive information.

Owing to the lengthy paragraphs of introduction, in which the concert and its

historical foundations are addressed in general, Nicki’s paper is developed with a higher

than usual degree of information about the audience/dance, audience/concert, and

audience/work relationships. Along these lines, there is also a strong quotient of writing

which addresses the overall concept of the concert, and a pronounced degree of attention

to the audience/video relationship.

Nicki is the only writer in the group to bring information about dance history into

the writing assignment, as immediately exemplified in the opening passage of

her paper: “Modern dance in the United States has been primarily a movement driven by

the idiosyncratic vision of choreographers . . . ” (P1:1). This kind of statement not only

provides contextual information against which the concert will be described, but also

lends an immediate air of authority to the writer, establishing her as someone who knows

the field and has the information necessary to address it.

207

Figure 30: Type of Information Composite: n10

This authoritative voice is further developed through the injection of strong

personal preferences about the concert and its various elements, established through two

primary types of information. In the first of these, the viewer/concert relationship, Nicki

brings her own voice and preferences boldly into the foreground. Consider this lengthy

passage, in which she summarily dismisses further discussion of three of the works on the

concert program, as follows: “’Plum Tarts’ by Alison Tipton, Susan Van Pelt's ‘Carpe

Diem’ and ‘Passing’ by OSU faculty member Susan Hadley contained more overtly

expressive subject matter and our interpretation (I use the singular advisedly) was largely

dictated by the preceding film clips” (P8: 1.1-1.8). Not only does Nicki make a surgical


Theatrical Elements

16%

Extrinsic3%

Audience/ Performance Interaction:

38%Concert and Concert

Collaborators22%

Choreography and

Movement:20%

Reflexive 1%

208

elimination of half of the concert, but comments on her self-assuredness by explicitly

adopting her own first person singular voice as a representation of the plural.

The second type of information that emerges as a formidable element in the

authoritative tone of this writing comes wrapped in the lengthiest treatment of the

audience/video relationship of any of the papers. Consider the following passage, in

which Nicki speculates about the director’s decision to include this unconventional

element in the production: “This provided a safety net for any audience member who

might normally worry about what it 'means', or think they might not 'get it', but it also

circumscribed the individual's engagement with the work” (P4: 4.1 - 4.4). Not only does

she invest herself in a thorough treatment of this issue, but effectively separates herself

from those in the audience whom she views as not having the confidence nor the

authority to make judgments about the works themselves. A composite profile of the

types of information in the writing of n10 is represented in Figure 30.


As with all other writers in the group, observation and opinion account for the

primary sources of information in the development of Nicki’s paper. The two

components of observation and opinion, which emerge as the most frequently cited

sources among all writers, are again central in Nicki’s paper, with observation (33%)

figuring slightly higher than opinion (28%). What is striking in this profile is the role that

domain knowledge plays in the creation of the text. Occupying 14% of the composite of

sources of information, this figure constitutes the largest proportion of domain knowledge

to be accessed by any other writer, and again supports the authoritative tone of the paper.

209

Consider the mitigating influence in the relationship between domain knowledge

and opinion, for example, in which domain knowledge accounts for 50% as much

information as the category of opinion (Table 55). This passage from the conclusion of

the paper shows the insertion of an opinion at the end of a lengthy revelation of Nicki’s

familiarity with dance, showing the way in which these two sources of knowledge inform

each other: “Furthermore, the stylistic challenge for a full-time company of dancers in

faithfully performing a variety of works forged from different modern techniques and

different conceptual bases is immense” (P10: 3.1 – 3.5).

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12Opinion 31%34%22%36%27%17%36%28%25%

Domain Knowledge 3% 4% 9% 5% 7% 3% 6% 14%5%

Table 55: Domain Knowledge, Opinion and Association: n10

Finally, Nicki’s demonstrated pattern of interweaving personal associations (7%)

into the text adds color and authenticity to the paper, connecting the concert experience to

the lived experience of the viewer in language that invites the reader into the evocative

nature of the performance event. This kind of writing is exemplified in a pair of

associations, featured in the following passage about the dance Circle Walker: “Monkey

agility registers in my mind only to be replaced fractionally later by thoughts of weight-

less astronauts” (P6: 10.1a – 10.3). A representation of the sources of information used in

paper n10 is found in Figure 31.

210



Nicki’s writing displays a well-rounded understanding of dance. Although the

empirical basis for understanding this art form assumes its expected role of ascendancy

(31%), in Nicki’s case it is joined by supporting components in several other areas, most

notably the largest incidence of conceptual understanding (26%) in any of the papers

(Table 56).

Whereas this high conceptual component of understanding, strengthened by a

high incidence of factual understanding, could minimize the empirical understanding of

the art form, it is supported by strong awareness of both the hermeneutical and the


hearing3%

video2%

personal knowledge

4%

observation33%

self-awareness3%

domain knowledge

14%

association7%

program6%

opinion28%

211

qualitative aspects of understanding (Table 56). Nicki’s seamless interweaving of the

conceptual, the qualitative and the hermeneutical is exemplified in the following passage:

"‘Circle Walker’ shifts from primal to industrial, expressive to abstract, insouciant to

precarious . . . ” (P6: 2.1 – 2.5). Finally, an understanding of the affective element in

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12Conceptual 11%13%16%20%15%13%17%26%5%Qualitative 5% 10%9% 17%15%4% 14%9% 6%

Hermeneutical 31%32%20%12%16%23%17%17%29%

Table 56: Conceptual, Qualitative and Hermeneutical Understanding: n10

understanding dance makes its way into the text by way of Nicki’s confident assertion of

her own experience as a viewer. In the following excerpt, she situates herself as a

member of the audience, in a moment when the dancers’ actions caused an outburst of



empirial31%

factual14%

hermeneutical17%

qualitative9%

affective3%

conceptual26%

212

laughter: “. . . then Hauser bumps into the third dancer Gina Jacobs and we laugh with

relief” (P9/6.2 –3). More personally, Nicki describes her own engagement and

uncertainty with regard to the ideas posed by the concert with the following revelation: “I

don't know the answer . . . but I was certainly pleased to be forced into entering the

debate.” A representation of the kinds of understanding revealed in paper n10 is found in

Figure 32.

4.11 Paper n12: Elena


Three general patterns emerge in Elena’s profile as a writer. First, she has taken

the assignment and its intended audience to heart, taking care to address the assigned

readership as one which is unacquainted with dance, and to provide them with an

engaging account of the concert experience. This attempt to write an accessible document

first becomes visible in the clever title of her paper, “Fall Arrival: TheConsigliere

Collection,” a play on the word “collection” in the concert title that invokes popular

culture through the metaphor of a fashion show. The paper is immediately conversational

in tone, opening as if Elena is involved in an actual dialogue with her readers: “No, it is

not a new line of men’s clothing, . . .” (P1:1.1), she begins.

Secondly, Elena strives to present readers with an even-handed and balanced

account of the concert, providing coverage of each dance on the program and taking time

to describe the concert as a whole and to address the unconventional element of video

213

footage which it has incorporated. The dances are considered in the order in which they

were presented, with a relatively democratic distribution of words allotted to each dance.

Finally, Elena, like only two others in the study population (n7 and n10), has

elected to devote a substantial portion of her writing (24%) to four paragraphs of

introduction. Here, she not only establishes the play on words with the concert title, but

also provides some background on this particular type of concert, and avails herself of a

brief opportunity to profile the concert audience and theorize about the role of the video

component within the concert. Although she gives voice to serious problems posed by the

video footage, Elena applauds both its apparent intention to educate the concert

spectators and its innovation.

Elena has disregarded the word limit specifications for the assignment, delivering

the second longest paper of the group at 1140 words. Both the high number of entries and

the average words per entry rate point to a densely packed paper, necessitating frequent

breaks of individual sentences into smaller segments in order to answer the research

questions (Table 57). Combined with the high number of words, a picture emerges of this

writer as someone who has a lot to say.


avg words/entry 8 5.7 5.5 5.6 5.7 6.9 6.1 5.2 4.9

Table 57: Entries per paper and average words per entry

With regard to traditional critical activities, Elena falls into the smallest third of

the study group in using evaluative statements (8.5%), and the largest third in her use of

214

interpretive writing (27.7%). She joins five other writers who have provided some

contextualization of the concert, and only three other writers in theorizing about it. A

composite representation of critical activities in the paper of n12 is found in Figure 33

.



Like most writers, Elena invests the greatest proportion of her attention in

information regarding the Audience/Performance Interaction (36%). Within this area, she

exhibits a pronounced tendency to write about the movement/meaning relationship,

second only to that of writer n1. As well, she integrates a significant portion of

information about the video/audience relationship into her writing. Elena’s paper also

exhibits the highest tendency among all writers to discuss the relationship between the


descriptive62%

evaluative8%

interpretive28%


1%

215

title and the meaning of a given work. In addition to the word play already noted, which

juxtaposes the title of the concert with the title of the paper, this concern with titles is

exemplified in writing such as the following passage, in which she summarizes her

previous writing about Plum Tarts by characterizing it as “short, sweet, and not more

than the title suggests . . .” (P6: 2.1–2.3).


The next largest component of information in this paper focuses on the

component of choreography and movement, with Elena’s paper emerging among those of

the top third of writers who place an emphasis on movement detail. Consider the

following excerpt about Ciona, which points to the strength of this writer in recalling

movement from the concert experience: “Two dancers bend at the hips and stand head to

head, while two others climb onto their backs and balance, making subtle shifts, angular


Choreography and

Movement:28%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators14%

Theatrical Elements

20%

Extrinsic1% Metaphysical

1%Audience/

Performance Interaction:

36%

216

and round . . .” (P5: 6.1 – 6.5); or this one about Partial: “At one point, during a breathey

dance phrase, Cappelletti’s foot hits the floor like a lead weight” (P8: 4.1-4.3).

Also significant in the writing of Elena is her keen awareness of the spectrum of

production elements in developing this paper. Among these, the paper foregrounds the

element of video as a central component of the concert experience. Elena’s fourth

paragraph of introductory material is largely devoted to a discussion of issues pertaining

to this unconventional element. Though she begins with an excellent and even-handed

description of the use of video in the concert, the crux of her argument begins to emerge

in the following excerpt: “Though they left little to the imagination, the video intro-

ductions gave the dancers a vocal and intellectual presence throughout the evening”

(P4: 3.1 – 3.3).

Elena also demonstrates the highest tendency of any writer to reference costume

choices, lighting design and music in her writing. Information about lighting is brought

into the discussion of four out of the six dances in this paper, finding its way into her

writing about the dances Partial, Passing, Circle Walker and Plum Tarts. The following

excerpt about Circle Walker exemplifies references to information about both lighting

and costume: “Cappelletti wears only a pair of flesh colored tights, is bare-footed, bare-

chested and bathed in red light from above” (P10: 5.1-2). Additionally, Elena devotes a

good deal of the paper to information about music. Consider the following excerpt about

Circle Walker: “The music by Yaz Kaz hints at a Native American ritual, but clashing

metallic sounds make it at once futuristic and ancient . . . “ (P10: 7.1 – 7.4).

Finally, there is a substantial inclusion of writing that deals with information

regarding the performer/set relationship, placing this paper in the top third among all

217

papers that reference this kind of information. Again, this element is brought into Elena’s

discussion of Circle Walker: “The dance lies in the geometry and choreography of the

sculpture, as well as in the human being, creating imagery and movement together” (P10:

4.1-2). A composite of types of information for writer n12 is represented in Figure 34.


Elena’s writing reveals a general pattern of sources of information not unlike that

of most other writers. As with the others, there is the typical sharing of the central

information coming from a dual reliance on observation and opinion. As is most often the

case, information derived from observation (37%) supercedes that from opinion (25%).

Interesting in this paper is the relatively small quotient of information accessed from the



opinion25%

video4%

personal knowledge

3%program9%

hearing4%

observation37%

association13%

domain knowledge

5%

218

video footage. Having problematized the role that this element played in the concert,

Elena seems to have taken pains to sidestep the inclusion of any information derived

solely from that source. At the same time, the use of program information is higher than

that used by most writers, and it should be reiterated that, in any case, there are many

points at which the video duplicates information found in the video.78

A final component in the composite of sources of information used in Elena’s

paper is the strong presence that association maintains throughout this text. The incidence

of associative source material reaches the highest proportion among the study group

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10n12Association 11%9%11%5%7%12%3%7% 13%

Table 58: Association as a Source of Information: n12

writers (Table 58), finding expression in single word choices, such as the choice of the

word “spicy” to characterize the music for Plum Tarts (P6: 1.3a), as well as in extended

passages of writing. Whether referring to a section in Partial as the three dancers

becoming “a modern dance slapstick team” (P8: 5.2), or characterizing the movement of

Ciona as “. . . bodies transformed into cells or molecules, slowly shifting and balancing

on and around one another with precision and care . . . “ (P5: 4.1–4.4), this writing is

replete with the personal associations of its author. A composite of sources of information

for n12 is represented in Figure 35.

78As stated in chapter 3, the designation of sources of information is in certain cases an educated guess.That is, the source listed is the most likely source of information, and I have adopted the strategy ofprivileging the program in cases where I had to select one or the other. All of this is to say that the ratio ofprogram to video information in this case may be more balanced than it appears.

219


Elena’s writing indicates that she understands dance as an empirical phenomenon

(44 %), resulting in a paper that is second only to that of n8 in its emphasis on this aspect

of the art form (Table 59). Also significant in Elena’s profile is the role of the

hermeneutical in her understanding of dance. Devoting 29% of her writing to a

consideration of this aspect of understanding, this paper falls into the top third of writings

Writer n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12Empirical 29%36%40%27%37%49%33%31%44%

Hermenutical 31%32%20%12%16%23%17%17%29%

Table 59: Empirical and Hermeneutical Understanding: n12

which foreground this kind of understanding. Consider the following example in which

Elena reflects first an hermeneutical and then an empirical understanding of the dance

Carpe Diem: “‘Carpe Diem" followed the lightheartedness of "Partial" with a wash of

billowing, spinning, leaping, skittering dancers . . . (P9: 1.2 – 1.4).

In keeping with the high incidence of information gleaned from the program for

the concert, Elena also exhibits a strong pattern of understanding the factual dimension of

dance. This focus on the factual, however, is frequently tempered by the attention given

to qualitative statements, such as the example in the following passage about Passing,

in which she presents an awareness of the interconnections among the hermeneutical, the

qualitative and the empirical: “We were constantly reminded of the fragility of life as one

of the women subtly slides to the floor, exhausted and in need of rest” (P7: 4.1 – 4.5).

220

Figure 36: Kind of Understanding: n12

A final component of significance in Elena’s paper is the level of conceptual

understanding it reflects. Corresponding to the tendency to demonstrate empirical

understanding in her discussion of the dances themselves, it is interesting that she brings

the conceptual aspect into focus more frequently in her extended introductory and

concluding sections of the paper, such as in this excerpt from the final paragraph: “For

any first-time theater goers, I would say Cappelletti offered a helpful introduction to the

world of modern dance and the potential to increase audience interest and support” (P11/

1.1 – 1.2). A composite of kind of understanding for n12 is represented in Figure 36


empirical44%

conceptual5%

affective1%

qualitative6%

ontological1%

hermeneutical29%

factual14%

221

SECTION II: THE DANCES

4.12 Organization of the Section

In this section, I will examine differences in understanding brought forward by

the six distinct dance works that comprised the concert experience. Because the writing

assignment was based on a concert of works by more than one choreographer, these

papers offer an excellent opportunity to explore the breadth of understandings elicited by

individual works and to peer into the foundations of those understandings.

In conducting my analysis, I have drawn upon the coding sheets, which allow for

separation of the individual dances, as well as on my own domain knowledge and

familiarity with this specific concert and the dances that comprised it. I have also drawn

from the baseline descriptions of each of the dances that I recorded prior to the analysis

of the student writings,79 from which I have excerpted an abbreviated description at the

beginning of each of the analyses. The six dances are considered in order of their

appearance on the concert program. Following this descriptive information, each dance is

examined in terms of critical activities, type of information, source of information and

kinds of understanding revealed by the writings.

79 Appendix C contains these descriptions of both the dances and the video clips, according to the concertorder.

222

4.13 Ciona

This piece, choreographed in 1973 by the Pilobolus company, is a dance for six

people that lasts approximately twelve minutes. Wearing sleek gray costumes, the

ensemble of dancers acts cooperatively for much of the duration of the piece in order to

accomplish the series of group shapes and actions that forms the substance of the work.

There is an accompanying score of electronic musical sounds, which is used not as a

rhythmic complement to the movement, but rather serves as a kind of atmospheric

element, against which the dancers take on characteristics and make shapes not usually

associated with human behavior.

Figure 37: Critical Activities composite for Ciona

All nine students elected to devote a portion of their writing to Ciona, with

writer n8 devoting the largest share of her attention to this dance, while writers n6, n7,

n10 and n12 assign to it the lowest word allotment. As shown in Figure 37, the traditional

Critical Activities: Ciona

contextualizing1%

interpretation19%

evaluation6%

description74%

223

critical activities composite reveals that nearly three quarters of the group’s writing about

Ciona is concerned with description, the highest ratio of descriptive writing about any of

the six dances (Table 60). The remaining components of the composite show that nearly

one fifth of the total writing about this piece consists of interpretive discussion, while

only 6%, the lowest percentage of any of the dances, is given to evaluation. 1% of the

writing about Ciona is given to contextualization.

DanceCiona Plum Tarts Passing Partial Carpe Diem Circle Walker

descriptive 74% 59% 54% 72% 58% 66%

evaluative 6% 12% 7% 8% 11% 10%

Table 60: Descriptive and Evaluative Activities: Ciona


The writing about Ciona finds its greatest emphasis (48%) in information about

the movement and choreography. Movement details are foregrounded in the papers, with

attention focused on describing the relationships among the performers, conveyed by

such phrases such as “perilous lifts” (n3/P2: 2.3a), and “daring partnering” (n3/P2: 1.2a)

or captured in the following excerpt from writer n2: “A dancer could catch two people

charging across the stage, hold them askew while spinning in a circle, put them down and

move on — all in three seconds' time . . .” (P2/3.1–3.7a). Frequent references to shape

and spatial patterns formed by these relationships also distinguish the writing about the

movement in Ciona, pointing to what writer n2 calls its “clearly defined spatial arrange-

ments” (P2/3.1a–3.3a). Adjectives such as “geometric,” and verbs such as “morph”

224

(n9/P3: 3.6) and “mutate” (n3/P2: 4a) also attest to this emphasis on the changing shapes

created by the relationships among the performers in this work.

27% of the writing about Ciona highlights the interaction between the audience

and the performance. The movement/meaning relationship dominates this category, with

various speculations about the meaning of the continually changing shapes that

characterize the piece. An illustration of this trend occurs in the paper of n2, who writes

Figure 38: Type of Information composite for Ciona

that the dancers “. . . might have seemed at first like single-celled organisms dividing

and joining each other in a primordial soup, but then suddenly they'd remind the audience

Type of Information: Ciona

Audience/ Performance Interaction

27%

Choreography and

Movement48%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators16%

Theatrical Elements

9%

225

that they were only people, doing tricks” (P2: 7.1 – 7.6). There are also references that

characterize the piece as a “good opener” or “crowd pleaser” with regard to the audience

(n9/P3: 1.1a; 1.3).

The third largest contingent of information brought into the papers about Ciona is

writing that features the concert and concert collaborators (16%). In addition to basic

concert information, such as program order, identification of the choreographer,

composer and title of the work, this category of information supports the emphasis on the

relationships among the ensemble. Several passages feature a concern with the

performer/ensemble relationship and the performer/work relationship, such as the

following example from writer n9, who states that “ . . . each dancer played a role of

major structural importance throughout the piece” (P3: 4.3). Attention is also devoted to

the difficulty of this work, with specific references to the skill the dance requires of its

dancers, represented by word choices such as “precarious” (n6, n8, n9) and “perilous”

(n3), or in this characterization by writer n10, who notes that the “. . . piece placed great

demands on the performers” (P5: 6.2).

With regard to the theatrical elements of Ciona (9%), information about the

costumes and music is highlighted. Seven out of nine papers include information about

the costumes for this work, and six out of nine refer to its musical accompaniment.


The writings about Ciona draw from a distinct palette of sources of information.

In the first place, the ratio of observation (52%) over opinion (16%) in these papers

shows the greatest differential of any other dance featured on the program (Table 4.42).

226

Also striking is the incidence of association as a source of information in these writings.

No other dance commands a higher proportion of associative statements over those based

on observation than Ciona (Table 61), which includes the greatest percentage of

associative references of all the dances. In keeping with the previous characterization of


observation 52% 28% 44% 43% 39% 49%opinion 16% 30% 34% 25% 37% 23%

association 17% 8% 6% 5% 8% 14%

Table 61: Observation, Opinion and Association: Ciona

emphasis on the relationships and continual changes of shapes among the performers in

this dance, the associations brought into the writings are largely concerned with

articulating these characteristics of the piece. Although the range of associative sources is

considerable, the two most frequent points of reference among the writers serve to

illustrate this trend in the writing. The first addresses the importance of shape as an aspect

of the dance, and emerges as a series of references to sculpture. Six out of nine writers

make explicit connections to the art of sculpture in their writing, including verbs like

“chisel” and “carve,” nouns like “pillars” (n8:P2/67.3) and phrases such as “. . .

sculptural use of the body . . .” (n3/P2:1.3), or “. . . an effortlessly evolving sculpture. . .”

(n2:P2/3.9a). The other prominent group of associations elicited by Ciona congeals

around references to the forces of nature and evocations of life forms that are not human.

Illustrating this trend are phrases such as those in the writing of n1 that liken the dancers

to “a cosmic ocean,” or “a luminous glow worm” (P2/3.2; 3.5), or the following litany of

227

Figure 39: Source of Information composite for Ciona

associations in paper n2 asserting that the dancers “. . . offered small glimpses of frogs,

kaleidoscopes, wind chimes, stacked tables, drops of water, and Willy Wonka's oompah-

loompahs” (P2:5). Figure 39 presents a composite view of sources of information used in

the writings about Ciona.


Collectively, the papers about the Ciona reveal an empirical understanding of

dance, with strong indications of qualitative and factual understanding also present

(Figure 40). Hermeneutical understanding is revealed as the next most frequent category,

Source of Information: Ciona

hearing; observation

2%

personal knowledge

1%

observation52%

hearing1%

domain knowledge

4%

association17%

self-awareness

1%opinion16%

program6%

228

manifested in the interpretive inclination of 19% of the writing. Conceptual

understanding is reflected in 10% of the writings, such as in the characterization of this

dance as a feat requiring “balance, strength and concentration” (n1:P2/5.6), and affective

understanding is reflected in 3% of the papers, such as the testimony of writer n3 that the

dancers “surprised” her (P2/5.4), or the statement in paper n6 that the dance resulted in

Figure 40: Kind of Understanding Composite: Ciona

“a sense of anticipation” (P3/4.1). Reflexive understanding appears in only the paper of

one student (n1), and thus eludes a percentage indicator. An ontological understanding of

dance arises in one percent of the writing, a small but significant share, since many

dances do not elicit this kind of understanding at all. This category of understanding is

represented in the paper of n7, with a reference to the ability of Ciona to remind viewers

Kind of Understanding: Ciona

ontological1%

hermenutical19%

factual8%

empirical48%

conceptual10%

affective3%

qualitative11%

229

of “the awesome physicality” of movement (P5/2.3a), and again in a reference to the

transient nature of the art form in the writing of n3 (P2/5.1).

4.14 Plum Tarts

This piece, choreographed in 1997 by Allison Tipton, is a dance for three women

that lasts approximately three minutes. Dressed in dark tank tops and sleek-fitting black

pants, the dancers embody the spirit and style of the tango by Astor Piazzola, which

provides the musical accompaniment to the movement.

Like Ciona, discussions of this dance appear in the papers of all nine writers,

though n10 does so only in passing, since she states that the video footage relating to this

dance has “dictated” her interpretation of it. In the papers of n1, n2, and n3, this dance is

given the lowest proportion of writing of the other dances considered. As revealed in the

representation of critical activities used in these writings (Figure 41), Plum Tarts has

elicited a significantly lower proportion of descriptive writing (59%) than Ciona, while

featuring a 10% increase in interpretive writing and a doubling of the percentage of

evaluative writing (12%), the highest ratio of evaluation of any other dance (Table 62).


evaluative 6% 12% 7% 8% 11% 10%

Table 62: Evaluative Activity : Plum Tarts

230

Figure 41: Critical Activities for Plum Tarts


As with Ciona, the largest component in the type of information category is

concerned with movement and choreography, but here it is matched by a nearly equal

emphasis in two of the remaining categories (Figure 42). Though one writer (n6)

discusses this dance without reference to the movement, it is movement details that are

foregrounded in the remainder of the writings, with emphasis directed toward the actions

of specific body parts. In particular, the hips and arms are noted, as indicated in the

following excerpt by writer n2, who refers to the “. . . coy flutterings of the arms, and

seductive hip isolations” (P3/2.5a) that characterized the piece. The recognizable style of

the tango in this work is also given attention in the papers, exemplified by the following

excerpt, which blends stylistic information with references to body parts: “ . . . Using the

Critical Activities: Plum Tarts

description59%

evaluation12%

interpretation29%

231

familiar stance of the tango — long, low strides, an arm held forward, an arm held to the

side, the chest lifted, an occasional flick of the head . . .” (n7:P6/4.1 – 4.2). The dancers’

use of space is also a prominent feature in the writing about Plum Tarts, with

Figure 42: Type of Information composite for Plum Tarts

particular attention to patterns of advancing and retreating, as seen in the following

excerpt by writer n8: “As the five dancers retreated one last time, each hip moving them

towards the back . . .” (P3/6.1–6.2). Half of the writers who discuss this dance also refer

to the choreographic structure of the piece, addressing the beginning and ending of the

piece, and describing the intermittent divisions of the ensemble into solos, duets and trio

work.

The second most frequent type of information to be considered for Plum Tarts

consists in writings about the interactions between the audience and the performance. As

in all of the dances, this component is largely devoted to discussions of the movement/

Type of Information: Plum Tarts


32%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators26%

Theatrical Elements

14%API28%

232

meaning relationship, exemplified in such word choices as “spicy” and “saucy” or in

phrases such as the “come-hither facial expressions” (n3:P3/2.3) of the performers. Also

prominent in this category is information pertaining directly to the audience/ performer

relationship, such as the following characterization of the performers by writer n8: “Soon,

four more dancers joined . . . endlessly directing inviting stares to their audience”

(P3/4.1–4.5a). Several writers also elected to bring the title of the dance into their discus-

sions, such as in the following evaluative excerpt from paper n3, which ends the para-

graph about this work with the statement: "’Plum Tarts’ seems to be a fitting title: the

dance is sweet, tangy, and like a sugary dessert, without much substance” (P3/8.1–8.2).

Information about the concert and concert collaborators also commanded a

significant portion of information in writings about Plum Tarts. Background information

about the choreographer is highlighted in all but one of the papers, many of which inform

the reader of the choreographer’s intention in making the work, as illustrated in this

passage by writer n1: “Choreographer Allison Tipton likes to make dances that are

‘sexy’” (P3/2.1–2.3). In addition, Plum Tarts is the only dance from the concert to evoke

writing that comments on specific physical attributes of the performers. Kelly’s paper

o(n7) exemplifies this tendency, combined with a spatial reference, in the following

excerpt: “ Five women of all different shapes and sizes entered the stage space

individually . . .” (P6/3.1–3.3). Half of all references to the program order of the concert

are featured in the type of information used in discussing Plum Tarts, as shown in the

following passage, which asserts that “following ‘Ciona’ did little to support this weakest

piece on the program . . .” (P4/2.1–2.3).

233

To round out the intrinsic information in the writings about Plum Tarts,

references to theatrical elements are the least featured type of information in these

writings (Table 63), occupying less attention than they receive in the writings about

Ciona. Lighting is the most often cited, finding its way into half of the papers, as


Theatricalelements 9% 14% 11% 15% 18% 41%

Table 63: Theatrical Elements as Type of Information: Plum Tarts

exemplified by the following excerpt from writer n12, who notes that the dancers’

“ . . . hip swiveling figures become silhouetted against the hot red background” (P6: 3.8 –

3.10a). A smaller, though significant degree of attention is also devoted to discussions

about the music. These passages are typically brief, primarily incorporated as a means of

pointing out the tango style of the dance, as in this opening sentence by writer n8: “Set to

the upbeat Argentinean tango of Astor Piazzola was Allison Tipton’s “Plum Tarts” (P3:

1.1a–1.2). There were no references to metaphysical or extrinsic information in the

writings of all students who discussed this dance.


In keeping with the strong evaluative tone of the writings about this piece (Figure

41), the incidence of opinion edges slightly higher than observation when sources of

information are considered in these papers. Other prominent components of the category

include a higher than usual reliance on information from both the program (11%) and the

234

video footage (10%). Considering that no reference from the video makes its way into the

papers about Ciona, for example, this percentage in discussing Plum Tarts is striking

(Table 64). Six of the eight students who wrote about this dance referred to a statement

made in the video by the choreographer, Allison Tipton, about her predilection for


video 10% 3% 2% 1% 2%

Table 64: Video as Source of Information: Plum Tarts

making dances that she feels are “sexy.” Each of the students who cited the interview

recalled the exact state-ment with slight differences, as exemplified by this reference in

Figure 43: Source of Information for Plum Tarts

Source of Information: Plum Tarts

domain knowledge

4%

association8%


4%

opinion30%

personal knowledge

1%video10%

program11%

hearing4%

observation28%

235

the paper of writer n6, who states that “ . . . in the video, Tipton referred to the work as

portraying a woman’s sense of sexiness. . . “ (P4/2.1–2.3); whereas writer n3 reports that

Tipton says: "I think all the dances I make are sexy. And that's a good thing"

(P3/3.1–4.1). Both writers exemplify the pattern present in the other papers by going on

to make hermeneutical remarks following this information.

Though less prominent than in the writings about Ciona, associative information

plays a significant role (Table 65) in these writings as well. Laura (n3) sets up an explicit

association by way of describing the movement style of the work, in the passage,


association 17% 8% 6% 5% 8% 14%

Table 65: Association as Source of Information: Plum Tarts

“Think of the confrontational feline style of MTV, toned down enough to be called

modern dance” (P3/7.1–7.2), for example. Associations also emerge indirectly, in

movement descriptions such as the following one from paper n12, which refers to the

dancers’ “pouting hips and lips” (P6: 2.8a). Association is tapped as well by verb choices

such as “prowl” and “strut” or adjectives such as “hot” (n12:P6/3.10) and “saucy”

(n1:P3/4.1).

The components of hearing, and hearing combined with observation, used to

exhibit a stronger presence than in the writings about Ciona. Though much of this part of

the writing is concerned with establishing a connection between the tango style of music

236

and the tango dance form, it becomes a significant source of information in revealing the

students’ understandings of the work (Table 66). Often, there is the addition of a

component of domain knowledge integrated into these statements, as illustrated in the

following excerpt from the paper of writer n7: “While I found ‘Plum Tarts’ visually and

rhythmically interesting, I felt the dancers lacked the sexually charged confidence so

apparent in the tango . . . “ (P6: 9.1 – 9.4). Figure 43 provides a composite of the sources

of information used in writing about Plum Tarts.


hearing 1% 4% 3% 9% 3% 2%hearing/

observation 2% 4% 1% 1%

Table 66: Hearing and Hearing/Observation as Sources of Information: Plum Tarts


As a group, the papers about the dance Plum Tarts reveal a lower pattern of

understanding dance empirically than the dance Ciona, with a stronger proportion of

factual understanding and a smaller degree of qualitative understanding. There is a sharp

rise in hermeneutical understanding, which comprises 30% of the composite of

understanding (Figure 44), rivaling that of empirical understanding in writings about this

dance. Conceptual understanding in Plum Tarts matches its corresponding representation

in Ciona with 10% of the writings, and affective understanding figures in 1% of the

papers.

237

Figure 44: Kind of Understanding for Plum Tarts

4.15 Passing

This piece, choreographed in 1992 by Susan Hadley, is a dance for three women

that lasts approximately nine and a half minutes. The dancers are dressed in black pants

and snug, fitted tops, and their movement unfolds into a narrative, in which one of the

trio is dying and the others struggle to let her go. Accompanied by a score by Josquin, the

dance is also dependent on the lighting design, which suggests death and beckons the

dying performer into the upstage corner where she will eventually make her final exit.

Seven of the nine writers elected to write about this dance, with writer n9 allotting

it the lowest share of his word limit. As displayed in Figure 45, the traditional critical

Kind of Understanding: Plum Tarts

ontological1%

hermenutical30%

factual15%

empirical37%

conceptual10%

affective1%

qualitative6%

238

activities composite confirms the pattern of emphasis on descriptive writing (54%) that

has characterized the other dances explored in this study. What emerges as distinct in the

writings about Passing is the high ratio of interpretive writing (39%) that is featured,


interpretive 19% 29% 39% 19% 30% 23%

Table 67: Interpretive Activity: Passing

higher than the ratio for any of the other dances (Table 67). Evaluative writing occupies

only a small percentage (7%) of the overall writing about this dance, only slightly higher

than that for Ciona. There is no contextualization or theorizing about this dance.

Figure 45: Critical Activities composite for Passing

Critical Activities: Passing

description54%

evaluation7%

interpretation39%

239


The writings about Passing reveal a pattern in which the choreography and

movement component (38%) of information is almost identical to the component of

information about audience/performance interaction (37%). References to concert and

concert collaborators is the lowest (11%) representation of this component among the

dances (Table 68), and the emphasis on theatrical elements is equal to that in the papers

about Plum Tarts (14%), with lighting design carrying the greatest degree of attention

within this category.


concert/concertcollaborators 9% 14% 11% 15% 18% 41%

Table 68: Concert/Concert Collaborators as Type of Information: Passing

Movement details again make up the core material within the component of

choreography and movement, with attention focused on relationships among the

performers, body actions and manner of performance, and the use of space. The emphasis

on the relationships among the three performers, which constitute the subject of this

narrative work, are revealed in passages such as the following: “They first try leading her

back by the hand, then resort to uncontrollably flinging their bodies to the floor in front

of her” (n2/P4: 4.1 – 4.3), a section of the dance which is featured in four of the seven

papers. Particular attention to the manner in which various actions are performed also

emerges as significant in these writings, exemplified by the adverb “uncontrollably” in

240

Figure 46: Type of Information composite for Passing

the preceding passage as well as in the following excerpt from the paper of writer n8:

“The same dancer continually presses in to the light while the other two gently take hold

of her hand to lead her back to them only to more desperately throw themselves in her

path later in the piece” (P4/4. 4.4a). The other movement component that is

foregrounded here is the use of space in Passing. Spatial awareness emerges as part of the

discussions in much of the movement description, including references to level, such as

in “They begin moving quickly from the floor to the air, taking turns supporting and

throwing each other” (n3:P4/2.1–2.3); and direction, as in “the opening frenetic

movements constantly change facings . . .” (n8: P4/3.3a). As will be shown in the

discussion that follows, there are other spatial references that come up in relation to the

lighting design for this piece.

There is also a significant portion of writing about the movement and

choreography of Passing that addresses the choreographic structure of this work. The

Type of Information: Passing

API37%

Theatrical Elements

14%

Choregraphy and Movement

38%

Cooncert and Concert

Collaborators11%

241

choreographic device of repetition is frequently noted, for example, as illustrated in this

excerpt from the paper of n8: “Hadley primarily conveyed the tension of this event

through the repetition of movement phrases . . . “ (P3/3.1–3.2).

Theatrical elements command a larger share of the writing about Passing than

does information about the concert and the concert collaborators, a reversal of the trend


theatricalelements 16% 26% 14% 16% 13% 12%


Table 69: Theatrical Elements and Concert/Concert Collaborators: Passing

established in the writing about the two previous dances (Table 69). As indicated, there is

a prevalence of information about lighting featured in the papers about this dance. Writer

n2 develops the importance of this element and its relationship to the performing space

early in her discussion of Passing, stating that the dancers “. . . begin moving frantically

downstage left, but each phrase is continuously interrupted by one dancer's gravitation

towards the white light, casting a narrow, diagonal path across the stage floor”

(P4/2.1a–2.4).

The other theatrical element to receive a significant share of attention in these

writings is the use of music in the work. Like lighting, the musical accompaniment is

framed as a critical element in the meaning-making aspects of the dance. The following

passage in the writing of n8 illustrates the integration of music, lighting, movement,

costume, and space in this work: “Juxtaposed against the lush melody of Josquin’s

242

composition were the strong and agitated movements of three female dancers dressed all

in black, illuminated only by a bright shaft of light emanating from the upper corner of

the stage (P4: 2.1a – 2.5).

Interactions between the audience and the performance, like the component of

choreography and movement, merit slightly more than one third of the writing about

Passing. As in the discussions of the two other dances, these sections of writing deal

primarily with the movement/meaning relationship, exemplified in statements such as the

following passage from the paper of writer n1: “Classical ballet lines layered with a

modern dance movement style are carefully interwoven to express the dancers' feelings,

their relationship to each other, and to the music (P4: 4.1a – 4.3); or again in this excerpt

from the paper of n12, who casts herself as a member of the audience in stating, “. . . we

were constantly reminded of the fragility of life as one of the women subtly slides to the

floor, exhausted and in need of rest (P7/4.1–4.5).

As in the writing about Plum Tarts, there is no presence of extrinsic,

metaphysical, or reflexive writing in the papers about Passing.


The writings about Passing are drawn from a distinct constellation of sources of

information (Figure 47). Observation and opinion again dominate the composite of

sources, with observation (44%) commanding a greater share of the palette than opinion

(34%). These two components together are accessed so frequently in writing about this

dance that they relegate other sources of information to only 22% of the overall picture,

with program information and association leading the remaining field of possibilities.

243

At 6% of the sources of information used in writing about this dance, Passing

looks more like Ciona, which utilized information found in the program to the same

degree. Associative writing occupies a lower proportion of writing than either of the two

Figure 47: Source of Information Composite: Passing

preceding dances, and is illustrated in excerpts such as this one from the paper of n3,

who finds that the “. . . repetitive movements stay in one corner of the stage, a metaphor

for the mundanity of daily life” (P4: 3.1 – 3.3), or again in this passage by writer n12,

who makes a metaphor of the interruptions created in one dancer’s path by the others as

follows: “. . . she never trips or misses a step, [and] their intense show of concern, fear,

even love, are actually obstacles valleys, rivers, mountains over which the woman

glides . . . “ (P7/6.1– 6.4).

Source of Information: Passing

personal knowledge

2%

program6%

video3%

self-awareness

1%

observation44%

hearing3%

association6%

domain knowledge

1%

opinion34%

244

Information gleaned from the video footage that preceded each piece on the

concert is used sparingly here, and consists primarily of references to the interview with

choreographer Susan Hadley, which was included in that footage. Two writers, n8 and

n9, make reference to this clip, citing Hadley’s revelation that she had recently lost a

loved one and had used this experience as inspiration for the making of Passing. The use

of this source of information is clearly exemplified in the following excerpt from the

paper of n8: “Next on the program was Susan Hadley’s solemn and emotionally charged

piece ‘Passing,’ choreographed in 1992 shortly after experiencing the loss of a loved one”

(P4/1.2).


In the group of writings about Passing, there is an almost even split between

hermeneutical (37%) and empirical (40%) understandings about dance (Figure 48). The

writings reveal only 1% of affective and reflexive understandings , and 3% of conceptual

understanding balanced by the high ratio of empirical, qualitative (10%), and factual

understanding (8%). There is no writing about Passing that reveals a direct awareness of

the ontological understanding of dance.

Hermeneutical understanding about Passing attains the greatest incidence of

usage in the writings of all nine of the papers. In the paper of n2, this kind of

understanding is manifested in the opening sentence of the paragraph about Passing:

245

Figure 48: Kind of Understanding for Passing

“Death is the subject for Susan Hadley's ‘Passing,’ performed by three women

dressed in black” (P4/1.1–1.4); and the following extended passage by writer n12

confirms that hermeneutical understanding arises from various aspects of the production,

including both the lighting and the costume choices for this work: “The darkly lit dance

reflected the difficulty of accepting death in its own time. Though clad in black, the

dancers' movements were at times contrastingly free and energetic, suggesting youth, and

memories of days gone by” (P7/2.1–3.5).

Qualitative understandings about dance are also a significant factor in the writings

about this dance, and these can sometimes be revealed by a single word choice, such as

Kind of Understanding: Passing

affective1%

conceptual3%

reflexive1%

qualitative10%

hermenutical37%

factual8%

empirical40%

246

the following verbs in an otherwise strictly empirical passage from paper n1: “Three

female dancers toss themselves on the stage bursting with quick leaps and drastic

collapses to the ground” (P4: 2.2a–2.3b).

4.16 Partial

This piece, choreographed in 1997 by Angie Hauser, is a dance for three

performers that lasts about four minutes. The dancers wear loose-fitting dark pants and

blue tank tops, and they begin the dance in unison with a series of very specific gestures.

This unison movement develops, breaks off into separate actions, then returns.

Meanwhile, the music shifts from Bach to a series of musical fragments that seems to

emanate from a radio search. The dancers ignore this aural interruption and go on

moving, until suddenly the Bach returns and they finish the dance in unison as they had

begun.

All writers except n7 wrote about this piece, with both n1 and n9 bestowing on

this dance the greatest portion of their attention. The critical activities representation

(Figure 49) reveals a composite that is strikingly similar to that of Ciona. Description

commands the greatest share of the writing at 72%, with interpretation matching the

Ciona papers with the lowest percentage of all the dances (19%), and evaluative writing

commanding only slightly higher than the evaluation of Ciona at 8%. Also like Ciona, a

small degree of contextualization (1%) makes its way into the writings about Partial

(Table 70).

247


descriptive 74% 59% 54% 72% 58% 66%evaluative 6% 12% 7% 8% 11% 10%interpretive 19% 29% 39% 19% 30% 23%

contextualizing 1% 1% 1% 1%

Table 70: Critical Activities: Partial

Figure 49: Critical Activities: Partial


Similar to Ciona, the writing about Partial is concerned primarily (43%) with

information about the movement and choreography. Movement details again emerge as

the largest component of this category, with attention focused on body actions, with

specific references to body parts used and gestures made; relationships among the

Critical Activities: Partial

interpretive19%

evaluation8%

description72%

contextualizing1%

248

performers; the use of space; the flow of the movement; and the manner of performance.

In the passage which follows, writer n12 exemplifies the focus on body parts and actions:

“Their obviously blank faces are a contrast to their own arms wiping across the fronts of

their bodies and the eventual burst of energy, whipping turns and quick jumps that

follow” (P8: 3.1a–3.4). Relationships among the performers, also a significant strand of

information considered in this writing, is illustrated in this passage by writer n3: “The

Figure 50: Type of Information composite Partial

dancers move in and out of unison, hardly acknowledging each other even as their

movements perfectly coincide” (P6: 2.1–2.3). Writer n10 combines attention to gesture

with the relationships between performers and the use of space, as she writes: “This brief

trio begins downstage with a sequence of clearly executed gestures: wiping, smoothing

Type of Information: Partial

Theatrical Elements

15%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators16%


43%


26%

Extrinsic1%

249

and looking” (2.1–2.3). The “obviously blank” faces of the performers and the “burst of

energy” referenced in the excerpt from writer n12, point to considerations in these

writings about manner of performance and the flow of movement in this piece.

An unprecedented proportion of attention devoted to choreographic structure

makes the writing about Partial exceptional within this group of dances. Writing entries

about the structure of the choreography (28 entries) in this dance rival the entries about

the movement/meaning relationship (31 entries), a pattern that emerges in the writings

about no other dance. In the paper of n3, this consideration takes priority beginning with

the opening sentence of the paragraph about this work, stating: “Angela Hauser's dance,

‘Partial,’ plays with the structure of a trio (P6/1.1–1.3). Weaving in comments about the

relationships of the dancers and the use of space, the writer goes on to describe the

development of this structure: “The dancers move in and out of unison, hardly

acknowledging each other even as their movements perfectly coincide. The beginning

develops smoothly from a simple gestural phrase into a progression that moves down a

diagonal” (P6/2.1–3.3). Other writers attest to the significance of this concern as well,

with 50% of the students who wrote about this dance commenting on the structure of the

choreography.

Interaction between the audience and the performance commands the next largest

component of the information composite about this Partial. Writer n1 brings this

component into view immediately with her opening statement about this dance:

“. . . Choreographer and OSU MFA candidate Angie Hauser, connects us with our

laughter in ‘Partial’ . . . “ (P5/1.1a–1.3). The focus in these writings on the

movement/meaning relationship again emerges as the prominent concern within this

250

component, illustrated in this extended passage from the paper of n1: “Three dancers mix

pedestrian, everyday movement with a stylized dance character to set an example of daily

life. . . evident when the dancers appear to be moving in unison at the same tempo, then

boom there is a slight crash of two bodies that acknowledge the incident but move on

(P5/ 2.1–4.5). The element of music in this work also figures in the movement/meaning

relationship, as evidenced in this excerpt from writer n2: “Music by Bach provided book-

ends to a middle section of static between various song segments, which sounded like a

desperate search up and down the radio dial for the perfect tune” (P5/2.1–2.4).

The other two components of information, remarks about the concert and concert

collaborators, and those concerned with theatrical elements, share almost equal billing in

these papers (Table 71). With regard to the first of these, there are several references to

the fact that the choreographer of the work also performs in it, for example, while four




Table 71: Theatrical Elements and Concert/Concert Collaborators: Partial

writers comment on the place of Partial within the larger concert structure. Both of these

trends are exemplified in this passage by writer n12, who opens her discussion of the

dance by explaining “. . . the second half of the evening opened with Angie Hauser’s

"Partial," featuring Gina Jacobs, Cappelletti and Hauser herself” (P8/1.1–1.3).

251

The use of music takes center stage when examining theatrical elements discussed

in these writings. Only one of eight writers (n1) who elected to discuss Partial ignores

the role of music in this work. The following excerpt by writer n9 exemplifies this trend,

while again bringing choreographic structure into the foreground of the paper: “A sense

of development becomes evident at the end of the piece by means of a return to the

original music, placement on stage at the polar opposite site to the beginning, and a

similarity in movement” (P6/7.1–7.4). The pattern is also apparent in the following

excerpt from writer n2: “A small, distinct phrase accompanied the classical music,

visually complementing its compositional pattern” (P5/4.1–4.3).

A small portion of the composite also brings extrinsic information into the

discussion through the writing of n9, who chooses to inform the reader about some of the

history of this work: “. . . Hauser, Cappelletti and Jacobs are the original dancers of this

work, which has appeared at the American College Dance Festival and on other Ohio

State University programs” (P6/3.2–3.5).


Observation (43%) and opinion (25%) clearly emerge as the central components

in this spectrum of sources of information (Figure 50). While the proportion of

observation is very similar to the pattern established in the writings about Passing (44%),

the ratio of opinion is markedly lower than it is in the writings about all dances except

Ciona (16%). What is striking about this composite, however, is the significance of

information gleaned through hearing, which accounts for over 9% of the information

used in these writings., the highest among the dances. This trend is aligned with the

252

emphasis on music, resulting in more entries about this dance that arise from the sense

of hearing than for any other dance (Table 72). Writer n9 is representative of those who


observation 52% 28% 44% 43% 39% 49%opinion 16% 30% 34% 25% 37% 23%hearing 1% 4% 3% 9% 3% 2%

Table 72: Observation, Opinion and Hearing as Sources of Information: Partial

bring this kind of information into his discussion of Partial, stating that: “Frequency

static, operatic arias, and pop music fade in and out, while the dancers maintain an even

flow of movement . . .” (P6/6.1–6.2).

Association, domain and personal knowledge share a place of similarly modest

significance in rounding out this composite. In the case of association, references are

made to the neutral facial expressions of the performers, using phrases such as

“obviously blank” and “deadpan” (n8/P5:2.1), which seem to contrast with the very

specific movement descriptions noted by these writers. Writer n3 exemplifies the

juxtaposition of these two elements in the following phrase: “The dancers move in and

out of unison, hardly acknowledging each other even as their movements perfectly

coincide (P6/2.1–3.1). Domain knowledge also makes an appearance as a source of

information in writing about this work, illustrated in statements like this one from writer

n9, who says that “ . . . a departure from convention came in the opening of the second

half of the performance with Angie Hauser's "Partial" (P6/6.1–6.2). The inclusion of

personal knowledge, more prominent here than in any of the other dances (Table 73), is

253


personalknowledge 1% 1% 2% 3%

Table 73: Personal Knowledge as Source f Information: Partial

Figure 51: Source of Information composite for Partial

attributable to the fact that the choreographer is a classmate of the student writers.

Information which characterizes the choreographer as “a third-year graduate student”

exemplify this component of the writing (n8: P5/1.2b).


The papers about Partial reveal a pattern of empirical understanding in empirical

the papers matches that of Ciona at 48% of the writing, balanced by 9% of factual and

Source of Information: Partial

hearing9%

observation/hearing

1%

domain knowledge

4%

association5%

program7%

self-awareness

1%

personal knowledge

3%

video2%

observation43%

opinion25%

254

8% of qualitative understanding. Empirical understanding figures in the writers’ tendency

to use the information based on observation in considering this dance. The following

passage in the writing of n2 brings observed material into the forefront of the discussion,

as she describes a section of the movement: “The dancers would wipe an invisible

something off their bodies, foreheads, chests, and arms, look down, then suddenly

upward. . .” (n2/P5: 5a).

Differentiating Partial from the previous dances discussed, is the significance of

conceptual understanding (13%) within the composite of kinds of understanding about

dance (Table 74). This work, more than any other dance from the concert program,

evokes a tendency among the students to conceptualize in their viewing and writing, a


conceptual 10% 10% 3% 13% 5% 11%

Table 74: Conceptual Understanding: Partial

pattern that closely corresponds with the proportion of attention given to writing about

the choreographic structure of the work. The paper of n10 exemplifies this predilection in

the following passage, which casts the movement/sound relationship of the work into a

conceptual frame: “The movement becomes more arbitrary, quirky and surprising,

shattering the unity and the clarity of form of the opening moments as the music hops

along the radio dial” (P9/7.1–7.5). Writer n9 asserts that “this work is about movement in

spliced disassociation within itself” (P6/2.1–2.2), while n8 claims that “. . . the dance was

a witty exercise in deconstruction . . .” (P5/3.1 – 3.2) supporting this remark with

255

references to both the relationships of the performers and the musical accompaniment for

the work: “ . . . without each other they seemed not just parts, but broken parts, and this is

also cleverly conveyed within the changes of music (P5/3.3–3.4).

Figure 52: Kind of Understanding Composite: Partial

Also of significance in the understanding profile elicited by this dance is the

presence of hermeneutical understanding in these writings. The movement and

choreographic structure, relationships among the performers, and the musical elements in

the work, are all drawn into discussions of meaning in the writings about Partial.

Consider the following passage from writer n1, who follows a passage about the dancers

nonchalantly bumping into each other with the following statement: “Just when you think

things are going smoothly, you hit a bump in the road” (P5:3). This same moment in the

dance becomes an opportunity for hermeneutical understanding in the writing of n10 as

well: “Danced to an accompaniment by Bach, it all seems serious and controlled when

Kind of Understanding: Partial

affective2%

empirical48%

factual9%

hermeneutical20%

qualitative8% conceptual

13%

256

Cappelletti moves backwards and bumps into Hauser! And it was going so well!”

(P9/4.1–5). The paper of n12 illustrates the relationship of music to hermeneutical

understanding in the following passage: It even contains a whacky radio sound track —

opera, cello, country western, rock — seeming to imply that these little pieces of life are

contained in the whole, and sometimes make for a very odd but manageable mix

(P8/8.1a–8.4).

There is a small but significant component of affective understanding that

emerges in the writings about Partial, manifested in word choices such as “respite”

(n8: P5/1.1), “satisfying” (n2/P5: 6.3b), and in phrases like “. . . and we laugh with relief”

(n10: P9/6.3). Figure 51 provides a composite of the kinds of understandings in Parital.

4.17 Carpe Diem

This piece, choreographed in 1988 by Susan Van Pelt, is a dance for nine

performers that lasts about eight minutes. The dancers are clothed in a variety of white

costumes, some wearing skirts, others dressed in slacks and shorts. The movement is

accompanied by a Philip Glass score that provides rhythmic counterpoint to the move-

ment. It is a sweeping dance in which the ensemble travels back and forth across the

stage, interrupted by sudden brief moments of stillness, and punctuated by the movement

of solos and smaller groups that emerge from and return to the ensemble. The dance ends

suddenly, along with the music.

Six out of the nine writers in the study included a discussion of this dance in their

papers, with writers n1 and n7 abstaining and n10 writing only to dismiss the dance from

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consideration, while writers n2 and n6 gave this dance their largest word quota. The

traditional critical activities composite (Figure 52) reveals a pattern that most

Figure 53: Critical Activities Composite: Carpe Diem

resembles that of Plum Tarts, with descriptive writing (58%) dominating more than half

of the composite, followed by interpretation at 30%, and evaluative writing filling out

11% of the papers.


The papers about Carpe Diem reveal a pattern that features the highest proportion

of attention on the interaction between audience and performance of all dances (Table

75). Occupying 40% of the total composite, this component is dominated by

Critical Activities:Carpe Diem

evaluation11%

interpretive30%

description58%

contextualizing1%

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Audience/PerformanceInteraction 27% 28% 37% 26% 40% 28%

Table 75: Audience/Performance Interaction: Carpe Diem

discussions of the movement/meaning relationship, which breaks the precedents of the

previous four dances by evoking more writing about the movement/meaning relationship

than about movement itself. Passages such as “. . . The group also appeared to be

listening to a more remote voice, signified by a motif of looking up or off into the

distance . . .” illustrate this trend (n2:P6/5.1–5.3), as well as the following excerpt from

the writing of n8: “Eight dancers, as though frozen in time, held crouched positions on

the floor (P6/5.3–5.5). There is also a significant proportion of entries about the

Figure 54: Type of Information Composite: Carpe Diem

Type of Information: Carpe Diem

Choreography and

Movement28%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators13%

Theatrical Elements

18%

Extrinsic1%


40%

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audience/work relationship, exemplified by statements such as the following evaluative

introduction by writer n9, who asserts that “. . . Susan Van Pelt's ‘Carpe Diem’ is an

uplifting winner” (P7/1.1a– 1.3a).

The second largest component of information in the writings about Carpe Diem

is movement and choreography, though this sector of information is less referenced here

than in the writings about most of the other dances, and the only piece which features

more writing about the movement/meaning relationship than about the movement itself.


movement andchoreography 48% 32% 38% 43% 28% 18%


Table 76: Movement/Choreography; Concert/Concert Collaborators: Carpe Diem

References to the concert and concert collaborators is relatively low (13%) in these

papers, second only to the writing about Passing (Table 76). At the same time, Carpe

Diem has inspired the second largest infusion of information about theatrical elements.

Movement elements in the foreground here are primarily concerned with space,

and the actions of various body parts: “Dancers stream from the wings with even, sliding

leaps, arms raised and heads upturned” (P5/3.1–3.5), and plays a crucial element as well

in this passage by writer n12: “Choreographer, Susan Van Pelt created orderly lines,

circles, entrances, exits, brief solos, duets and patterns of moving bodies that assemble

and dissolve” (P9/3.1–3.4). More than any of the other works on this program, writers

focused their comments on the use of time in Carpe Diem. This extended excerpt from

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the paper of n8 reflects this concern: “Van Pelt orchestrated bodies to rush past our

vision; a ceaseless play of entrances and exits. The flux of movement also had moments

where time seemed partially suspended (P6/4.1–5.2). Other movement components

highlighted in the papers about this dance are the flow of movement, relationships among

the performers and the use of stillness. Consider this passage from the writing of n6,

which attends to all of these elements, while again looking at the element of space: “The

flux of movement also had moments where time seemed partially suspended: “Eight

dancers, as though frozen in time, held crouched positions on the floor as one dancer

turned in place. . .” (P6/5.1–5.6).

Providing a counterpoint to the low frequency of information about the concert

and concert collaborators (13%), there is an emphasis on information about supporting

theatrical elements (18%). In the case of Carpe Diem, these are overwhelmingly directed

to the element of music, which is a featured aspect of every paper except that of writer

n2. Writer n9 uses both music and lighting information to provide a general description

of the dance as “. . . a large cast of ten, in white, on a white lit stage to an ethereal score

by Philip Glass” (P7/2.1–2.4a). In the paper of writer n8. the element of music becomes a

means of supporting her opening statement about the dual themes of the work: “The

music of Philip Glass that accompanied the piece complimented both . . . its repetitious

patterns evoking a meditative circularity; [and] its quick beating pulse urging movement

onward” (P6/2.1–2.5a).

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The collected papers about Carpe Diem produce a composite of sources of

information that is both similar to and distinct from the composites for the other five

Dances (Figure 55). As is true about all the works, the two most prominent components

featured are observation (39%) and opinion (37%), with the former exceeding the latter in

frequency by only a small ratio. The next component of significance in this representation

is shared by two areas of equal prominence, the use of program information and the

Figure 55: Source of Information composite for Carpe Diem

incorporation of association. These sources of information are represented in passages

such as the following, which links program information about the composer with a

description of the dancers as “. . . angels robed in white, pleasantly fleeing, flying and

Source of Information: Carpe Diem


1%association

8%domain knowledge

2%

program8%

video1%

self-awareness1%

hearing3% opinion

37%

observation39%

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gliding inside the music of Philip Glass” (n12/P9: 4.1 – 4.5). Writer n3 finds a poignant

connection between the closing gesture of the performers and the evocation of loss in this

passage: “. . . the ending is a startling use of one of these stillnesses: at the moment the

music ends, all the dancers look sharply into their open palm, as if they'd lost something

precious”(P5: 6.1a – 6.5).

Corresponding to the prevalence of information about music in this group of

writings, there is also a significant component of information derived from hearing (3%),

though some of the musical information enters the writings not through direct reference

to hearing, but in the form of domain knowledge, as exemplified in excerpts providing

contextualization for the work such as: “Composer Philip Glass has been frequently used

by choreographers this past decade, such as Twyla Tharp and Doug Varone”

(n6:P7/1.1–1.3).


The group of writings about Carpe Diem continues a strong pattern of empirical

understanding of dance, with the level of awareness of the qualitative (7%) dimension of

this experience only slightly higher than Plum Tarts (Table 77) the dance to show the


qualitative 11% 6% 10% 8% 7% 8%

hermeneutical 19% 30% 37% 20% 32% 23%

Table 77: Qualitative and Hermeneutical Understanding: Carpe Diem

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lowest frequency of this aspect of understanding (Figure 54). A factual understanding of

dance emerges in these writings at the average level of approximately 9%. Hermeneutical

understanding (32%) plays a strong role in the writings about this dance, second among

all the dances only to Passing, with conceptual understanding reflected in 5% of the

writing and affective understanding appearing in 2%, exemplified in phrases

Figure 56: Kinds of Understanding Composite for Carpe Diem

such as this statement by writer n3, who closes her discussion of this dance with the

statement, “I get chills” (P5/6.6). Ontological understanding does not emerge as a

significant component of this writing.

Kind of Understanding: Carpe Diem

affective2%

hermenutical32%

factual9%

empirical45%

conceptual5%

qualitative7%

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4.18 Circle Walker

This piece, choreographed in 1985 by Alan Boeding, is a dance that lasts about

eleven minutes. The dancer wears only a pair of white tights and performs with a large

metal sculpture, also designed by Boeding to a musical score by Yaz Kaz. It is a dance

which features the interaction between the sculptural element and the soloist.

Critical activities (Figure 55) for Circle Walker are dominated by descriptive

writing (66%), followed by 23% of interpretive writing, a relatively high component of

Figure 57: Critical Activities Composite: Circle Walker

evaluative writing at 10%, and 1% contextualization. Much of the description is focused

on the large spherical sculpture that is a part of the work.

Critical Activities: Circle Walker

contextualizing1%

interpretation23%

evaluation10% description

66%

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The composite of types of information for the dance Circle Walker is striking in

its emphasis on information about the use of theatrical elements (41%). The only dance



Table 78: Theatrical Elements: Circle Walker

on the program to involve the use of a set design, Circle Walker is designed as an

exploration of the relationship between a solo performer and a sculptural element, and

this central characteristic of the work is dramatically reflected in the papers (Table 78).

The incorporation of information about theatrical elements, dominated by descriptions of

the set itself, the performer/set relationship and the movement/set relationship, occurs in

more than double the ratio found in writings about any of the other dances. This element

is described by writer n12 as “ an immense spherical sculpture” (P10/2.4) and “a huge

steel shell” (P10/6.1), and writer n12 informs us of the proportions of the sculpture

relative to the performer when she states that the sculpture is “twice his size” (P10/9.1).

Writer n3 writes that the set “ . . . is formidable, made of two steel arcs about twelve feet

across, set perpendicular to each other with inner supporting structures” (P7/1.5– 1.6).

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Figure 58: Type of Information composite: Circle Walker

The writers focus on information about the performer/set relationship, as

exemplified in this passage by writer n3: “A dancer can swing on it, or stand inside it and

‘walk’ with it. The dancer can even ride the ‘Circle Walker’ as it rolls in arcing patterns

across the floor, manipulating the sculpture's path by shifting his own weight”

(P7/2.1–2.4), or in this description by n6: “Cappelletti’s exploration of the sculpture, its

space and inherent structure, and at times a certain nonchalant attitude toward it, made for

a fascinating duet (P8/3.1–3.3a).

Interaction between the audience and the performance commands the next largest

share of the writing (28%), with emphasis on the movement/meaning relationship. Writer

n8 says that “’Circle Walker’ provided a metaphor for the relationship between man and

machine, the tension and balance of their co-existence . . . ” (P7/3.1–3.3), an idea echoed

Type of Information: Circle Walker

Choreography and

Movement18%

Concert and Concert

Collaborators12%

Theatrical Elements

41%


28%

Extrinsic1%

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in many of the papers, as evidenced by this excerpt from writer n2: “The way in which

Cappelletti ends the piece, trapped upside-down within the framework, suggests a

possible commentary on the relationship between man and machine” (P7/5.1a–5.2).

Other information that contributes to the strength of this component is the

audience/work relationship, such as in this statement by writer n10, who claims that

“. . . the sheer virtuosity of the piece guaranteed a positive reception” (P7/2.1–2.2), or

exemplified in this passage by writer n7: “It is hard to tell who is controlling whom, and

at times we feel nervous about the speed and flow of this swirling power and the human

shape caught in its center” (P7/12.1a–12.4a).

The choreography and movement component is small compared to the presence it

commands in the writing about other dances, but the relationship between the dancer and

sculpture is so integrated that discussion about the movement and set is intertwined. Still,

examples such as the following give witness to the movement details of the work: “He

flexes his muscles, and sends a violent ripple from his chest to his arms . . . ”

(n3:P7/5.1a–5.2a), and “ . . . climbing inside and out, running around and through,

pushing and pulling and manipulating the near-spherical structure across the stage,

Cappelletti moves . . .” (n2:P7/3.1a–3.2).

Finally, these writings display a small but significant inclusion of information

(12%) about the concert and concert collaborators. There is a remark in the paper of n9,

for example, that points to the placement of this dance in the context of the concert as

“ . . . a very wise choice as a program closer for several reasons . . .” (P8/2a). Remarks

about the concert director also recur in these papers, since Cappelletti was both director

of the concert and performer of this work, exemplified in the following comment by

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writer n9, weaving together discussion about the overall concert structure with infor-

mation about the directorial role: “The work is visually captivating, just as ‘Ciona’ was

at the start; the music and lighting have a dark finality to them and Cappelletti himself

performs the solo” (P8/3.1–3.4). The composite of types of information for Circle Walker

is represented in Figure 56.


extrinsic 1% 1% 1%

Table 79: Extrinsic Information: Circle Walker

Circle Walker joins only two other dances from this program to garner the use of

extrinsic information. This small but significant presence is represented in Table 79.

Interestingly, three of the nine students (n7, 8 and 10) bring into their discussions about

Circle Walker a reference to the work of Leonard Da Vinci.


Circle Walker has elicited writings that draw from the usual palette of sources, yet

one which reveals a particular pattern unique to its specificity (Figure 59). Somewhat

similar to the papers about Ciona, the relationship of the two most common sources

amounts to a pattern dominated by a high reliance on observation (49%), with a relatively

low incidence of opinion (23%): in both cases, Circle Walker is second only to Ciona in

the prevalence of these two sources of information (Table 80). Furthermore, this pattern

continues with regard to the use of association: at 14% of the writing, this component

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also follows close behind that for the Ciona writing, which shows the highest ratio of

associative text (17%). The following example from writer n10 illustrates the roles of


observation52% 28% 44% 43% 39% 49%

opinion16% 30% 34% 25% 37% 23%

association17% 8% 6% 5% 8% 14%

Table 80: Observation, Opinion and Association as Sources of Information: Circle Walker

Figure 59: Source of Information composite for Circle Walker

both observation and association in the writing about this dance: “Centre stage, legs

spread astride the sculpture held firm with wide-armed grip, the dancer is revealed as the

Source of Information: Circle Walker

video2%program

7%hearing

2%

self-awareness

1% opinion23%

association14%

domain knowledge

2%

observation49%

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lights come up — Da Vinci's Man in three dimensions” (P6/3.1–3.6), whereas this

excerpt from the paper of n9 exemplifies the fusion of opinion and association: “The

always-in-control, almost too machismo Cappelletti masters his steel opponent only to be

encased forever within it in the final tableau” (P8/8.1a–8.4).

Program information makes an average appearance in these papers at 7%, while

domain knowledge and information gleaned from the video footage each provide the

source for 2% of the information. Writer n12 uses both program information and domain

knowledge in her introduction to writing about this dance: “Strangely, but appropriately

the Consigliere himself closes the evening with "Circle Walker," a signature solo

signature from his Momix days” (P10/1.1–1.7). While the title is available in the

program, her knowledge of this dance as a “signature work” for Cappelletti, as well as

her familiarity with the performer’s previous association with the professional company

called “Momix” come from her domain base. On the other hand, the following excerpt

from the paper of n10 makes explicit reference to information derived from the video,

when she states that “ . . . the closing work was a solo for Cappelletti, although he spoke

of it in the introduction as a duet . . .” (P6/1.1–1.4).


The writings about Circle Walker manifest a tendency toward empirical

understanding of dance (46%), with moderate components of factual (9%) and qualitative

understanding (8%). Writer n6 combines empirical with qualitative and conceptual

appreciated by everyone” (P5/1–5.5). Corresponding to the high number of references to

the movement/meaning relationship in these writings, there is also a significant

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representation of hermeneutical understanding that emerges in the papers. Writer n10

illustrates a blend of factual, hermeneutical, conceptual and qualitative understanding in

the following passage: "’Circle Walker’ shifts from primal to industrial, expressive to

abstract, insouciant to precarious” (P6/2.1–2.5), while writer n12 takes empirical

Figure 60: Kind of Understanding: Circle Walker

perspectives as a point of departure for hermeneutical understanding in this excerpt:

“Standing inside the huge steel shell, he is at once protected and imprisoned. The music

by Yaz Kaz hints at a Native American ritual, but clashing metallic sounds make it at

once futuristic and ancient; machine and man (P10/6.1–7.5).

There is a small but noteworthy component of affective understanding that

emerges in these writings, sharing with the papers about Ciona the highest level of this

Kind of Understanding: Circle Walker

qualitative8%

affective3% conceptual

11%

empirical46%

factual9%

hermenutical23%

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affective 3% 1% 1% 2% 2% 3%

Table 81: Affective Understanding: Circle walker

kind of understanding among the dances (Table 81). This strand of understanding is

revealed in excerpts such as the following passage from the writing of n12: “I was

entranced by his circling and rocking, and in awe of Cappelletti’s sense of balance and

fearlessness”

(P10/ 8.2–8.6).

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CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSIONS

5.1 Overview of the Chapter

In the first chapter, I described the historical absence of critical writing as an area

of emphasis in the curricular agendas of dance programs in higher education, situating

myself both as an educator who has had repeated opportunities to observe the benefits of

writing about dance, and one who is interested in promoting the inclusion of coursework

in criticism within dance curricula. In the second chapter, I surveyed a variety of literary

and research efforts that undergird and inform my inquiry into these issues, and

concluded that a descriptive study of student writings about dance would offer a means to

uncover what such writings might reveal regarding student understandings about dance.

The third chapter presented the methodology and design of the coding sheets and other

research tools that yielded the data for my analysis.

In the fourth chapter, I compressed and discussed this data, provided examples

from the student writings, and presented my findings in a series of visual representations

in order to examine what they might yield regarding student understandings. My

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objective here was to lay bare the writings to a degree not possible by means of a

superficial reading, and to do so in a way that addressed what kinds of understandings

the papers made manifest. My approach to this question has been grounded in a

constructivist view of understanding as a learner’s ability to make links among disparate

streams of information.

An integral element of my study proved to be the design of the analytical

instrument itself, as the coding questions which determined my dissection of student

writings became a means of discovering what the underpinnings of understanding in

these writings are. Having rendered through narrative and visual means my findings, I

want to ferret out what they suggest about student understandings of dance and to discuss

how this information might inform educators about benefits and issues surrounding

course work in dance criticism. In this chapter, I discuss some of the issues that emerged

in my investigation, advance a conceptual model of understandings about dance based

on the student writings, and articulate some implications for pedagogy.

5.1.1 Preliminary Remarks

The data has much to say about student understandings and about the value of

critical writing about dance. As in the previous chapter, I will utilize an organizational

scheme that parallels the major questions of the coding sheets, discussing the relevance

of the data from types of information, sources of information, kinds of understandings,

and critical activities. Primary features of my discussion include evidence of the

complexity of the dance writing project, revelations about the multi-sensory nature of

dance and the multiple points of entry it offers the writer; the value of critical writing as

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an opportunity for engagement and expansion both inside and outside of the writer’s

knowledge base; and benefits of writing about dance as a strategy for integrating the

writer’s lived experience with other learning outcomes related to dance practice and

education; and evidence that dance should be considered as an element within the rising

field of visual culture.

5.1.2 Concentric Hermeneutical Circles:Viewing, Writing, and Reading

As discussed in chapter 3, I have borrowed the term “hermeneutical” to designate

the kind of understanding that applies to writing segments concerned with meaning —

segments that address what Barrett so aptly calls the “aboutness” of works of art (Art 71),

as opposed to those which deal with other elements, such as conceptual or empirical

understanding. Before proceeding with my conclusions, I want to extend my adaptation

of this philosophical concept to frame the larger sphere of my investigation, invoking the

notion of the “hermeneutical circle” as a representation of the entire process of viewing a

performance event. This construct of a circle, embracing performers and spectators in a

single, interactive frame, seems particularly appropriate for a study that examines

responses to performance: for, as the data from the student writings clearly delineates, it

is within the broad arena of audience/performance interaction that the enterprise of

performance is situated.

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The Dance Event

The Viewers

The Papers

The Researcher

Hermeneutic Circles

The Study

Figure 61: Hermeneutical Circles of the Study

By identifying this phenomenon both by name and through visual representation,

I mean to foreground its importance in any discussion of critical writing about dance, for

it is within the dynamics of this conceptual, symbiotic circle that the performer/audience

relationship transpires. In short, dancers perform, and viewers watch: where, then, does

either meaning or understanding of the dance lie? It is neither within the action of

performing bodies, nor within the viewer. Rather, the two are bound together, and the

notion of understanding can best be conceptualized as a transaction which happens

between the two.

In my study, the consequences of these hermeneutical circles of understanding

and interpretation are embedded in layered strata of the analysis. Not only are performer

and spectator encompassed in this conceptual enclosure but, as researcher, I am included

at various layers within these concentric circles of hermeneutical understanding, both as

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fellow viewer, and as reader of the student papers about that viewed experience. I refer

here to the wider sphere in which I, as reader/researcher and fellow viewer, add another

layer of interpretation to the student writings (Figure 59). As I disclosed in chapter 3, I

felt it necessary to take on the additional measure of conducting “member checks” of my

interpretations of the student writings before proceeding with the next step of the

analysis, in order to off-set the notion of undue bias.

5.1.2.1 Pedagogy

I believe that this construct of a hermeneutical circle that encompasses the viewer

and the performers in a dance event should also be valuable in developing a pedagogy of

dance criticism. When students become aware that their roles as viewers are integral to

the dance performance, there ensues a pedagogical mandate to encourage student

engagement in the viewing experience.80 This concept also holds the power to forestall

the idea that the choreographer or the dancers “own” the right to the meaning of a work

since, within the context of a performance, the dancer’s actions become meaningful by

virtue of the audience beholding them.

80 Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski has underscored this critical role of the spectator byconceptualizing the audience as a kind of “witness” to the performance event. See selections fromGortowski’s writings and essays about his contributions in Shechner and Wolford’s The GrotowskiSourcebook, (Routledge, 1997).

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5.2 Types of Information

5.2.1 The Complex Nature of Writing about Dance

Much has been written about the complexities of trying to capture a fleeting and

non-verbal art form and wrest from it the elements of verbal expression; I have referred

to some of these issues within the my review of the literature in chapter 2, and have

added my own voice to these concerns in chapter one. While I do not wish to reiterate

these points here, I want to confirm and make tangible the complexity of the task by

summarizing the breadth and interconnections among the types of information that

emerged through my analysis of student writings about dance.

5.2.2 A Spectrum of Information

In writing about a single evening of dance, featuring one work by each of six

choreographers, and framed within the context of a concert which consisted of

approximately forty-nine minutes of dancing plus twenty-eight minutes of video footage,

nine writers brought over ninety types of information into their written responses to this

event.81 As described in chapter 3, and manifested in the coding sheets, these types of

information ranged from various facets of the audience/performer relationship to

discussions of the movement, concert, concert personnel, theatrical elements, and

information extrinsic to the event.

81 See Appendix G for a complete breakdown of types of information, by writer.

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While a dance is ticking by, the data indicates that its viewers are collecting and

storing a wide range of sensory, conceptual, and associative information. They are

absorbing information about interactions between the performance and the audience,

including a range that incorporates their own positions as individual viewers, addresses

the larger community of viewers assembled to witness the event, and includes

speculations about the hypothetical “audience” beyond the confines of the particular

observed event. They are gathering information intrinsic to this particular concert,

including a broad range of detailed information about the choreography and movement,

information about the concert itself and the many personnel involved in producing it, and

about the various theatrical elements that have played their own complex roles in the

overall production. To varying degrees the writers also consider information extrinsic to

the event, such as related historical and cultural knowledge, and some also include what I

have chosen to call metaphysical information, information that is philosophical in

substance, such as musings about the nature of the art form.

Afterwards, in order to produce an act of writing, this range of information —

stored almost entirely in the form of memories of the event — must be sorted out,

organized and presented, not as individual types of information, but through an

integrative process. In this process, the web of many strands of information gets

translated, through the ordering practice of writing, into intelligible prose. This webbing

effect is already visible at a micro-level, as writers typically incorporate a variety of types

of information within a single sentence, indicating that a connection has been made

between discrete parts. Even a cursory glance at the coding sheets provides evidence of

these inter-connections, as exemplified in the following sample from the coding sheet of

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Laura’s paper (n3), which features in a matter of three short sentences information that

encompasses “concert basics,” the movement/meaning relationship, elements of

movement including time, space and contact, and choreographic structure (Table 82).

P4 sentence/segment type of info1.1 ‘Passing,’ choreographed by Susan Hadley concert basics1.2 depicts two women's struggle with the death of their friend. mov't/meaning rel2.1 They begin moving quickly mov't: time2.2 from the floor to the air, mov't: space2.3 taking turns supporting and throwing each other. mov't: contact3.1 These repetitive movements choreographic

structure: repetition3.2 stay in one corner of the stage, mov't: space3.3 a metaphor for the mundanity of daily life. mov't/meaning rel

Table 82: Variation in Types of Information: n3

5.2.2.1 Pedagogy

Within the literature on the constructivist view of knowledge, there are frequent

references to the need for reflective engagement on the part of the student in order to

make the necessary relationships among information to reach a state of understanding.

Returning to the notion that authentic assessments of learning occur when students

demonstrate the ability to produce evidence of connections in their knowledge,

understanding becomes a performance of learning. As discussed in chapter 2, reflective

engagement to produce such understandings is necessary, and Perkins adds that these

performances are “always something of a stretch; [requiring the learner] to ‘have to think

about it’ – thus leading to advances as well as displays of understanding” (Perkins qtd in

Wiske 42).

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5.2.2.2 Writing: A Performance of Understanding

Given the lack of a material object with which to walk away from the theatre after

a performance, understandings about dance lend themselves to introspection, reflection,

deliberation and finally — in the case of a writing assignment, production, or

performance. While language does not provide an equation for the experience of

movement, it offers a means to articulate one individual’s reaction to such an experience

at a given time, in a particular situation. The student who is obliged to attend to dance

with the focused attention required to create a piece of writing about that experience, has

an opportunity to reach a new level of understanding about the dance viewed in particular

and the dance discipline in general. My analysis offers evidence that in addressing

performance through acts of writing, connections both personal and contextual can be

made, standing to promote synthesis of the dance experience, and sharpen the skills

required to engage in subsequent critical activity.

5.3 Sources of Information

5.3.1 The Multi-Sensory Nature of Dance

In chapter 2, I referred to cognitive research on the web-like nature of

understanding, and its central dependence on the ability of a learner to know how

different things relate to one another. The coding of my analysis permitted an excavation

of the sources a student accesses in order to write about dance, and indicates that such

acts of writing exemplify this kind of integration of knowledge from multiple sources,

producing a body of evidence for the claim that dance writing requires a complex

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interface between the lived experience of the writer and the phenomenon of viewing and

writing about dance. In bringing together hearing and observation, opinion and personal

knowledge, domain knowledge, association and self-awareness, the writer weaves a

complex tapestry composed of multiple threads.

Dance is composed of human movement, and exists in many forms for a wide

variety of purposes. The dances of The Consigliere Collection, which are the subjects for

the student writings in this study, belong to a particular genre of western theatrical dance,

called modern dance. For the viewer, this kind of dance involves the need to track a

three-dimensional moving body or bodies, which interact with space and time in ways

that are unique and specific to each given work.

In conventional performance settings for this genre, dancing bodies are enhanced

by various theatrical elements, including costumes and make-up; and performances are

typically presented in venues supported by technologies of lighting and sound. A viewer

is met with a spectrum of sensory information in watching dance: costumes have shape,

texture, color and often connote specific thematic, historical or character elements.

Lighting serves to focus the viewer’s gaze, to mold the moving shapes, establish mood,

or even — as in the dance Passing, to play a narrative role in the dance. The performance

environment may also contain a wide variety of elements of set design, as in the dance

Circle Walker, with its integration of an immense spherical sculpture. Furthermore, with

the exception of the costumes and make-up, these production elements are as transient as

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the movement itself: lighting plots change according to the designer’s cues; music

evolves in a temporal frame that it shares with the movement; permutations and

interactions among these elements vary exponentially.

The moving bodies of dance, its raison d’êre, add exponential complexity to this

already rich field of information for the viewer. How many dancers are there? Are they

men or women? Is gender even an important consideration in this work? In group dances,

exemplified by five of the six Consigliere Collection pieces, how do the performers relate

to one another, to the audience, and to the other elements of the performance? Directions,

levels, patterns, and shape present compositional elements to track, as do the means for

dividing time, whether rhythmically steady or unpredictable, syncopated or smooth. The

manner of performing a given action may be direct and sudden, sequential or

simultaneous; silky or jagged; a given performance of movement can suggest restriction

or freedom, lightness or buoyancy or strength. Dance may tell a story or emphasize

formal properties of the art form. A given dance or section of a work, may invoke a

feeling, a place, or a time. It may celebrate a piece of music or commemorate a memory.

It may be silly, serious, sarcastic or sinister. The rules of modern dance are fluid,

inherently innovative, always changing. The possibilities are innumerable, and the

possible interactions among all these elements both infinite and evolving.

Enter the writer. In a live performance, there is only one chance to see the

performance the same exact way. The viewer must learn from each dance what is

important, and is obliged to track all its components as they unfold, committing to

memory what cannot be stored any other way. This viewer cum writer arrives at the

performance with his or her own set of preconceptions, concerns, physicality — in short,

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lived experience. Observation and hearing are often cited as sensory channels for the

dance experience, but tactile and kinesthetic responses are also part of the viewer’s

equipment; associations, information from the program and publicity are also among the

sources available to the writer.

5.3.1.1 Pedagogy: Multiple Points of Entry

This data about sources of information also substantiates a significant benefit for

the learner, in demonstrating that there are multiple points of entry for the student

confronted with the task of writing about dance. While observation and opinion emerge

as the dominant sources of information, there is wide latitude in finding other points of

access, including hearing, association, domain knowledge, personal and public

knowledge, program information and self-awareness. A student like Nicki may draw

upon her substantial knowledge of dance history, a writer like Dawn may bring to the

experience a tendency to look inward, producing personal associations and drawing upon

self-awareness; a writer such as Renée culls imagery from popular culture; Laura arrives

with a well-developed sense of observation and a particular eye for choreographic

structure. Students with a keen ear for sound may bring the music into the foreground of

the writing experience, while others may focus on costume or lighting details.

This diversity in the means of approach stands as an important opportunity for a

classroom of learners, allowing those with various strengths and weaknesses, or multiple

kinds of intelligence (Gardner Frames of Mind) to find a way into the material that

constitutes something called a dance. It also suggests that a pedagogy of dance criticism

might illuminate this variety of means, empowering those who imagine that there is only

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one “correct” way to discuss this art form — a widely held misunderstanding, according

to my own experience as an educator. While most approaches to the teaching of criticism

guide writers to embrace the activities of description, interpretation, evaluation,

theorizing, contextualization, or analysis, it seems that an invitation to attend to a variety

of sources for gathering the information for this enterprise may open new pathways for

students with diverse histories and abilities.

Several findings that emerged in my analysis of student writings held new

possibilities for pedagogical implementation, and I want to foreground two points that I

have not found specifically enumerated in other texts on critical practice. I also want to

identify an important missing piece of information from the results of the analysis and

speculate on the reasons for its absence as well as the need to foreground it in teaching

dance criticism.

5.3.1.2 Forging Connections between Writer and Dance:Association

Although I have not found this source of information emphasized in other texts on

criticism, I want to discuss its role in the student writings I have analyzed, and argue for

its inclusion as an explicit tool in teaching. Association, the act of bringing into the

writing a reference to personal memories or experiences, constitutes the central means by

which a student connects his or her lived experience with the viewing of performance.

When student writings draw out such personal material and relate it to the viewing of

dance, this constitutes the forging of new connections between various aspects of their

experience, a fundamental component in the constructivist view of understanding.

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As evidenced in my analysis, students bring associations into their writing without

invitation, since it had not occurred to me to identify or suggest this source of information

in setting up the course or its assignments. What I noticed, however, in dissecting the

papers, is that association is often the means for including metaphors in writing. As a

teacher of writing, it is one thing to urge students to use metaphors in their writing; quite

another to get them to produce them. In fact, generating metaphors for student writers

seems to be akin to waiting for the proverbial pot to boil: it simply won’t happen on

demand. I have since witnessed, however, by observing this connection in the writings I

have analyzed, that by inviting students to attend to their associations during a

performance and then bring them into their writing, metaphors appear with greater ease

and frequency.82

To add to my argument for the explicit teaching of association as a source of

information, I have observed that students receive this permission to allow their own

experience into their writing with surprise, and then relief. It is empowering, after so

years of the imposition that they write in the “third-person objective,” to discover that

they need not check their histories along with their coats in the lobby before they enter

the theatre. Furthermore, I suspect that in the ongoing temporal sequence of evolving

sensory information of which dance consists, a student’s conscious tracking of

associations that arise during the viewing of a dance may serve as a memory aid for

specific moments of the performance.

82 Howard Gardner has noted that “metaphors presuppose the capacity to perceive relations amongdisparate phenomena” (qtd in Liu and Kennedy, “Form and Its Symbolic Meaning” 135).

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5.3.1.3 Forging Connections between Writer and DanceDomain Knowledge

Domain knowledge, another source of information that emerged in the student

writings, holds no claim here as a thing new or invented. In fact, it is a concept with

which I became acquainted through research I have discussed in chapter 2, studies of

cognitive theory by Koroscik, Efland and others. Koroscik lists differences in domain

knowledge as a characteristic that distinguishes novice from expert learners, and having

become familiar with this concept through her work, I found that it was a useful way for

me to differentiate sources of information within the writings, allowing me to separate

and identify strands of intrinsic information within the papers. Often, but not always,

when students are employing what Banes calls contextualization (Writing 32) in their

writing, they are drawing upon domain knowledge. Until it began to emerge as a

significant component within the student writings, however, it did not occur to me how

useful this component might be if explicitly identified as a resource for the writer.

Because it involves importing personal knowledge into the writing enterprise, it is similar

to association in its potential capacity to empower the writer.

Conversely, it became clear in the findings of my analysis that the use of program,

publicity and other factual information might be recognized as a sign that other sources of

information are not being fully tapped, thus allowing an educator to focus the student’s

attention toward awareness and development of these additional sources. I think of

Dawn’s writings, which provide a snapshot of a learner who has less experience in the

dance discipline and who relies more heavily on information found in the video footage

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and program information from the concert; or Erin’s writing, which though accurate,

tends to be somewhat terse and dry, lacking in sensory information and interpretation of

the concert works.

In Section II of chapter 4, I excavated from the writings tangible representation of

the wide variety of dances that might confront an individual spectator, and indicated that

specific works present viewers with what Efland, Feltovich and others have called a

complexly-structured domain of knowledge (Efland “Spiral” 143). As manifested visibly

in the charts that illustrate student integration of various types and sources of information,

kinds of understanding and the critical activities employed to come to terms with the

dance experience, demand a variety of strategies for and acts of understanding from each

viewer. The viewer who is charged with producing a piece of writing about dance must

connect the dots, so to speak, among diverse kinds of information accessed from many

sources.

5.3.1.4 A Missing PieceKinesthetic Information

There is at least one component that is conspicuously absent among the sources of

information that emerged in my analysis, a component which I know is embedded within

the writings, but which the coding questions failed to adequately bring to the surface. I

refer to kinesthesia, defined by Merriam-Webster as “a sense mediated by end organs

located in the muscles, tendons, and joints and stimulated by bodily movements and

tensions; also sensory experience derived from this sense.”

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I am convinced as a dance educator that one’s access to his or her kinesthetic

response to movement during a performance provides a vital source of feedback for the

writer. While watching dance, one is likely to experience a range of physical reactions: a

dancer’s body thuds suddenly on the floor, and the viewer winces involuntarily; two

performers engage in a duet that features highly sequential uses of the limbs and spine,

and the spectator experiences a sympathetic softening in the torso; a group of performers

hurls one of its members into the air, catching her in an extended position just before she

falls headlong onto another dancer, and audience members experience a tingling along

the neck or a shortening of the breath. These are some of many scenarios that can develop

on the stage and their possible consequences among the viewers. Where is the evidence

of this source of information in my analysis?

As a trained dancer and a viewer accustomed to palpable physical responses of

my own in the theatre, I expected to be able to identify this source of information among

the student writings and to substantiate its existence in my findings. Aside from

occasional lines such as Laura’s statement “I get chills” (n3:P5/6.5), however, I could not

pinpoint this kind of information with an acceptable degree of accuracy. I can theorize

that kinesthetic feedback finds its expression in dynamic verb choices, evocative adverbs

and adjectives, in tactile words and incidences of onomatopoeia. Given the design of the

instrument I used, however, this information was invariably short-circuited by another

source for this information. That is to say, in answering the coding questions I had

designed, I found that I could almost always answer the question, “From what source did

this information come?” by the identification of “hearing” or “observation” as the

original channel of access for that information.

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5.3.1.4.1 Pedagogy

Though I consider this a limitation in the design of the study, it leads me to the

enumeration of three important concerns. First, the absence of kinesthetic evidence via

my analytical instrument opens up a question for future investigation and analysis,

through the design of an analytical method capable of identifying the incidence of this

particular source material. Secondly, this missing proprioceptive component in the

analysis has become, in its conspicuous absence, the impetus for a pedagogical

recommendation — that dance educators should attempt to make students aware of this

aspect, urging writers to infuse their language with word choices that evoke the

kinesthetic nature of the art form. Finally, although I retain a healthy skepticism about the

increasing prevalence of an ocularcentric bias in contemporary culture,83 the process of

encountering this issue in the analysis points to a finding I would not have anticipated: it

has led me to reconsider the preeminence of observation as a means for accessing dance,

thus positioning dance as an important discipline within the emerging field of studies in

visual culture.84

5.4 Kinds of Understanding

Having discussed two of the categories from the coding sheets which are designed

to expose the underpinnings of student understanding, I come now to that category which

83 Future research into this issue points as well to an investigation of the role of synaesthesia, or theinextricable linkage of one sense with the experience of another.

84 Several recent works on this subject attest to this trend, including Martin Jay’s work Downcast Eyes,Heywood and Sandywell’s Interpreting Visual Vulture, Nicholas Davey’s work The Hermeneutics ofSeeing, and Malcolm Barnard’s Approaches to Understanding Visual Culture.

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directly addresses the expressed aims of my research by attempting to codify the kind of

understanding a segment of the student’s writing reveals. Within this category, a multi-

faceted model of understanding has emerged which suggests that a variety of possibilities

exist for understanding dance.

5.4.1 A Conceptual Model

In this model (Figure 60), each of the eight kinds of understandings that emerged

from the analysis of student writings is featured, along with a sampling of the kinds of

questions the writer might ask in order to generate that kind of understanding. The model

also juxtaposes these understandings and questions atop two, three-part

conceptualizations that relate to the experience of dance: one foregrounds the

fundamental unity of dance as an art form, locating within its contours the notion of art,

art maker and makings, and the audience; the other indicating the general, the specific,

and the personal nature of these articulated understandings.

The location of kinds of understanding within the model is intended to suggest a

web-like sphere, in which its various aspects are related in open-ended ways. The

placement of the triangular points listing art, art maker and audience is intended to

gesture toward the placement of groups of understandings, thus suggesting that the

hermeneutical, affective and reflexive understandings of dance tend to emerge within the

personal, or audience point of view; ontological understandings tend to focus on the

general nature of the art form; and the empirical, conceptual, factual and qualitative

understandings about dance tend to emerge within writing that addresses the specific

materials and persons who manipulate them. The lack of hard boundaries surrounding the

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kinds of understandings is representative of the findings of my analysis: the ideas remain

loosely clustered, issuing from a gray sphere which holds all the possibilities within the

softened edges of its borders.

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5.4.1.1 Pedagogy: Variations among Learners

A view of these understandings among all the writers as a group shows both a

clear pattern within the kinds of understandings most commonly revealed, as well as

considerable latitude with regard to individual experiences of understanding (Figure 61),

serving another tenet of performance understandings, which are marked by their capacity

to signal variations from one learner to another (Perkins What? 43). With the

Figure 63: The Spectrum of Understandings among Writers

exception of Dawn (n1), for whom empirical and hermeneutical understandings emerge

on an equal footing, empirical understanding clearly dominates among all other writers.

For most writers, hermeneutical understanding occurs in the second position, and there is

a clear parallel correspondence in the relationship between empirical and hermeneutical

Kinds of Understandings

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10

n12

AffectiveConceptualEmpiricalFactualHermenuticalOntologicalQualitativeReflexive

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understandings. Although points of elevation and indentation occur in the lines

representing conceptual, factual and qualitative understandings, these three strands

emerge with roughly the same frequency among all of the writers. Ontological and

reflexive understandings constitute the bottom of the chart, showing a low incidence of

these understandings within the writings.

5.4.1.2 Pedagogy: Dance Criticism and Knowledge Transfer

Writing projects that invite inquiry or speculation, or pose a problem or anintellectual puzzle are more likely to invite thinking — extending one’sknowledge, formulating a new understanding for oneself, changing whatone previously thought — than are rote-recall tasks, or what one studentcalled “spitback” assignments.

(Herrington 68)

I return again to some of the research on cognition referenced in chapter 2, and to

the concept of knowledge transfer as the highly desired integration of other learning

activities. As indicated in that chapter, I argue here that course work in dance criticism

provides fertile ground for cultivating this kind of higher-order thinking activity.

5.4.1.2.1 From the Lattice to the Hub

This diversity of types and sources of information revealed by my analysis

positions dance as what Efland and others have distinguished as a complexly organized

domain, requiring a case-by-case approach for teaching and learning (Efland Cognition

121). As discussed in chapter 2, Efland casts knowledge acquisition for such domains in

the metaphor of a lattice, by which students are given an opportunity to encounter

material from various perspectives and at various stages of learning (Efland, “Spiral”). In

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this view, understanding evolves in a crisscrossing pattern, with the learner’s expanding

base of knowledge growing through increasing points of inter-connection among

established areas of knowledge. Efland postulates this metaphor as more conducive to

complexly-structured domains of knowledge such as medicine, law and art. 85

In subsequent work, Efland adds a third metaphor to these conceptualizations of

knowledge acquisition, by borrowing an image from the world of urban planning

(Cognition 103). Citing work by Yang,86 Efland suggests that another way of envisioning

effective curricular development exists in the metaphor of an airline hub. In this concept,

the learner would be envisioned as making a series of forays into new areas of inquiry by

means of regular stop-overs among a series of more centrally located hubs, regularly re-

visiting established areas of domain knowledge as a means to take off on additional

departures to unfamiliar destinations.

Borrowing from these metaphors, I want to argue here for the existence of

curricular offerings in dance criticism as one among several central hubs within the larger

system of dance studies. In the act of witnessing and writing about dance, the learner

brings knowledge from a variety of other destinations within the system: a dancer’s

ongoing physical training may serve to deepen the technical and kinesthetic information

through which the viewing experience is enriched; studies in dance composition allow the

viewer of dance to apply acquired knowledge from this area into work that occurs outside

of the studio context, thus revisiting concepts learned in one hub by applying them in

86 G. Yang. “Exploration of Chinese Art using a multimedia CD-ROM: Design, Mediated Experience, andKnowledge Construction.” Unpublished PhD Dissertation, Columbus, OH: 2000.

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another; studies in dance history, while useful hubs for other destinations in their own

right, can also travel via journeys to the hub of dance criticism, appearing as domain

knowledge, aiding in the writer’s contextualization of a viewed work; studies in

movement analysis, while empowering the learner with greater awareness and ability to

analyze the structural and conceptual details of dance, make the journey, through the

dance viewer, into a performance event and enrich the writer’s ability to articulate what is

going on in a given performance. Furthermore, this notion of a hub also provides a means

to visualize the network in which a learner who gains expertise in critical writing, takes

this knowledge back into the studio or the classroom where other studies are centered.87

Because work in dance criticism exists within in the medium of language, I

believe that it can provide a kind of central terminal within the hub system as well. The

development of skills in this area could allow the dance learner to take off with his or her

dance knowledge, acquired through journeys among its many hubs, and make landings in

other areas of inquiry, picking up additional cargo there for future travels, and allowing

for visits to destinations where less is known about the many internal stop-over points.

Whether as casual tourist or professional ambassador in these new locales, the dance

student possessed with focused experience in the more widely understood currency of

language might be better prepared to strengthen and support developments occurring in

the hubs back at the home port.

87 (See Questionnaire II # 6 for information about students who have found the experience of writing aboutdance, for example, valuable in the dance-making experience)

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5.4.1.2.2 Beyond the Information Given: Knowledge Transfer and DanceWriting

The transfer of knowledge occurs when students should go beyond the

accumulation of information to synthesize and apply what they know, and to extend it

into other areas of knowledge, forging new connections. The constructivist view of

learning, based on an active conceptualization of the learner’s role in understanding,

suggests that educational practice should integrate activities that offer such opportunities

for transfer.

Among the findings to emerge in my analysis of student writings, there is

evidence that writing about dance provides this kind of activity, the ability to relate

learning from one strand of information to learning in another. Returning to Bruner’s

definition of understanding as “going beyond the information given,” my analysis

provides a look at the sub-structure of this phenomenon. By excavating from the student

writings their constituent threads of information, drawn from multiple sources, a kind of

blueprint of knowledge transfer becomes visible.

Students of dance are required to learn a great many things in the course of their

studies. Physical training requires that they develop a deep base of knowledge pertaining

to the body, often supported by studies in anatomy and kinesiology, or the investigation

of somatic practices such as yoga and body/mind centering. Systems of movement

analysis, such as Laban’s theoretical and analytical framework develop an awareness of

movement patterns and possibilities, and an ability to translate these into written and

verbal form. Studies of dance history impart knowledge about the development and

context of specific dance forms and styles, and a knowledge of significant artists and

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artistic practices. Through the act of viewing and writing about dance, a student is placed

in a position in which s/he can access and integrate information from these diverse areas

of knowledge.

5.5 Critical Activities

Although this category of the research design was intended primarily as a means

of aligning the results of the coding sheets to the established modes of writing about art,

its inclusion has provided some interesting information that might be useful for

educational practice.

5.5.1 Pedagogy

The close reading and categorization of the writings required by the method for

my study confirms the usefulness of these activities for pedagogical purposes, but

demonstrates that they do not account for all that occurs in the process of writing about

dance, and suggests that the teaching of these traditional categories should be

supplemented with other strategies and approaches. While description shares strong

correspondences with the coding of empirical and factual understanding, interpretation

with hermeneutical understanding, evaluation with qualitative understanding, and

theorizing with conceptual and ontological understanding are strong, there is also a wide

range of crossovers among these categories. Ultimately, the data suggests that more work

needs to be done in order to understand the complexities of writing about dance, and to

devise pedagogical activities that can enlighten and empower student writers.

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5.6 Additional Limitations and Benefits of the Study

This intensive analysis of student writings about dance has yielded its pool of data

from the papers of nine student writers, situated within the dance department of a large

university in the midwestern region of the United States. The students who made up the

study population were graduate or upper level students with substantial experience in the

field of dance. Though this population represents a sample too small to make broad

generalizations, it provided a group of papers small enough to allow a close reading and

analysis of this kind.

As the first descriptive study of its kind, my study makes available not only the

bare bones of these student writings for further research, but also a possible analytical

design for further inquiry along these lines. Future work which might issue from this

preliminary work includes studies which hone in on a specific category from the coding

sheet, studies which use a similar or adapted coding structure to compare these writings

with those of novice learners in the dance domain as well as with expert, professional

writers. It is also possible that both the methodological design and the findings, with the

resulting categories and coding constructs for delineating the elements of dance

performance, may serve research in movement analysis.

5.6.1 The Slippery Specificity of Language

Language, the subject of ongoing post-structural discourse and debate in the

closing decades of the 20th century, appears to both denote and elude fixed meaning at

every turn. In the course of carrying out this analysis, I have often found it difficult to pin

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single words into their respective coding cells, let alone sentence segments of varying

lengths. I return again to the notion of a hermeneutical circle, in which I am caught, as

researcher, along with the students who viewed the concert and produced the papers.

There are innumerable places among the coding sheets in which no amount of scrutiny or

effort on my part would allow a definitive placement of a word, sentence segment or

idea. In addition to the triangulation efforts of conducting member checks, and consulting

with colleagues in the dance domain about my analysis in earlier stages, I point as well to

the patterns that have emerged among the composites and comparisons as partial

validation of my methods and conclusions.

5.6.1.1 Pedagogy: At the Level of Words

Among the findings from the kind of data that emerged in this study are some

additional recommendations for student writers that ought to be considered in a pedagogy

of dance criticism. The task of viewing dance and formulating intelligible ideas on paper

about that experience requires the development of specific skills by the student writer. In

addition to previous references to the incorporation of metaphor and onomatopoeia, and

to the use of lively verb, adverb and adjective selections to evoke the tactile and

kinesthetic aspects of viewing dance, there are other language-based pedagogical issues

that ought to be considered in the teaching of dance criticism.

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In particular, the results of the coding sheets point to the value of embracing a

literal interpretation of Maher’s definition of writing as “word choice on paper.”88 In the

process of allowing the coding questions to guide the division of student sentences into

segments for the analysis, I repeatedly encountered the need to distinguish a single word

from the rest of the segment because it introduced a shade of meaning which changed the

timbre of the entire sentence.

5.7 Concluding Observations

Having reviewed and summarized these implications for pedagogy, two central

concepts emerge as deeply embedded in the framework of my project. As guiding

principles, I want to make them explicit as part of the summary of my findings and the

implications of my work.

The first of these principles concerns what dance historian and critic Brenda

Dixon Gottschild describes as “the power of naming,” after the Bantu term nommo. In her

revisionist history Digging the Africanist Presence in American Performance, Gottschild

discusses the business of naming as a profoundly empowering act (11). This concept of

nommo articulates a central aim of my own teaching, supporting my expectation that

pedagogical aims will be served by plumbing the student writings to identify underlying

elements of understanding. By naming these emergent fundamentals from the writings of

88 John S. Mayher, Nancy Lester and Gordon M Pradl. Learning to Write; Writing to Learn. (Portsmouth,NH: Boynton, 1983).

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one group of students, I hope that educators will have access to research that enables

them to increase the awareness of other students about the nature of writing about and

understanding dance.

Implied in this first principle but also unstated to this point is a second principle

underlining the nature and framing of my study. As an educator, I have arrived at a

profound investment in the reciprocal nature of teaching and learning, the very substance

of the mandate of a research university such as the one in which this study took place.

This conviction underscored the methodology of my study, a search for emergent

principles within existing student writing products rather than a search for a prescriptive

approach based on research outside of the student’s experience.

To write about dance is to participate in it, allowing students to connect a

performance with their own accumulated knowledge and lived experience. Based on the

findings of my analysis, I believe that this connecting component of criticism — the link

between the self and the experience under consideration, the linking up of prior personal

knowledge and experience with new information, and the links between class members

through group discussion related to those experiences — comprise a powerful system

which can enable understanding, learning, self awareness and the development of

expertise and confidence. The language one accesses to describe the fleeting experience

of dance becomes available through an individual process of meaning-making, which is

in a sense a process of making the material one's own. Through the consistent activity of

making word choices on paper about dance, benefits await for those who endeavor to

participate in learning activities generated by course work in dance criticism.

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5.8.1 Towards a Pedagogy of Dance Criticism:The Tangible Meets The Ephemeral

Out of thoughts, feelings and experiences arrives intelligible sound — words; out

of the experience of watching performing bodies, critical writing. In both cases, the

writer must formulate the thoughts and find the words. The results of this study

demonstrate that these words and ideas come from individual acts of multi-sensory

engagement and the intersection of those combined perceptions with one’s personal

experience and sensibilities. All the imagery about discovery and excavation come into

play as one watches a dance and attempts to capture some sense of it in language that is

meaningful.

This study has given some substance to the claim that the multi-sensory art form

of dance makes unique demands upon those who attempt to convey their experiences as

spectators into written form. Although ephemeral, the data indicates that the materiality

of dance is very specific and concrete, drawing upon sight and sound, while evoking

personal associations, interpretive strategies, and thoughtful connections to the lived

world beyond the stage or performance space. Writing about dance is a complex activity,

which exists at the intersection of an active engagement in the present and the ability to

access memory of that engagement through effective language choice and organization.

The cultivation of these faculties and the task of honing these skills seem to hold a

valuable place in the curricula of dance studies at any level. Upon the blank page, where

the ephemeral becomes tangible, await significant opportunities for student knowledge

acquisition and application, and for the future of dance in the academic curriculum and

beyond.

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: QUESTIONNAIRES I AND II

(ENTRY) QUESTIONNAIRE I:

PROTOCOL

1. present academic level:

2a. current major

2b: particular interests within major area of study:

3. extent of previous studio and performance experiences in dance, includinglength of time and types of experiences.

4. extent of previous non-studio experiences in dance, includinglength of time and types of experience.

5. previous studies undertaken in art or dance criticism.

6. reasons for enrolling in this course.

7. characterization of attitude toward writing in general.

8. characterization of attitudes toward writing about dance in particular.

9. Do you anticipate particular benefits in learning to write about dance?

10. Do you anticipate particular difficulties in learning to write about dance?

11, What are the functions of dance criticism? What kinds of things can/shouldit do?

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12. How does the meaning or purpose of a dance get decided? Who decides?How do they know?

13. How does the value or quality of a dance get decided? Who decides? How dothey know?

14. Additional thoughts or questions about the class.

RESPONSES, LISTED BY INDIVIDUAL QUESTION:

1: present academic level:

n1: (almost) grad. 2nd yearn2: undergrad rank 4n3: undergrad rank 3n6: grad, 1st yrn7: grad. 1st yrn8: grad. 1st yr.n9: grad. 2nd yrn10: grad. 1st yr.n12: grad 2nd yr.

2a: current major

n1: Dance and Technologyn2: English (Honors program)n3: Dance (Performance) BFAn6: Dance History /Notationn7: Dance notation/reconstructionn8: Dance (Choreography)n9: Dance (Choreography)n10: Dancen12: Dance and Technology/History

2b: particular interests within major area of study:

n1: I am interested in learning and understanding the multitude of technologiesavailable for documenting and preserving dance, its meaning, its purpose to theindividual artist and to the field. Specifically, I will focus a great deal of myenergies using video as a third eye to see, explore and uncover the multi-dimensions of dance perspectives in developing educational CD-ROMs.

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n2: I am interested in learning forms of critical writing, especially as they apply todance and the arts.

n3: modern dance performance — acquisition of skills, artistry, that' s it.

n6: I'm interested in dance history reconstructions, dance theory and philosophy, andcriticism. Also, I'm interested in notation and technology, particularly Life Forms.

n7: I'm particularly interested in reconstruction and directing from scores as well asperforming repertory work, using the score to help gain greater understanding of apiece. I'm a passionate performer as well as researcher and enjoy putting both touse to discover as much as I can about a particular work and a choreographer'sintention, point of view.

n8: I'm interested in acquiring more knowledge in related fields (i.e. art history,music, etc. ) to enhance my concepts/ideas for dances.

n9: The exploration of pop culture and choreography.Diversity and multi-media approaches to presentation in dance.Audience affinity for movement and testing those boundaries.

n10: Critical analysis of dance using notation and technology as means of bothaccessing information and subsequently disseminating ideas about dance.

n12: I am interested in using dance and multimedia as a form of historical and culturalperformance and documentation. I am also very interested in film-making,cultural identity and representation in performance and film/video.

3. extent of previous studio and performance experiences in dance, includinglength of time and types of experiences.

n1: I received my undergraduate degree in dance in 1991 from Western MichiganUniversity. I began studio courses in choreography, modern, ballet, jazz andsocial dance there in 1988. During my three years I performed one duet, a grouppiece, and several solo works I choreographed.

n2: little college experience — two years of elective classes; teaching tap to teens andpreteens at local studio; currently forming small tap group.

n3: ballet training age 12 -18apprenticeship with modern company, age 18Ohio State University dance major, 2 yearstypes of performing include small ballet performances, full length ballets, learningand performing a new work, improvisation, alternative space performances.

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n6: As a child, I took ballet and continued on through high school. I was a dancemajor at the undergraduate level and performed modern in both student andfaculty works.

n7: I've been dancing and performing since the age of six, although up until myundergraduate dance degree, I had no academic interest in dance — I hadn't everseen a ballet! I've continued to train and perform as well as research and writeabout dance, and my taste and personal style have certainly changed.

n8: I started to dance seriously (consistently) in junior high school at the age of elevenuntil the present. My biggest growth, however, occurred during my last four yearsas an undergraduate at UM-AZ.

n9: BalletMet — contract dancer 3 years — rep company.Dance instructor — all ages, all levels, many techniques.Various independent contract work — as a dancer and choreographer.I consider myself a diverse dancer/choreographer (ballet, modern, tap, jazz,musical theatre)

n10: Limited performance experience at undergraduate level and subsequently as afreelance community dance artist in UK.3 quarters of regular dance classes; otherwise piecemeal studio experience.

n12: 26 years of dance training — ballet, modern, jazz, liturgical, music theatre, tapand some folk. I have a B.A. in Dance from Adelphi University. I beganprofessional performing around the age of 19. 4 1/2 years dancer with Bill T.Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company; 1 1/2 years as rehearsal director (1989 -1995). I have performed my own work since 1989 to the present.

4. extent of previous non-studio experiences in dance, including length of timeand types of experience.

n1: At WMU I took basic courses in dance history, notation, production, kinesiologyand music for dancers. These courses were one semester each for two years. Idon't recall many of the readings, however, I remember viewing many videos inpre and post modern history courses, such as Catherine the Great and TheTroubadours and "That's Dancing."

n2: on my own, I have tried to apply what I have learned about writing on literature and theatre (through English and Theatre classes) to dance performances I have seen.

n3: age 17-18 — history of modern dance through readings and videos supplied bymy teacher. At OSU, intro courses in dance major, such as Overview, AfricanDiaspora and also history of 18th, 19th, and 20th century dance.

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n6: In undergraduate work, I took six different kinds of dance history/criticism/philosophy courses. I've read Jowitt, Banes, Cohen as well as many others. I'vedone reconstructions and philosophical papers.

n7: All of my previous experience comes from my undergraduate degree in dance andwork I have done since then — reaching up to five years. Coursework hasincluded study, research, and 1000 word essays on particular styles of dance; eras;choreographers; some analysis and criticism; dissertation — 10,000 words; andsome professional research work since graduating and personal work for owninterests.

n8: As an undergrad, I took courses in art history, US history, womens studies,religion (Christian, Buddhist, Hindu), gender studies, philosophy, sociology,psychology and literature — (among others).

n9: Many hours of undergraduate work in dance although not a dance major.

Manager - Administration for a dance company (2 years).

n10: 3 years undergraduate study of dance: history/sociology/analysis. Final researchproject — 15,000 word dissertation looking at the conflation of art and life in thework of postmodern choreographer Michael Clark. Extensive work onClassicism/Romanticism/ Modernism and Post-Modernism as they pertain todance.

n12: Very little. Dance history, notation and "dance analysis" in undergraduate. Oraldiscussions with teachers or their commentary/discussions in classes. Personalreading of choreographer/dancer biographies since about 1986.

5. previous studies undertaken in art or dance criticism.

n1: This course will be my first.

n2: only informal papers on graduate concerts for my elective classes.

n3:

n6: One course I took was specifically in criticism, taught by Chrystelle T. Bond. I'vealso had to write critical reviews for most of the professional performances I'veseen.

n7: I haven't actually taken a course in criticism. Most of my work in criticism hascome about through courses in dance analysis; having to write critically about myown work at the undergraduate level; and through reading and researching.

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n8: I don't believe I've taken any courses in art or dance criticism, but have takencourses where we critically evaluated art and dance.

n9: Arts 161Dance Criticism = 0

n10: Foundation of my undergraduate studies was the Adshead/Layson text on DanceAnalysis: Theory and Practice which provides a model for approaching a criticalevaluation of a dance work. No studies at all of criticism in its broader journalisticsense.

n12: Postmodernism with Vera Maletic, but this was only a portion of class content.None really.Personal reading — bell hooks and oral discourse with artist friends andcollaborators in NY.Did an independent study with Karen Woods on cultural identity andrepresentation of dancing bodies — reading, discussion, short writing (thissummer). Used Desmond and Cooper Albright books.

6. reasons for enrolling in this course.

n1: I recently took a Disabilities test here at OSU. I was experiencing difficultiesreading and writing my first quarter of Au '97. The results showed a disability inthe area of Fluid Reasoning (i.e. Reading Comprehension and ListeningComprehension). It was recommended for me to take a writing course to helpimprove my skills.

n2: I want to take the more generalized lessons I have learned about writing and usethem to focus on something I love. I am interested in pursuing a career on themore academic and theoretical side of dance, and I hope this class will help togive me some direction.

n3: After taking Karen Woods' dance history class, I wanted a dance-related class thatwould challenge my writing and thought a little bit more. OSU GECs have beenpoor — I want a class where I can think more, prepare for grad school.

n6: It sounded like something you could "sink your teeth into" intellectually. Everydancer has to deal with these issues. It's also a secret love of mine, and it soundedlike a great way to start off my career at OSU.

n7: Mainly to improve as a writer; to broaden my language in terms of writing aboutdance myself. Also to help train myself to remain open-minded in my researchwork — to not get bogged down with one point of view, but seek out alternativesthat could completely open up doors on a particular issue. Also, without soundingcorny, to find about my own tastes and what shapes them.

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n8: Apparently I have not taken a course on criticism specifically so that was myprimary reason. I'm interested in learning the style of writing that comes withcriticism.

n9: #1: To prepare self for written exam at end of graduate studies.

Hope that the course will enrich my knowledge of contemporary dance styles,choreographers . . .

n10: Graduate level work is quite different from that done at undergraduate level. Iwish to 'step up a gear' where my writing is concerned. It will be interesting toget another perspective on criticism. It' s been five years since I studied, so mywriting skills need reviving somewhat. My long term focus is on writing aboutdance in some form so this seems a good place to start.

n12: Because I want the tools (vocabulary, resources, background info) to engage incritical and analytical discussion, thinking and writing about dance. As an AfricanAmerican woman I feel the work of African American choreographers istrivialized, ignored or under-represented and acknowledged in dance literature atlarge.

7. characterization of attitude toward writing in general.

n1: I love to write! My interest in creative writing is deep and sacred to me. I enjoyjournal writing and poetry. However, I am aware of my weaknesses incomprehending the formal forms of writing, in which I believe will becomestrengths throughout this course. I am primarily a visual learner and hope to beable to write actualize my visions more clearly.

n2: A painstaking process at times but rewarding in the end. It is sometimes mucheasier and clearer than talking.

n3: I see writing as a way to organize thought. It's important to me to write almostevery day. My own writing is immature — sometimes I'm challenged/frustratedby the difficulty of writing well.

n6: I like to write — now. There was a time I hated writing, but was forced to do it. Ilove spell-check and have a problem with closing paragraphs, but even after beingfrustrated, I still enjoy it.

n7: I guess I see writing as a form of expression, of communication; something whichcan inspire, conjure up emotion and feeling; be informative, be educational andthus expand our knowledge, alter our perspective, broaden our attitudes (that is, ifwe take the time to read). Personally, I'm quite passionate about writing — about

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being able to creatively articulate myself — and communicate what I'vediscovered or experienced. I think of performing dance in the same way.

n8: I enjoy writing in general — more academic than creative but I also enjoy thelatter. I've found that invariably when I write I come away with a fullerunderstanding of the topic I have undertaken.

n9: It causes me a large amount of anxiety. I have a very difficult time writing — Ioften become paralyzed at the thought of it.

n10: I enjoy words and the pursuit of the most fitting way to put across ideas. Findingthe balance required to form sentences and paragraphs which are beautiful, lucidand succinct. The elusiveness of such balance is part of the passion of that quest.Then again, sometimes (often) it's hell — frustrating and tiresome.

n12: I love it. I have terrible handwriting and spelling, but am not afraid of freedom ofexpression. I also like, but rarely do anymore, creative writing. Would also like togear my writing skills toward scholarly writing for newsletters, journals, etc.

8. characterization of attitudes toward writing about dance in particular.

n1: I enjoy writing about dance when I am free to express my perceptions freely —without too many guidelines or structure. Because dance is primarily an emotionaland spiritual experience for me, I tend to write more about the larger overallexperience, describing feelings more than technical thoughts.

n2: the most interesting and stimulating kind of writing for me, the best of bothworlds.

n3: There aren't many places to learn about writing for dance. It's important as a wayfor dance to hold a place in the arts and intellectual communities.

n6: I find writing about dance very difficult. It's hard to write about something youonly see once (if it's a review), or to discuss something that is extremelysubjective. It is certainly intellectually stimulating.

n7: I'm fairly confident about writing about dance from a research/historicalperspective — formulating and articulating new discoveries, ideas, etc. I'm notconfident about writing criticism — well, rather the process of putting down onpaper what I've just seen — the details. I'm curious as to how dance criticism andanalysis would change with a constant use of notation, floor plans to create avisual image.

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n8: I'm looking forward to enriching my writing vocabulary as it pertains to critiquingdance. I feel that my writing is strong but my dance criticism could use moresophistication.

n9: Writing about dance in particular is more difficult than I imagined (prior to doingso). I find myself caught in the same descriptive clichés. I also believe that somedance is not meant to be described in written verse — it exists in thephysical/expressive plane. This makes criticism of it difficult for me.

n10: My ideas about/understanding of dance only clarify when subjected to a vocal orliterary articulation. Writing about dance forces me to question my ownassumptions and to move away from the woolly, vague and general, to the sharp,distinct and specific — or to accept at least that my ideas are still unformed.

n12: I find this very difficult because until recently I have had a hard timeunderstanding or decoding writing about dance. Descriptive writing is confusingand not always accurate (reviews) — once I see a dance, I find it was nothing likeI imagined from what was written about it. However, three writers I admire areAnn Cooper Albright, Brenda Dixon Gottschild and Jane C. Desmond.

9. Do you anticipate particular benefits in learning to write about dance?

n1: I believe writing about dance will help me learn to describe the multitude ofvisual, kinesthetical and physical experiences of dance into words that are mostappropriate for me to articulate what dance means to me on many levels. I knowone day I will need the skills to write grants/proposals and documents in theprofessional world of dance. I hope this course will help me observe, think, andtalk about dance with a deeper understanding of criticism and the choices ofwords we choose to communicate these thoughts to others.

note: Terry Barrett in his book Criticizing Photographs states "a judgmentrendered without an understanding is irresponsive and irresponsible" (xi, preface).

n2: Yes — learning how to view dance more critically, clarifying the thoughtprocesses that occur following a performance, and if I enjoy it as much as Iexpect, I hope there will be many benefits in the future.

n3: Yes — I expect that an ability to write about dance will change the way I thinkabout dances I see and make. I also expect to build on what I learn in this classwith my own writing in the future.

n6: It helps you to see dance in a different light and hopefully encourages you to bemore objective when viewing dance. Also, it helps train the eye to look for thingsyou wouldn't expect.

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n7: Yes — being able to articulate on paper, through written language, somethingvisual — a purely visual experience and its effects. Being able to paint a picturewith words; being able to conjure up some idea of a kinesthetic experiencethrough words.

n8: Absolutely — because I am very passionate about it. I look forward to becoming even more articulate about its form in all its subtleties,

implications and histories.

n9: Absolutely, yes. It will continue to develop my appreciation and enjoyment ofdance (increased quality of life). Writing will open creative venues to my ownchoreographic process.

n10: Oops — kind of answered this above.Anticipate an increase in the above — also changes in the way I look at dance.

n12: Yes. The ability to write articles and submit them for publication. The ability todiscern areas of interest and importance to me as an active performer, youngperson, Black woman, choreographer, person interested in the general public'sperception of and access to dance literature in academia — wow!

10. Do you anticipate particular difficulties in learning to write about dance?

n1: My biggest challenge in learning to write about dance will be to focus my visualthoughts into clear, concise sentences. My disability in reading comprehensionand listening comprehension effects my writing skills in a way that I seem tograsp abstract details and/or the essence of the larger picture (in aphysical/emotional experience), however usually missing the main point. I alsohave difficulty with run-on sentences, as seen in this paragraph.

n2: Yes — I am very inexperienced in dance history and criticism. Also, I am used towriting critical essays on books, not performing arts, so I anticipate that such atransition may be difficult.

n3: Perseverance is usually my main difficulty in writing. Also, access to dancevideos may be limited.

n6: Establishing my own personal definition about dance, as well as my ownphilosophy, is always difficult. Without a clear understanding of these personalissues, your writing may not be clear.

n7: Yes — being able to absorb detail. Being able to translate a visual and kinestheticexperience onto paper in an 'interesting' personal way. Being able to discard thosefirst impressions so that personal judgment doesn't interfere too much; but being

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able to make use of those first impressions to articulate "why" a certain reactionhas occurred.

n8: Perhaps what I may find most difficult is that when looking at a dance I not onlyhave to write about the quality of movement, what the movement is evoking, etc.but also how other elements (lighting, music, costumes) enhance the performanceexperience.

n9: All of the difficulties which come to mind relate directly to the form and formatof my writing abilities. I feel I know a great deal about dance, I just haveapprehension over writing about it.

n10: Always the danger of becoming pretentious. Oh, new thought — surely the more Ilearn about dance writing the less the temptation/inclination to pretension will be.

n12: Cannot tell just yet. So at this point I will say no.

11. What are the functions of dance criticism? What kinds of things can/shouldit do?

n1: The functions might be decided by asking the questions: 1. What am I seeing?What is it about? How good is it? Criticism should not have negative connotations(Judgment Value). It should help us appreciate the art form, its meaning. I thinkthe main functions of dance criticism is to provide our viewers, choreographers,performers, technicians and all those involved or not involved with the form, anopportunity to learn and understand the nuts and bolts of the creative process andthe active production throughFunctions:1. describing2. interpreting3. evaluating4. theorizing.

n2: Dance criticism serves to present analytical concepts and interpretations to anaudience. Just like any other type of criticism, it could promote awareness andwillingness to learn from the arts.

n3: Dance criticism is often the basis for discussion about dance, bringing whathappens on the stage into a situation where it can be dissected, discussed andanalyzed.

n6: Dance criticism is a form of historical documentation. It also helps set standardsin the dance world for choreographers as well as dancers. Also, dance criticismhelps raise awareness and interest in dance. It should offer people an objectiveand informed opinion of dance.

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n7: Give a historical overview of a piece/choreographer, etc. Describe the piece togive the reader a vague visual idea (or strong visual idea!). Perhaps include someinterpretation — especially if the historical and stylistic elements allow for this.Perhaps include a personal opinion relative to other things the critic has seen.Basically, create a visual idea, give historical fact, record and preserve a visualand kinesthetic experience.

n8: I feel (and sometimes this is not the case) that dance criticism should beinformative to its readers so that they are motivated to go and see theperformance (or not see it if it ????). I'm still debating a bit on this issue but itcould benefit from being more accessible to its readers. It's also good for posterity— if you want to find out about what critics thought about Cunningham's workswhen he first started, you could research that.

n9: I really don't know. I suppose it's a means of better understanding intent of thechoreographer.

A systematic way of breaking down the elements of its creation. Sometimes Ibelieve it is understood as judgment of dance — but it should not be.

n10: Criticism — as in newspaper reviews, etc. can serve to enlighten and educate thedance audience and to attract new members to that audience. It should have meritas a piece of writing in its own right.

Dance criticism should also be taken on the same level as literary criticism — allart should be subjected to the deepest level of scrutiny possible.

n12: To place dance in a historical context. To place dance in a present day context. Todocument an artist's work and public reactions to it. To document significantchanges, outcomes, deviations or patterns in choreography and performance andcontextualize.

12. How does the meaning or purpose of a dance get decided? Who decides?How do they know?

n1: This is my own personal thought on this question. I believe its meaning andpurpose comes from a collection of personal/professional interpretations andexperiences. I believe we all decide in the field or not in the field what it means tous as individuals, as a nation and internationally from our cultures. Theunderlying magic of movement comes from a source of energy and life, createdbeyond reason. Those who dedicate themselves to the field are able to articulatethe aesthetics, history and foundations of movement, etc. But every humanintuitively "knows" movement, experientially through the body, if living; throughthe spirit, if dead.

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n2: I think that if there was one concrete answer for each of these questions, criticismwould not exist.

n3: It gets decided as it is conceived, by the choreographer. Also, it's decided by thedancer as it is performed, and by the viewer as he/she watches the dance. Themeaning each ascribes to the dance is personal and subjective. It's also decided bythe critic.

n6: From a post-modern perspective, the meaning or purpose is determined by hechoreographer, the dancers and the audience. That meaning could be different foreach of these people, but no one's opinion or belief is invalid or more importantthan any other.

n7: I think initially the choreographer makes these decisions, although these don'talways become published fact. Some choreographers find it important to conveythe meaning via a programme; others do not deem it important. So then, it comesto each dancer's interpretation of the choreography which then effects how theyperform it. Then the audience forms a point of view regarding what they saw,each probably very different. Then, I guess as the average audience memberdoesn't record their perceptions, we are left with the dance critics, who I don'tthink always know — interpretation is a personal thing.

n8: I would like to think that the meaning or purpose is determined by its creator(s)but because performance/creation is about interaction with those who view it, it isalso decided by its audience. Critics often play a significant part in making orbreaking meanings, and honestly I think it's somewhat disconcerting we have somuch trust in what they know — but we trust it because they have studied theform in depth. This does not necessarily make them the primary validators of art.

n9: This is a trick question. I couldn't possibly answer this. The answer, if there isone, would be based on so many different criteria.

Value is a socially imposed judgment based upon norms and a multitude ofsociological criteria (historical personal criteria)

n10: Wouldn't want to give any kind of definitive answer to this question — anynumber of people could have any number of responses and I am undecided as tomy own view. Potentially meaning is situated at some point between creator andrecipient and is influenced by the response of a 'community' consisting of otherviewers, cultural mores, critical response, etc.

n12: Each individual seeing the dance, based on how they interpret the informationgiven to them by the choreographer and performers.

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But — dance critics and historians are often the people who record and documentit and I don't think they take poles amongst the audience members. Their opinionsare personal and often biased (I feel) — not that this is bad, But, I think thereshould be a greater range of personal cultural experience among those whosework is published. In other words, not always older white women (who knoweach other) — youth and cultural diversity are good too.


n1: Clear interpretations can increase our understanding and appreciation for the usqualities and value of a work(s). In depth training by educators and professionalscan guide our thoughts about the value or quality of a dance but the effect/qualityof a dance/performance from the perspective of the viewers should have thestrongest decisions about the dance. (If the viewers cannot relate or get somethingout of it, then why are we doing it?) The main problem I see is we have manyunder-educated audiences (varying in levels of education or fields), who do nothave the skills to articulate themselves. Which I believe if every audience had alittle more insight into the details of the performance, was able to leave afeedback sheet — a sentence or two: "I felt this" or "I learned this" andwhy — the value or quality of what we produce or how we perceive it maychange.

n2: Everything is on an individual, personal basis — the results should be differentfor all participants.

n3: This also is a subjective issue. Sometimes the public ascribes value to a dancebecause of what the critics write or even the ticket price.

n6: The value or quality of a dance is decided by critics and audience members. Thecritics know by years of experience of watching and judging dance. The audienceknows by whether they enjoy watching it, or have an emotional connection with adance. Sometimes, the two don't agree.

n7: I think these things are down to the critics/reviewers initially. And again theiropinions are not definitive — neither are the audience opinions — Nijinsky's LeSacre is a perfect example — booed off and later a legendary masterpiece. Overtime, through a process of constant reviewing, general opinions may changeaccording to taste, to the discovery of hidden facts, to what seems relevant inculture or society at a particular time.

n8: Answer to this question is in # 12.

n9: Ditto (arrow to # 12).

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n10: Problematic issue when approached from our multi-cultural andpost-modern perspective. Do we accept the creator's own agenda as the yardstickagainst which we measure? If not, how do we impose our own values upon thework? Is the notion of an objective 'value' still valid? etc. etc. I don't know, but it'san interesting issue.

n12: Same as above.

14. Additional thoughts or questions about the class.

n1: I did not begin dancing until I was in my mid-twenties. I wanted to be a dancer orchoreographer because my first modern dance concert I viewed touched mekinesthetically. I could feel the passion, energy, joy and expressiveness from theperformers who were dancing on a proscenium stage, and I was sitting many rowsaway from them. I felt as if my body. mind and spirit were moving with themsimultaneously. Dance to me helps me embrace the dynamic range of humanemotions that can express, enlighten, inform and teach us about the infinite(hyperbolic signatures) of human movement/nature. Dance is something we doand I'm learn only few choose to explore its potential — why not more?

Side note: I went to my first modern concert out of curiosity without priorknowledge of modern dance. I left that first concert knowing dance would be thecore of my life.

I think people in general go to performances dance, theatre, etc. to "feel" themagic (the Love). I felt the magic and wanted to learn the process. I was inspiredto express my creative inner self and share those ideas and experiences withothers. Here I am! Yea!

criticism: "a way of becoming informed about art is by critically thinking about it.Criticism is a means toward the end of understanding and appreciating" (Barrett,pg.3).

n2: I am expecting this class to be very challenging, especially considering that I amnew to this department and my background is quite different from the others inthe class. I am afraid that certain aspects of dance or dance criticism might beassumed to be previously understood, but may not be for me.

n3: I hope to confront the issues posed by questions 12 and 13 again, and morethoroughly, through writing and dancing in this class.

My experiences, thoughts and writing about dance are still fairly unformed. I hopeto find more shape for them through this class. But I'm beginning by admittingthat I have a long way to go.

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n6: I look forward to the readings and interesting discussions. It's always great whenpeople can discuss and learn from one another's opinions/beliefs/thoughts/feelings.

n7:

n8: I noticed that my answer in # 12 contradicts my answer in # 11, but this isprecisely where I need to do some exploring. I'd like to come away from this classwith a clearer understanding of criticism's part in determining (or not) meaning,purpose and function.

n9: I am quite nervous about being in this course. I have always been told that I donot write well and I don't particularly like writing. I want to become morecomfortable with it. I read very slowly and sometimes it takes me a while toformulate and present my thoughts on paper — This is why I think I should be inthis course before approaching my written exams for graduation.

Additionally: I want to submit writing to dance journals.

n10:

n12:

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(EXIT) QUESTIONNAIRE II

PROTOCOL

1. Have your expectations in enrolling for this class been met?

2.a Description of class impact on writing skills in general:

stayed the sameimproveddecreased

2b Please comment on your answer

3a. Description of class impact on writing skills about dance in particular:

stayed the sameimproveddecreased

3b Please comment on your answer

4. Have you experienced any specific benefits from writing about dance?

5. Have you experienced any specific difficulties in writing about dance?

6. Have you encountered any specific discoveries in writing about dance?

7. Has writing about dance increased your knowledge about dance in any way?

8. Has writing about dance had any impact on your other areas of interest indance?

9. What are the functions of dance criticism? What kind of things can/should itdo?

10. How does the meaning and purpose of a dance get decided? Who decides? How do they know?

11. How does the value or quality of a dance get decided? Whodecides? How do they know?

12. Any additional thoughts about class experience.

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DATA BY INDIVIDUAL QUESTION:

1. Have your expectations in enrolling for this class been met?

n1: Yes. I'm inspired and encouraged to write with more depth and insight aboutdance. I feel I have fresh eyes and a new foundation for viewing that allows me todescribe, interpret, analyze and evaluate the dance. Video viewings, classdiscussions, writing assignments and the Siegel residency have exceeded myexpectations.

n2: I was expecting to learn how to better look at dance, and I have.I was expecting to learn how to better write about dance, and I have.I was expecting to be exposed to a lot of dance and new ideas about dance andcriticism, and I was.

n3: I expected more work — more readings and more writings. I did expect to havemeaty class discussions and we did have such discussions.

n6: I wish that we would have been given more writing assignments (I understandwhy we weren't), but I enjoyed going through the process. It would also havebeen nice to analyze different writing styles of more critics. Our discussions werevery thought-provoking.

n7: missing data

n8: Some have been and some have not — I certainly see dance different [sic] than Iuse [sic] to and feel my writing has reflected this change. I do think, however, thatthe class needs more criticism texts assigned to read (excerpts) so we really get afeel for the "art" of criticism. Maybe a coursepack with a variety of criticalarticles in it?

n9: Yes, I felt the class would be much more work and more overwhelming than itactually was. I have found the process of reviewing dance to be enjoyable.

n10: The question is far too subjective to attempt to answer. Meaning and purposeare in the eye of the beholder.

n11: missing data

n12: Initially, yes. But it seemed to have drifted from a course about criticism to dancewriting. There seems to be a difference between the two. The how, what and whyof criticism in regards to dance seemed to be replaced with an emphasis ontechnical writing a certain correct way.

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2a. Description of class impact on writing skills in general:

n1-6; stayed the same8,10 improved12: decreased

n9: stayed the sameimproved — in a different waydecreased

2b.n1: The mere openness and flexibility in the structure of this class has given me a

sense of comfort and freedom to explore and express my ideas without fear ofbeing "criticized." I learn and grow much more quickly in this environment.Candace's patience and attention to detail and suggestions have fostered andprovoked my thinking about observing and writing about dance.

n2: This is the first time in a long while that I actually took my time in writingpapers. I learned that writing and revising and reading and writing again canreally improve a paper. One of the main reasons my writing improved wasbecause I got feedback from others before a paper was finished. Also, writing isusually better when it's something you want to write about.

n3: For me, even beginning to write about dance was an improvement, since I hadn'tdone any dance writing before. I had nothing to lose. Some major things mywriting needs (clarity, brevity, substantiation) were revealed to me, though wedidn't do quite enough writing to work those things out. Also, this class redefinedthe idea that a paper (or any writing) is never really done. I liked the opportunityto work on my papers more.

n6: The first few attempts at writing after a hiatus are always difficult. This classallowed me to work through my problems without feeling pressured. It alsohelped me re-visit certain aspects of my personal writing style which I did notnecessarily want to do.

n8: A lot of the editing that you did on my papers was extremely helpful — Thesuggestions you made for alternative sentence structures and punctuations areinvaluable to me.

n9: I learned a new way of observing and responding via my writing. This actually (inretrospect) came more easily than I thought.

n10: The first task demanded that I write in a voice quite different from that in which Iusually express myself on papers. I think this was a liberating exercise whichfreed me from some of the habitual patterns which can permeate my work. Also,

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the detailed feedback with the opportunity to redraft and resubmit alerted me tothe power of minor details in creating a cohesive piece of work.

n12: Reading good writing has an impact on my own writing skills. We did not do a lotof it or do it consistently, but we wrote consistently. I feel my other courses andpersonal reading had a great impact on my writing and gave me some resources

3. Description of class impact on writing skills about dance in particular:

n1-3: stayed the sameimproveddecreased

n6: stayed the sameimproveddecreased

n1: I feel my writing about dance is helping me to see and appreciate more clearlywhere I've been, where I am now, and where I'm headed with my passion and loveto capture and preserve the essence of what we do as dancers, choreographers andteachers. Writing about dance helps me to affirm my thoughts and theories andhas increased how I communicate what dance means to me in sharing ourephemeral art form with others.

n2: I had barely written on dance in the first place, so anything would be animprovement, but I learned that there are so many approaches to the process andso many things to write about. Remembering these will certainly help me in thefuture as well.

n3: See above. To be more specific, I started to see just how many vague objectivesI'm inclined to use as a substitute for describing and interpreting the movement. Ialso began to feel "worthy" of writing about dance — it was no longer somethingI saw as only for the select few.

n6: Whether this indicates that my writing about dance is rigid and inflexible, orrefined and secure is beyond me. I suspect it's a little of both. But the biggesthindrance for my lack of improvement was the lack of writing. The only way toget better at something so difficult as writing about dance is to do it and to do itoften.

n8: See first response.

n9: I have always discussed and written about dance, basically in the way I wasdirected to in this course. What is different is the knowledge I gained and the

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definitions of the way I was writing. A greater understanding of description,evaluation, contextualization are one result.

n10: Since my general writing skills have improved for the reasons stated above, theninevitably my writing about dance is better. However, I don't believe that myobservational skills, my perception of dance, or the vocabulary I use to articulatethese have improved.

n12: Just doing it makes a difference. In-class discussion and hearing how othersexpress themselves was very helpful. The feedback for my written work wasappreciated but also a little intimidating (especially seeing a paper massacred withred typed insertions on the computer copy — this was totally depressing). Mywriting "skills," (grammar, structure) seems to be a personal problem/challenge,and I am getting help outside of class. But my ability and desire to write hasimproved (I need a secretary and editor!). My ideas have expanded and I feel Ican better express what I see through writing. This is a triumph for me personally,and it is because of this course and includes the time spent with Marcia Siegel.

4. Have you experienced any specific benefits from writing about dance?

n1: • Improved observation skills and formulas to hone in on looking at movement.i.e. lexicons.• My ideas and imagination in my writing have been stimulated and increased. I'minterested in furthering my writing skills and writing dance poetry.

n2: I have learned what is important to me to include in a paper. I have learned thatthere are many options when writing about dance and each requires a differentcombination of those elements of description, analysis, etc.

n3: I've become a little more interested in dances I see, because writing always makesa dance more meaningful to me. Instead of just writing a dance off by saying itwas boring, I've been compelled to examine why I think it's boring.

n6: Personally, I find my observational skills change. (I won't say improve, they justchange). I also realize how different I write when talking about dance than let'ssay when I'm writing a philosophy paper.

n8: I feel I have learned to articulate more on how to describe movement activity — Ihave also learned to look a lot more for patterns or things that stand out from it— really seeing — (in two words).

n9: A very small part of me is looking at my own choreography in a different way. Iam more aware of whether I am creating work with my viewers understanding ofit in mind. I am more comfortable with creating more abstract work which elicits

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a greater margin of thought on the viewer. Let them figure out what it means tothem. I think writing about dance has increased my awareness of this in myself.

n10: In writing about Tharp's The Little Ballet I have been reminded that repeated,detailed observation, the placing of a work in a specific context and thepostulation of ideas about a work can bring enjoyment and appreciation of a workwhich at first glance holds no appeal.

n12: Yes. I think it indirectly effects my teaching (dance) and my lecturing (Arts 161).I feel more secure about what I say and how I express it verbally. Writing is veryintentional and personal. Putting my thoughts onto paper organizes my thoughtsand this has helped in verbal expression as well as physical.

5. Have you experienced any specific difficulties in writing about dance?

n1: • It becomes very difficult for me to separate my initial emotional response to viewingand writing about dance, to look specifically at "the movement," how they are moving.• Getting started on a paper without an outline or structure concerns me —although I think I've accomplished what I wanted to without it.

n2: I tend to be too wordy. It is also very difficult for me to write anything after onlyone showing. While this is not a problem yet, it will be once I start writing moreabout live dance.

n3: I'm still afraid of being haughty or condemning in my writing. Also, I'm alwayshindered by the question, "By what authority do I write this?" We talked about itin class . . . I don't quite trust my eyes or my use of words.

n6: I have lots of difficulties. The most prominent one, I would have to say, isbalancing my strong opinions about dance with description. My second biggestdifficulty is deciding what is appropriate for my audience — realizing what theyknow with what they don't know.

n8: At first I feel there's just so much to write about! Where to begin! I have yet todevelop a more structured way of looking at dance. I feel if I had a morestructured plan I might be less overwhelmed by all of the info I have to absorb.

n9: I make assumptions that the reader knows what I am talking about, therefore Ibelieve I continue to leave out important information. This is information which Ifind tedious to put in writing because it feels arbitrary.

n10: No difficulties, specifically — it can be an arduous, time-consuming process butoccasionally inspiration will strike and the words are simply already there waitingto be typed.

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n12: Yes, I run out of words, am bored by my usual lexicon and find I prefer to makethings up that did not really exist just to have practice writing. Some of theviewings and performances were not very stimulating. Maybe that is why thewriting was not always interesting (Cappelletti concert, freshman rep, MarkMorris, Lynn Dally).

6. Have you encountered any specific discoveries in writing about dance?

n1: Writing about dance opens my expressive and communicative energies. Everyaspect of dance becomes important, and has many layers and deserves attention.I'm beginning to make more associations, correlations/connections with mysurrounding world and how the causes and effects of life are linked to dance andhow I perceive dance, art and technology.

n2: I have discovered that what I see is what I see and that is a perfectly acceptablewriting topic.

n3: Marcia Siegel was in part responsible for this, but so was the writing about theCappelletti concert: I discovered (realized) that what we see is subjective, andwhen an audience watches dance, they don't see technique at all. I was a littlejealous of non-dancer audience members at that point.

n6: I have discovered how rich dance is in so many different ways. It has helped mewith my own dancing in particular, as well as understanding the craft ofchoreography. Most importantly, however, it made me realize how fortunate I amto be a member and participant in this field.

n8: I've enjoyed discovering that once I get started writing about the movements in agiven piece, I can really articulate "evocatively" what I see.

n9: I have found that I cannot sit back, take in and enjoy the dance the way I want to,but on the other hand writing about dance feels like I have contributed to thepreservation of an otherwise ephemeral experience.

n10: See response to # 4.

n12: No, but still difficulties about writing in general. Also, I think historic backgroundis very important, and I do not have as much as I would like in order to have adeeper analysis/observation of some of the dances we saw.

7. Has writing about dance increased your knowledge about dance in any way?

n1: I've learned how unique and invaluable each individual's (my colleagues)thoughts, ideas, and contributions to dance have broadened my perspective.Sharing papers, and approaches to writing about dance increases my

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understanding and point of view. There are so many areas of interest to me.Hearing and writing about the many sides increases my knowledge andunderstanding.

n2: I've learned how unique and invaluable each individual's (my colleagues)thoughts, ideas, and contributions to dance have broadened my perspective.Sharing papers, and approaches to writing about dance increases myunderstanding and point of view. There are so many areas of interest to me.Hearing and writing about the many sides increases my knowledge andunderstanding.

n3: Yes — more knowledge of other dance writers and other sources for dancewriting.

n6: Mostly it has helped me understand the many different ways choreographers structure a piece, and which of those ways are most successful.

n8: Yes, I look more now to watch choreographic devices, patterns, etc. Sometimesthese formal aspects give clues as to what the dance may be about.

n9: I have greater knowledge of the dance pieces and choreographers presented in thiscourse. I don't believe that writing about dance has really increased myknowledge in any other specific ways.

n10: Not during this course, specifically. However, as an undergraduate writing aboutdance within various methodological frameworks, I came to appreciate how anydance can be understood on a variety of levels and was able to make connectionsin my writing between different genres, periods, choreographers, etc. Thisknowledge forms an environment in which I can attempt to "make sense" ofunfamiliar work or practices.

n12: Not really, but I have been really aware of how I see dance and how I expresswhat I see/observe more so that what I know/feel as a dancer/director. I have alsobecome more critical of myself. I also have higher expectations because I havehigher regard for my opinion and what I observe. The "interpretation" section ofclass helped validate that "yes" I can interpret/assign meaning and not be a snobor authoritarian but feel secure about my sense of meaning.

8. Has writing about dance had any impact on your other areas of interest indance?

n1: Yes. Terry Barrett's book is helping me with my camera work. I have a new lensand way of looking that is inspiring. Seeing through a lens helps me articulatemyself in my writing.

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n2: Yes. Especially in concern with structure. When choreographing, I am moreaware of what would stand out to a viewer.

n3: I started to wonder how I'd write about more "out-in-the-world" dances. Is itnecessary to write about non-traditional dance, and dance outside of theproscenium stage? Is it wrong to try to"academ-ify" that stuff?

n6: I'd say that my interest in philosophy has a mutual influence with my writingsabout dance. There are many elements of philosophy that can (and should) beeasily applied to dance and vice versa. Dance has also influenced the way I viewart — specifically photography and sculpture.

n8: Choreography, for sure.

n9: I am more interested in what a dance has to convey. The more I study thecomposition of choreography, the notation of dance and the practice of writingabout dance, the more interested I am in examining the purpose or message anydance has to present.

n10: Writing about dance is my interest —not solely in a descriptive sense but with aview to its broader interpretation.

n12: Not that I can notice right now. But I think it has subliminally. It will probablyresurface at another time.

9. What are the functions of dance criticism? What kind of things can/should itdo?

n1: • To communicate and share descriptively with interpretation the forms of dance,their varied meanings and the infinite possible perceptions that can evaluate bothartist and viewer.• To view and write honestly about dance — TO INFORM WITH APPRECIATION.

n2: Dance criticism should describe what that individual writer saw and/or felt and/orthought after watching a dance.

n3: To share understanding and insight and contextual information about a dance. Ithas the capacity to provoke deeper, clearer thought in the reader about dance. Ithas the capacity to make people see things about a dance that they didn't quite seeon first viewing. It also has the capacity to make a dance look terrible andworthless. Dance criticism is also a vehicle for the writers own opinions andissues. A way to write about oneself. I'm not sure I think it should be.

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n6: Dance criticism should serve as a historical record, as one person's informedopinion based on physical evidence about a choreographer's work, as aneducational tool for those unfamiliar with dance, as a promotion of the artform ingeneral, and as a guideline or watchdog for quality composition.

n8: Honestly, this is still something I can't say without feeling as though I'm stillfiguring it out for myself. I have a feeling I'll be thinking about it for awhile as Iwatch more dance. But to state the functions that seem least problematic theywould be to document — as accurately as possible — to give a well-articulatedhonest account.

n9: Dance criticism is a very odd thing to me. I am still not sure that it is right toattempt to verbalize the intent of an artist who has chosen to express something interms of another form of communication. If the artist had wanted to saysomething on any other way besides dance he would have done so. Therefore, Isometimes feel uncomfortable reading criticism of dance work (whether it ispositive or negative).

n10: First and foremost, newspaper/journal dance criticism must be, or at least aim tobe, fine writing on its own account (I am thinking Edwin Denby versus JackAnderson). I would like it to evoke not just the dancing but the wholeperformance. I want to know how the writer felt about the evening as a whole.While criticism can play a role in history/dance documentation/publicitythese are not its primary functions. My view is that it should in some form captureand communicate the essence of a specific performance or performances.

n12: Contextualize an artist's work.Offer other perspectives — cultural/gender/political.Aid in documenting live performance.Aid in historically documenting choreographers and performers and "genres."

10. How does the meaning and purpose of a dance get decided? Who decides?How do they know?

n1: Every individual, their thoughts, ideas and perception of what they see and whatthey feel is valid and an important contribution to the work. I would hopeeveryone would feel free to bring their own ideas and their experience to helpbring an increased understanding and broader interest to dance.

n2: Anyone can decide (or not decide) the meaning and purpose of a dance, butremain aware that their meaning is theirs and only theirs.

n3: The choreographer decides, and so do the dancers and the audience members. Thechoreographer may make that meaning really clear to everyone else by writingabout the piece or through the title. The movement itself informs others about the

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meaning. In the end, I think the meaning and the purpose of a dance is verysubjective. So we just all assume that — and shut up, afraid to share our ideas.

n6: To take a "postmodern" perspective, the meaning of a dance is determined byeach individual who views the dance. One interpretation over another is no betterthan the other, although a trained critic might be closer to what the choreographerintends as the meaning. They know from what they perceive their senses reveal.

n8: First the choreographer decides for themselves what the meaning is. Once it'spresented, this still remains but the audience and critics can draw their owninterpretations and express these. Choreographers know (and this is obvious)because they created it. Critics and audiences I don't think can really know unlessthey speak to the choreographer but they can certainly say why they felt the waythey did about what they saw.

n9: The question is far too subjective to attempt to answer. Meaning and purpose arein the eye of the beholder.

n10: This question is too big for me to attempt an answer under time and spaceconstraints. There is no single answer — no single group who decide uponmeaning. Indeed, meaning shifts.

n12: It is subjective, individual and personal. Whoever is doing the seeing, writing,discussing, thinking decides. That is why it is important (to me) that a variety(gender, sexuality, politics, artistic background, cultural background, age) ofpeople are involved in the places that represent or provide for seeing, writing anddiscussing — i.e. newsletters, newspapers, journals, conferences, forums, lectures,etc.


n1: Discussion of process, intent, historical context and experience (body, mind andspirit) plays a role in the quality. Everyone decides, everyone knows.

n2: Again, each individual can place a certain value on each dance, based on what isimportant to them. The option also exists to refrain from placing different valueson different dances and realize that all dance (and art in general) is valuable inone way or another.

n3: It gets decided by the artist's reputation, often the ticket price, the review, thevenue. I think this is what most dancers are afraid to share their ideas about.Meaning may be decided on by everyone to a point, but value is more oftendescribed

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n6: To follow on the same track, the individual decides if something is "quality" forwe all have our own standards of what "quality" is. A group consensus should bethe guideline rather than the be-all-end-all of the definition of quality.

n8: I would say critics and audience members. Good reviews may draw in crowds. Ifthe dance is at best commercial entertainment, critics may dislike it but audiencemembers might love it. It all depends on their reception of the work.

n9: ditto. This is based so much on the personal experience of the viewer. A casecould be argued based on education of the viewer but I am more convinced thateveryone has something important to say about what they see. Commentary,regardless of its perceived viability, says so much about its origin and the personwho expresses it.

n10: As above.

n12: Same as above.

12. Any additional thoughts about class experience.

n1: Overall, obviously positively a wonderful encouraging experience. I hope thiscourse will continue. I am especially interested in broadening the experience ofour dance audiences through developing theory and having writing as part of aCD-ROM for Dance. I hope we can produce more informed dance writers andaudiences.

n2: There are so many ways of thinking, ways of seeing, and ways of writing.Everyone had so much to say, no matter what the topic, and I feel that this is oneof the few arenas where they can actually have that chance. This experience hastaught me that you need not be in a studio to learn to choreograph or dance better.Watching dance and discussing it and writing about it develops many skills onmany levels, and the more opportunities to do so, the more classes similar to this,will make for a stronger department and stronger dancers and dance thinkers.

n3: Despite what I wrote about sharing my ideas, I've become more willing to trustthem, flesh them out by writing, and share them.

I'm more interested in reading about dance, and I have some ideas of how to start.

n6: I enjoyed the readings and the writings about what we were discussing, but Inever felt that we as a group surpassed the "politically correct" boundary. Wewere all a little preoccupied with saying the right thing or what dance writing is"supposed" to be than the validity of different styles, the controversy that theybring to dance writing, and how they enrich dance. The class seemed unopen toany other valid form than a description — or pure description, I should say —

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approach. Perhaps examples provided in class rather than personal exploration ofdifferent critics would have leveled the playing field just slightly.

n8:

n9: I would like to have viewed and talked about more dance.

I also would like to have had an opportunity to comment on dance work by peoplein the class so that the whole experience could have been brought closer to thegroup. The reactions of choreographers to the commentary of people in classwould have been interesting.

I would have liked criticism of my own choreography as well.

n10: Class discussion was often frustrating but it would be hard to state exactly why.Perhaps because no single idea was ever discussed in full, or because we as classmembers had such fixed agendas that we failed to engage fully with each other'sideas. A lack of common ground in knowledge exposure to different dance artistsand experience also confounded fruitful discussion, which is a shame sinceobviously there were many differing perspectives to be shared.

n12: It would have been good to see more live professional performance. Even if it hadbeen BalletMet or a musical. I know that would be difficult, but I find writingabout video uninspiring in some ways. But video is also good because of thepossibilities for multiple viewings. I just felt like we did not have enough materialto criticize/discuss. Video seems kind of after-the-fact, frozen in time unless weare discussing/writing to analyze and contextualize history.

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APPENDIX B: HUMAN SUBJECTS CONSENT FORM

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APPENDIX C: DESCRIPTION OF CONCERT WORKS

The Consigliere Collection: An Evening of Repertory Dance

Directed by Jim Cappelletti

video clip

Dances

video clip

Ciona 1973Pilobolus

video clip

Plum Tarts 1997Allison Tipton

video clip

Passing 1992Susan Hadley

video clip

Partial 1997Angie Hauser

video clip

Carpe Diem 1988Susan Van Pelt

video clip

Circlewalker 19Alan Boeding

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SUMMARY OF CAPPELLETTI CONCERT

opening video: (about four minutes)

The performance occurs in Sullivant Hall Theatre, where a capacity crowdmingles and waits expectantly in rows of seats. Suddenly, the house lights dim and alarge rectangle of light appears towards the front of the theatre, a video screen on whichdancers are seen in practice clothes, rehearsing in the studio, and Jim Cappelletti's voicediscusses the concert we are about to see. In brief excerpts of video, we see and hear Jimand several of the choreographers as well as the Chair of the Dance Dept under whoseauspices the concert has been produced, we see groups of dancers working on variousphrases of movement, we see choreographers working with the dancers, and hear varioustestimonies extolling the hosting department, and explicating Jim's conceptualization ofthe repertory event. The clip ends with a brief credit, announcing the title of the concertand Jim's name.

video clip: (about 5 minutes, including main credits*)

After conveying the concert title and director, the video screen shifts to two men,who seem to be rehearsing in a studio under the direction of a third. Through theirinteractions, we come to realize that the directing person is one of the choreographers ofthe piece, Michael Tracy of the Pilobolus Company. We glean from his conversation thatthere is more than one way to define dance movement, and that the particular signatureof this company is to make dances that are more abstract and involve more gymnasticmovement than those of many other companies. We also learn that Tracy values dance asa unique kind of human interaction, and that he especially appreciates the opportunity anintricate group dance like the one we're about to see provides — an opportunity toparticipate together and to rely on one another in an experience which wouldn't befeasible alone.

Ciona 1973 (about twelve minutes)Pilobolus

Jim CappellettiAngie HauserMichael ThomasEmily PopeDaniel Aguzzoli-RobertsPhil Stambaugh

Five dancers in shiny grey unitards form a diagonal line stretching from thelower left corner of the stage to its upper right. Connected at the wrist, they flail andtwist against each other, forming a kind of slow-motion silver wave that shimmers in asoft shaft of light. From this moment evolves a series of

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ever-changing shapes and patterns, the dancers now stretching like taffy, now suggestingthe structure of a jungle gym, now forming a human slingshot, now a multi-tentacledsquirming sea creature. Like a moving architectural exhibit, the gleaming grey shapescontinuously permutate. In one humorous moment, a seated dancer finds herself enclosedbetween the towering legs of her comrades and manages to poke her head through thesetall silver spikes, looking sharply side to side and then ducking back in for cover.

Seamlessly, this configuration melts into another and yet another. The dancersswing and carry and climb on each other, sometimes working in pairs to launch a thirddancer across the space, sometimes hurling themselves at full speed onto one another,jumping suddenly to attach themselves to the waist of a standing partner, like swatches ofhuman velcro. The electronic score is as unpredictable and quirky as the movement, andtogether they seem to fashion an out-of-this-world experience, a strange new landscapewhere gleaming dancer-cells seem to form the primary tissue of creation, and individualbeings adapt themselves to make marvelous things happen which could not exist withoutthis communal malleability. Meanwhile, the spirit of Alwin Nikolais seems to hoverapprovingly in the wings.

video clip: (about three and a half minutes)

A small square of light appears at the front of the theatre, and expands in size aswe hear and see a woman giving directions to a small group of dancers in a studio. Thisis a rehearsal, and we come to discover that the speaker is Allison Tipton, choreographerand alum of the OSU Dept. of Dance, who has come to work with these dancers for oneday, in which she will impart to them a dance she made in 1997. The dancers are inpractice clothes, and the voices shift from Allison addressing the dancers, to Allisonaddressing us (through an unseen interviewer) and to the dancers addressing us in thissame way. Jim Cappelletti appears also in some scenes of the video, conferring withAllison and the dancers. We hear the dancers talking about this particular process oflearning a dance in one day and their concerns about being faithful to thechoreographer's wishes as they rehearse in her absence. We hear the choreographerdiscussing the problems of communicating more than just the movement of the piece butalso its musicality, its emotional qualities, its dynamics and energy, She indicates that shewants the movement to be larger than life, the dancers to occupy the space in a bold anddramatic way. She also states that her dances tend to be "sexy" and that she thinks it ispowerful and good for women to move in a "sexy" way.

Plum Tarts 1997 (about three minutes)

Allison TiptonAngela Milena ClarkTara Victoria ConsolmagnoGina FerraroRomnee HayesJennifer Thomas

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A single dancer enters on the diagonal, traveling backwards toward us from theupstage right corner, moving sharply and swiftly in long, low strides. She is soon joinedby four others, who seize the stage from a variety of entrances to engage in a fast-pacedand presentational dance, All are dressed in dark tank tops and sleek-fitting black pantswhich give off a subtle sheen in varying hues of purple.

The music is a Tango, and there is much about the dancers' demeanor andmovement which suggests this form with its deep lunges, quick turns of the head, frequentchanges of direction and sweeping motion. The dancers form and dissemble variousgroupings, make and relinquish contact, move into and out of unison. Their strides aresometimes punctuated by sensual undulations of the spine and upper body, a suddendownward thrust of the arms, a flick of the foot. As quickly as it began, the dance comesto an end, and the five women coyly turn their backs to us, arms overhead and liquid hipsswiveling rhythmically, as they slowly dissolve into silhouettes against the darkeningdistance.

video clip: (about four minutes)

The screen of light again appears and slowly expands as we see first one, thenthree dancers practicing in a studio. We hear the voice of Susan Hadley, discussing theorigins of the work we are about to see, which was inspired by a recent experience of theillness and death of a family member.She comments that choreographers often make dances out of their life experience, andthat this loss had permeated her life during the six months before she was to begin workon this dance. She says that although some choreographers tend to begin working withmovement and allow that to generate meaning for them, she usually begins with meaning,asking herself what she wants to communicate, and then searches for the movementvocabulary to accomplish it.

While she is talking, the visual images shift from the dancers, to Susan, and back.At one point, Jim Cappelletti also appears in the film, apparently taking notes as Susandirects the dancers in the studio. We see Susan in street clothes, sitting in a chair orstanding near the dancers, watching and apparently giving feedback. The dancers are indance practice clothes; they listen to her and seem to work on the movement in response.Susan mentions that the challenge of the piece for the performers lies in the fact that itrequires constant shifts of energy from being very active to being very subdued, and thatit is this contrast which is crucial to the success of the work. Gina Jacobs, one of thedancers, also addresses this point in an interview, confirming that this aspect of theperformance is indeed a challenge. Susan then remarks that she wants people who viewher work to recognize themselves in her performers, and to be emotionally moved by herdances.

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Passing 1992 (about nine and a half minutes)Susan Hadley

Gina JacobsAngie HauserAngela Milena Clark

The faint strains of choral music are heard, as a dim shaft of light appears,emanating from the upper left corner of the stage. Three women, clad in black pants andslightly varied black torso-hugging tops, enter from the downstage right corner and areencircled by a small pool of light. Immediately, they are actively engaged in a kind ofnon-stop romping: remaining close to the corner and very close to each other, they frolicand cavort, jumping, leaping, turning, rolling over one another, changing levels,directions and positions but always within very close proximity to each other — a tightlittle trio.

The music, by contrast, is measured and slow, somber and haunting — a choir ofvoices singing sacred songs such as the "Agnus Dei" and "Benedictus." Suddenly, amidsttheir movement play, one of the dancers leaves the group and walks to the other edge ofthe stage, which is still darkened. The two companions fail to notice at first, and thenpause to watch her quizzically as she returns to join them. They continue as a trio, but themovement has slowed to a more lyrical pace, with fewer descents to the floor, morelanguorous curves of the upper body, sweeping turns and leg extensions — again,performed in very close proximity to each other.

The dancer who left before turns away again, but after a few steps, one of theothers draws her back by the hand, and they resume their lyrical movement. Thisscenario is repeated, and by the third time, she gets a little farther from the group beforeshe is returned. The others seem to regard her with confusion and concern, pausing intheir own movement to watch her before one advances to lead her back. Eventually, theystop their activity in the corner, and adopt a new strategy as the lone dancer begins along, slow path from this corner to the upstage left corner. As she walks, the other twotake turns running just ahead of her and throwing themselves directly into her path,rising to clear the way just as her footsteps approach their crumpled shapes on the floor.Finally, as they near the end of this path, they turn and one of them takes her by the hand,again leading her back to the opening corner.

They sit down now, holding her by turns in their laps before standing again inrenewed attempts to seduce her back into dance, but these attempts grow less and lessassertive. Each time her hand is released and she seems momentarily to be lured backinto movement, but instead melts to the floor, as if too tired for dancing. One of themhelps her up, and the cycle repeats. In one such attempt, both dancers lift the resting onefrom either side and with their support, she opens into a wide momentary leap atshoulder height, before again collapsing on the floor. Sometimes a different ploy is tried,and they attempt to join her on the floor for a rest, but the urgency to return to dancingcalls them back up, and they try in vain to lure her into the trio.

Eventually, the two become resigned to let their friend depart. Together, theywalk slowly back into the diagonal path, which is lit by a thin white shaft of light, the

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source of which seems to be shining brightly beyond the edge of the corner. Now the twodancers carry the third one, passing her back and forth in a slow but unbroken approachto the corner. One at a time, they lift her with obvious care onto the other's back, theninto each other's arms, cradling her until at last they reach a point just shy of theirdestination, Here, they gently help her onto her feet and step aside as she runs swiftlyinto the light. The stage darkens on the gazing profiles of the two remaining dancers.


This time, the screen reveals two dancers talking as they rehearse. one of whommakes a certain point by means of an onomatopoetic sound and gesture to convey herintentions, then returns to words. It soon appears that the sound-maker is thechoreographer, and that there is a third dancer in the piece which is called "Partial."The choreographer discusses the familiar phenomenon of going to a dance concert inwhich a number of small works make up the evening's program, and her desire to make asmall work which compactly contains its own beginning. middle and end, providing asense of satisfaction in miniature. The piece, which she made in 1997, has beenperformed in several places, including the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, andshe comments on the satisfaction this relatively long life of the piece has provided, versusthe more usual pattern in which the fruits of a long rehearsal period are presented in asingle week-end; specifically, she remarks that there are things to be learned inperformance which are different from those in rehearsal. She says that partial is a trio,but that she thinks of it more as a solo consisting of three parts, which sometimes breakaway independently and then re-assemble to reestablish the whole.

As in "Ciona," Jim Cappelletti is featured here as a dancer, and he reveals thatAngie allowed the dancers in the piece to have some decision-making power in thecreative process, which he found a satisfying way to work. He notes also that this is theonly piece on the concert performed by its original dancers.

Partial 1997 (about four minutes)Angie Hauser

Gina JacobsAngie HauserAngela Milena Clark

The lights come up on three dancers, standing in a tight triangle towards thedownstage right corner. They are dressed in loose fitting dark pants and blue tank tops,and they begin making small discrete movements in unison, separated by short pauses, asthe Bach cello music begins: They wipe their brows with one hand, then the arms dropback to their sides. Next they swipe this arm across the chest, and then against theopposite arm in similar fashion. They bend slightly forward, drawing circles in spacewith extended arms, and they lunge on one leg, flexing the foot at a cocky angle. The

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pauses disappear as these actions give way to longer movement phrases, which in turngive way to variations in time, direction and individual developments, breaking the triointo its component parts, then reforming by a return to unison movement.

Suddenly, a dancer traveling backwards bumps into another, but no notice is paidto this collision, leaving the viewer just enough time to speculate whether an accident hastranspired — when another collision occurs, answering the question. There is adecidedly relaxed attitude in the performance, suggested by the swiping and dropping ofthe arms, the collisions, and now the matter-of-fact quality with which the dancers moveinto the central area of the stage. They break briefly into a funny little marching step,crawl around on all fours, dance in and out of unison. Their relationship seems sibling-like, comfortable and playful, and as a viewer, I find myself settling in for a good time.

Just then, without any apparent change in the dancing, an unseen hand appearsto be adjusting the radio dial in search of another station. The mellow strains of Bachdisappear and are replaced by scratchy static, then a short segment of someunrecognizable rock tune, samplings of several popular vocalists, a few lines of "MyBoyfriend's Back, " a bit of an aria, all interspersed with more static. The dancersmaintain their nonchalant level of activity, against what seems to be an aural repetitionof the earlier collisions. Soon, the invisible hand returns to the Bach, which hasapparently continued playing on another channel so that moments later, the trianglereforms in the opposite corner of the space, the swiping motions are repeated without thepauses, two of the dancers catch hands on the arm drop, and the lights go out as themusic ends.

The dance seems to be a study about enjoying the process: John Lennon's saying"Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans" comes to mind, as thedancers continue their group and individual journeys, unfazed by the interruptions theyencounter along the way.


The video window begins to light up again, and the first image we see is atwirling figure, filmed at a slightly unconventional angle, emphasizing the feeling ofmotion. Against a background of music and continued movement, we hear a woman'svoice as more figures fill the expanding screen, the largest number of dancers we haveyet seen tonight. It is another rehearsal scene, and the choreographer, Susan Van Pelt, istalking about an intense experience she had one day driving in her car, listening to musicwhich so excited her, she could "see" the dance in her mind's eye, and was compelled topull off the road until the music ended. She describes this as the moment when thisparticular dance "gelled" in her mind, and then speaks of the way the dance was madevery quickly once she got in the studio with some dancers. The implication is that this isnot the usual process: that many dances are slow to come to fruition, require moredeliberation.

Meanwhile, the excitement with which she discusses this process seems to beechoed in the movement we are seeing. As she talks, the dancers are moving very rapidly,filling the space, turning, jumping, spinning, criss-crossing paths. A few of them stopbriefly to work out a section, and as they do, they are smiling. Van Pelt says that in the

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dance, she is exploring the dual nature of Time: the way that it passes by so quickly, thatthere never seems to be enough of it, yet there are moments which seem timeless. Sheremarks that when she was working with the dancers to recreate this dance, she noticedthat they were continuously looking in the mirrors, checking their spatial positions. Sheurged them not to think visually about the piece, but rather to feel it, to let go of themirrored images and surrender to the physical sensation of movement. She also speaks ofthe necessity to enjoy moving: that actual performance is too brief and fleeting, obligingthe dancer to look to the rehearsal process itself for a large measure of satisfaction.Cappelletti appears again, this time we see him watching the rehearsal and taking notes;later we hear him talking with the dancers, reviewing Susan's instructions to them inrehearsal.

Carpe Diem 1988 (about eight minutes)Susan Van Pelt

Romnee HayesJoan Nicholas-WalkerJoy HavensTara Victoria ConsolmagnoDaniel Aguzzoli-RobertsGina FerraroAngela Milena ClarkKimberly PorterJennifer Thomas

As the lights come up, there is at once a chorus of singing voices and a tableau ofstill figures grouped in the upper right quadrant of the stage. All nine dancers aredressed in loose-fitting white clothing, some in shorts, others in pants, one dancer wearsa skirt. A single dancer darts forward, performs a short phrase of rapid movement, thenreturns to the group. Another dancer does a similar phrase, also folding back again intothe group. Soon, the entire ensemble is moving at once, each according to someindividual design. Shortly, the dancers have spread out into the space, and theirindividual and collective motion continues, consisting largely of turns, skips, walks andruns. They skitter though the space, twirl, change directions, and roll on the floor, allpunctuated with sudden brief periods of stillness, the dancers pausing in space just longenough for their shapes to register before continuing on.

These comings and goings back and forth from the group continue, and along theway, soloists, duets, and other small groupings of shifting membership form briefly andthen join in ensemble movement. Here and there, one dancer lifts or supports another inthe ongoing flash of activity. Fleeting extensions of the arms into space or moments ofoutstretched abandon in the upper torso stand out amidst the rush of movement.Performers exit and enter the space frequently, and as a whole the dance seems to offerup a metaphor for life, with its blurring of events, its moments of rest and exhilaration, itspeaks and valleys, and the continual reformation of individuals and groups. The dancers

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often spring into the air on the downbeat of the music, providing a visually satisfying andenergizing counterpoint to it. At times, the dance is reminiscent of some of LucindaChilds' work with the music of Philip Glass, especially in the quick, shallow hops andleaps which interweave the dancers in straight and curved paths through the space.Without warning, in the midst of all this activity, the music and dancing come to a suddenstop and the lights go out, leaving the audience with a sense of breathless expectationand an awareness of the brevity of pleasure.


For the final time, our eyes are directed to the video screen. This time, we see asmall group of men, holding some kind of towering, curved metal framework, which theyseem to be assembling. One man turns a wrench around a bolt on part of the apparatus,and we hear Jim Cappelletti explaining to the others some of the steps in putting thispiece of sculpture together, He explains that Alan Boeding, the creator of both thesculpture and the dance, taught him the piece by first instructing him fully how toassemble the sculpture. We come to understand that dealing with the sculpture is a time-consuming and exacting process, from assembling it to dancing with it. Jim says that thesculpture, called "Circlewalker," is very much a collaborating partner in this work: aswith another dancer, he experiences the same need to balance, to share weight, to controland anticipate his movement with respect to the movement of the Circlewalker. At somepoints during the assembly, he is standing inside of the sculpture. He says that when hefirst learned the dance, the Circlewalker controlled him, that it took time for him to learnhow to manipulate it, and that dancing with it requires his total concentration. He endsby laughingly asserting that if he fails to focus his attention completely on theCirclewalker, it might roll off the stage and kill somebody!

CirclewalkerAlan Boeding

Jim Cappelletti (about eleven minutes)

A dissonant chord of electronic music sounds in the darkness. Soon, the lightscome very slowly up on the dimly illuminated figure of a man, surrounded by a networkof intersecting curved metal arcs. The contours of the man and the large circular shapearound him are all that is immediately visible, suggesting a reference to DaVinci's"Man." Cappelletti is bare chested, clad only in white tights. As the music begins tovibrate, he tenses his outstretched arms within the sculpture, pressing out to either side inorder to grasp two of the curved shafts, and shakes the sculpture while standing firmlyinside of it. The Circlewalker responds only faintly to these vibrations, revealing a senseof its weight and substance. Cappelletti begins to turn it slightly, from one side to theother, and the exertion required to stop it is obvious.

Gradually, the light increases on the two figures, and a steady pulse is introducedinto the minimal musical score. Cappelletti rocks the sculpture, curving his upper bodyforward and then arching backwards, all the while maintaining his taut-armed grasp on

355

the metal to either side. His focus remains serious and determined; his head turns fromtime to time, but always with a deliberate and clear motion. He turns the sculpture,pushing it forward on the diagonal, and then pulling it backwards. A kind of electronicdrum-roll is added to the music, and Cappelletti rocks it, pushes and releases it, thengrabs one of its uppermost rungs for a ride, pulling him into the air as it rolls forwardfrom the impact. There is a sense of respect and suspense in his dealings with this giantpartner — he handles it with reverence and finesse, bowing deeply in its direction atseveral points, as if acknowledging gratitude to a pleasing dance companion. He tugs it,sits, stands, lunges or rests inside of it, even rolls in it upside down. For very briefperiods, he releases it, only to run around it or to gather some momentum to grasp it fora few seconds of flight or to perch on it in a handstand.

Every motion Cappelletti makes produces a response in the Circlewalker, and heseems to proceed through an inventory of possibilities: Man in charge, sculpture incharge, man and metal as one. He winds himself through its architecture, graspingvarious parts in steady progression, folds his torso in half over one of its bars, as if it is amoving piece of gymnastic equipment. The Circlewalker itself continues to move, and notin a straight or entirely predictable path. As the lights dim and the music comes to anend, Cappelletti is suspended upside down at an angle inside of his sculpture. When thelights come up amidst enthusiastic applause, Cappelletti reaches out to touch theCirclewalker and it gently rocks beside him as he takes his bows.

* main credits after each video clip include the title and date of the work, and the namesof the dancers. All other information, including music, costume, and lighting credits, arefound only in the traditional program.

356

APPENDIX D: PAPER ASSIGNMENT

Dance 691FPaper # 2 Assignment:

Draft # 1 Due: Nov 4

Draft # 2 Due: Nov 16

See Jim Cappelletti's graduate concert:The Consigliere Collection October 29, 30, 31

You are a professional critic with an immanent deadline. Write a review of approximately1000 words to be published in the Columbus Dispatch. Focus on description andinterpretation, but defer explicit evaluation (of course an evaluative sense will becomeapparent in your other choices). You are writing to those in the Columbus metropolitanarea who would be inclined to read such reviews.

As a source of inspiration, consider reading in advance a number of published criticalwritings by a particular critic whose style you would like to emulate.

Tell your readers what you think the work is about and why: what issues it raises, whatthoughts it brings to you, how you feel in its presence. Assume that your reader has notseen the concert and describe what you need to so that the reader understands yourreflections. Use a lively prose style, writing in a way that gets your reader involved.Indicate your response to the work by the tone of your writing: for example, we should beable to easily infer if you are enthusiastic about the work.

357

APPENDIX E: THE CODING SHEETS

Here Today . . . GoneTomorrow: Cappelletti'sConsigliere Collection 935


understandingcriticalactivity

P1 Introduction 64

1.1Those who hunger for insightinto the artistic creative process

describes imagined seekers who haveawareness and understanding of thecomplex nature of art-making audience/art rel opinion ontological descriptive

1.2 will have an opportunitythe concert has something to offer toviewers audience/concert rel opinion conceptual descriptive

1.3 to observe the makingthe concert permits a glimpse into thecreative process audience/concert rel observation empirical descriptive

1.4

of six dances during JimCappelletti's modern danceconcert. # of dances; director of concert concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1Cappelletti and WOSU-TVcapture

presenting partners: private &public/educational concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.2 the essence of each dancedance is complex, layered; getting tothe heart of it requires effort nature of artform opinion ontological descriptive

2.3 through a screen viewing, the concert includes a video element concert basics observation empirical descriptive

2.4 including interviewsthe video includes conversationalmaterial video hearing empirical descriptive

2.5with the six choreographers'work presented.

number of dances by individualdance-makers concert basics in program factual descriptive

3.1 I realize immediately, a personal disclosure by the writer viewer/dance rel self- awareness reflexive descriptive

3.2the dance will never again berepeated as I see it now.

the transient temporal nature of dancemakes each performance unique nature of artform domain knowledge ontological descriptive

P2 Ciona 111

1.1

Ciona, choreographed byPilobolus Director MichaelTracy,

title of work; choreographer;affiliation concert basics in program factual descriptive



1.2 begins with six dancers number of dancers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

1.3connected by various body partsin a diagonal line,

dancers connect at various places toform a line from one corner of thespace to another

mov't: spatialconfiguration observation empirical descriptive

1.4surrounded by a soft glow oflight. quality; function of light lighting observation empirical descriptive

2.1 Silvery, tightly woven costumes color; texture of fabric costume observation empirical descriptive

2.2uncover every curve of thebody.

costume exposes the shape of thebody costume observation empirical descriptive

3.1 Slippery, the bodies slithermov't: manner ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

3.2 like a cosmic ocean, connotes an expanse of water mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive3.3 each dancer undulates dancers make wave-like motions mov't: body action observation empirical descriptive

3.4 one at a timeindividuals in the group perform insequence

mov't:individual/group rel. observation empirical descriptive

3.5 like a luminous glow worm. connotes a shiny, wiggly creaturemov't/lighting/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.1 Instantly I am enticed by viewer reveals immediate fascination viewer/work rel self-awareness affective descriptive

4.2the mechanical sound vibrationsin the music,

there is a machine-like quality to thesound music hearing empirical descriptive

4.3counterpoint to the synovialmovement

contrast to the sound is provided bythe fluid mov't of the joints mov't/music rel observation empirical descriptive

4.4 of bodies melting and sculpting

the joint mov't facilitates bothsequential mov't and the defining ofbody shapes mov't: body actions observation empirical descriptive

4.5 against each other's the performers make contact mov't: rel, contact observation empirical descriptive

4.6 silky flesh.

the manner of achieving thesecontacts makes the skin appear sleekand slippery mov't: quality observation empirical descriptive



5.1Movement qualities areprovocative

the mov't is stimulating, *mildly*erotic mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.2 and vary in dynamic shifts contrasts are a noticeable feature mov't: energy observation empirical descriptive

5.3from quirky arm and leggestures

non-weight-bearing use of specificbody parts in eccentric, odd ways

mov't: body parts,gestures observation empirical descriptive

5.4a with a [clever] sense of wit, mov't can be humorous mov't/ meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.4b cleverin addition to their humor, the mov'tchoices are smart

isolated word:mov't/meaning rel opinion qualitative evaluative

5.5 to partnered lifts cooperative, weight-sharing mov'tmov't: performerrels. observation empirical descriptive

5.6requiring tremendous balance,strength and concentration.

dance mov't can be physically andmentally challenging

mov't: performerdemands observation conceptual descriptive

P3 Plum Tarts 66 1.1 Plum Tarts title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2

reminds me of the name of aCover Girl lipstick I heardcheerleaders raving about in the1980s.

connotes "mainstream" active;American young woman title/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

2.1 Choreographer Allison Tipton name of choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.2 likes to make dancesreferences this choreographer'screative process choreographer bio in video clip conceptual descriptive

2.3 that are "sexy." dance can foreground sexuality mov't/meaning rel in video clip hermeneutical interpretive3.1a The dance has spunk, attitude this piece is energetic mov't: style, energy observation conceptual descriptive

3.1b [spunk, attitude] this piece is bold, has "gumption"isolated words:mov't: style, energy opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.2a and links [well] in timethe rhythms of the tango and the mov'tare complementary mov't/music rel hearing/ observation empirical descriptive

3.2b well the complementarity is pleasingisolated word:mov't/music rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.3 with Astor Piazzola's tango. genre and composer music in program factual descriptive4.1 Saucy hues color connotes lively, seductive lighting association hermeneutical interpretive



4.2 of red tones in the lighting color lighting observation empirical descriptive

4.3elicited the passions in theperformers

lighting cited as an impetus toperformer response lighting/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.4who gave the piece its life andenergy.

the dancers themselves are themainstay of the piece performer/work rel opinion ontological descriptive

P4 Passing 127

1.1

Passing, choreographed by OhioState University's dance facultyprofessor Susan Hadley

title of work; choreographer,affiliation concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2speaks to our own lifeexperiences

the dance addresses essential lifeevents work/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

1.3as we observe life and deaththrough movement and music.

the integration of theatrical elementsreflects the life cycle

mov't/music/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.1 Three female dancers number, gender of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

2.2a [toss] themselves on the stagethe dancers hurl themselves into theperforming space mov't: body actions observation empirical descriptive

2.3a[bursting] with quick leaps anddrastic collapses to the ground.

indicates speed and high contrast inspatial levels mov't: body actions observation empirical descriptive

2.2b;2.3b toss and "bursting"

together, these verbs connote a senseof carefree, energetic abandon

isolated words:mov't: manner ofperformance observation qualitative interpretive

2.4They maintain a spatialrelationship

dancers keep a similar relationship toeach other in space

mov't: performer/space rel. observation empirical descriptive

2.5 that symbolizes the trinity.this relationship connotes a religioustriad mov't/ meaning rel. association hermeneutical interpretive

3.1 Josquin's composer identified music in program factual descriptive

3.2 Latin Hymn title of work music personal knowledge factual descriptive

3.3

exemplifies the dancers'struggle to let go of a bloodrelative or best friend

music suggests difficulties associatedwith death mov't/ meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



3.4who is continually summonedinto the light.

the path toward the light representsdying mov't/ meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.1a

Classical ballet lines layeredwith a modern dance movementstyle are [carefully] interwoven

a mixture of dance genres ismanifested in the piece mov't: style domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

4.1b carefullythe stylistic melange has been well-considered

choreographicstructure: rel of parts opinion qualitative evaluative

4.2to express the dancers' feelings,their relationship to each other,

the mov't is designed to be expressiveand to convey the relationships ofcharacters to each other mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.3 and to the music.the mv't and music work together toproduce meaning

mov't/music/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.1Each woman and her movementis a mirror of other's giving self

the mov't suggests a reciprocalrelationship among the dancecharacters mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.2able to nurture, and support thegift of life.

the relationships are based onnurturing mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P5 Partial 343

1.1a

Choreographer [and OSU MFAGraduate Candidate] AngieHauser, choreographer; affiliation concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.1band OSU MFA GraduateCandidate academic standing

isolated phrase:concert basics personal knowledge factual decsriptive

1.2 connects us with our laughter dance can remind us to laugh mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive1.3 in "Partial." title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive2.1 Three dancers number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

2.2

mix pedestrian, everydaymovement with a stylized dancecharacter

mundane and stylized elements arejuxtaposed mov't: style observation conceptual descriptive

2.3 to set an example of daily life.the mixture of styles evokes everydayexperience mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



3

Just when you think things aregoing smoothly, you hit a bumpin the road.

an everyday idiom is reflected inmov't 'terms' mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.1This becomes evident when thedancers

this idea is manifested in mov'tchoices mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.2appear to be moving in unisonat the same tempo,

dancers move together in space andtime

mov't: time; rel. ofperformers observation empirical descriptive

4.3then boom there is a slight crashof two bodies

two dancers suddenly bang into eachother mov't: contact observation empirical descriptive

4.4 that acknowledge the incidentmoving bodies convey a sense ofcommunication without words

mov't: rel ofperformers observation hermeneutical interpretive

4.5 but move on. the dancers continue after the "crash" mov't: locomotion observation empirical descriptive

5

This reminds me of the busyrush hour in the midst ofManhattan.

the movement choices remind viewerof a traffic pattern and place mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutic interpretive

6

The tempo of this city remainsconstant amongst all theaccidents.

in spite of mishaps, the flow ofactivity continues steadily mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

7

How many times do we get toexperience the whole withoutgetting thrown a little off track?

connects quotidian interruptions to thedance mov't mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

8.1Hauser performs in her owndance, choreographer is also dancer concert basics in program empirical descriptive

8.2

adding her individualexpression to a collectivewhole.

individual dancers can have separateroles while functioning as a group

choreographer/ workrel observation conceptual interpretive

9.1She is objective in viewing thework choreographically,

identifies choreographer's dual roles:one which allows her to see the dancefrom the outside

choreographer/ workrel opinion conceptual descriptive



9.2but becomes subjective to theexperience

alternatively, the experiencesometimes becomes subjective

choreographer/ workrel opinion conceptual descriptive



9.3when she is dancing with herpeers,

this shift occurs when she enters herwork as a performer

choroegrpaher/performer rel observation empirical descriptive

9.4 which she clearly enjoys.choreographer shows obviouspleasure from participation

choroegrpaher/performer rel opinion qualitative descriptive

P6 Circle Walker 108 1 Man versus Machine. headline of an interpretive idea mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive2 Nature versus Science. headline of an interpretive idea mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

3

At the center of man and at thecenter of any machine craftedby man, is the power andcontrol to balance the forces thetwo generate.

conceptualizes that the power between"man" and his creations must be inbalance work/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.1

Circlewalker, sculpted andchoreographed by AlanBoeding and performed by JimCappelletti,

title of work, names ofsculptor/choreographer and performer concert basics in program factual descriptive

4.2captures the essence ofDaVinci's discovery

the artform of dance can reveal thenucleus of an idea or discovery mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.3

that the center of gravity residesinside and outside thephysiological body.

a specific scientific idea is evoked bythe dance movt/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

5Jim views Circlewalker as hisdancing partner.

the personification of the sculptureopens an interpretation of the dance asduet movt/set/meaning rel in video clip hermeneutical interpretive

6.1A clear relationship of trust andcomfort is established

there is an apparent ease between theperformer and his sculptural "partner" movt/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.2a in how he [integrates] himselfimplication that dancer and sculpturebecome one physical entity performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

6.2b integrates

there is a physical as well as anemotional connotation here, based on6.1

isolated word:performer/set rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.3inside, outside, and around thesculpture.

dancer's spatial orientation tosculpture

mov't: performer/setrel observation empirical descriptive



7.1Circlewalker opens up the threedimensional experience, the sculpture has a perceptual function mov't/set rel. observation conceptual descriptive

7.2

transforming and transcendingour ideas of movement, gravity,time and space.

the dance expands the viewer'sperceptions mov't/ meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P7 Conclusion 109

1.1How can I write all the aboveand not even preface

acknowledges neglect of an importantconcert element writing agenda

awareness of writingagenda reflexive n/a

1.2

the relationship of the [concerttitle "The ConsigliereCollection"]?

references the connection between thetitle and the concert

concert title/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

1.3concert title "The ConsigliereCollection" concert title concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1Each dance in its own uniqueway

each dance has distinctivecharacteristics nature of artform opinion ontological descriptive

2.2ties into the simple andprofound fact

each dance belongs to a "family" ofideas mov't/meaning rel opinion ontological interpretive

2.3that every dance created andevery dancer performing

all dancers and dances share certaincharacteristics nature of artform opinion ontological descriptive

2.4takes a risk and a chance in thedance.

performance is not withoutuncertainties

nature ofperformance opinion ontological descriptive

3.1If your timing is off, it could beover

time is an essential element;performance can have unwantedconsequences

nature ofperformance opinion ontological descriptive



3.2

and the next Consigliere mayhave to step up to take thechallenge.

an artist's unpredictable future isrelated to this concert director/concert rel domain knowledge conecptual descriptive

4.1As Jim mentions in hisexperiences with Circlewalker, reference to interview with director director/work rel in video empirical descriptive



4.2

If you lose focus for onemoment, [it] may roll off stageand kill somebody.

refers to the power of his sculpturalpartner; his need to concentrate audience/set rel in video conceptual descriptive

5.1 No need to worry, viewers should not be concerned audience/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

5.2this concert is tightly focusedhere and now.

this concert is focused and wellorganized concert structure opinion qualitative evaluative

n2The Consigliere Collection: AHigh-Profile Concert 1048

P1 Introduction 96 1.1 It's strange a statement of puzzlement viewer/concert rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive1.2 that Jim Cappelletti concert director, identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.3 chose to associate his concertthe director, as concert authority, hasexercised decision-making power directorial role domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

1.4 with a term linked to the mafia.title has surprising connotations tocrime underworld

concert title/meaning rel in program hermeneutical interpretive

2.1

I always thought the mafia hada tradition of being discrete andsecretive,

reflection on traditional meaning ofconcert's title


2.2 like in the movies,reference to entertainment imagery inpopular culture


2.3but Cappelletti's graduateproject,

Cappelletti is a graduate student; theconcert is his project concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.4a an [elaborate] repertory concertthe concert showcases works fromvarious choreographers concert type in program factual descriptive

2.4b elaborate the concert is ambitious in scopeisolated word:concert content domain knowledge qualitative evaluative

2.5 this weekend at Sullivant Hall, timing of concert concert basics public knowledge factual descriptive

2.6 was definitely seen concert was well-attendedconcert title/meaning rel observation empirical descriptive



2.7and certainly didn't keep manysecrets.

concert was straightforward in itscontent and approach

concert title/meaningrel opinion hermeneutical descriptive

3.1A repertory concert is like adance stew:

this type of concert is constituted froma variety of "ingredients" concert type domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

3.2

combining different works, eachby a different choreographer,into a single event.

it will bring together works by variouschoreographers concert structure domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

4.1This particular collectioncontained six distinct pieces,

this concert included six differentworks concert basics in program factual descriptive

4.2

corresponding with the idea ofeclecticism commonlyassociated with this type ofproduction.

the variety inherent in a repertoryconcert usually provides an eclecticmix; this one is no exception concert type domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

P2 Ciona 168 1.1 Six dancers number of dancers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

1.2 in shiny, sleek unitardsdancers wore skin-hugging, shinycostumes costume observation empirical descriptive

1.3 opened the concertthese dancers appeared in the firstdance of the concert concert structure observation empirical descriptive

1.4 with a Pilobolus piece, "Ciona." first dance title and maker concert basics in program empirical descriptive

2.1 Difficult the dance is not easy to performmov't: degree ofchallenge opinion qualitative evaluative

2.2 athleticthe work requires the attributes of anathlete, such as stamina, strength, etc mov't: style association conceptual descriptive

2.3 and geometric choreography reference to shapes made in dance mov't: shape association empirical descriptive



2.4presented simply andunpretentiously

the dance was executed in a matter-of-fact manner


2.5a is an [odd] juxtaposition.

there is contrast in the style ofperformance and the difficulty of themovement

choreographicstructure: contrast opinion conceptual descriptive



2.5b odd

the factual performance style seemsparadoxical w/respect to the difficultyof the mov't

isolated word:viewer/work rel opinion qualitative descriptive

3.1A dancer could catch twopeople

in this dance, one dancer secures thebodies of two others

mov't: body action;relationship observation empirical descriptive

3.2 charging across the stage,the two have approached with greatspeed and momentum

mov't: spatialpattern; quality ofmov't observation empirical descriptive

3.3 hold them askewthe grasping dancer maintains adistance between the two bodies

mov't: body action;spatial relationship observation empirical descriptive

3.4 while spinning in a circle,the grasping dancer rotates quickly inspace

mov't: body action;spatial path observation empirical descriptive

3.5 put them down the grasping dancer releases the othersmov't: body action;relationship observation empirical descriptive

3.6 and move on —the mv't. sequence accomplished, thedancer continues individually mov't: body action observation empirical description

3.7a [all] in three seconds' timecomments on the speed of theseactions mov't: duration awareness of time empirical descriptive

3.7b all suggests amazement at speedisolated word: mov't:duration observation qualitative evaluation

3.8aand [still] make the entireprocess in spite of all this activity performer/work rel observation empirical descriptive

3.8b stillagain, emphasizes amazement atdancers' accomplishments

isolated word:performers' skills opinion qualitative descriptive

3.9alook like an [effortlessly]evolving sculpture

the dancers' mov'ts combine tosuggest a shape which constantlychanges mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

3.9b effortlesslythe ease with which the dancers"mutate" is noted

isolated word: mov't:manner ofperformance observation qualitative descriptive

4.1 Such foreign movement, the mov't seems strange, unusual mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.2in conjunction with theunstructured music

music of irregular meter combineswith the mov't mov't/music rel. hearing; observation empirical descriptive



4.3 and futuristic costumes, the costumes suggest science fiction costume association hermeneutical interpretive

4.4carried the dancers beyond thehuman realm,

comined effect of mov't, music andcostume suggests creatures who areother than human

mov't/costume/music/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.5 as if they were an alien specieslikens dancers to creatures from someother planet


4.6acapable of transforming intoany [identity] or shape.

these "creatures" can change theirshapes at will mov't: shape observation empirical descriptive

4.6b identity they can also change personae

isolated word:mov't/costume/music/meaning rel observation hermeneutical interpretive

5

They offered small glimpses offrogs, kaleidoscopes, windchimes, stacked tables, drops ofwater, and Willy Wonka'soompah-loompahs.

a litany of objects, literary characters,and creatures and images from naturewere suggested by the dancers' mov'ts


6.1

Scattered slices of realness andhumor brought the dancers backto human status;

the dancers also conveyed intermittentimages of human activity, both funnyand otherwise mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.2

one would suddenly peek outfrom amongst the group's massof legs,

conveys an image of one dancerbriefly peering through the others'legs

mov't: body action,relationship observation empirical descriptive

6.3awhile another would bemomentarily [left] behind

conveys an image of one dancerbriefly separated from the group

mov't: rel ofperformers observation empirical descriptive

6.3b left (behind)connotes possible intentionality of thegroup


7.1

This allowed each performersome characterization andpersonality

these latter glimpses of humaninteraction play an important role inrelation to the rest of the work mov't/meaning rel. association hermeneutical interpretive

7.2 in an otherwise physical piecethis piece seems to focus primarily onmov't (over expression) movt: style observation conceptual descriptive

7.3 emphasizing conformityidentification of conformity as a majortheme in the work mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



P3 Plum Tarts 66 1.1 Plum Tarts, title of next work to be considered concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2 on the other hand,indication that this work differs fromthe previous one

concert structure:part/whole rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

1.3 featured distinctive characters,

unlike the previous work emphasizingconformity, this one highlightsdistinctions mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

1.4each trying to assert herpresence within the group.

each dancer attempts to emerge as anindividual in this group piece

performer/ ensemblerel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.1 Allison Tipton's movement choreographer identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.2and Greg Catellier and ChristineChen's lighting

lighting designers named ascollaborators lighting in program factual descriptive

2.3a brought [five] vixens to life

the mov't and light combined conveya sense of wildness in the femaledancers mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.3b five # of performersisolated word:concert basics observation empirical descriptive

2.4 tempting the audiencethe performers seem to beckon theaudience


2.5a

with weaving tangos,[coy]flutterings of the arms, and[seductive] hip isolations.

they move in an interactive spatialpattern while performing tango steps,and exhibit a demeure lightness in thearm gestures and thrusts of the hips

mov't: style; spatialpattern; body parts,gestures observation empirical descriptive

2.5b coy . . . seductiveindicates flirtatious intentionality ofperformers

isolated words:mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.1 Just when our interest is piqued,a point arrives when the performancereaches a climax


3.2 they join together and retreatthe dancers converge and move awayfrom the audience

mov't: relationship;body action observation empircal descriptive

3.3a into an [indulgent] seathe scene is awash with light,suggesting a body of water lighting/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive



3.3b indulgentthe intensity of color seems lavish,perhaps too much so

isolated word:lighting/meaning rel opinion qualitative descriptive

3.4 of glowing red.the dancers are bathed in intense redlight lighting observation empirical descriptive

P4 Passing 132

1.1 Death is the subjectthe next dance to be considered isabout death mov't/meaning rel in video clip hermeneutical interpretive

1.2 for Susan Hadley's "Passing," choreographer, title of dance concert basics in program factual descriptive1.3 performed by three women number; gender of dancers concert basics observation empirical descriptive1.4 dressed in black. color of costumes costume observation empirical descriptive

2.1aThey begin moving [frantically]downstage left, spatial direction mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

2.1b franticallythe speed and agitation of themovement connote anxiety

isolated word: mov't:manner ofperformance observation hermeneutical interpretive

2.2but each phrase is continuouslyinterrupted

the momentum of the mv't isfrequently punctuated mov't: flow observation empirical descriptive

2.3 by one dancer's gravitationseparate directional mov't of onedancer

mov't: spatialorientation observation empirical descriptive

2.4

towards the white light casting anarrow, diagonal path across thestage floor.

color, shape, function and location oflight lighting/mov't rel observation empirical descriptive

3.1All of the action occurs withinthis boundary:

the dance occurs within a specificspatial area mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

3.2abeginnings of the slow and[serene] journey an unhurried passage begins mov't: time, space observation empirical descriptive

3.2b serene

the mover seems to be calm,unwavering in the choice to make thispath

isolated word: mov't:manner ofperformance observation hermeneutical interpretive

3.3 by Angela Clark the separate dancer is identified concert basics personal knowledge factual descriptive



3.4 and the desperate attemptsmov'ts are characterized as urgentefforts mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.5of Angie Hauser and GinaJacobs other dancers identified concert basics personal knowledge factual descriptive

3.6 to bring her back spatial and relationship implicationsmov't: space,relationship observation empirical descriptive

3.7 to their corner of life.the space is read as symbolic: "their"corner equals life movt/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.1They first try leading her backby the hand,

two dancers attempt to lead a third,through hand contact

mov't: relationship,contact; space observation empirical descriptive

4.2athen [resort] to [uncontrollably]flinging

now these two thrust themselvesenergetically

mov't: body action;quality observation empirical descriptive

4.2b resort . . . uncontrollablyintention, mov't qualities which implydesperation and urgency

isolated words:mov't: manner ofperformance opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.3their bodies to the floor in frontof her.

a dramatic image of bodies becomeobstacles

mov't: space,relationship observation empirical descriptive

5.1 When these tactics have failed,previously described mov't actions arenow summarized as futile "tactics" mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.2 we all bear the burdenjoins audience to self in empathy withstaged drama audience/work rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.3 of carrying bearing the weight of another's bodymov't: relationship,contact observation empirical descriptive

5.4a the [dying] to her [destination], the end-point of a path is conveyed mov't: spatial path observation empirical descriptive

5.4b dying . . . destination

one dancer is identified as "thedying;" destination is both spatial andfigurative

isolated words:mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.5 quietly and steadilyan unwavering and subdued approach;a sense of somber determination


5.6 with a chilling senseconveys a dire situation, a sense ofgravity mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive



5.7 of duty and pain connotes obligation and anguish mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretiveP5 Partial 145

1.1

The only piece in the concert tobe performed by its originaldancers is "Partial,"

uniqueness of this piece (wihin thecontext of this particular event); title;

concert structure:whole/part rel in video clip factual descriptive

1.2 a trio the dance form is a triochoreographicstructure: form observation empirical descriptive

1.3

consisting of Cappelletti,Jacobs, and Hauser, the work'schoreographer. number and names of performers concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1

Music by Bach providedbookends to a middle section ofstatic between various songsegments,

identification of composer,description of the use of music at thebeginning and end of the piece, with anoisy sequence in between music: structure hearing empirical descriptive

2.2which sounded like a desperatesearch the sound connoted a sense of urgency music/meaning rel hearing hermeneutical interpretive

2.3 up and down the radio dial an elaboration of the middle sound music hearing empirical descriptive

2.4 for the perfect tune.an assumed purpose of the soundmanipulation music/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.1 The tendency for Hauseridentifies a (mov't) pattern ofchoreographer choreographic style observation conceptual descriptive

3.2to off-set the torso from the hipsever so slightly, details rel. of specific body parts,

mov't: rel of bodyparts observation empirical descriptive

3.3 or lead a movement with identifies initiation of mov't mov't: initiation observation empirical descriptive

3.4a smaller and usually lesspredictable body part,

the initiation comes from a small andunexpected body part mov't: body part domain knowledge empirical descriptive

3.5 like an elbow, exemplifies specific body part mov't: body part observation empirical descriptive

3.6alends a [pleasant] quirkiness tothe performance.

the mov't choices give the piece anidiosyncratic and unpredictable look mov't: style observation qualitative descriptive

3.6b pleasant deems the "quirkiness" pleasingisolated word:viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative



4.1

A small, distinct phraseaccompanied the classicalmusic,

links a specific, short mov't phrasewith the Bach piece mov't/music rel. observation; hearing empirical descriptive

4.2 visually complementingfinds the relationship between sightand sound satisfying mov't/music rel. opinion qualitative evaluative

4.3 its compositional pattern.reference to the choreographicstructure mov't/music rel. observation conceptual descriptive

5a

The dancers would wipe [aninvisible something] off theirbodies, foreheads, chests, andarms, look down, then suddenlyupward.

dancers' gestures are detailed, and thespatial orientation of their focal pointsis described

mov't: body action,space observation empirical descriptive

5b an invisible something

seems to refer back to the "quirkiness"or unpredictability whichcharacterizes the piece

isolated words:mov't/meaning rel observation hermenutic interpretive

6.1 The repetition repeated movement patterns are notedchoreographicstructure: repetition observation empirical descriptive

6.2and manipulation of thisrecognizable phrase was

the movement material is subjected toa specific choreograophic device

choreographicstructure:manipulation domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

6.3aenough to provide a [satisfying]sense these activities worked together audience/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

6.3b satisfyingthe combination of activities providedenjoyment

isolated word:audience/work rel opinion affective evaluative

6.4 of clarity.choreographic development made thedance clear audience/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

P6 Carpe Diem 170

1.1a

In contrast to the images [ofdeath] represented in the firsthalf of the concert,

contrasts present piece from previoussection of concert concert structure observation empirical descriptive

1.1b of deaththe earlier work dealt with the subjectof death

isolated phrase:mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



1.2 Susan Van Pelt's "Carpe Diem" choreographer; title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive1.3 celebrated life posits a theme mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive1.4 with a large cast size of ensemble concert basics observation empirical descriptive1.5 dressed in white. color costume observation empirical descriptive

2.1The constant activity, variationsof gathering and dispersing, degree and general type of activity mov't: flow, gestures observation empirical descriptive

2.2created a strong sense ofcommunity.

the mv't choices and # of dancersmade the dance seem communal mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.1 Everyone had their own voice,each dancer seemed to havesomething distinct to contribute mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.2awhich was articulated in a[short] solo set against a crowd

individuals emerged in separate mov'tfrom the group


3.2b short the solos were briefisolated word: mov't:duration observation empirical descriptive

3.3 of attentive peers. the group shows interest in the solos mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.1This sense of mutual supportamong the dancers

another reference to the communalfeeling mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.2 provided the energythe dancers are fueled by their senseof community mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.3 so central to this piece.the high expenditure of energy viewedas vital to the piece choreographic style opinion conceptual descriptive

5.1

The group also appeared to belistening to a more remotevoice,

extension of previous metaphor: inaddition to their own "voices,"dancers seemed to attend to a moredistant "voice" mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.2 signified by a motifthe "remote voice" inference is drawnfrom a repeated mov't pattern mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.3of looking up or off into thedistance

the recurrent mv't involves thedancers' focal point

mov't: body action,space, level observation empirical descriptive



6.1

Somewhere inside the lives ofthese dancers, a feeling arisesthat something has happened oris about to happen, somethingthat must be handled

suggestion that the dancers convey asense of immanent change mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.2not only by them, but by theaudience as well,

joins audience and performerstogether, awaiting this change


6.3for we have become an integralpart of this community.

reinforces the idea that audience isincluded in the drama posited


7.1Just a hint of these portents isenough, however:

indicates that spectator need notbecome overly concerned about thisdrama audience/work rel opinion hermeneutical evaluative

7.2

simply basking in the warmglow that the movementemanates

this mov't creates a very satisfyingfeeling mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7.3 is too refreshing to relinquish.it's so satisfying that one wants toremain for further enjoyment mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical evaluative

P7 Circle Walker 155 1.1 The evening concludes with identifies this piece as final concert structure observation empirical descriptive

1.2a

a [duet] by Cappelletti and asculpture by Alan Boedingcalled "Circle Walker."

identifies performer and sculptor/choreographer; title of sculpture/dance concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2b duetthere are two partners in this dancepartners

isolated word:choreographicstructure: form in video empirical descriptive

1.2c duetrefers to choreographer and sculptureas partners

isolated word:mov't/meaning rel in video hermeneutical interpretive

2.1This pair is introduced to theaudience

the first presentation of dancer andsculpture audience/work rel observation empirical descriptive

2.2 in a Da Vinci-like image,associates opening image withrenowned piece of art work/visual art rel association conceptual descriptive;



2.3a

immediately signifying thepossible unity of body and[steel], dancer and object. the "duet" has various connotations mov't/set rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.3b steelthe metallic sculpture is constructed ofsteel isolated word: set observation empirical descriptive

3.1a

Climbing inside and out,running around and through,pushing and pulling andmanipulating the [near-spherical] structure across thestage,

the dancer interacts with the sculpturein a variety of ways, causing it totravel through the performing space

mov't: body actions;space;mov't/sculpture rel observation empirical descriptive

3.1b near-spherical sculpture shape isolated word: set observation empirical descriptive3.2 Cappelletti moves identification of performer concert basics observation empirical descriptive

3.3awhile the audience sifts throughall the [amazing] elements

connotes a multi-layered experiencefor the viewer audience/work rel opinion conceptual descriptive

3.3b amazing the collection of layers is remarkableisolated word:audience/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.4of physics, technology, art,strength, and risk.

the dance links various ideas andconcepts mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive



4.1aOne of the [most appealing]aspects of this piece

implication that this dance has manyfeatures

choreographicstructure: part/wholerel observation empirical descriptive

4.1b most appealingamong other features, this one is quiteengaging


4.2 is the rare ability it affordsthe piece offers something valuableand unusual viewer/work rel domain knowledge conceptual evaluative



4.3

to see directly the effects of adancer's momentum, thetransfer of energy as it isreleased from inside the body,and the reactions of the bodywhen it receives impulses froman outside force.

elaboration of a specific physicalphenomenon clarified in this dance

mov't: cause andeffect observation empirical descriptive

5.1a

The way in which Cappellettiends the piece, [trapped]upside-down within theframework,

the final image of the dance shows thedancer inverted inside the sculpture

mov't: final image;space; body/set rel observation empirical descriptive

5.1b trappedthe dancer's position connotes a senseof being confined against his will


5.2

suggests a possible commentaryon the relationship between manand machine.

postulates that the closing imagereflects the impact of industrializationon humankind mov't/meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P8 Conclusion 110 1.1 The diversity of this collection the concert has much variety concert content observation conceptual descriptive

1.2 was a successful formulaconcert organization was effective,perhaps a model audience/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

1.3 for pleasing this audience.links this success to this specificaudience audience/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

2.1Cappeletti has done anadmirable job director's success is noted audience/director rel opinion qualitative evaluative



2.2of exposing us to new anddifferent works,

the concert has brought new andvaried works of art to the audience audience/concert rel. observation conceptual evaluative

2.3

informing us aesthetically, andencouraging us to becomeactively involved in the artworksurrounding us.

it has educated the audience and hasencouraged audience engagement. audience/concert rel. opinion conceptual interpretive



3.1

At times, however, it seemed asthough his desire to nurture theaudience took priority over theworks themselves,

perhaps education of the audience hasbeen given undue priority. video/audience rel opinion conceptual evaluative

3.2 and we were bombardedthe approach was somewhatoverwhelming video/audience rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.3aby [unnecessary] informationand contextualization.

reference to the information given viathe video video/audience rel video conceptual descriptive

3.3b unnecessarythe amount of information was morethan what was needed

isoalted word:video/audience rel opinion qualitative evaluative

4.1Through the use ofdocumentary-style footage,

reference to the content of theconcert's video element video in video empirical descriptive

4.2the audience sometimes sawand heard

reference to the aural and visualinformation provided by the videoclips video/audience rel

hearing/observation empirical descriptive

4.3 too muchthe video clips tended to overshadowthe dances video/audience rel opinion qualitative evaluative

5.1

Nevertheless, the Consiglierehas proven himself a skillfulartistic director still, the director is commended director/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

5.2and, fortunately for the danceworld, the dance field is in luck audience/director rel opinion qualitative evaluative

5.3the prospects of a mafia careerare quite grim.

with reference to the concert title, thedirector will stay in dance and not jointhe mafia audience/director rel association conceptual descriptive

n6 A Successful Consigliere 752 P1 Introduction.1 100

1

On October 29, 30, and 31st,artistic Director Jim Cappellettipresented The ConsigliereCollection: An Evening ofRepertory Dance. dates, director, title of concert concert basics in program factual descriptive

sentence/segment clarification type of info source of infokind ofunderstanding critical activity

2

It was held at the SullivantTheatre on Ohio StateUniversity’s campus. concert location concert basics public info factual descriptive

3.1a

Cappelletti is a Master of FineArts Degree candidate [in histhird and final year] at OSU student status; affiliation director bio in program factual descriptive

3.1b in his third and final year student rank and statusisolated phrase:director bio personal knowledge factual descriptive

3.2

pursuing the ultimate goal ofthe directorship of a repertorydance company.

he intends to direct similar concertsprofessionally director bio personal knowledge factual descriptive

4.1The program offered a widevariety of choreographic works

a broad selection of dances wereincluded concert content observation conceptual descriptive

4.2intended for a non-dancespecific audience,

Conveys the expectation of a generalaudience, not particularly familiarwith dance performance audience/concert rel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

4.3a

[as well as] an instructionalblack and white video betweeneach piece

the concert design included the use ofexplanatory video material video/concert rel observation empirical descriptive

4.3b as well asthe inclusion of this phraseunderscores its atypical nature

isolated phrase:video/concert rel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

4.4

that guided the audiencethrough Cappelletti’s processand intent as artistic Director.

the video's purpose was to provideinsight about the director's creativeprocess audience/video rel opinion conceptual dsecriptive

P2 Introduction.2 77

1Overall, Cappelletti was quitesuccessful.

the concert was generally veryeffective director/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

2.1

Rumors of the performancebeing sold out every night andhaving to turn at least onehundred people away the firstnight,

advance information about the concertindicated that the number of viewershadd seating capacity audience/concert rel. personal knowledge factual descriptive



2.2brought lines to the box officean hour before the show.

the audience arrival was effected byconcert reputation audience/concert rel public information factual descriptive

3.1 Applause from the audiencethe conventional form of theaudience's approval audience/concert rel. hearing empirical descriptive

3.2was warm-hearted and veryenthusiastic,

viewers responded in a positive andlively manner audience/concert rel. opinion qualitative interpretive

3.3and the standing ovation forCappelletti on the final night

viwers stood at the finale of theclosing concert

audience/ directorrel. observation empirical descriptive

3.4 was well-deserved.Cappelletti had earned this mark ofenergetic approval audience/director rel opinion empirical evaluative

4.1 People laughed and cried,viewers were moved to respond invarious ways audience/concert rel hearing empirical descriptive

4.2but most agreed that they hadseen

on the whole, viewers seemed to sharean opinion of the concert audience/concert rel hearing empirical descriptive

4.3 a wonderful evening of dance. the concert was very satisfying audience/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluativeP3 Ciona 73

1.1

Ciona (1973), choreographed byPilobolus, was first on theprogram. title, choreographer of first dance concert basics in program factual descriptive



2.1a Moving like [liquid] sculptures,the movement suggested sculpturalshapes mov't/meaning rel association empirical descriptive

2.1b liquidthe way in which the mov't wasperformed emphasized flow

isolated word: mov't:manner ofperformance association qualitative descriptive

2.2who were not without a sense ofhumor,

these "sculptures" seemed at times tobe amused mov't/ meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.3athe dancers [carefully] carvedthe space around them.

performers approached thesurrounding space like sculptors

mov't: manner ofperformance; space observation empirical dsecriptive



2.3b carefullythe approach to space was executedwith conscious attention

isolated word: mov't:manner ofperformance observed opinion qualitative descriptive

3.1Bodies balanced against oneanother

dancers used body weight and contactfor equilibrium

mov't: rel ofperformers, contact observation empirical descriptive

3.2a in [precarious] positionsdancers bodies formed configurationsin space mov't: shape observation empirical descriptive

3.2b precarious these contacts seemed risky, unstableisolated word:performer/work rel opinion qualitative descriptive

3.3and then flung themselves intothe air

next, dancers hurled themselves aloftwith considerable force


3.4 hoping to be caught somehow,

they acted with trust but withoutapparent plans or concerns for theiroutcomes mov't: performer rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.5ato the [futuristic] music of JonAppleton. identification of composer music in program factual descriptive

3.5b futuristicthe music connoted a time (perhapsfar) beyond the present isolated word: music association hermeneutical interpretive

4.1The result was a sense ofanticipation

the overall effect of this workengendered a feeling of expectation audience/work rel opinion affective descriptive

4.2 and imagesthe piece also created a series ofpictures audience/work rel observation empirical descriptive

4.3which sculpted their waythrough the mind.

earlier sculptural reference extendedto viewers viewer/work rel rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P4 Plum Tarts 95

1.1Plum Tarts by Allison Tiptonwas choreographed this year title, year of dance; choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2aon dancers [chosen byCappelletti].

the director made the selection ofdancers directorial role personal knowledge factual descriptive

1.2bon dancers [chosen byCappelletti].

it's more common for thechoreographer to choose her owndancers

isolated phrase:directorial role domain knowledge factual descriptive



2.1 In the video,reference to the video clip precedingthis work video observation empirical descriptive

2.2 Tipton referred to the workintroduces a quotation ofchoreographer

statement:choreographer hearing factual descriptive

2.3as portraying a woman’s senseof sexiness.

the content deals with women and"sexiness" mov't/meaning rel in video hermeneutical interpretive

3.1

It was the dancers’responsibility to embody themovement

each dancer had a particularobligation in the piece performer/work rel in video conceptual descriptive

3.2

to reveal each of their attitudestoward their own personalsexiness.

each dancer's point of view on"sexiness" was to be made apparent inthe given mov't. mov't/meaning rel in video hermeneutical interpretive

4.1aTipton chose a [delightful]tango by Astor Piazzola composer and genre music hearing empirical descriptive

4.1b delightful the musical selection was pleasingisolated word:audience/music rel opinion affective evaluative

4.2 for inspirational music. the music was a source of inspiration music/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.1

Perhaps it was a lack ofperforming experience onbehalf of the dancers,

speculates that the performers mayhave been somewhat inexperienced performer/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

5.2 or the lack of rhythmic diversity the use of time was rather predictablechoreographicstructure: time hearing empirical evaluative

5.3that would have enhanced theoverall choreographic structure,

more varied use of time may haveenriched the composition as a whole

choreographicstructure: time opinion conceptual evaluative

5.4but the piece fell short of itsgoal.

in any case, the dance was not quitesuccessful viewer/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

P5 Passing 76

5.1Susan Hadley’s "Passing,"choreographed in 1992, choreographer, year, title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

5.2 was a very clear statement the dance delivered a message mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



5.3on the death of someone withwhom she was very close. it was about the death of a loved one mov't/ meaning rel. in video hermeneutical interpretive

6.1 Although danced beautifullythough the mov't was very well-executed performer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

6.2by Angela Milena Clark, AngieHauser, and Gina Jacobs, performers named concert basics in program factual descriptive

6.3 the movement vocabulary,refers to the movement component ofthe performance mov't: vocabulary observation empirical descriptive

6.4 the musicrefers to the sound component of theperformance music hearing empirical descriptive

6.5 and the lighting designrefers to the lighting component of theperformance lighting observation empirical descriptive

6.6were almost limited by thepreceding video introduction

the video clips had an adverse effecton the piece as a whole video/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

7.1

While Hadley’s stages of denialthrough acceptance were easilyrecognizable,

choreographer's exploration of thestages of dealing with death werequite clear mov't meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7.3

the video impeded the potentialfor a personal interpretation ofand association with the mov't.

video was a limiting factor,circumventing the freedom to interactwith the mov't in an individual way video/audience rel opinion conceptual evaluative

P6 Partial 87

1

The first piece afterintermission was Hauser’s"Partial" (1997).

choreographer, title and date, programorder concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1

Performed by the [original] castof Hauser, Cappelletti, andJacobs, dancers named concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.2 original

this piece had been performed before,and these were the same performerswho did it the first time concert basics in video factual descriptive

2.3 these beautiful dancers performers' skills admired performer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative



2.5to a well choreographed, [post-modern], piece. the composition is successful

choreographicstructure: quality opinion qualitative evaluative

2.6 post-modernthe dance is categorized aspostmodern

isolated word: mov't:genre domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

3.1a Hauser has [worked well] choreographer's efforts are admiredchoreographer/ workrel opinion conceptual evaluative

3.2a [within] the trio structure, the dance is for three persons

isolated word:choreographicstructure: form observation empirical descriptive

3.1/2b worked well withinsuggests that she's been innovativewithin this structural framework

isolated phrase:choreographer/ workrel opinion conceptual evaluative

3.3a[playing] with unison, duets andsolos,

trio members are grouped in variousways

choreographicstructure: form observation empirical descriptive

3.3b playing

implies a [sense of sport] *or a child-like spirit* towards the choreographicprocess

isolated word:choreographicprocess opinion conceptual descriptive

3.4and utilized a gesturalvocabulary

emphasizes the use of non-weightbearing mov'ts mov't: gesture observation empirical descriptive

3.5 which was never literalthe gestures were not communicativein an everyday sense mov't/ meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.6 and always significant.they remained a prominent elementwithin the choreography mov't/ meaning rel opinion conceptual descriptive

4.1The music was neither essentialnor extraneous,

the music was not an indispensableingredient; nor was it superfluous mov't/music rel opinion qualitative evaluative

4.2and the different textures of thecostumes

refers to variety in the surfaceappearances of fabric costume observation empirical descriptive

4.3 enhancedthese textures seemed to reinforceother elements costume opinion qualitative evaluative

4.4the multiple textures of themovement there were a variety of mov't qualities mov't: variety observation empirical descriptive

4.5 and use of space. the spatial approach was also varied mov't: space observation empirical descriptive



P7 Carpe Diem 121 1.1 Composer Philip Glass identifies composer concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2has been frequently used bychoreographers this past decade,

his music has often been paired withdance during the last ten years history: music/dance domain knowledge factual contextualizing

1.3such as Twyla Tharp and DougVarone.

identifies two prominentchoreographers who have workedwith this composer history: music/dance domain knowledge factual contextualizing

2.1

However, the choreography hasto be strong enough to not onlycompliment the music,

Glass' music requires soundchoreography which can heighten themusic mov't/music rel. opinion conceptual evaluative

2.2 but shine through the music.the choreography needs to beautonomous mov't/music rel. opinion conceptual evaluative

3.1While admittedly a boldattempt, this has been a strong effort mov't/music rel. opinion qualitative evaluative

3.2 Susan Van Pelt choreographer identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

3.3 was unsuccessful in this venturethe music/ dance relationshipdisappointing mov't/music rel. opinion qualitative evaluative

3.4for her piece "Carpe Diem"(1988). title, year of piece concert basics in program factual descriptive

4.1While the movements andchanging spatial patterns

refers to the mov'ts and the pathwaysin space


4.2 were fast the tempo was quick mov't: time observation qualitative descriptive

4.3and seemed to keep time withthe music timing of music and mov't was similar mov't/music rel observation; hearing empirical descriptive

4.4 they lacked the stillnessthere were not enough pauses in theaction mov't: stillness observation empirical descriptive

4.5required for an audience toappreciate

pauses are essential for viewersatisfaction audience/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

4.6the complex choreographicstructure of the work.

the form of the dance wascomplicated

choreographicstructure: complexity observation qualitative descriptive

5.1The largest cast of the evening(nine dancers),

number of performers; relative size toothers on program concert basics observation empirical descriptive



5.2however, enjoyed themselvesthoroughly on stage

the dancers had a good timeperforming performer/work rel opinion qualitative descriptive

5.3aand entered into the work fullyand completely.

the dancers committed themselvesfully to the performance performer/work rel opinion conceptual descriptive

5.3band entered into the work fullyand completely.

value is implied in this level ofperformer/work rel performer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

5.4Carpe Diem was very welldanced and performed. the performers did an outstanding job viwer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

P8 Circle Walker/Conclusion 120 (25)

1

The final piece of the eveningwas by Alan Boeding entitled"Circle Walker" (1985).

title, choreographer, year, programorder of the work concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1 Cappelletti performer named concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.2a

manipulated [and danced with][a spectacular circularsculpture],

the performer's actions involved afunctional kind of "handling" mov't/set rel observation empirical descriptive

2.2b a spectacular circular sculpture,the sculpture was an impressive roundsculpture isolated word: set observation empirical descriptive

2.2c and danced with the sculpture acted as his "partner"isolated phrase:mov't/set rel association hermeneutical interpretive

2.3 created by Boeding, the choreographer was also sculptor set in program factual descriptive

2.4 to the musicthere was musical accompaniment tothis movement mov't/music rel hearing factual descriptive

2.5 of Yaz Kaz. composer identified concert basics in program factual descriptive3.1 Cappelletti’s exploration dancer investigated performer/set rel. observation conceptual descriptive

3.2of the sculpture, its space andinherent structure,

these possibilities included its spatialand structural properties set observation empirical descriptive

3.2and at times a certainnonchalant attitude toward it,

sometimes he exhibited an air ofindifference to it performer/set rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.3a made for a [fascinating] duetrefers to Cappelletti and sculpture asdance partners




3.3b made for a [fascinating] duetrefers to Cappelletti and sculpture asdance partners

isolated phrase:choreographicstructure: form association conceptual descriptive

3.3c fascinating this unusual "partnering" was curiousisolated word:audience/work rel observation conceptual descriptive

3.3d fascinating the interest it generated was positiveisolated word:audience/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.4 between man and machine the partners symbolized a larger idea mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive3.5 (or is it man and himself?). deeper questioning of the symbols mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



4.1

What seemed to be the onlyinterference of a completelysuccessful piece was

only one flaw marred this verysatisfying performance viewer/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

4.2the apparent lack of spaceneeded for the specific paths

the stage area seemed too small forthe pathways the piece required mov't/space rel observation empirical descriptive

4.3created by Cappelletti and thesculpture.

the "partners" together traveledthrough the available space performer/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

5.1 A [wonderful] end to the show, this piece closed the concert concert structure: end observation empirical descriptive

5.2 wonderful it is viewed as an excellent closerisolated word:concert structure: end opinion qualitative evaluative

5.3 this intense piece the dance provides powerful viewing audience/work rel opinion qualitative descriptive

5.4provided an important lastingimage of the evening —

suggests that this final dance isrepresentative of the evening concert structure: end opinion conceptual evaluative

5.5serious dance that can beappreciated by everyone.

this was an artictic experience withbroad appeal audience/concert rel opinion conceptuual evaluative

n7The Art of Entertainment . . .The Entertainment of Art 1007




1.1 It's better than Trisha Brown,comparison btwn this performanceand another concert comparison

opinion (ofspeaker) qualitative evaluative

1.2 remarked a dance novicethe comparison is ascribed to a viewernew to dance viewer/concert rel personal knowledge conceptual descriptive

1.3 as she came into my office. writer reveals self as a professional writer identification observation factual descriptive

2.1She had seen Trisha Brownrecently timing of compared event elaborated concert comparison observation factual descriptive

2.2at the Wexner Center for theArts location of earlier performance concert comparison public information factual descriptive

2.3

and had seen Jim Cappelletti'sMFA dance project with theOhio State University's dancedepartment

identification of director, hisaffiliation, and the rel. of the concertto his degree concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.4 the evening before. timing of concert concert basics personal knowledge factual descriptive

3

Better than Trisha Brown?inquires about comparisonconcert comparison opinion(of speaker) qualitativeevaluative4 In what way? I asked. requests specifics of comparison concert comparison qualitative evaluative

5.1

I didn't understand some ofTrisha Brown's work, the earlier(more professional)performance was somewhatpuzzling viewer/concert relhermeneutical interpretive5.2 but the concert last nightwas just fun to watch.

by comparison, this concert wasaccessible and enjoyable viewer/concert rel

opinion (ofspeaker) qualitative evaluative

6.1So, Trisha Brown versusentertainment

previous dialogue reframed into anopening concept for consideration audience/concert rel domain knowledge conceptual theorizing



6.2or had Cappelletti found a wayto make [our art form]

considers director's role in appealingto the viewer director/dance rel domain knowledge conceptual evaluative

6.3 our art form aligns self as a dance "insider"isolated phrase:writer identification self- awareness conceptual descriptive

6.4 more accessible?acknowledgment that dance is oftendifficult to understand audience/dance rel domain knowledge qualitative descriptive

7.1What with this and the rumorsof people being turned away,

talk had circulated that the audienceshad overflowed seating capacity audience/concert rel personal knowledge factual contextualization

7.2 my expectations were high.acknowledges anticipation of anexciting performance viewer/concert rel self- awareness qualitative descriptive


1.1

Cappelletti's concert "TheConsigliere Collection: AnEvening of Repertory Dance," director, title of concert concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2

brought dancers andchoreographers together incollaboration,

performers and dance-makers werehighlighted as working partners concert collaborators domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

1.3

with works by Alan Boeding,Susan Hadley, Angie Hauser,Allison Tipton, Susan Van Pelt,and Pilobolus. choreographers identified concert content in program factual descriptive

2.1Cappelletti's concert alsobrought another aspect,

an additional element of the concert ishighlighted viewer/concert rel observation conceptual descriptive

2.2which for me successfullybridged

the concert managed to straddle abreach for this viewer viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

2.3that gap between elitist art andentertainment.

refers to a perceived rift between"high art" and "popular culture" audience/art rel domain knowledge conceptual theorizing


1.1As the lights dimmed beforeeach piece,

refers to the conventional lowering ofhouse lights before each dance lighting observation empirical description

1.2 a video projectionthe concert included the use of videofootage video observation empirical description



1.3took us back in time, behind thescenes,

use of video clips provided viewerswith an opportunity to view pre-concert occurences video/audience rel observation conceptual description

1.4to the very place that dance iscreated

audiences could glimpse the creativeprocess video/audience rel domain knowledge empirical description

1.5 — The Dance Studio. dance creation occurs in the studiovideo: choreographicprocess rel domain knowledge factual description

2

Here we are introduced toCappelletti, the choreographersand some of the dancers.

the audience "meets" the director,choreographers and dancers in thestudiom, via video video/audience rel in video factual descriptive

3.1We saw fragments of a year'swork

clips also include footage of rehearsalprocess video/audience rel observation empirical description

3.2 with dancers rehearsing dancers are shown learning their parts video/audience rel observation empirical description

3.3 and making mistakes,including their struggles to master thematerial video/audience rel observation empirical description

3.4and choreographers giving usinsight into their works

the artists also reveal their ownthoughts about the dances video/audience rel in video factual description

3.5 and what inspired them.including their reasons for making thedances video/audience rel in video conceptual description

4.1Essentially, we were introducedto creative human beings,

importantly, the dancers wererevealed as inventive, resourcefulpeople video/audience rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.2 not unlike ourselves.dancers exhibited traits with whichaudience could relate

audience/performerrel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.1There were no illusions, nopretensions,

the dance was not, as many theatricalevents are, about make-believe video/audience rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.2 a few comical moments, the dance also contained some humor video/audience rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.3all feeding a bubblingatmosphere of expectation.

these qualities combined to heightenviewer anticipation video/audience rel observation empirical descriptive

6.1

At times, though, these videofragments seemed toovershadow the performance.

the video clips sometimes had toodominant a presence video/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative



6.2 They were often too long they tended to take up too much time video opinion qualitative evaluative





6.3

and sometimes pre-determinedthe dance work before it wasshown.

at times the video revealed too much,which the dance should have been leftto do for itself video/audience rel opinion conceptual evaluative

7.1However, I commendCappelletti

In spite of these reservations, thedirector is to be congratulated video/audience rel opinion qualitative evaluative

7.2on choosing such a simple andeffective device

he has employed a streamlined butingenious method video opinion conceptual evaluative

7.3to introduce a more realisticview of the dance world.

he has found a way to demystify theprocess of dance-making video/audience rel opinion conceptual descriptive


4.1Cappelletti's choice of danceworks

the dance works selected by thedirector director/concert rel domain knowledge factual descriptive

4.2produced an interesting andvaried evening —

the selection led to a satisfyingconcert of assorted dances concert content opinion qualitative evaluative

4.3

there were some dance worksthat left me itching to satisfy myhungry stomach

some of the pieces did not hold theviewer's attention viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

4.4and there were others thatblasted my expectations away

while other pieces were startling,defying viewer's assumptions viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

4.5with astonishing, thrillingmoments.

some of the works caused profoundamazement and excitement viewer/concert rel opinion affective evaluative

5 I have isolated a few.she plans to highlight not all, butspecific dances writing agenda writing agenda empirical descriptive

P5 Ciona 145

1.1

Ciona (1973), the first work ofthe evening, was originallychoreographed by Pilobolus title, program order, choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive



1.2 and set [against] a scorethe dance is juxtaposd with a piece ofmusic mov't/music rel observation; hearing empirical descriptive

1.3 of haunting, the music had an eerie quality music opinion affective interpretive1.4a [mechanical] sounds electronic music was used music hearing empirical descriptive

1.4b mechanical the music had a metallic sound isolated word: music association qualitative descriptive1.5 by Jon Appleton. composer identified concert basics in program factual descriptive2.1 Although over twenty years old, notes age of piece concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.2 this piece reminds usthe dance serves to reawaken anawareness audience/work rel opinion conceptual descriptive?

2.3aof the [awesome] physicality ofmovement.

the piece highlights the corporealnature of dance nature of artform observation ontological descriptive

2.3b awesomethe physical demands of dance aregreat


3.1 Six dancers number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

3.2 clothed in pale unitardsthey wore light-colored, one- piecebody-hugging costumes costume observation empirical descriptive

3.3 carve the spaceperformers approached the space likesculptors

mov't: manner ofperformance; rel tospace observation empirical descriptive

3.4awith [sculptural] designs andpatterns.

dancers make well-defined shapes andspatial arrangements mov't: shape, space observation empirical descriptive

3.4b sculpturalreference to shapes that links them toanother artform

isolated word: mov't:shape, space association qualitative descriptive

4.1aSometimes they are[organically] connected,

at times, the dancers make physicalcontact mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

4.1b organically this contact appears natural, biologicalisolated word: mov't:rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.2each an important piece of theoverall puzzle,

each dancer has an integral part toplay in the whole performer/work rel association conceptual descriptive

4.3and sometimes like ragingatoms

at other times, they resemble non-human particles moving wildly mov't: rel of dancers association hermeneutical interpretive



4.4 they split apart explosively. they detach with sudden intensity mov't: rel of dancers observation empirical descriptive

5.1Bodies bound and spring fromnowhere,

there is a sense of rubbery resiliencein the dancers' actions, which seemrandomly motivated

mov't: body actions,space, initiation observation empirical descriptive

5.2 fold over each other, they bend on top of or past each othermov't: body actions,rel observation empirical descriptive

5.3 melt together to become one, they appear to fuse into a single shape mov't: contact observation empirical descriptive

5.4 fly through the air at each other,they seem to be airborne, flingingthemselves at each other

mov't: body action,space, rel observation empirical descriptive

5.7aand [calmly] balance insculptured creations

they make interdependent shapeswhich arrive at a state of repose mov't: shape observation empirical descriptive

5.7b calmlythis serenity contrasts with previousimages


5.8you never thought humanlypossible.

the combination of activities seemsbeyond normal human capacities audience/work rel opinion conceptual descriptive

6.1The human body as soft asputty,

dancers' bodies become limp andmalleable

mov't: manner ofperformance association empirical descriptive

6.2 as sturdy as Lego bricks, or solid and unshakablablemov't: manner ofperformance association empirical descriptive

6.3 as daring as Evil Knievel.or the dancers move in a fearlessmanner

mov't: element ofrisk association empirical descriptive

7.1aWith [deliciously] surprisingmoments, the dance was unpredictable at times audience/work rel opinion affective descriptive

7.1b deliciouslythe surprises were a wonderful part ofthe piece

isolated word:audience/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

7.2 comical touches there were also moments of humor mov't/meaning rel observation hermeneutical interpretive

7.3 and an infectious energy,the dance was geared to enliven theaudience audience/work rel observation affective descriptive

7.5Ciona was beautifullyperformed, the dancers did an excellent job viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

7.5a stirring up an [excited] ovation. the performance prompted applause audience/work rel. hearing empirical descriptive



7.5b excitedthis outpouring of approval wasenthusiastic audience/work rel. hearing qualitative descriptive

P6 Plum Tarts 194

1.1 In total contrastthe opposite kind of dance followed"Ciona" concert structure opinion conceptual descriptive

1.2

came "Plum Tarts" (1998),choreographed by AllisonTipton, title, year of work, choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.3and the only piece[choreographed for the concert].

this was the sole dance on theprogram created specifically for thisconcert concert basics in video factual descriptive

2.1 Tipton explained the choreographer discussed the workstatement:choreographer in video factual descriptive

2.2 in her video clipher remarks were preserved on tapeand biewed during the concert video in video empirical descriptive

2.3a

that she had wanted to create apiece about [the sexual qualitiesin women].

choreographer had a specific goal inmind

choreographer/ workrel in video conceptual descriptive

2.3b the sexual qualities in womenshe attempted to create a danceconcerning female sexuality

isolated phrase:mov't/meaning rel in video hermeneutical interpretive

3.1 Five women number, gender of dancers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

3.2 of all different shapes and sizesnotes variability in their physicaldimensions

performers' physicalattributes observation empirical descriptive

3.3entered the stage spaceindividually

(they did not begin in unison) *thedancers entered as distinctindividuals*

mov't: body actions,rel of performers observation empirical descriptive

3.4against a lively tango by AstorPiazzola. genre, quality of sound, composer mov't/music rel hearing; observation empirical descriptive

4.1Using the familiar stance of thetango —

draws on recognition of the ballroomdance form of the Tango mov't: style domain knowledge empirical descriptive



4.2

long, low strides, an arm heldforward, an arm held to the side,the chest lifted, an occasionalflick of the head —

elaboration of characteristic bodyactions of the Tango, including levels,arm positions, chest elevation andhead gestures

mov't: body actions,style, rel domain knowledge empirical descriptive

4.3 these women interwovethe dancers exchanged directions andpositions frequently


4.4

to create brief duets, trios, to setapart a soloist, or all dancetogether

their actions broke the ensemble intovarious groupings

choreographicstructure observation empirical descriptive

5Were these women trying toassert their individual qualities?

questions whether dancers strove todistinguish themselves mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6Were they competing for alover? were they construed as rivals? mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7 I was not sure. indicates confusion as a viewer viewer/work rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

8.1a But as they strutted dancers walked in a proud manner

mov't: body action,manner ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

8.1b But as they struttedthis verb also suggests a sexual,presentational intention

isolated phrase:mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

8.2 toward the back of the stagethe dancers move away from theaudience

mov't: direction oftravel observation empirical descriptive

8.3 to end, this marked the close of the piece

choreographicstructure: close ofpiece observation empirical descriptive

8.4a arms held [seductively] high, body parts, directionmov't: body part,gesture observation empirical descriptive

8.4b seductively intention of the mov't was to tantalize

isolated word: mov't:manner ofperformance opinion hermeneutical interpretive

8.5a hips wiggling body parts and actionmov't: body part;action observation empirical descriptive



8.5b [hips wiggling]there is a strong cultural connectionbetween this action and sexual allure

isolated phrase:mov't/meaning rel observation hermeneutical interpretive

8.6 to emphasize their curves,

suggests that the dancers' hip mov'twas designed specifically to showcasetheir femininity

mov't: intention,shape opinion empirical descriptive

8.7a these five [striking] silhouettesthe dancers' profiles were highlightedby darkening lights lighting/shape rel observation empirical descriptive

8.7b strikingtheir figures made a dramaticimpression


8.8 seemed to find a connection, dancers managed to communicateaudience/performerrel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

8.9highlighting the absurdity of theflirtatious being within us all.

the dance pointed to the foibles ofseductive behavior mov't/ meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

9.1

While I found "Plum Tarts"visually and rhythmicallyinteresting,

the dance offered engaging imageryand use of time viewer/work rel observation, hearing qualitative evaluative

9.2 I felt the dancers lackedthe performers were missing animportant quality viewer/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

9.3 the sexually charged confidence the expected bravura was missing mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

9.4 so apparent in the tango. refers to Tango's sexual subtext music/ meaning rel. domain knowledge hermeneutical interpretiveP7 Circle Walker 238

1

Circle Walker (1985) wasconceived, designed, andchoreographed by AlanBoeding.

title, year, choreographer and designerof work concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1a It is [essentially] a duetthe form is a duet, a dance for twoperformers


2.1b essentiallysuggests that there is an unusualfeature of ths particular twosome

isolated word:choreographicstructure observation conceptual descriptive

2.2between a male dancer (JimCappelletti)

one memeber of the duet is the show'sdirector concert basics in program factual descriptive



2.3

and the Circle Walker, a large,circular sculpture criss-crossedwith metal bars,

the other is a huge piece of metalsculpture, circular, with intersectinginner bars set observation empirical descriptive

2.4which rolls and curves throughthe space the sculpture moves by rotation set observation empirical descriptive

2.5when manipulated by theweight and touch of the dancer.

set mov't is caused by mov't of thedancer performer/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

3.1 The opening image refers to first thing one seeschoreographicstructure: opening observation empirical descriptive

3.2 is striking. this opening impact is very effective viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluation4.1a [Drowned] in red lighting, color lighting observation empirical descriptive

4.1b Drownedconnotes extreme saturation, intensityof color

isolated word:lighting association qualitative descriptive

4.2athe dancer stands firm and[powerful], performer's position is solid, stable mov't: stance observation empirical descriptive

4.2b powerfulconnotes strength and might, thepossibility of acting

isolated word: mov't:manner ofperformance opinion qualitative descriptive

4.3 center stage, spatial location of performer mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

4.4amidst the metal bars within thesculpture.

Cappelletti stands inside of the innerlabrynth of the sculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

5.1 He balances the Circle WalkerCappelletti is stabalizing the movablesculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

5.2 with wide, open arms,he accomplishes this my extending hisarms

mov't: gesture, bodypart observation empirical descriptive

5.3creating a perfect circular shapearound him.

the resulting image is a circlesurrounding a performer performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

6.1This is Leonardo da Vinci's['universal man'] image,

Dancer and sculpture are reminiscentof Da Vinci's work work/visual art rel association conceptual descriptive

6.2 universal manthe mov't and set suggest the conceptof "man" at the center of the universe

isolated phrase:mov't/set/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive



6.3 living and breathingDa Vinci's art seems to have come tolife mov't/meaning rel observation hermeneutical interpretive

6.4 with the world around him.the surrounding sculpture isrepresentative of the world set/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

7.1Indeed, [man's] environmentresponds to his every move.

a clear cause and effect relationshipbetween the dancer and sculpture addsto the symbolism suggested mov't/set/meaning rel observation empirical descriptive

7.2 man's

by inserting "man" (i.e. Davinci'sfigure) into the place of "dancer," thetwo are equated

isolated word:mov't/set/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

7.3As the dancer sends out a shiverof energy,

(When Cappelletti makes the slightestmotion . . . ) *When Cappellettiinitiates a ripple of motion, . . . *

mov't: initiation ofaction observation empirical description

7.4athe [whole] sculpture [vibrates]in response.

(. . . the sculpture moves in response)* the motion seems to extend fromhimself to the sculpture*

mov't: effect of bodyaction observation empirical descriptive

7.4b whole . . . vibratesfollowing "shiver," these words give asense of the man's superior power

isolated words:mov't/meaning rel observation hermeneutical interpretive

8.1Gradually, the dancermanipulates the sculpture,

here, a sense of progression: dancerslowly increases the force on thesculpture mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

8.2its motion responding tophysical movement.

the sculpture moves in response to theperformer's mov't mov't/set rel observation empirical descriptive

9It rocks from side to side and itrevolves slowly on its axis.

the sculpture moves laterally andspins mov't/set rel observation empirical descriptive

10.1 As its motion increases,as the sculptural mov't continues toincrease mov't/set rel observation empirical descriptive

10.2 so does its impending power,the increased motion results inaugmented force mov't/set rel observation conceptual descriptive

10.3visible through the musculartension in the dancer.

this force is made obvious byincreased effort on the part of thedancer performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive



11.1

Soon the dancer is climbing andswinging through the web ofbars;

before long, the dancer is moving as ifon a "jungle gym" mov't/set rel observation empirical descriptive

11.2balancing high on top withstrong, direct shapes,

he pauses at the top of the sculpture,assuming confident positions mov't/set rel observation empirical descriptive

11.3a

and [letting] the motion of thesculpture take him throughspace.

the force of the sculpture is now ableto carry the dancer performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

11.3b letting

this sense of "allowing" the sculptureto move him suggests a shift in thepower relationship

isolated word:performer/set rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

12.1aIt is hard to tell [who] iscontrolling [whom],

there is confusion about which of theduet "partners" is in charge performer/set rel opinion conceptual descriptive

12.1b who . . . whomthe use of personal pronouns for bothpartners emphasizes the meaning

isolated words:performer/set rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

12.2 and at times we feel nervoussometimes there is a sense ofapprehension audience/work rel. opinion affective interpretive

12.3about the speed and flow of thisswirling power the force set in motion is intense movt: time, flow observation empirical descriptive

12.4aand the human shape [caught]in its center.

the dancer 's position remains insidethe moving sculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

12.4b caughtreverts to a sense of man as thevictim, sculpture in control


13 Truly astonishing.the result is an amazing viewingexperience viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

P8 Conclusion 86

1.1Jim Cappelletti's concert did arare thing for me.

the concert made for an unusualexperience for this writer viewer/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

2.1 It entertained me it was pleasantly engaging viewer/concert rel opinion affective evaluative2.2 without burdening me and light viewer/concert rel opinion affective evaluative



2.3with questions about what Isaw. it didn't make her think too hard viewer/concert rel self-awareness hermeneutical interpretive

3.1Not that I do not like solvingproblems, thinking hard is fine viewer/concert rel self-awareness conceptual descriptive

3.2

but is this what a dance noviceshould have to do when seeing adance concert?

but would it be desirable for a newaudience member? audience/dance rel domain knowledge conceptual theorizing

4.1I would have appreciated moreof an emotional challenge,

something more provocative wouldhave been better viewer/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

4.2 but the use of video, references the incorporation of video video observation factual descriptive

4.3 the choice and variety of worksreferences the breadth of dancesincluded concert content observation empirical descriptive

4.4seemed to bridge a gap betweenart and entertainment,

offered a middle ground where itusually doesn't exist audience/concert rel opinion conceptual descriptive

4.5

keeping me and a full theatrespellbound for much of theevening.

the concert thus worked well for awidely diverse audience audience/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

n8 untitled 1250 P1 Introduction 138

1.1Consolidation was evidentlycentral

bringing parts together into a wholewas thematic in this concert concert concept opinion conceptual descriptive

1.2 to the artistic successit was a significant factor in theconcert's positive reception audience/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

1.3

of Jim Cappelletti’s graduateproject “The ConsigliereCollection: An Evening ofRepertory Dance” director and his status; concert title concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.4presented in the SullivantTheatre Oct. 29-31. concert location and dates concert basics public knowledge factual descriptive

2.1Under the artistic direction ofCappelletti, Cappelletti directed the concert concert basics in program factual descriptive



2.2

the program presented broughttogether a varied consortium ofworks.

the concert consisted of a diversecollection of dances concert basics in program conceptual descriptive

3.1

Alan Boeding, Susan Hadley,Angie Hauser, Allison Tipton,and Pilobolus comprised choereographers identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

3.2the motley assortment ofchoreographers for the project.

the isolated dances come from adiverse group of dance-makers concert collaborators domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

4.1The idea of unification wasevident

the motivating concept of synthesiswas clear concert concept observation conceptual descriptive

4.2 in Cappelletti’s choicethe selections were made by thedirector directorial role domain knowledge factual descriptive

4.3to place the premium not onlyon the product,

the director gave attention to thecreation of a polished performance concert concept observation conceptual theorizing

4.4 but also on the process:he also placed value on the manner inwhich the performance was developed concert concept observation conceptual descriptive

4.5

each dance was preceded bydocumentary footage of therehearsals, and interviews withCappelletti and thechoreographers, as well as thedancers involved in the project.

the concert featured video clipshighlighting the process and peopleleading up to the production video/concert rel in video factual descriptive

5.1The effect was a concert that, inpart, these choices had a combined result audience/concert rel opinion conceptual descriptive

5.2revealed the work that is arrivedat

one consequence was a revelation ofthe process preparatory to the concert audience/concert rel in video conceptual descriptive

5.3

through the integration of inputfrom artistic director,choreographers and dancers.

the collaborative aspects of theconcert were manifested concert collaborators in video conceptual descriptive



P2 Ciona 311

1.1

The first piece on the program"Ciona," a Pilobolus piecechoreographed in 1973,

opening piece, title, choreographerand date concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2 was in Pilobolus-fashionpiece bore recognizable elements ofits choreographer choreographic style domain knowledge conceptual contextualizing

1.3aa consistent show of [dynamic]athleticism,

lively and sustained physicality arefeatured mov't: style association conceptual dsecriptive

1.3b dynamic the mov't is very energeticisolated word: mov't:energy observation qualitative dsecriptive

1.4a

[the potential of the body] totake on nearly impossiblesculptural forms andarchitectonic shapes

reference to emphasis on difficultbody positions

mov't: shape, degreeof difficulty observation empirical descriptive

1.4b the potential of the bodypoints to body's capacity formovement

isolated phrase:mov't: bodycapability observation conceptual descriptive

1.5a

and [the precariousness of]bearing and sharing bodyweight.

the work features interactions andcontact between dancers mov't: contact observation empirical descriptive

1.5b the precariousness of these interactions are noted as riskyisolated phrase:mov't: degree of risk observation qualitative descriptive

2.1 Six dancers number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive2.2 dressed in silver unitards, color, shape of clothing costume observation empirical descriptive

2.3dancing to the pseudo- futuristicscore

the sound is characterized as onewhich intimates the (perhaps distant)future mov't/music rel hearing; observation hermeneutical interpretive

2.4 of Jon Appleton, composer identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.5 repeatedly ran with full forcelocomotive action, speed, quality andfrequency mov't: body action observation empirical descriptive



2.6

gathering momentum to thenpropel themselves onto theirpartners;

accumulated speed allowed them tohurl themselves at other dancers

mov't: energy,contact observation empirical descriptive

2.7pelvises attaching to waists,waists attaching to hips

they made contact thru various bodyparts

mov't: bodyparts,contact observation empirical descriptive

2.8as though magnetic forces werehurling them onto one another.

the strength of the contacts seemedinhuman mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical descriptive

3.1Cartwheels were achieved, notalone but as duets:

an action commonly performed as asolo is done by two dancers

mov't: body action,rel of perfomers observation empirical descriptive

3.2each holding on to theirpartner’s ankles, body contacts

mov't: body parts,contact observation empirical descriptive

3.3one standing the other upsidedown. body positions

mov't: body action,direction, rel observation empirical descriptive

4.1 Equally as stimulating were these mov'ts were exciting viewer/work rel opinion affective evaluation

4.2 those sections of the piece the dance had various discrete parts

choreographicstructure: part/wholerel observation empirical descriptive

4.3

where the momentum wasmomentarily put aside formoments like this:

(pauses in the mov't indicated) *decreasing speed in the mov'tprovided contrast to the previousquickness* mov't: energy observation empirical descriptive

4.4a quartet comprised of twomales and two females.

four dancers, evenly divided bygender


5.1The males, bent forward withflat backs, the two men take a specific posture

mov't: body parts,body action observation empirical descriptive

5.2 act as bases for two women their are used to support the women mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

5.3 who stand balanced on them.the women steady themselves atop themens' backs

mov't: bodyaction/stance observation empirical descriptive

6.1The two women transform toecho the men’s shapes

the female pair imitates the actions ofthe men mov't: shape observation empirical descriptive

6.2then continue to evolve instance variations. the positions continue to mutate mov't: shape observation empirical descriptive



7.1Slowly the men come up tostanding, the men gradually become erect mov't: body action observation empirical description

7.2while the women negotiate tostay on as long as possible

the women attempt to remain on themen's backs mov't: rel observation empirical description

7.3until finally these two pillarssmoothly dismount.

the section ends in an effortlesslanding

mov't: body actions,manner ofperformance observation empirical description

8.1

Amidst the force, strength andmomentum of much of thepiece

a sense of power characterized muchof the mov't mov't: energy observation conceptual description

8.2 were moments of humor:but humorous images wereinterspersed viewer/work rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

8.3a dancer [gets trapped] in theother five dancers’ legs;

one dancer can be seen among thelegs of the others mov't: rel, body parts observation empirical description

8.4 gets trappedthe dancer appears snared within a"prison" of limbs


8.5

two dancers attached at thewaist and thigh of one dancerjut their heads forward and back

two dancers ciontact a third and makediscrete head actions

mov't: contact. bodyparts, gestures observation empirical descriptive

8.6 like chickens.these actions make the dancersresemble chickens mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

9.1

Apparent in the work’s content,if by "Ciona," cion is the wordthat it derives from,

a conjecture about the meaning of thetitle, based on the mov't material title/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

9.2

is the emphasis on exploring thedifferent ways in which theconvexities of the body meetthe concavities.

much of the mov't seems to involve aninterplay between hollow and roundedbody shapes mov't: rel of bodies observation empirical descriptive

10.1If we extend our imaginations abit we can find the connection it is possible to make an association mov't/ meaning rel. association hermeneutical interpretive

10.2

between those implications andhow that relates to the creationof progeny, our cions.

the investigation of hollow and curvedshapes meeting suggests reproduction title/meaing rel association hermeneutical interpretive



P3 Plum Tarts 160

1.1aSet to the [upbeat] Argentineantango of Astor Piazzola composer and style of music music in program factual descriptive

1.1b upbeatlively, a reference to tempo and moodof the music isolated word: music hearing qualitative descriptive

1.2was Allison Tipton’s "PlumTarts." choreographer, title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1From the interview thatpreceded the dance,

an interview with the choreographerwas shown in the video clip video in video factual descriptive

2.2Ms. Tipton seemed primarilyfocused on creating a piece

the choreographer indicated herpurpose in creating the dance

choreographer/ workrel in video conceptual descriptive

2.3that evoked an assertive andpowerful female sensuality,

she wanted to highlight a strong senseof feminine sensuality mov't/meaning rel in video hermeneutical interpretive

2.4 and it did just that. the piece accomplished this intention viewer/work rel opinion hermeneutical evaluative

3.1The piece began with a soloentrance the dance opened with a single dancer

choreographicstructure: opening observation empirical descriptive

3.2 by Jennifer Thomas, individual performer identified concert basics personal knowledge factual descriptive

3.3 who quickly assuming a lunge, body action, speed of mov'tmov't: time, bodyaction observation empirical descriptive

3.4 gave a sharp turn of the head body part gesture, speedmov't: gesture, bodypart observation empirical descriptive

3.5ato dart a [seductive] look at theaudience.

this action results in the performermaking visual contact with theaudience

audience/performerrel observation empirical descriptive

3.5b seductivethe gesture was intended to beprovocative


4.1 Soon, four more dancers joined now there are five performers mov't: time, rel observation empirical descriptive

4.2advancing and retreatingtowards the audience

the dancers move toward and awayfrom the spectators mov't: space, rel observation empirical descriptive



4.3 in duets and trios, the group divides into smaller unitschoreographicstructure: form observation empirical descriptive

4.4

lifting one another, pushing hipsforward, turning with sharpshifts of focus,

dancers interact and make contact,emphasize the hips, turn with headgestures and change focal points

mov't: body actions,contact, body parts,focus observation empirical descriptive

4.5aendlessly directing [inviting]stares to their audience.

they keep constant eye contact withviewers


4.5b inviting the eye contact is seductiveisolated word:mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.1 These were odalisques

the dancers were suggestive of (haremslaves) *the painting "Le GrandOdalisque"* mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

5.2 that had jumped they engaged in an airborne action mov't: body action observation empirical descriptive

5.3out of their sedentary mode onthe ottoman

(as if springing to life at the sultan'sbeckoning) *from lounging, as in thepainting, a female figure is renderedlounging on an ottoman* mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive



5.4to entrance us with their sensualgusto.

they seemed intent on alluring theaudience

audience/performerrel opinion hermeneutical inetrpretive

6.1As the five dancers retreatedone last time,

the dancers moved away from theaudience one final time


6.2each hip moving them towardsthe back, mov't of the hips is again emphasized

mov't: space, bodyparts observation empirical descriptive

6.3the saturated merlot huessoftened,

the deep burgundy color became lessintense lighting observation empirical descriptive

6.4a

leaving us with the blacksilhouettes of five [beautiful]female bodies.

dancers' bodies were profiled in blackagainst the brugundy light lighting/shape rel observation empirical descriptive

6.4b beautiful the women are pleasantly shapelyisolated word:viewer/work rel opinion qualitative descriptive



P4 Passing 169

1.1a

Next on the program was SusanHadley’s [solemn andemotionally charged] piecePassing, choreographed in 1992

program order, choreographer, titleand year of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.1bsolemn and emotionallycharged the piece is somber and intense




1.2shortly after experiencing theloss of a loved one.

the choreographer made the dancefollowing a significant death choreographer's bio in video hermenutical interpretive

2.1a

Juxtaposed against the [lush]melody of Josquin’scomposition composer, mov't/music rel hearing empirical descriptive

2.1b lush the melody was rich, full isolated word: music hearing qualitative descriptive

2.2awere the strong and [agitated]mov'ts

the powerful and frenzied mov'ts werea contrast to the music mov't/music rel observation empirical descriptive

2.2b agitatedthere is a sense of inner disturbancepropelling the motion


2.3 of three female dancers gender, number of dancers concert basics observation empirical descriptive



2.4 dressed all in black color of costume costume observation empirical descriptive

2.5

illuminated only by a brightshaft of light emanating fromthe upper corner of the stage. spatial orientation of lighting lighting observation empirical descriptive

3.1Hadley primarily conveyed thetension of this event

the choreographer emphasized theanxiety of losing a loved one mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.2through the repetition ofmovement phrases:

her chief device in this aspect wasrepetition




3.3the opening frenetic movementsconstantly change facings,

the frantic beginning of the dance ismarked by frequent changes ofdirection mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

3.4aone dancer begins to [lose herstrength] falling gently,

one performer's actions are modifiedas she begins to slowly collapse

mov't: body action,rel observation empirical descriptive

3.4b lose her strengthconnotes a weakening physicalcondition, suggestive of illness


3.5she is then perched on anotherdancer's lap,

collapsing dancer is supported by afellow dancer mov't: contact, rel observation empirical descriptive

3.6 falls, gets placed again.this pattern of collapse and support isrepeated


4.1The same dancer continuallypresses in to the light

this dancer also moves firmly in thedirection of the shaft of light mov't/lighting rel. observation empirical descriptive

4.2awhile the other two [gently]take hold of her hand

two dancers grasp the other by thehand

mov't: rel, body part,contact observation empirical descriptive

4.2b gentlythe way the dancer is touchedconnotes a sense of tenderness


4.3 to lead her back to themthe contact returns the dancer back tothe others


4.4a

only to [more desperately]throw themselves in her pathlater in the piece.

in a subsequent development, the twodancers will become obstacles in thepath toward the light

mov't: body actions,rel observation empirical descriptive

4.4b more desperatelythe heightened attempt to change onedancer's path is read as urgency

isolated phrase:mov't: manner ofperformance opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.1aBut finally one last attempt [tomove into the light] proves final

a recurrent movement pattern thattakes place for the last time

choreographicstructure: finalrepetition observation empirical descriptive

5.1b to move into the lightthe dancer again has endeavored toplace herself in the shaft of lighting

isolated phrase:lighting/mov't rel observation empirical descriptive

5.2 and the two other dancers watchtwo dancers observe the third dancer'spath mov't: rel, focus observation empirical descriptive



5.3 helpless and exhaustedthe observing dancers arecharacterized as powerless and weary mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.4 as the other dancer exits.the dancer they are observing leavesthe performance area

mov't: rel, bodyaction, space observation empirical descriptive

P5 Partial 141

1.1A welcome respite fromHadley's piece

the next piece provided emotionalrelief

programorder/audience rel opinion affective descriptive

1.2a

was "Partial" choreographed by[third-year graduate student]Angie Hauser. title, choreographer info concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2b third year graduate studentinfo about the choreographer'sacademic standing

isolated phrase:choreographer bio personal knowledge factual descriptive

2.1

Deadpan expressionsaccompanied (a movementvocabulary)

dancers' faces conveyed a cultivatedhumorless attitude as they moved mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

2.2

a movement vocabularycomprised of quirkyasymmetrical leg lifts, wipinggestures, floor crawls, and feetslaps

the mov't included odd, off-center leggestures, crawling, and noisy footsmacks against the floor

mov't: body action,body parts, gestures,space observation empirical descriptive

2.3 that crashed loudly on the floor. the foot slaps were noisy mov't/sound rel hearing empirical descriptive

3.1 The dance was a witty exercisethe dance seemed a humorousendeavor mov't/ meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.2 in deconstruction —it was dissembling in its constructionand approach

choreographicstructure: part/wholerel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

3.3without each other they seemednot just parts, but broken parts,

the dancers seemed fragmented,fractured without each other mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.4a

and this is also [cleverly]conveyed within the changes ofmusic.

this fragmentation was echoed in themusic music/meaning rel hearing empirical descriptive

3.4b cleverlythe way in which this fragmentationwas picked up musically was skillful

isolated word:mov't/music rel. opinion qualitative evaluative



5.1The piece, which starts inunison,

as the dance begins, dancers performidentical mov't at the same time


5.2is danced at first to an excerptfrom Bach’s cello suites

at first, the music that accompaniesthe dance is a classical piece mov't/music rel

hearing; personalknowledge empirical descriptive

5.3but as the dancers begin toseparate

but then the performers break awayfrom each other mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

5.4and create more cacophony withtheir movement,

(they begin to dance in separate ways)*reference to the sound produced bythe moving bodies* mov't/sound rel hearing empirical descriptive

5.5

the sounds of someonesearching for the right radiostation come on.

the music is replaced by the soundsproduced by various radio stations music hearing empirical descriptive

6.1As the dancers come togetheragain the performers rejoin mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

6.2and resume some semblance oforder,

this seems to restore the previoussense of order mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.3 the music of Bach returns the previous music also resumes music hearing empirical descriptive

6.4

to comfort the humorous visualand aural dissonance weexperienced.

the return to the familiar mends a kindof upset incurred by the breakawaysection audience/music rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P6 Carpe Diem 174

1.1

Our need to beat the timeinstead of seize the day was thetheme explored

this dance deals with the humanrelationship to time mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

1.2in "Carpe Diem," a work bySusan Van Pelt. title of work; choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1The music of Philip Glass thataccompanied the piece composer mov't/music rel in program factual dsecriptive

2.2 complimented both sensibilities, the music dually supported this theme music/ meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive



2.3 its repetitious patternsthe minimalist style of the music isbased on repeated motifs music hearing empirical descriptive

2.4evoking a meditativecircularity;

the music lends itself to acontemplative state music/ meaning rel. opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.5aits quick beating pulse [urging]mov't onward.

its tempo and rhythm drive the dancesimilarly mov't/music rel. observation empirical descriptive

2.5b urging . . . onward

although music can't truly urge mov't,this language device is useful inconnoting the compelling nature ofthe music

isolated phrase:mov't/music rel opinion conceptual descriptive

3.1 A large ensemble cast of nine number of dancers is relatively high concert basics observation empirical descriptive

3.2 (a stitch in time saves nine?)

a proverb dealing with addressingthings as they come is inserted by wayof conjecture mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

3.3 dressed in white color costume observation empirical descriptive

3.4 swept the stage in fast-pacedreference to speed, expansiveness oftravel

mov't: body action,tempo; manner ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

3.5 duets and trios.the dancers performed in pairs andtriads


4.1 Van Pelt orchestrated bodiesthe choreographer carefully organizedthe mov't of the group

choreographer/performer rel observation empirical descriptive

4.2 to rush past our vision;the dancers moved extremely quickly,creating a visual blur mov't: time observation empirical descriptive

4.4a ceaseless play of entrancesand exits.

suggests a steady pattern of comingand going off stage

mov't: continuity,body actions, space observation empirical descriptive

5.1 The flux of mov't the continual changesmov't: shifts inaction, flow observation empirical descriptive

5.2also had moments where timeseemed partially suspended:

punctuations in the flow of mov'tcreated a sense of stillness

mov't: shifts inaction, time observation empirical descriptive

5.3 Eight dancers number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive5.4 as though frozen in time connotes stillness in time mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive



5.5held crouched positions on thefloor

the larger group remained still at alow level on stage

mov't: shape, level,stillness observation empirical descriptive

5.6 as one dancer turned in place, a soloist rotated around herselfmov't: body action,rel observation empirical descriptive

5.7performing a series of sharp,hasty mov'ts and shapes.

dancer performed many suddenmotions, creating brief forms in space

mov't: time, bodyactions, shape observation empirical descriptive

6.1Carpe Diem never really gaveus

the dance failed to deliver on certainexpectations audience/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

6.2those moments where the dancesuggests seizing the day,

the movement did not adequatelyfulfill the title concept mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.3instead the title serves as a pointof reference;

the title has a more indirect functionin the dance title/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.4 suggesting, in its opposition the title connotes by contrast mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.5 to the fast-paced mov'ts,the quick tempo is a contrastingelement mov't: time observation empirical descriptive

6.6how we otherwise allow theidea of time to seize us.

the dance indicates that we arecontrolled by time mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P7 Circle Walker 126

1.1

The final piece presented for theevening was "Circle Walker"choreographed by AlanBoeding in 1985.

program order; title, choreographerand year concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2Feet wide apart, arms graspingthe metal bars tightly, stance, function of arms on sculpture mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

1.3

Cappelletti resembled amodern-day version of DaVinci’s “Man.”

the dancer within the sculpture wasreminiscent of a famous work ofvisual art work/visual art rel association conceptual descriptive

2.1

Cappelletti maneuvered theelliptical structure from all itspoints;

the dancer moved a circular piece ofsculpture from many points performer/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

2.2inside, he moved his hands fromone bar to another

from the interior of the sculpture, hishands touched the metal bars, one at atime mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive



2.3 steering its path backwards,the motion of his arms caused thesculpture to travel backwards mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

2.4atop he leaned forward to createmomentum,

from above the sculpture, his leaningforward provided force mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

2.5from outside Cappelletti swungfrom his arms,

he also swayed from the sculpture onthe outside of it mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

2.6sending the Circle Walkersideways.

the swinging caused it to move to theside mov't/set rel. observation empirical descriptive

3.1Circle Walker provided ametaphor

the dance presents viewers with ananalogy mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.2for the relationship betweenman and machine:

the metaphorical reference deals withhumans and their inventions mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

3.3the tension and balance of theirco-existence.

in particular, it addresses the give andtake of this relationship mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.1

Indeed, machines could not beset into motion without humaninput,

continuing the metaphor: it requireshuman effort to make machines work mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive



4.2but once started we constantlyadjust,

but once human inventions areoperative, the adjustment shifts to us,the human makers/users mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.3

continuing to explore, gainmomentum and work within theparameters of advancement.

the makers keep investigating,accumulating power, (and workingwithin the limits of progress) *andworking within the constant tensionsinherent in the relationship betweenprogress and its limitations* mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

P8 Conclusion 31

1.1

The Consigliere Collectionpresented an eclectic assortmentof repertory

the concert included a wide variety ofexisting dances concert content opinion conceptual descriptive



1.2providing an opportunity for itsmembers

the concert allowed a certainexperience for those who participatedin it performer/concert rel opinion conceptual descriptive

1.3to sample the varied nature ofmodern dance

this opportunity consisted in thechance to experience the variety of theartform performer/concert rel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

1.4and the collective nature of alltheatrical productions.

as well as the collaboration inherent inperformance performer/concert rel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

n9Cappelletti Seizes the Stage in"Consigliere"

P1 Introduction.1 1.1 Jim Cappelletti artistic director identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2 made a controlled debut

this was Cappelletti's first directorialpresentation, and it was conductedunder certain constraints director/concert rel personal knowledge conceptual descriptive

1.3 of his role as Artistic Director identification of role concert basics in program factual descriptive



1.4

in the presentation of theConsigliere Collection, AnEvening of Repertory Dance, atthe Sullivant Theatre of theOhio State University. title, location of concert concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1

Cappelletti's presentation is inpartial fulfillment of the Masterof Fine Arts degree in thedepartment of dance

relationship of concert to academicsetting concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.2

yet comes across as the that of awell seasoned artist andadministrator.

in spite of Cappelletti's student status,his concert appeared remarkablyprofessional director/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

3.1If Cappelletti continues topresent

if the concert's director does morework along these lines director/concert rel opinion conceptual descriptive



3.2 evenings of this caliber,and produces work at such a highlevel director/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.3 his initiation into directorshipconcert is director's first attempt inthis artistic role directorial role personal knowledge factual descriptive

3.4 will be a swift success.Capelletti's career as director lookspromising

directorialachievement opinion qualitative evaluative

P2 Introduction.2

1.1The evening is a collection ofworks,

the concert is composed of a varietyof dances concert content in program factual descriptive

1.2 a repertory,clarifies that this type of a concert isknown as a "repertory" concert concert type domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

1.3 from a range of choreographersmany choreographers havecontributed works to this concert concert collaborators in program factual descriptive

1.4positioned at various levels intheir professional careers.

varying degrees of choreographicexperience are represented concert collaborators domain knowledge factual descriptive

2.1 Cappelletti chose a programthe artistic director assembled thepieces to be performed directorial role personal knowledge factual descriptive

2.2 of proven crowd pleasershe isolated dances which were knownto be successful audience/concert rel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive



2.3which he has either appeared inhimself

he had performed in some thesedances previously director/concert rel personal knowledge factual descriptive

2.4or has previously staged forother programs.

or had directed them prior to thisconcert director/concert rel personal knowledge factual descriptive

3.1

The works draw from the cacheof fellow graduate students,Ohio State faculty

dances were isolated from specificsources, including Cappelletti'sclassmates and faculty from hiseducational institution concert content personal knowledge factual descriptive

3.2and internationally renownedchoreographers.

others were made by well-knownprofessional choreographers concert content domain knowledge factual descriptive



4.1The opening is a short videopresentation

the concert begins with a videocomponent video/concert rel observation empirical descriptive

4.2of each choreographer's processin creating their unique works.

the video provides a glimpse of eachchoreographer's approach in makingthese dances video observation; hearing conceptual descriptive

5.1Scenes of dancers in variousstudios

the video includes images of thedancers in various studios video observation empirical descriptive

5.2a learning dance [phrases]they are depicted while learning themov't material video observation empirical descriptive

5.2b phrasesan "inside" term, referring to shortsections of mov't

isolated word:choreographicstructure domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

5.3

is overlaid with the personalcommentary of thechoreographers,

at the same time, the video featuresthe voices of the choreographers video hearing empirical descriptive

5.4Cappelletti's views on the workhe is staging

it also features comments of theempirical director video hearing empirical descriptive

5.5

and a brief plug for Ohio State'sdance department by chairKaren Bell.

finally, it features a positive statementabout the hosting dance department bya main administrator video hearing empirical descriptive

6.1

Prior to the live appearance ofeach of the six works on theprogram,

before each dance is performed onstage, concert structure observation empirical descriptive

6.2

short video pieces show theprocess of each piece in variousstages of completion

there is brief video footagedocumenting various phases of itspreparation concert structure observation empirical descriptive

6.3

and display the work's title,choreographer and cast ofdancers

each clip provides the usualidentification info for the dance whichfollows video observation empirical descriptive

6.4as the lighting and music takeover in real time.

the video then yields to the liveperformance just featured video/concert rel observation empirical descriptive



7.1

The effect is a high techdeparture from readingeverything in a program

the use of video technology offers analternative to information usuallyfound only in the program video/concert rel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

7.2 and is effectively engaging.the use of video in this way is foundto be very satisfying audience/concert rel opinion affective evaluative

P3 Ciona 1.1a The [strong] opener, "Ciona," title of first dance concert basics observation factual descriptive

1.1b strongCiona is viewed as an effectiveopening for the concert

isolated word:viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

1.2a staple of the Piloboluscompany,

this dance is regularly performed bythe Pilobolus company history of work domain knowledge factual contextualization

1.3 was obviously a crowd pleaser.apparently, concert viewers showedtheir appreciation of this work audience/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

2.1 Visually stunning this dance is amazing to behold viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

2.2 and athletically challenging, it is also physically demandingmov't: style, degreeof difficulty opinion empirical descriptive

2.3the piece is both spectacle andhigh art.

the dance entertains but meets formalart criteria at the same time audience/work rel opinion conceptual descriptive

3.1 The six dancers number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

3.2 are demanded to engagethe dance makes claims on thedancers performer/work rel observation conceptual description

3.3 in twelve minutes length of piece concert basics personal knowledge factual description



3.4a of [precarious] poses pauses in the action occur mov't: shapes observation empirical description

3.4b precariousthese positions are difficult tomaintain

isolated word: mov't:degree of risk observation qualitative description

3.5 and acrobatic dance phrases the mov't is strenuous mov't: style association empirical description



3.6 as they continually morphthe shapes created by the dancersconstantly evolve into new shapes mov't: shapes observation empirical description

3.7 into new geometric situationsdancers often evolve into spatialarrangements which are geometric mov't: shapes observation empirical description

3.8aand micro-cellular lookingpatterns.

at other times, the spatialarrangements have a more organic"look" mov't: shape observation empirical description

3.8band micro-cellular lookingpatterns.

the terminolgy describing thesespatial arrangements also hints at ameaning for the movement choices


4.1The dedication to reliance uponevery individual in the group

the dance required close cooperationamong its individual performers

performer/ ensemblerel observation empirical description

4.2 was the most impressivethis committment within the groupwas striking viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluation

4.3

as each dancer played a role ofmajor structural importancethroughout the piece.

a strong feature of the piece was theintegral participation of each dancer performer/work rel observation empirical description

5.1 These six performers number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

5.2came across as a closely tiedcompany

the indivduals in the ensemble seemedto have established a communalrelationship

performer/ensemblerel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.3 as they displayed trustthey exhibited a high degree ofconfidence in each other

performer/ensemblerel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.4 in the support of each otherweight-sharing maneuvers werecharacteristic of this piece

performer/ensemblerel observation empirical descriptive

5.5rarely accomplished on thedance stage.

(such close cooperation is un-common in dance performance) *thegroup achievement of such anacrobatically physical aesthetic iswhat is rare* performer/work rel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

P4 Plum Tarts 1.1 Allison Tipton's "Plum Tarts" title, choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive



1.2may or may not have been wellplaced on the program.

the placement of this particular pieceamong the five other works on theprogram is considered program order opinion conceptual evaluative

2.1 Following "Ciona"this dance came immediately after"Ciona" program order observation empirical descriptive

2.2 did little to supportit was unwise to place this piece aftersuch a strong one program order opinion conceptual evaluative

2.3this weakest piece on theprogram.

this was the least successful dance ofthe evening concert structure opinion qualitative evaluative

3.1Tipton describes the dance as"sexy"

the choreographer thinks of the workas highlighting the sexual nature ofthe performers

statement:choreographer in video hermeneutical interpretive

3.2 and speaks, on video,an interview with the choreographerappears on the video clip video in video empirical descriptive

3.3as if it has a certainsophistication.

the choreographer suggests that thework is very refined mov't/meaning rel in video hermeneutical interpretive

4.1aDanced [well] by the cast of allwomen,

this piece was comprised exclusivelyof women concert basics observation empirical descriptive

4.1b wellthe dancers gave a successfulperformance

isolated word: mov't:manner ofperformance opinion qualitative evaluative

4.2Plum Tarts was lacking indevelopment

the piece did not sufficiently progressin any particular direction

choreographicstructure:development opinion conceptual evaluative

4.3and came across more as ahodgepodge

its presentation seemed ratherunorganized

choreographicstructure:development opinion qualitative evaluative

4.4of stereotypical femininemovement

(it dealt with typically female ways ofmoving) * the mov't choices hereserved to reduce the concept of"female" too narrowly mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.5 in a tango.the musical form and structure of thedance was a tango mov't: genre hearing; observation empirical descriptive



5.1 The hip swinging,the pelvis moved actively from side toside

mov't: body part andaction observation empirical descriptive

5.2presentational attitude of theperformers

the dancers had a direct and showyrelationship with the viewers


5.3 was trite and empty it was superficial; hollow mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical evaluative5.4 leaving a shell of a piece the dance was skeletal, unfulfilled viewer/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

5.5

more worthy of anundergraduate level dancerecital.

this piece seemed sophomoric; andout of place in the concert viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

P5 Passing

1.1a

The [emotionally charged]"Passing," by Susan Hadleycame next title, choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.1b emotionally charged this piece (is full of) *elicits* feelingisolated phrase:mov't/meaning rel opinion affective interpretive

1.2

and pushed the quality of theprogram back to the upperechelons.

this piece restored the concert to thelevel of excellence with which itbegan viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

2aThe piece [effectively] pulled atthe emotions which emerge

the dance explored (a specific rangeof feelings) *the feelings associatedwith a particular human experience* mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2 b effectivelythe attempt to elicit a specificemotional response was successful

isolated word:mov't/meaning rel opinion qualitative evaluative



2.2when dealing with the death ofsomeone close.

the dance explores feelings on the lossof a loved one mov't/meaning rel in video hermeneutical interpretive

3.1Somehow Hadley was able todevelop a piece

it is (surprising) *amazing* that thechoreographer could accomplish sucha piece

choreographer/ workrel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.2 with a universal themethe dance addresses a common humanexperience mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



3.3using movement over emotionaldisplay.

the dance relies on mov't rather thanobvious expressive methods mov't/ meaning rel observation conceptual descriptive

4.1Dancing Kubler-Ross' stages ofcoping with death,

the dance explores the range of classicresponses to death, *as articulated byElizabeth Kubler-Ross* mov't/ meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.2 the trio there are three performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

4.3aperformed a [consistently]heart-clenching scenario

the dancers portrayed an emotionallycompelling situation mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.3b consistentlythey were successful in sustaining theemotional level of the piece

isolated word:perofrmer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

4.4of this inevitable humanexperience.

the dance deals with a universallyapplicable subject mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P6 Partial

1.1A departure from conventioncame The next piece broke with tradition concert content domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

1.2with the opening of the secondhalf of the performance

the concert is divided into two parts,and the writing will now address thesecond concert structure observation empirical descriptive

1.3 with Angie Hauser's "Partial." choreographer, title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive2.1 This work is about movement the dance deals with mov't itself mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.2in spliced disassociation withinitself.

it is concerned with the characteristicof discontinuous mov't mov't/meaning rel observation conceptual descriptive

3.1 Another trio,like the previous piece, there are threedancers in this work


3.2 Hauser, Cappelletti and Jacobs identification of performers concert basics in program factual descriptive

3.3are the original dancers of thiswork,

the dance has been performed before,and these are the people who firstperformed it performer/work rel in video factual descriptive

3.4

which has appeared at theAmerican College DanceFestival

the dance has been presented at aprestigious college event away fromOSU history of work personal knowledge factual contextualization



3.5and on other Ohio StateUniversity programs.

it has also been done at OSU onanother occasion history of work personal knowledge factual descriptive

4.1 The dancers stray from unisonthe dancers start out together and thenveer off into individual mov't mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

4.2into an intricately coordinatedjump in and out of duets

they move into a carefully organizedpattern of air work, which creates andthen disrupts paired partners

mov't: rel,choreographicstructure observation empirical descriptive

4.3while one individual isconstantly solo at some point

as each pair forms, one dancer is leftalone

choreographicstructure: form, rel observation empirical descriptive

4.4 and back to trio unison.the dancers then return to three-wayunison mov't


5.1As unexpectedly as the changein movement itself, there is a surprising shift in mov't

mov't:unpredictability observation conceptual descriptive

5.2

the music becomes attempts atfinding just that right song on aradio dial.

the sound which accompanies thispiece seems to be provided by thetuning function of a radio music opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.1Frequency static, operatic arias,and pop music fade in and out

a wide variety of music genres isheard and then replaced music hearing empirical descriptive

6.2while the dancers maintain aneven flow of movement

at the same time, the dancers continuewithout interruption or change mov't: flow observation empirical descriptive

6.3only sporadically interrupted inthe minutest of ways

occasionally, the dancers' steadymov't is minimally punctuated mov't: flow observation empirical descriptive

6.4with musical interpretation ofmovement.

there are fleeting moments ofcomplementarity btwn sound andmov't mov't/music rel observation; hearing empirical descriptive

7.1

A sense of developmentbecomes evident at the end ofthe piece

as the piece concludes, a progressionbecomes obvious

choreographicstructure:development observation conceptual descriptive

7.2by means of a return to theoriginal music, the opening music returns music hearing empirical descriptive

7.3placement on stage at the polaropposite site to the beginning spatial design of opening is reversed mov't: space observation empirical descriptive



7.4 and a similarity in movement.the closing mov't is similar to theopening mov't mov't: repetition observation empirical descriptive

P7 Carpe Diem 1.1 Continuing on the positive vein, keeping the focus on the affirmative viewer/work rel opinion empirical evaluative1.2 Susan Van Pelt's "Carpe Diem" choreographer, title concert basics in program factual descriptive1.3a is an [uplifting] winner. this piece is very successful audience/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

1.3b uplifting the piece is upbeat, cheeryisolated word:audience/work rel opinion affective interpretive

2.1 A large cast of ten,the number of performers is relativelyhigh concert basics observation empirical descriptive

2.2 in white, color costume observation empirical descriptive2.3 on a white lit stage color lighting observation empirical descriptive

2.4ato an [ethereal] score by PhilipGlass composer music in program empirical descriptive

2.4b ethereal the music has a heavenly soundisolated word:music/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



2.5

boasts striving to live in thelight, to do good work and to bepure joy.

the piece suggests goodness, integrity,diligence and joy mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.1 A continuous rush of dancersthere is (constant, quick) *sweeping,surging* mov't of performers

mov't: time, mannerof performance observation empirical descriptive

3.2 in groups and as soloistsperformers are featured alone and invarious groupings


3.3a is a [good] match to a scorethe mov't and music coexist in thework movt/music rel hearing;observation conceptual descriptive

3.3b good the mov't complements the musicisolated word:movt/music rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.4 of bombarding repetition.there is relentless repetition in themusic music hearing empirical descriptive



4.1The dancers appear to be caughtin short bouts of personal strife

the performers seem to experiencebrief periods of personal distress mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.2 but always break free

however, the dancers continuallymanage to find release from theseconcerns mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.3 to unrestrained celebration.they make their way back to a blissfulstate mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.4The message truly is "seize theday" it might be your last.

the dance suggests that the time forjoy is the present; nothing else can becounted upon mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P8 Circle Walker

1.1The Momix/Alan Boedingcollaboration

identifies two artists who have workedtogether to produce the next work concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2 is a daring and imaginativethe next piece is a bold and ingeniouswork viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

1.3 Circle Walker. title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

2a

A very wise choice [as aprogram closer] for severalreasons.

there are various reasons why thispiece works well at this point in theconcert concert content opinion conceptual evaluative

2b as a program closer this piece ends the show program order observation empirical descriptive

3.1The work is visuallycaptivating, this dance has strong eye appeal viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.2 just as "Ciona" was at the start,in visual appeal, the closing pieceechoes the opener concert structure opinion qualitative evaluative

3.3athe music [and lighting] have adark finality to them the tonal component is ominous music opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.3b and lightingthe darkened stage also suggestsclosure

isolated word:lighting opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.4and Cappelletti himselfperforms the solo. the artistic director is the performer directorial role in program factual descriptive

4.1This work is a "Cirque DuSolei"-like interface

compares piece to the work of acontemporary dance/circus company

choreographiccomparison domain knowledge conceptual contextualization



4.2with a large spherical sculptureon the stage. a round sculpture is part of the piece set observation empirical descriptive

5.1

The prop itself (the "circle")looks and acts much like agyroscope

the sculpture is similar in form andfunction to a gyroscope set observation empirical descriptive

5.2as its precision engineeringallows it the sculpture is carefully constructed set observation empirical descriptive

5.3 to come alivethe sculpture seems to be a "living"part of the dance set/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

5.4rotating and traveling within thearena of the stage.

the sculpture can move in variousways on the stage set observation empirical descriptive

5.5Cappelletti defies rationalmovement possibilities on stage

Cappelletti overcomes traditionalmov't limitations

mov't: degree ofchallenge opinion conceptual evaluative

5.6as he becomes melded with thesculpture in various holds.

by grasping the sculpture in variousways, he seems to become fullyintegrated with it performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

7.1The sculpture becomes anominous presence

the sculpture takes on a formidablerole set opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7.2a which [unforgivingly] turns

(it turns with great momentum) * itsmotions have their ownconsequences* set observation empirical descriptive

7.2b unforgivingly

another connotation of the sculptureas "live" partner: it can be forgiving ornot isolated word: set association hermeneutical interpretive

7.3

and positions its rider inmoments of direct near-misseswith the stage surface

the sculpture's rotations can put theattached dancer in risky situations performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

7.4and once rolling does seemunstoppable.

the momentum of the sculpture inmotion is obviously powerful set observation empirical descriptive

8.1 The always-in-control,dancer appears to be completely incharge of sculpture performer/set rel observation qualitative descriptive

8.2almost too machismoCappelletti

dancer characterized as hyper-masculine, in the stereotypical sense mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



5.5Cappelletti defies rationalmovement possibilities on stage

Cappelletti overcomes traditionalmov't limitations

mov't: degree ofchallenge opinion conceptual evaluative

5.6as he becomes melded with thesculpture in various holds.

by grasping the sculpture in variousways, he seems to become fullyintegrated with it performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

7.1The sculpture becomes anominous presence

the sculpture takes on a formidablerole set opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7.2a which [unforgivingly] turns

(it turns with great momentum) * itsmotions have their ownconsequences* set observation empirical descriptive

7.2b unforgivingly

another connotation of the sculptureas "live" partner: it can be forgiving ornot isolated word: set association hermeneutical interpretive

7.3

and positions its rider inmoments of direct near-misseswith the stage surface

the sculpture's rotations can put theattached dancer in risky situations performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

7.4and once rolling does seemunstoppable.

the momentum of the sculpture inmotion is obviously powerful set observation empirical descriptive

8.1 The always-in-control,dancer appears to be completely incharge of sculpture performer/set rel observation qualitative descriptive

8.2almost too machismoCappelletti

dancer characterized as hyper-masculine, in the stereotypical sense mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

8.3 masters his steel opponentthe sculpture is now cast as anadversary, and the dancer as victor performer/set rel association hermeneutical interpretive

8.4only to be [encased forever]within it in the final tableau.

the piece ends with dancer inside ofsculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

8.5 encased foreverconnotes that the dancer ends up"imprisoned" within the sculpture

isolated phrase:performer/set rel association hermeneutical interpretive

8.3 masters his steel opponentthe sculpture is now cast as anadversary, and the dancer as victor performer/set rel association hermeneutical interpretive

8.4only to be [encased forever]within it in the final tableau.

the piece ends with dancer inside ofsculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive



8.5 encased foreverconnotes that the dancer ends up"imprisoned" within the sculpture


P9 Conclusion

1Cappelletti accomplished hisgoal.

the artistic director achieved what heset out to do in this concert director/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

2.1aA [well thought-out]conglomeration of varied works

the concert was assembled fromvarious components concert content observation conceptual descriptive

2.1b well thought-outthe concert components were selectedwith care and intelligence

isolated phrase:concert content opinion qualitative evaluative

2.2 with something for everyone.he incorporated dances with appealfor a diverse audience

audience/ concertrel opinion conceptual descriptive

3.1The concert appeared wellrehearsed,

the dancers seemed well-prepared forthe performance performer/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

3.2

production elements by astudent crew under thesupervision of associateprofessor David Covey

students worked under a facultyadvisor to handle the productiondetails production elements in program factual descriptive

3.3 were flawless,these production elements wereperfectly executed viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.4and the audience left speakingvery highly of the performance.

apparently positive comments fromthe viewers were heard after the show audience/concert rel hearing factual descriptive

4.1

Cappelletti understands theimportance of his audience'saffinities

the director seems to have a sense ofwhat the audience wants audience/director rel opinion conceptual evaluative

4.2 without compromise of artistry.he delivers audience-pleasing workwithout diluting artistic quality audience/dance rel opinion conceptual evaluative

5

I highly recommend seeing thework of this up and comingforce in the dance world.

this director will have a successfulcareer and his work should be seen viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative



n10 untitled 1077 P1 Introduction.1 121

1

Modern dance in the US hasbeen primarily a movementdriven by the idiosyncraticvision of choreographers.

the dance theater form underdiscussion has evolved due to theunique contributions of itschoreographers dance history domain knowledge conceptual contextualization

2.1 A family tree has sprouted a kind of genealogy has developed dance history domain knowledge conceptual contextualization

2.2

from the rejection or extensionof the work of a previousgeneration.

reactions to existing work haveprompted this growth dance history domain knowledge conceptual contextualization

3.1a

As a result, [audiences havemost often enjoyed (endured?)]full evenings of choreographyby one person:

consequently, viewers normallyexperience a concert of dancescomposed by a single dance-maker dance history domain knowledge conceptual contextualization

3.1b[audiences have most oftenenjoyed (endured?)]

the audience reaction to such anapproach would be either pleasure orforbearance

isolated phrase:audience/dance rel opinion qualitative contextualization

3.2evenings of a single movementstyle or choreographic vision.

the evening would be dominated byone style or one choreographer dance history domain knowledge conceptual contextualization

4.1If you like the aesthetic, thengreat;

if viewers favor the artistic sensibilityof the featured choreographer, theywill be pleased audience/dance rel domain knowledge conceptual theorizing

4.2 if not, well then you're stuck.conversely, viewers will be unhappyif they do not enjoy the featured artist audience/dance rel opinion conceptual theorizing

5.1

Wouldn't it be great if youcould spend an evening at thetheatre

speculates about the desirability of acertain kind of theatrical danceexperience audience/dance rel opinion conceptual descriptive

5.2seeing a variety of differentdances,

an experience which would present aspectrum of dances audience/dance rel observation empirical descriptive



5.3some by choreographers withwhom you are familiar,

some dances would have been madeby familiar artists audience/dance rel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

5.4 others that are new to you? other works would be unfamiliar audience/dance rel domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

6.1You might not like everythingyou see,

in such a scenario, certain worksmight not appeal to you audience/dance rel opinion conceptual evaluative

6.2but chances are you will enjoyor appreciate something.

but most likely you would findsomething enjoyable among theofferings audience/dance rel opinion conceptual evaluative


1.1 With just these ideas in mindrefererence to the type of concertdescribed above director/concert rel

(personalassumption) *andconversation withdircetor* conceptual descriptive

1.2 Jim Cappelletti artistic director identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.3has put together a repertorycompany

the ensemble he has assembled iscalled a repertory company director/concert rel domain knowledge factual descriptive

1.4 and presented a concertCappelletti has assembled aperformance with this ensemble directorial role in program factual descriptive

1.5which spans nearly twenty-fiveyears of modern dancemaking.

the concert works were made atvarious points in the last quarter of acentury concert content in program factual descriptive

2.1

In partial fulfillment of hisMFA at the Ohio StateUniversity,

Cappelletti is producing the concert asan academic project; the degreesought is named director bio in program factual descriptive

2.2

and culling performers from theranks of graduate andundergraduate students in theDance Department,

the director has chosen the performersfrom the pool of students in hisimmediate academic situation cast selection perosnal knowledge factual descriptive



2.3

Mr. Cappelletti's "TheConsigliere Collection"surpassed expectations on anumber of levels.

this concert was even more successfulthan expected, and in many ways. viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.1Excellent campus-widepublicity

the concert was well-promotedthroughout the university community publicity public knowledge factual evaluative

3.2

ensured that the first two nightssaw willing customers turnedaway at the door.

the success of publicity effortsresulted in potential viewers beingclosed out

publicity/audiencerel personal knowledge factual descriptive

4.1a

Moreover, the productionvalues [on the evening I saw theshow] were extremely high.

in addition, the concert was quitewell-produced production elements opinion qualitative evaluative

4.1b on the evening I saw the showindication that the show ran for longerthan one night

isolated phrase:viewer/concert rel personal knowledge factual descriptive

4.2This was far from a studentconcert in look and feel.

the show surpassed normalexpectations for student work viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative


1.1With a mind to reaching thenovice dance audience,

director's goal was to appeal to newand infrequent dance viewers director/concert rel

(domain knowledge)*and conversationwith choreographer* conceptual interpretive

1.2Cappelletti chose to kick offwith

thr director made decisions about theconcert order program order domain knowledge factual descriptive

1.3a short black and whitedocumentary

the concert began with an informativevideo program order observation factual descriptive

1.4contextualizing the evening'sproceedings.

the video provided backgroundinformation related to the concert video/concert rel in video factual descriptive

2.1As well as enlightening theuninitiated,

the video provided informationhelpful to new viewers audience/video rel opinion hermeneutical descriptive



2.2 the film displayed humour it contained some amusing footage audience/video rel

(personal response)*and observation ofaudience response* hermeneutical interpretive

2.3and a genuine will on the part ofthose interviewed

it also reflected a generosity of spiritamong the artists it featured

performer/audiencerel opinion conceptual descriptive

2.4to share their enthusiasm fordance with the audience.

these artists manifested an eagernessto communicate their excitementabout dance with their viewers

performer/ audiencerel opinion conceptual descriptive


1.1The choreography presentedwas certainly varied,

the concert included dances of diversekinds concert content observation empirical descriptive

1.2in line with the artistic director'sintentions.

this diversity was Cappelletti's aim inproducing the concert director/concert rel personal knowledge conceptual evaluative

2.1 We were shown flippant trifles,the range of dances presentedincluded light, insignificant works mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical evaluative

2.2 solemn evocationsstirring, serious works were alsoincluded mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.3 and explorationssome works were investigatory innature concert content opinion conceptual descriptive

2.4 in form and movement.these investigations focused on theformal properties of dance concert content observation conceptual descriptive

3.1 Between each pieceaddresses the breaks betweenindividual dances concert structure observation empirical descriptive

3.2more black and white footagerolled these breaks were filled with video video observation empirical descriptive

3.3 in order to whet our appetitesthe video is designed to arouseinterest in the dance it precedes audience/video rel opinion affective interpretive

3.4and to explain thechoreographer's intent.

it is also used to elaborate theintentions of the dance makers audience/video rel in video conceptual descriptive



4.1This provided a safety net forany audience member

the video information created self-confidence via knowledge in theviewers audience/video rel opinion conceptual interpretive

4.2who might normally worryabout what it 'means',

viewers sometimes become anxiousabout their abilities to understand themeaning of a dance audience/video rel domain knowledge hermeneutical interpretive

4.3 or think they might not 'get it',

sometimes they worry that they arenot discerning the intended outcomeof a dance audience/video rel domain knowledge hermeneutical interpretive

4.4

but it also circumscribed theindividual's engagement withthe work.

this information, however, had atendency to preclude individualengagement audience/video rel opinion conceptual evaluative

5.1

How can I respond to the dancequestions viewer ability to reactfreely to a work audience/dancerel domain knowledgeconceptual evaluative5.2 when I have already beentold what it means?

when that work has been explained inadvance audience/video rel domain knowledge hermeneutical interpretive

5.3I don't know the answer to thatquestion,

writer can't find a satisfactoryresponse to this question viewer/concert rel personal knowledge conceptual interpretive

5.4 but I was certainly pleasedwriter enjoys considering the issuesraised by this concert viewer/concert rel opinion affective evaluative

5.5to be forced into entering thedebate.

writer enjoys considering the issuesraised by this concert viewer/concert rel opinion conceptual descriptive


6.1Of course, all thiscontextualizing reference to previous writing writing agenda

review of writingagenda conceptual descriptive



6.2is futile without the dancesthemselves. the dance works must be privileged writing agenda opinion conceptual descriptive

P6 Ciona 102

1.1The programme opened andclosed

reference to the beginning and endingof the concert concert structure observation empirical descriptive

1.2

with works more overtlyconcerned with pure movementthan expression.

these dances featured motion itselfrather than motion as a vehicle formeaning concert content opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.1 Ciona dates from 1973 title, date of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.2when it was createdcollaboratively

the work was made by several artistsworking together

choreographer/ workrel domain knowledge factual descriptive

2.3a [by the company] Pilobolus. identification of choreographer/s concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.3b by the companythe name "Pilobolus" refers to a dancecompany concert basics domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

3aThis was [acrobatic] Star Trekon stage.

the work is compared to a popular sci-fi tv show mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

3b acrobatic

connotes a very gymnastic style ofmovement, featuring strength,flexibility and daring

isolated word: mov'tstyle association conceptual descriptive

4.1 In shiny silver unitardsthe dancers wore body-hugging, one-piece costumes in bright silver costume observation empirical descriptive

4.2 the six dancers number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

4.3 balanced and cantilevered,

the movement had an architecturalsensibility, conveying rocking andstability under precariouscircumstances

mov't: rel, bodyactions observation empirical descriptive

4.4 rippled and span,there was stretching and sequentialmovement mov't: body actions observation empirical descriptive

4.5braced, frog-squatted andjogged

there was also a child-like sensibility:dancers steadied themselves, loweredinto leap-frog positions, and ranaround in an athletic manner mov't: body actions observation empirical descriptive



4.6in clearly defined spatialarrangements

they moved in precise directions andshapes mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

4.7 to a collection of sound effectsthe movement was juxtaposed with anassortment of sounds mov't/sound rel rel hearing empirical descriptive

4.8aand futuristic [gloopy spangle]music. the sounds evoked a sci-fi ambience sound/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.8b gloopythere is an elastic, *childlike* qualityin the mov't/sound rel

isolated word:mov't/sound rel association conceptual descriptive

4.8c spangle

*references a bright, glittery visualsense associated with the mov't/soundrel*

isolated word:mov't/sound rel rel association conceptual descriptive

5.1 I laughed quietly, the piece was somewhat amusing viewer/work rel self- awareness affective descriptive

5.2 unsure of the humour. the cause for humor was ambiguous viewer/work rel self- awareness hermeneutical interpretive

6.1 More certain am I what was more clear, however. . . viewer/work rel self- awareness reflexive interpretive

6.2that this piece placed greatdemands on the performers

. . . was that this dance was physicallyvery challenging performer/work rel opinion conceptual descriptive

6.3and, aside from a couple ofshaky moments,

even so, there were only fleetingpetrformance difficulties performer/work rel observation empirical evaluative

6.4 it was very well executed. in general, performance was excellent performer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluativeP7 Circle Walker.1 218

1.1 The closing workthe last dance of the concert will bediscussed concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2 was a solo for Cappelletti,the final piece is for one person, whohappens to be the artistic director

choreographicstructure: form observation conceptual descriptive

1.3although he spoke of it in theintroduction

however, Cappelletti referred to itdifferently performer/work rel in video factual descriptive

1.4 as a duet he referred to it as a dance for twochoreographicstructure: form hearing conceptual descriptive



1.5 with the large circular sculpture

the scuplture was his partner,therefore the dance was a kind of"duet" performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

1.6 after which the dance is named.the title of the dance matches the titleof the sculpture title/set rel in video factual descriptive

2.1 Circle Walker title of dance (and sculpture) concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.2 shifts from primal to industrial,

the dance varies from suggesting asense of primitive existence to onewhich is more machine-oriented mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.3 expressive to abstract,

the work varies from an emotivesensibility to a concern with formalproperties mov't: style opinion conceptual descriptive

2.4 insouciantit sometimes manifests a carefree,casual sensibility mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.5 to precarious. and at other times riskymov't: element ofrisk observation qualitative descriptive

3.1 Centre stage, legs spreadlocation of performer, parts andpositions identified

mov't: body parts,action, space observation empirical descriptive

3.3 astride the sculpturethe dancer's legs are situated upon thesculpture, to either side performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

3.4 held firm with wide-armed grip,

the body maintains this positionthrough the support of outstretchedarms, which grasp the sculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

3.5the dancer is revealed as thelights come up

the performer comes into spectator'sview with the gradual introduction oflight on stage

lighting/performerrel observation empirical descriptive

3.6- daVinci's Man in threedimensions.

reference to a renowned visual workof art by Leonardo Da Vinci

work/visual artreference association conceptual descriptive

4.1 The percussive music throbsthe music has a rhythmic, pulsatingquality music hearing empirical descriptive



4.2a and the dancer [quivers].

(the firmness of the dancer's stancegives way to a vibrating motion)*brought on by the tension of hisgripping motion* mov't: gesture observation empirical descriptive

4.2b quivers

in addition to vibration, this wordsuggests an affective component —fear, awe, effort, etc.

isolated word: mov't:gesture association hermeneutical interpretive

5.1 The head turns sharply: body part, action and temporal quality

mov't: body part,gesture, manner ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

5.2 Man is caged but also hunted.

within the sculpture, the dancer(suggests both predator and prey) *isboth trapped and free* mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.1 His weight shifts the dancer transfers his weight mov't: body action observation empirical descriptive

6.2 and the circle walker rocks.his weight transfer causes thesculpture to move back and forth performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

7.1 We know that soon there is a sense of anticipation audience/work rel opinion conceptual descriptive

7.2aMan and machine will move asone

the performer is expected to movetogether with the sculpture performer/set rel opinion empirical descriptive

7.2b Man and machine

the use of the capital "M" for man and"machine" for sculpture connotes aninterpretive as well as a physicalmeaning


7.3 and are caught in anticipation.the sense of expectation creates acompelling experience for viewers audience/work rel self awareness affective descriptive

8.1aAs the dance progresses we are[treated] to a display

soon, the spectators are presented witha showing audience/work rel observation empirical descriptive

8.1b treatedthere is a positive sense of receptionin this word choice


8.2a of [precarious] poetry the dance is evocative and eloquent mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



8.2b precarious the movement is daring, riskyisolated word: mov'trisk observation qualitative descriptive

8.3

as Cappelletti threads andswings over and through therolling apparatus.

he weaves and sways within andaround the now moving sculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

9.1 Lofty moments of suspensionthere are moments when the dancerseems almost airborne performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

9.2 contrast with deep inversions.at other moments, the dancer turnsupside down performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

10.1aMonkey agility registers in mymind

the dancer's movements at timesconjure the image of a monkey mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

10.1bMonkey agility registers in mymind

refers to the nimble movement of thedancer (swinging through the bars ofthe sculpture)

isolated phrase:mov't: flexibility observation empirical descriptive

10.2only to be replaced fractionallylater

this connotation is quickly supplanted(by another) mov't/meaning rel observation empirical descriptive

10.3by thoughts of weightlessastronauts.

other motions are gravity-defying, asin space: the writer therefore*contrasts "techno-primal" qualities ofthe work* mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

11.1Just as I'm thinking conjoinedtwins,

at yet another moment, thedancer/sculpture combinationsuggests "Siamese" twins mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

11.2a the duo separate -suddenly, the dancer releases thesculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

11.2b the duo separate —

this choice of words recalls the senseof sculpture and dancer as "partners"or (cf. 11.1) sharers of one body


11.3 dancer tosses the circle walker the performer casts off the sculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

11.4from downstage right to farupstage left.

the spatial path of the sculpture isdelineated performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

12.1 With rapidity there is a sense of speed . . . mov't/set rel observation empirical descriptive



12.2 it rocks its way across the stage

. . . as the sculpture travels backacross the stage through a rockingmotion mov't/set rel observation empirical descriptive

12.3a but Man is already there the performer awaits this motion performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

12.3b but Man is already there

the archetypal use of "Man" againadds meaning to this action: thedancer's anticipation of the sculptureimplying mastery


12.4a to catch it [nonchalantly] performer clasps the sculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

12.4b nonchalantlythis is accomplished casually, withease


12.5 with one hand.the accomplishment occurs with onehand mov't: rel, body part observation empirical descriptive

13.1The dance dwindles with thelight

the piece comes to an end as the lightfades lighting/mov't rel observation empirical descriptive

13.2leaving the male figure andapparatus the dancer and the sculpture remain performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

13.3a once again enmeshed.the closing image connotesinseparability performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

13.3b enmeshed

in addition to describing a physicalreality, enmeshment connotessymbiosis


P8 Circle Walker.2 33

1.1aCappelletti made an [astute]programming decision

reference to the director's choice inordering the dances director/concert rel observation conceptual descriptive

1.1b astute his decisions are viewed as savvyisolated word:director/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

1.2 to end with this work.he closed the show with"Circlewalker" program order observation empirical descriptive



2.1 The sheer virtuosity of the piece

it required an extremely high level oftechnical achievement on the part ofthe dancer

mov't: degree ofdifficulty opinion qualitative evaluative

2.2 guaranteed a positive reception.this level of virtuosity typicallypleases an audience audience/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

3.1 Indeed, on Saturdayspecifies a particular night of theshow (the closing night) concert basics observation factual descriptive

3.2athe audience awarded a [lavish]standing ovation.

the spectators rose to their feet as thiswork brought the concert to an end audience/concert rel observation; hearing empirical descriptive

3.2b lavishthis display of approval is viewed as(ostentatious) *perhaps excessive*

isolated word:audience/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

P8Plum Tarts, Carpe Diem,Passing 40

1.1 Plum Tarts by Alison Tipton, title and choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive1.2 Susan Van Pelt's "Carpe Diem" title and choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.3and "Passing" by OSU facultymember Susan Hadley title, choreographer and affiliation concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.4contained more overtlyexpressive subject matter

this group of dances dealt with moreliteral or obviously communicativecontent concert content opinion hermeneutical interpretive

1.5 and our interpretationthe viewers' understanding of theseworks audience/concert rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

1.6 (I use the singular advisedly)

writer acknowledges grammaticalchoice as intentional (a critique of thevideo element) viewer/concert rel opinion hermeneutical evaluative

P8 was largely dictatedthe meaning of the dance was foistedupon the viewer audience/concert rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

1.8 by the preceding film clips.

the video footage explained themeaning before the viewerexperienced the dance video/concert rel in video empirical descriptive



P9 Partial 176

1.1 By way of contrastintroduces a dance which differs fromthose previously discussed concert structure opinion conceptual descriptive

1.2a

Partial, choreographed last yearby [graduate student] AngieHauser

title, choreographer, year ofcomposition concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2b graduate studentthe choreographer is a graduatestudent

isolated phrase:choreographer bio personal knowledge factual descriptive

1.3provided plenty of scope forinterpretation,

this dance was not easily given anobvious meaning audience/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

1.4engaging my interest on manylevels.

the writer found it a compelling workfor various reasons viewer/work rel opinion qualitative evaluative

2.1 This brief triothree dancers perform this relativelyshort work

choreographicstructure, time observation empirical descriptive

2.2 begins downstagethe dance starts with the dancers in thedownstage area mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

2.3

with a sequence of clearlyexecuted gestures: wiping,smoothing and looking.

the dancers perform a series of veryprecise, non- weight-bearingmovements: they brush awaysomething; they straighten, they stare mov't: gestures observation empirical descriptive

3.1The trio start to move throughspace the three dancers begin to travel mov't: locomotion observation empirical descriptive

3.2using a clean, rather sparevocabulary.

they moved in a straightforward,sparse manner mov't: vocabulary observation empirical descriptive

4.1Danced to an accompanimentby Bach,

the mov't was juxtaposed with musicby Bach mov't/music rel hearing empirical descriptive

4.2 it all seems serious the dance seems dignified, somber mov't/ meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.3 and controlled it also suggests the quality of restraintmov't: manner ofperformance opinion empirical descriptive

4.4when Cappelletti movesbackwards but one dancer changes direction

mov't: direction,locomotion observation empirical descriptive



4.5 and bumps into Hauser!his mov't causes a clash with anotherperformer mov't: contact, rel observation empirical descriptive

5 And it was going so well!writer adds personal reaction ofsurprise mov't/ meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.1 But no,continues to reflect theunpredictability in this piece mov't/ meaning rel observation hermeneutical descriptive

6.2then Hauser bumps into thethird dancer Gina Jacobs

the dancer previously bumped nowclashes with another mov't: contact, rel observation empirical descriptive

6.3 and we laugh viewers respond with laughter audience/work rel self- awareness affective descriptive

6.4 with relief.it is reassuring to realize that thecrashes were intended audience/work rel self-awareness affective interpretive

7.1The movement becomes morearbitrary,

the motion grows increasinglyunpredictable mov't: flow opinion conceptual descriptive

7.2 quirky the mov't seems peculiar mov't: flow, shape observation qualitative descriptive7.3 and surprising, it is unexpected mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

7.4

shattering the unity and theclarity of form of the openingmoments

these qualities destroy the previoussense of order and control

choreographicstructure: contrast observation empirical descriptive

7.5as the music hops along theradio dial.

meanwhile, the Bach has changed tothe sounds of searching the radio mov't/music rel hearing empirical descriptive

8.1 The movement is perplexing the dance is confusing mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive8.2 and funny it is also amusing mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

8.3 and beautifully executed, the performance of it is excellentmov't: manner ofperformance opinion qualitative evaluative

8.4 and before there is timecomments on the brevity of thesection mov't: time opinion empirical descriptive

8.5 to really take this all in,the brevity makes it difficult to absorbwhat is happening audience/work rel observation empirical descriptive

8.6 Bach is back. suddenly, the earlier music returns music hearing empirical descriptive

9.1 Having traversed the space,the dancers have moved across thestage mov't: locomotion observation empirical descriptive



9.2the dancers have relocated inthe upstage corner.

thus, they have ended in a newposition in a new spatial area, theupstage corner of the stage mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

10.1The opening gestural sequenceis repeated,

the earlier body actions of wiping,smoothing and looking recur


10.2and then a few more timesgetting faster.

they continue to repeat, but with morespeed mov't: time observation empirical descriptive

11 It is finished. the dance endschoreographicstructure: ending observation empirical descriptive

P10 Conclusion 103 1.1 Cappelletti's concert names empirical director of concert concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2a was a [bold] experimentthe concert used an innovativeconcept concert concept domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

1.2b bold it was daring in its approachisolated word:viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

1.3 which succeededthe concert is judged to have been asuccess viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

1.4ain bringing modern dance to a[wide] audience.

the concert drew larger than usualcrowds of spectators each night audience/concert rel observation factual descriptive

1.4b wide

implication that so large an audiencewas also broad: including viewerswho do not normally attend danceevents

isolated word:audience/concert rel opinion hermenutic interpretive

2.1Beyond the University settinghowever,

The situation may be different outsideof the university, where this concertoccured concert concept domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

2.2acquiring high qualitychoreography

refers to the task of gainingpermission to use exemplarychoreographic works concert content domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

2.3 is not an easy task access to these works is difficult concert concept domain knowledge factual descriptive



2.4 and certainly not inexpensive.there are substantial costs involved inprocuring and producing such works concert concept domain knowledge factual descriptive

3.1

Furthermore, the stylisticchallenge for a full-timecompany of dancers

Problems would also arise regardingthe mastery by one ensemble of manychoreographic styles concert concept domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

3.2in faithfully performing avariety of works

authentic representations of thesestyles would be difficult concert concept domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

3.3forged from different moderntechniques

these works arise from verydistinctive methods of training concert concept domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

3.4 and different conceptual basesthey also emanate from different waysof thinking about dance concert concept domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

3.5 is immense. these challenges are formidable concert concept opinion qualitative evaluative

4.1Besides these questions offeasibility,

In addition to these practicalchallenges concert concept opinion conceptual evaluative

4.2there is the problem of changingpatterns of viewing

there is the issue of changingexpectations in the audience concert concept domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

4.3 within the dance community.refers to those people who have beenidentified as the viewing public concert concept domain knowledge conceptual descriptive

5.1I don't know if the real worldcan support

there is uncertainty about whether thelarger culture would sustain . . . dance/culture rel opinion conceptual descriptive

5.2a truly populist modernrepertory dance company,

. . . such a company, producing worksof various choreographers with wideaudience appeal concert concept domain knoweledge conceptual descriptive

5.3 but I certainly think it should. Expresses supports of such an attempt viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

n12Fall Arrival: The ConsigliereCollection 1140

P1 Introduction 49

1.1No, it is not a new line of men’sclothing,

addresses "collection" in its fashioncontext


1.2nor has it any connection toorganized crime.

refers to the explicit origin of"consigliere" in concert title




2.1The Consigliere Collection is,in fact,

identifies the title by name, andprepares to give its intended meaning

concert title/meaning rel in program factual descriptive

2.2 an evening of repertory danceit is a concert of dances created bymany choreographers concert type domain knowledge factual descriptive

2.3 with a variety of modern dancesit is a concert which will presentvaried dances concert content domain knowledge factual descriptive

2.4well-suited for its intendedaudience,

the dances have been isolated with aparticular audience in mind audience/concert rel domain knowledge qualitative descriptive

2.5those who are not familiar withmodern dance.

the audience is identified as viewersunaccustomed to dance concertattendance

audiencecomposition domain knowledge conceptual descriptive


1.1

The Ohio State UniversityDance Department MFAcandidate,

affiliation, professional status ofempirical director concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.2 Jim Cappelletti empirical director identified concert basics in program factual descriptive1.3 served as creative liaison his job was to act as a creative link directorial role in video factual descriptive

1.4between his company ofdancers

on one hand, he linked an ensemble ofdancers . . . directorial role domain knowledge factual descriptive

1.5selected from within the OSUdance department

the dancers were isolated from theOhio State University Department ofDance cast selection personal knowledge factual descriptive

1.6and an array of choreographerswhich included

the spectrum of dance-makersincluded concert collaborators in video factual descriptive

1.7

Alan Boeding, Susan Hadley,Angie Hauser, Allison Tipton,Susan Van Pelt and Pilobolus.

list of choreographers whose worksappear in this concert concert basics in program factual descriptive


1.1Due to a thorough advertisingcampaign, October 20-31;

refers to high-level publicity for theconcert, and dates publicity personal knowledge factual descriptive

1.2the Consigliere Collection waspresented to sold out audiences

the concert was attended bymaximum-capacity audiences

publicity/audiencerel personal knowledge factual descriptive

1.3 at Sullivant Theaterthe concert occured in a specificcampus location concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.4a triumph for modern dance atOhio State.

the heavy attendance represented asignificant achievement in thistheatrical context audience/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative

2.1 Cappelletti’s effortsas director, Cappelletti accomplisheda great deal directorial role personal knowledge conceptual descriptive

2.2also arranged to have theconcert video taped by WOSU

he organized video documentation ofthe concert by a local public televisionstation

concertdocumentation personal knowledge factual descriptive

2.3 for future airing.thus the concert can be viewed afterits stage performances

concertdocumentation public knowledge factual descriptive


1.1 The evening openedreferences the beginning of theconcert

concert structure:opening observation empirical descriptive

1.2 with a video-program,the opening component was videofootage video observation empirical descriptive

1.3in which the audience wasgiven a summary the video provided an overview audience/video rel in video empirical descriptive

1.4 of each dance on the program.individual dances were featured in thevideo video observation empirical descriptive

2.1 These three to five minute duration of video segments video observation empirical descriptive

2.2 video infommercialsthe footage contained information andpromotion of the individual pieces video opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.3 were also produced by WOSU,the public television station alsoproduced these segments video personal knowledge factual descriptive

2.4and consisted of interviews withthe choreographers

the footage contained interview clipswith the dance-makers video in video empirical descriptive

2.5and footage of the dancers andchoreographers

it also showed the performers anddance-makers video observation empirical descriptive

2.6 in the rehearsal process.they were featured duringpreparations for the concert video observation empirical descriptive



3.1Though they left little to theimagination,

the video footage did not leave muchroom for viewer interpretation video/audience rel opinion conceptual evaluative

3.2 the video introductionsthe video was used to acquaint theviewer with the performers video in video empirical descriptive

3.3gave the dancers a vocal andintellectual presence

this permitted (an unusual familiaritywith the performers' voices and ideas)*another dimension of knowledge ofthe performers than is usuallyavailiable to viewers* video/audience rel opinion empirical descriptive

3.4 throughout the evening.

this (familiarity) *additional"presence"* permeated the concertexperience video/concert rel observation; hearing empirical descriptive

4.1 Unfortunately, it was regrettable that viewer/concert rel opinion qualitative evaluative a video preceded each dance video footage came before each piece video observation empirical descriptive

4.2 and made for an awkward

these segments (were clumsy andintrusive) *disturbed the continuity ofthe performance* video opinion qualitative evaluative

4.3and pedantic segue into eachwork.

they created didactic transitionsbetween pieces video opinion hermeneutical evaluative

5.1The attempt to make moderndance more user-friendly

the intention of using video toincrease accessibility for the viewer video/audience rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.2has released people from thepossibility of thinking,

this has precluded viewers'*independent* thinking video/audience rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.3seeing or sensing forthemselves.

it interferes with (seeing or feeling thedances without prejudice) *personalimaginative interaction with thework* video/audience rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.1Possibly, Cappellettiunderestimates

perhaps the director has not given theaudience due credit audience/director rel opinion hermeneutical evaluative

6.2

how much of the meaning of thedance is inherent in not only thedance itself,

a dance can be best understood byexperiencing it *directly* nature of the artform opinion ontological theorizing



6.3but in the individual’simagination and experience.

it is also a result of the viewer's ownunique background and associations audience/dance rel opinion ontological theorizing

P5 Ciona 102

1.1As the projection screen roseout of sight,

the equipment on which the video wasshown is now retracted from the stage video observation empirical descriptive

1.2 dancers moved into place.the performers fill the performingspace mov't: locomotion observation empirical descriptive

2 Human beings, yes!

the writer interjects approbation,welcoming the sight of live bodies inplace of video footage viewer/work rel opinion affective evaluative

3.1Ciona, choreographed byPilobolus, title, choreographer identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

3.2is a sextet for two women andfour men number, gender of performers


3.3who become androgynousbeings

the dancers' gender differences seemto merge in this piece mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.4 in sleek silver unitards.they wear close-fitting, one-piecesilver costumes costume observation empirical descriptive

4.1Bodies transformed into cells ormolecules,

the dancers seem to representbiological particles mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.2slowly shifting and balancingon and around one another

the dancers alternate weight-bearingpositions, using each other forstability

mov't: rel, contact,time observation empirical descriptive

4.3 with precision dancers' mov'ts are clean and exactingmov't: clarity ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

4.4 and care.performers worked with attention andawareness *of one another*

mov't: manner ofperformance opinion empirical descriptive

5.1Incredibly flexible andcontrolled bodies

(the) *these* bodies (seem) *are*extraordinarily limber, and thedancers seem to have command overtheir every mov't

mov't: range ofmotion, control observation empirical descriptive



5.2were upside down, curled,wrapped and stretched —

bodily activities included invertingthemselves, coiling, enclosing andextending into space mov't: space, shape observation empirical descriptive

5.3 “How did they do that?”—

writer interjects a rhetoricalexpression of incredulity at thedancers' actions viewer/work rel observation conceptual evaluative

5.4 right before our eyes.

these things were visible but seemedimpossible to writer along with rest ofspectators

audience/performerrel personal knowledge empirical descriptive

6.1 Two dancersa duet is singled out from the largerensemble


6.2 bend at the hips their torsos fold over forwardmov't: body part,gesture observation empirical descriptive

6.3 and stand head to head,

their bodies facing each other, thisends with their heads hanging neareach other mov't: body part rel observation empirical descriptive

6.4while two others climb ontotheir backs and balance,

now another couple of dancers mounttheir bent torsos and stabilizethemselves

mov't: rel, bodyparts, support observation empirical descriptive

6.5making subtle shifts, angularand round.

this involves small changes in thedistribution of weight, resulting inshapes both straight and curved

mov't: body actions,shape observation empirical descriptive

P6 Plum Tarts 118

1.1a Next on the runwayintroduces the work that follows"Ciona," program order in program empirical descriptive

1.1b Next on the runway

references the title of essay (using thelanguage of fashion to discuss theprogram order) and foreshadowingtreatment of the next dance

isolated phrase:program order in program hermeneutical interpretive

1.2 was Allison Tipton’s PlumTarts, choreographer, title of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.3adanced to a [spicy] [AstorPiazzola] tango. musical form identified mov't/music rel hearing factual descriptive



1.3b spicy

there is a zesty, spirited, perhapssexual sensibility about the musicalaccompaniment


1.3c Astor Piazzola composer identified isolated word: music in program factual descriptive2.1 Short, it was a brief dance mov't: time observation empirical descriptive

2.2 sweet,satisfying, palatable, without beingparticularly substantive mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.3 not more than the title suggests,refers to the title, again suggesting thedance is pleasant, but not substantial title/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

2.4athe plum tarts are five younggirls identifies number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive

2.4bthe plum tarts are five younggirls

the performers represent plum tarts. acoquettish reference to young women


2.5 on tip-toethey stand high on the balls of theirfeet

mov't: body part,action observation empirical descriptive

2.6awith [playful] shaking,twitching, pointing,

the dancers wiggle and jerk, makedirective gestures with their hands mov't: gestures observation empirical descriptive

2.6b playfulthey execute these motions asif theyare having a good time


2.8a [pouting] [hips] and lips, their mouths make a pursing gesturemov't: gestures, bodyparts observation empirical descriptive

2.8b poutingthere is also a sulking, seductiveconnotation to this word


2.8c hips

the hips, not normally described as"pouting, are described here in alilting, arcing mov't, and are thusincluded in this sense of seductivesulking


2.9 amidst a series of high kicksat the same time, the legs makeseveral *energetic* arcs upwards

mov't: gestures,space observation empirical descriptive



2.1 and smooth turns. and they pivot fluidly mov't: body actions observation empirical descriptive

3.1a [Full of] tango [attitude]identifies the dance as a particularform of ballroom dance mov't: style domain knowledge empirical descriptive

3.1b full of . . . attitude,

the performers exude dramaticqualities often associated with theTango

mov't: manner ofperformance domain knowledge hermeneutical interpretive

3.2 the young ladies end up in a linethese females finish the dance in theformation of a line mov't: space, rel observation empirical descriptive

3.3 across the front of the stage,the line occurs in the portion of thestage (close) *closest* to the audience mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

3.4 strike a pose,the performers [assume] *execute*specific bodily shapes and positions mov't: stance observation empirical descriptive

3.5 turn their backsthey pivot so they face away from theaudience mov't: body action observation empirical descriptive

3.6suggestively and seductively tothe audience

they turn in an overtly provocativemanner

audience/performerrel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.7 and file up stage,they move in a line toward the backarea of the stage


3.8where their hip swivelingfigures

as they reach this destination, theirpelvises rock from side to side

mov't: body part,gesture observation empirical descriptive

3.9 become silhouetted againsthere, their bodies fade to darkenedshapes lighting observation empirical descriptive

3.10a the [hot] red background.the shadow fidures are juxtaposedwith deep red lighting lighting observation empirical descriptive

3.10b hot

in addition to referring to the vibrancyof the color, this word also connotesof "sexy"

isolated word:lighting/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4 Do not be alarmed.a *tongue-in-cheek* warning toviewers not to be apprehensive mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.1 Tipton explainedreference to interview withchoreographer

statement:choreographer in video factual descriptive



5.2 in the preliminary video,the statement was made in the videosegment which preceded the dance video in video empirical descriptive

5.3she feels it’s good for women tobe sexy.

Tipton indicated that she values"sexiness" in women

statement:choreographer in video empirical descriptive

6 Hmm...

writer indicates a state of ambivalentreflection on this (point) *particularrepresentation of sexiness* viewer/work rel opinion hermeneutical evaluative

P7 Passing 141 1.1 Susan Hadley’s "Passing," title, choreographer concert basics in program factual descriptive1.2 was a somber work the dance was of a serious nature mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

1.3a set to [sacred] musicthe dance was presented with religiousmusic mov't/music rel hearing empirical descriptive

1.3b sacred

in addition to its descriptive function,this information also sets a context formeaning


1.4 by Josquin. composer identified music observation factual descriptive

2.1 The darkly lit dance

the (performers worked with lowamounts of light) *performing spacewas dimly lit* lighting observation empirical descriptive

2.2 reflected the difficulty the darkness connoted hardship lighting/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.3of accepting death in its owntime.

it is very hard to resign oneself todeath when it arrives mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.1a Though clad in black,in spite of the fact that the dancerswore black costume observation empirical descriptive

3.1b Though clad in black,suggests the color normally connotesdeath costume/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

3.2athe dancers' movements were attimes [contrastingly free] their mov'ts were free-flowing

mov't: body actions,flow observation empirical descriptive

3.2b contrastingly free

their mov'ts (sometimes collided withthe serious quality emphasized by thecostumes) * werequite uninhibited bycomparison*

isolated phrase:mov't: manner ofperformaance association hermeneutical interpretive



3.3 and energetic, the mov'ts were fast-paced and lively mov't: energy observation qualitative descriptive3.4 suggesting youth, these qualities connoted youthfulness mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

3.5 and memories of days gone by.this connoted a spirit of remiiniscingwithin the dance mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

4.1We were constantly remindedof the fragility of life

the dance constantly connoted life'stenuousness mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

4.2 as one of the womenthe mov't of one female dancer isreferenced


4.3 subtly

a discrete action is performed, as ifthe dancer does not want to drawattention to it


4.4 slides to the floor the action is a smooth descentmov't: body action,space observation empirical descriptive

4.5 exhausted and in need of rest.the dancer appears to be extremelyfatigued mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

5.1aOne [intriguing] passage takesplace

refers to a particular segment of thedance

choreographicstructure: section observation empirical descriptive

5.1b intriguing this passage is especially interestingisolated word:viewer/work rel opinion qualitative descriptive

5.2as this woman walks slowly andsteadily

this performer travels in an unhurriedand determined manner

mov't: rel,locomotion, time observation empirical descriptive

5.3 along a beam of lightshe moves in the path cast by a strongray of light lighting observation empirical descriptive

5.4 as the other two womenat the same time, the other twodancers have a separate action mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

5.5 alternate hurling themselvesthey take turns (flinging their bodies)*throwing themselves down*

mov't: rel, bodyactions, quality observation empirical descriptive

5.6 violentlythese actions are performed withfierceness

mov't: manner ofperformance opinion qualitative interpretive

5.7 to the floor in front of her.their destination is the ground, (justahead of) *blocking* the dancer's path mov't: rel, space observation empirical descriptive

6.1 She never trips or misses a step,the dancer in the beam of lightproceeds unwaveringly

mov't: rel,locomotion observation empirical descriptive



6.2their intense show of concern,fear, even love,

refers to the obvious worry, andperhaps fondness, of the other twodancers mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.3are actually obstacles valleys,rivers, mountains

their concerns, manifested throughtheir interference with her path,represent real physical obstacles mov't/ meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.4 over which the woman glides,

extends the metaphor by indicatingthe solo dancer travels easily overthese obstacles mov't/ meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.5a making the [inevitable] journey, the solo dancer follows a destination mov't: locomotion association hermeneutical interpretive

6.5b inevitableit is a journey which she cannot helpbut pursue


6.6 smoothly, gracefullyshe travels with ease and without ashow of effort


6.7 and confidently. and with a definite sense of purpose mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretiveP8 Partial 163

1.1The second half of the eveningopened

an intermission has divided theconcert into two parts and now theconcert resumes concert structure observation empirical descriptive

1.2 with Angie Hauser’s "Partial," title, choreographer of work concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.3featuring Gina Jacobs,Cappelletti and Hauser herself. performers identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

2.1 As the lights come up

reference to the fact that the openingof the piece is signaled by lightsappearing in the space lighting observation empirical descriptive

2.2 we find the triothe three dancers become apparent tothe viewers


2.3 in a cluster to the right.they are grouped to one side of thestage mov't: space, shape observation empirical descriptive



3.1aTheir [obviously blank] facesare a contrast to their own arms

the performers' facial expressions areovertly neutral, as opposed to theirarms

mov't: body parts,gestures observation empirical descriptive

3.1b obviously blank

faces don't seem to "fit" with thearms, which seem active and engagedby contrast


3.3wiping across the fronts of theirbodies

the arms slide forcefully along thefronts of their bodies

mov't: body parts,gesture observation empirical descriptive

3.4

and the eventual burst ofenergy, whipping turns andquick jumps that follow.

this leads up to a sudden outpouringof vigor, very quick rotations,*conveying a sense of flinging,* andculminate in a series of rapid jumps mov't: energy observation empirical descriptive

4.1At one point, during a breatheydance phrase,

at a certain momemt in the progress ofthe piece, there is a light, airysequence of movement

mov't: time,sequence of action,manner ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

4.2 Cappelletti’s foot hits the floorsuddenly, one of the dancers strikesthe floor with his foot

mov't: rel, body part,body action observation empirical descriptive

4.3 like a lead weight.the strike against the floor is heavy,pronounced

mov't: manner ofperformance hearing empirical descriptive

5.1a

Hauser and Jacobs are also[struck with] the lead foot[syndrome]

the other two dancers now beginstriking their own feet against thefloor

mov't: rel, body part,action, manner ofperformance observation empirical descriptive

5.1b struck with. . . syndrome

there are humorous connotations inthis language, as if the pair of dancershas been "infected" — disease-like —by another's mov't


5.2and the three become a moderndance slapstick team.

the humorous subtext continues as thedancers, again referenced as a unit,are likened to comedians mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.1Now we see that Hauser ispoking fun

revelation that the choreographer ismaking a dance "joke" audience/work rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive



6.2 at the severity of modern dance.she chides the genre of modern dancefor its traditional seriousness mov't/meaning rel domain knowledge hermeneutical interpretive

7.1Partial begins to look likesnippets of ideas,

this dance begins to resemble smallbits of ideas or thoughts mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

7.2 movements as well as physical actions mov't/meaning rel opinion empirical descriptive

7.3 and relationships.

and it seems to provide slightglimpses into relationshipsbetween/among people mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

8.1aIt even contains a [whaky] radiosound track

the dance incorporates a soundcomponent derived from radio music hearing empirical descriptive

8.1b whackythis sound component is zany andsurprising isolated word: music opinion hermeneutical interpretive

8.2— opera, cello, countrywestern, rock

the sound includes various musicalgenres music hearing empirical descriptive

8.3

seeming to imply that theselittle pieces of life are containedin the whole,

this collage of sound implies aconnection between disparateexperiences music/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

8.4and sometimes make for a veryodd but manageable mix.

that oddly grouped experiences canstill work as a unit mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P9 Carpe Diem 131

1.1a[Despite yet another] videointroduction,

even though there is another videoclip before the next dance . . . video in video empirical descriptive

1.1b despite yet anotherconveys a level of annoyance with thevideo clips

isolated phrase:viewer/video rel opinion qualitative evaluative

1.2 Carpe Diem followed title of next dance concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.3 the lightheartedness of "Partial"this piece contrasted with the casualquality of the last work mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

1.4

with a wash of billowing,spinning, leaping, skitteringdancers,

this new piece had an onrushing,floating feeling about it, with anemphasis on skimming, turning andairborne work

mov't: time, mannerof performance observation empirical descriptive

1.5 nine in all, number of performers concert basics observation empirical descriptive



1.6a energy and light!the dancers exude energy and ssem toilluminate the space mov't/light rel observation empirical descriptive

1.6b energy and light!

this characterization has a spiritual oremotional connotation as well as thephysical


2.1 A refreshing changethis dance is a departure from recentworks viewer/work rel domain knowledge qualitative evaluative

2.2 to see so many dancers on stageusually, there are not so manyperformers together in a single work performer/work rel observation empirical descriptive

2.3in a constant state of perpetualmotion.

the performers are movingcontinuously mov't: flow observation empirical descriptive

3.1 Choreographer, Susan Van Pelt choreographer identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

3.2 created orderly lines, circles,the dance make precise geometricshapes, mov't: shape, space observation empirical descriptive

3.3entrances, exits, brief solos,duets

the group enters and leaves theperforming area, dissolves intosmaller units of two and three dancersmoving together


3.4and patterns of moving bodiesthat assemble and dissolve.

the dancers create recognizable spatialconfigurations in motion, that becomeclear and then fade mov't: space observation empirical descriptive

4.1 Angels the dancers suggest heavenly spirits mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive4.2 robed in white they wear flowing garments of white costume observation empirical descriptive

4.3a[pleasantly] fleeing, flying andgliding

they move in slippery, quick strides,seeming at times airborne

mov't: locomotiveactions observation empirical descriptive

4.3b pleasantlyinspite of their speed, they seem to beat ease, content


4.4 inside the musicthe dancers seem to be enveloped bythe sound mov't/music rel hearing empirical descriptive

4.5 of Philip Glass. composer identified music in program factual descriptive

5.1a Repetitious,there are recurring patterns (*mildlycritical*) music hearing empirical descriptive



5.1b Repetitious,there are recurring patterns (*mildlycritical*) isolated word: music hearing empirical evaluative

5.2

but trasncending, both themusic and the dance are insearch of a higher plain.

the music and mov't convey a sense ofrising above the ordinary, and arepersonified to indicate the highspiritual quest of their intentions

mov't/music/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.1Throughout the celestialcelebration,

the dance evokes a sense of heaven,and suggests festivity mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.2there are moments oftenderness;

in addition, the piece is marked bygentleness and caring mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

6.3 an invitation, a caress.there are actions which resemblesolicitation, an embrace mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.4a No matter how high they flyperformers spend a great deal of thisdance airborne mov't: air work observation empirical descriptive

6.4b No matter how high they fly flight used here too suggest riskisolated phrase:mov't/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

6.5 or how fast, in spite of the speed of their travel mov't: time observation empirical descriptive6.6a no one is left alone; no dancer is abandoned mov't: rel observation empirical descriptive

6.6b no one is left alone

while describing a physical reality,this phrase also refers to theindividual in the community


6.7asomeone is there to catch eachfall.

a performer seems continuallyavailable when needed to supportanother dancer mov't: rel, contact observation empirical descriptive

6.7bsomeone is there to catch eachfall.

while describing a physical reality,this phrase also refers to theindividual in the community

isolated phrase:mov't/meaninr rel association hermeneutical interpretive

P10 Circle Walker 176 1.1 Strangely, but appropriately it is odd but also seems suitable viewer/work rel opinion conceptual evaluative

1.3 the Consigliere himselfreference to the artistic director -"advisor" concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.4 closes the evening he ends the concertconcert structure:ending in program empirical descriptive



1.5 with "Circle Walker," title of final work concert basics in program factual descriptive

1.6a a [signature] solo a dance for one performerchoreographicstructure: form observation empirical descriptive

1.6b signaturerefers to a work closely and uniquelyassociated with a person or company performer/work rel domain knowledge conceptual contextualizing

1.7 from his Momix days.

Cappelletti used to perform this workwhen he danced with a professionalcompany performer bio domain knowledge factual descriptive

2.1 Cappelletti’s skill and artistryhis expertise and finesse as aperformer are referenced performer's skills opinion qualitative evaluative

2.2manifested as strength andbeauty,

Performer's abilities are equated withphysical power and visual appeal mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

2.3as he manipulated/ismanipulated by

indicates the amiguity of hisrelationship with the sculpture: it isdifficult to say which moves the other performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

2.4 an immense spheric “scuplutre”the set consists of a huge circularsculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

2.5by artist/choreographer AlanBoeding. sculptor and choreographer identified concert basics in program factual descriptive

3.1 Circle Walker defies description the piece is difficult to categorize viewer/work rel opinion conceptual descriptive

3.2in that it is not gymnastics,acrobatics or a sport.

it has gymnastic or acrobatic andother characteristics associated withsports, yet it isn't those phenomena mov't: genre opinion conceptual descriptive

4.1

The dance lies in the geometryand choreography of thesculpture as well as the humanbeing

the dance is characterized by the*inseparability of the architecture andmov't of the (sculpture) *Circlewalkerand the dancer* performer/set rel observation conceptual descriptive

4.2creating imagery and movementtogether.

these two "partners" create kinetic andvisual basis of this piece performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

5.1

Cappelleti wears only a pair offlesh colored tights, is bare-footed, bare-chested

he dances in nothing but a pair ofskin-colored tight, his torso(unclothed) *sensuously exposed* costume observation empirical descriptive



5.2and bathed in red light fromabove.

his body is surrounded by red lightingwhich shines down on him from highin the performing space lighting observation empirical descriptive

6.1Standing inside the huge steelshell

Cappelletti is surrounded by the metalarcs of the sculpture performer/set rel observation empirical descriptive

6.2he is at once protected andimprisoned.

the sculpture appears to (enclose)*shield* him, yet entrap him set/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

7.1 The music by Yaz Kaz composer identified music in program factual descriptive

7.2hints at a Native Americanritual,

the music suggests a particularcultural identification and event music/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

7.3 but clashing metallic soundsthere are also discordant, metal-likecomponents music hearing empirical descriptive

7.4make it at once futuristic andancient;

this juxtaposition of musical elementscreates a sound which connotes bothpast and future music/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

7.5 machine and man.it seems both mechanistic andhumanistic music/meaning rel association hermeneutical interpretive

8.1 By the end of the piece, as the piece draws to a closechoreographicstructure: ending observation empirical descriptive

8.2 I was entranced the dance is spell-binding viewer/work rel self- awareness affective evaluative

8.3 by his circling and rocking,the performer made circular paths androcked the sculpture


8.4 and in awethe performance engendered deepadmiration viewer/work rel opinion affective evaluative

8.5 of Cappelletti’s sense of balancedancer's ability to maintainequilibrium is noted performer's skills observation empirical evaluative

8.6 and fearlessness. performer's actions are daring mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive9.1 The sculpture is twice his size, the sculpture is larger than two of him performer/set rel rel observation empirical descriptive

9.2 yet he handled it with calmnesshe manipulated this giant sculpturewith ease performer/set rel rel observation qualitative descriptive



9.3 and even praise.

(he showed a kind of admiration forthe sculpture) *in the presence of his"partner," he became humble and gavehomage.* mov't/meaning rel opinion hermeneutical interpretive

P11 Conclusion 34

1.1 For any first-time theater goers,addresses those who have not beenregular performance patrons audience/concert rel opinion conceptual descriptive

1.2

I would say Cappelletti offereda helpful introduction to theworld of modern dance

director has assembled a useful firstexperience in modern dance concerts audience/concert rel opinion conceptual evaluative

1.3and the potential to increaseaudience interest and support.

the show also could serve as a sourceto build a larger, more enthusiasticaudience for dance audience/dance rel opinion conceptual evaluative

2This was an importantcontribution indeed.

this concert has definitely been asignificant offering audience/concert rel opinion empirical evaluative

462

APPENDIX F: TYPE OF INFORMATION ANALYSIS BY WRITER

type of information # of entries totalentries

n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12

art/culture rel 2 2

audience composition 5 1 6

audience/art rel 1 1 2

audience/concert rel 3 4 4 8 4 3 4 6 5 41

audience/dance rel 5 2 1 11 2 21

audience/director rel 3 2 3 1 1 10

audience/music rel 1 1 2

audience/performer rel 4 2 2 3 1 2 2 16

audience/set rel 1 1

audience/work rel 10 4 2 8 1 4 8 1 38

cast selection 1 1 2

choreographer bio 1 2 1 1 5

choreographer/performerrel

2 1 3

choreographer/work rel 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 11

choreographiccomparison

1 1

choreographic process 1 1 2

choreographic structure 1 7 14 10 5 9 8 6 7 66

choreographic style 3 1 4

comparison of concertworks

1 1 2

concert basics 17 18 16 16 13 17 18 13 16 144

463


n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12

concert collaborators 1 2 2 1 6

concert comparison 5 5

concert concept 4 13 17

concert content 2 1 3 1 7 7 1 22

concert documentation 2 2

concert structure 1 6 1 4 3 5 3 3 26

concert type 3 2 1 1 7

costume 2 4 2 2 1 3 1 1 4 20

costume/meaning rel 1 1

dance/culture rel 1 1

director bio 1 1 1 3

director/concert rel 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 13

director/dance rel 1 1

director/work rel 1 1

directorial role 1 2 1 3 1 3 11

history: dance 5 5

history: music/dance 2 2

history: work 2 2

(isolated word/phrase) 6 29 22 18 21 18 15 19 22 170

lighting 3 4 2 1 3 2 3 6 24

lighting/meaning rel 1 1 2 4

lighting/mov't rel 1 2 2 1 3 9

lighting/performer rel 1 1 2

lighting/shape rel 1 1 2

lighting/space rel 1 1

mov't/costume/music/meaning rel

4 4

464


n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12

mov't/lighting/meaningrel

1 1

mov't/meaning rel 25 34 27 11 10 32 21 21 44 225

mov't/music rel 3 4 1 7 2 8 3 2 3 33

mov't/music/meaning rel 2 1 3

mov't/set rel 1 1 3 3 7 6 2 23

mov't/set/meaning rel 1 3 4

mov't/sound rel 1 1 5 7

mov't/space rel 1 1

mov't: by category 24 46 64 15 35 60 21 33 58 356

music 4 2 5 4 6 2 10 33

music/meaning rel 2 1 1 3 1 4 12

nature of artform 4 1 1 6

nature of performance 2 2

performer bio 1 1

performer's skills 1 1 2 4

performer/concert rel 3 1 4

performer/ensemble rel 1 4 5

performer/set rel 2 5 3 10 1 6 16 7 50

performer/work rel 1 3 9 1 6 4 2 26

performers' physicalattributes

2 1 1 4

production elements 2 2 1 5

program order 4 3 3 10

program order/audiencerel

1 1

publicity 1 1 1 3

publicity/audience rel 1 1 1 3

465


n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12

set 4 5 4 2 8 23

set/meaning rel 1 1 2 4

sound 1 1

sound/meaning rel 1 1

statement: choreographer 4 1 1 2 8

statement: director 2 2

title/meaning rel 1 5 1 3 4 10

title/set rel 1 1

video 1 1 1 5 1 8 1 15 33

video/audience rel 7 1 2 15 16 6 47

video/concert rel 1 2 1 1 3 2 1 11

video/work rel 1 1 2

viewer/concert rel 1 1 15 1 11 1 30

viewer/dance rel 1 1

viewer/video rel 1 1

viewer/work rel 1 1 6 4 8 4 8 4 9 45

work/meaning rel 2 2

work/visual art rel 1 1 1 1 4

writer identification 2 2

writing agenda 1 1 2 4

466

APPENDIX G: MOVEMENT BY CATEGORY

Ciona

mov't entries n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12 totalsbody action 3 6 1 7 3 1 21body parts 5 3 8contact 1 1 1 1 5 2 11degree of challenge 1 1 1 3degree of difficulty 1 2 1 1 5degree of risk 1 1 1 3direction 1 1duration 2 2energy 1 1 4 6facial gesture 1 1gesture 1 1 2individual/ group rel 1 1initiation 1 1locomotion 1 1manner of performance 1 2 3 3 4 1 2 16performer demands 1 1rel 2 4 3 2 6 6 1 2 26

467

Plum Tarts

Passing

mov't entries n1 n2 n3 n8 n12 totalbody action 2 1 1 5 3 12body parts 1 1contact 2 1 1 4energy 1 1focus 1 1flow 1 1locomotion 3 3manner of performance 1 4 1 2 4 12Performer? space rel 1 1quality 1 1 2rel 4 1 8 6 19space 6 2 1 2 11spatial orientation 1 1spatial path 1 1style 1 1time 1 2 1 4vocabulary 1

mov't entries n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12 totalsbody action 1 2 2 4 4 13body part actions 1 1 2body parts 3 1 3 7contact 1 1energy 2 2focus 1 1genre 2 1 3gesture 1 2 3locomotion 2 2manner of performance 1 1 2 4rel 1 3 2 1 7shape 1 1space 3 4 7spatial configuration 1 1stance 1 1style 2 1 1 2 1 7time 2 1 3

468

Partial

mov't entries n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12 totalsbody action 1 1 4 1 1 3 11body parts 2 1 4 7body part rel 1 1contact 1 1 2 4direction 1 1energy 1 1focus 2 2flow 1 2 2 5genre 1 1gesture 1 1 2 4initiation 1 1locomotion 1 3 4manner of performance 2 3 5rel 2 3 2 2 2 2 13shape 1 1 2space 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 8style 1 1 2time 1 2 1 4unpredictability 1 1variety 1 1vocabulary 1 1

469

Carpe Diem

mov't entries n2 n3 n6 n8 n9 n12totalsbody action 1 3 1 6 11contact 1 1duration 1 1final image 1 1focus 1 1flow 1 2 1 4gesture 1 1 2level 1 1 2locomotion 1 1manner of performance 2 1 1 1 5rel 1 2 3(repetition) 1 1shape 2 1 3space 1 4 1 1 2 9stillness 1 1 1 3time 1 1 4 1 2 9

470

Circle Walker

mov't entries n1 n2 n3 n6 n7 n8 n9 n10 n12 totals

body action 1 2 1 4

body part actions 1 1

body parts 3 3 6

body/set rel 1 1

cause and effect 1 1

degree of challenge 1 1

degree of difficulty 1 1

degree of risk 2 2

effect of body action 1 1

final image 1 1

flexibility 1 1

flow 1 1

genre 1 1

gesture 4 1 3 8

initiation 1 1

manner of performance 1 1 2 4

mov't/set rel 1 1

opening stance 1 1

performer/set rel 1 1

rel 1 1

space 2 1 1 1 5

stance 1 1

style 1 1

time 1 1

UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT DANCE - OhioLINK ETD Center

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