Tackling choreography in the style of contact improvisation seems nearly impossible in a time when physical contact is limited. In Dr. Rebecca Rossen’s Dance History II class, undergraduate students Ashley Stone and Lindsay Ball were tasked with exploring this style for a group presentation. As their class transferred to an online setting, the two had to find a way to incorporate aspects of contact improvisation, a form rooted in physical collaboration, while maintaining social distancing restrictions. Luckily, they had a special advantage—they’re roommates!

Continue Reading Moments of Contact: How One Dance Class Transitioned to Online Presentations

The closure of dance studios for the remainder of the semester poses an obvious question for many students: where, and how, can we continue learning through movement? Faculty member Leah Cox’s dance composition class has reimagined this challenge as an opportunity. As they study postmodern movement, the students have let new dance spaces inspire their work, and the resulting video assignments have opened new conversations about searching for creative places in confinement.

Continue Reading Finding a Creative Space When the Studios Close