Did you know that Louis XIV was one of the greatest dancers of his time and that he used dance to promote his political power? Did you know that George Balanchine’s ballet Agon was his way of championing civil rights in the year of LittleRock by creating one of his most powerful and intimate couple dances for a black man and a white woman? Did you know that Shakespeare and his company performed complex social dances to entertain their audiences at the finish of a play? Did you know that Michael Jackson did not invent the moonwalk and that Beyoncé’s empowering of women through dance has roots in dance of the early twentieth century? 

Dance is one of our most significant art forms with a long and rich history, yet it has been neglected by
historians in the academy until relatively recently. This course, open to all, is an introduction to the
history of western theatrical dance and its place in culture in Europe and America. What is dance’s role in our society and how does it reflect the values of the time in which it was produced? What has been the role of the dancer and choreographer at various times throughout history? What did their audiences expect? How can we recognize and analyze different styles of dance? This course surveys theatrical dance from the Ancient Greece through the twenty-first century, and it includes ballet, modern, post-modern dance, African-American jazz forms, and dance in the movies. No previous experience or knowledge of dance is necessary –only an interest in the subject. Grades will be determined by exams, papers, and class participation. Open to all students (LSA and otherwise).