Course Syllabus

Fall 2021 - DANC 2212.001 / DANC 2214.001 / DANC 2214.002

Ballet Technique II / Int. Ballet - MWF 1:00 – 2:20 p.m., FAC 110

Contact Information

Rebecca Herrin, Instructor

OU School of Dance, RPAC 1017

Office Hours VIA ZOOM: By appointment only

Email: rherrin@ou.edu

Live Session: IN PERSON CLASSES, FAC 110, 1:00-2:20 PM -  BEGINNING AUGUST 23, 2021

Zoom link: https://oklahoma.zoom.us/j/94934048649?pwd=L3lkdEt4TDRSdlhVL0d5KzRyUTliQT09

Meeting ID: 961 7047 6811

Password: Ballet2!

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Course Description

For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.

The Ballet Technique II course will focus on the refinement and improvement of ballet technique and performance. Class components include: participation in classical ballet barre, center, and allegro exercises. The intention of this class is to help each dancer develop a better understanding of how his/her body can move to create a visually pleasing ballet line, as well as build strength and confidence in each dancer’s understanding of basic ballet technique. Emphasis will also be placed upon building and enhancing performance skills: focus, dynamics, movement qualities, and elements of style.

Course Goals

• To present students with approaches to ballet vocabulary and practice, to develop an in-depth understanding of basic ballet technique.
• To provide students with opportunities to refine their technical facility and performance skills.
• To create a platform for students to explore performance quality, individual expression, and technical ability.
• To challenge students to develop a greater awareness of their artistic voice, as it relates to the physical connection to their individual dance practices.

Learning Outcomes (please review course rubric)

Upon completing this course, the student is expected to consistently demonstrate the following proficiencies:

• Demonstrate a positive work ethic and effort in applying/maintaining instructor corrections.
• Demonstrate mastery of Ballet II steps of study and ability to pick up combinations quickly.
• Utilize proper alignment, appropriate turn-out, knowledge and application of classical line, and efficient use of plié.
• Demonstrate a coordinated, musical and artistic approach to class.

NATURE OF COURSE DELIVERY

Studio classes and online Zoom platform (if necessary as determined by the OU School of Dance.)

School of Dance COVID Safety Policy

• Use of masks is strongly encouraged at all times.
• Students showing symptoms of illness such as, but not limited to sneezing and coughing may be asked to leave the School of Dance premises.
• Employees/students should report to Goddard and be cleared by Student/Employee Health. If you feel you have an elevated temperature, thermometers are available in the SoD office.
• Students, faculty, and staff should only enter studios if feeing completely well, with no symptoms of illness.
• No food or drinks are permitted in studios except for water bottles.
• Students may only attend studio based classes in which they are enrolled.
• Students will wipe down their barre spot before class and after barre work is complete.

ACADEMIC CONTENT

Tactile Cueing (minimal use for Fall 2021)

Due to the nature of this dance course, the instructor may use “hands on” demonstration as an aid in teaching (for example to manipulate body alignment, posture, etc.). The instructor will alway ask for student consent before using touch.  Should a student prefer an alternate mode of instruction, please notify the instructor during the first week of classes so teaching style modifications may be made.

No ill observing allowed for Fall 2021.

Assignments

1. Identify 1-3 primary semester goals for this course.

These 1-sentence semester goals should be something you can work towards (and hopefully achieve with focused work) over the next 16 weeks.

Submit to Canvas.

DUE: Sunday, August 29, 2021

2. Weekly Physical Practice Discussions via Canvas

• Post your physical practice outline and reflection for MWF classes.
• Reply to one other post from someone in the class.
• Outline format is fine - list the date and write a short reflection of the week
• Consider - 
• How did your body feel this week?
• What was the most challenging part of your week? What were your victories?
• What did you discover? About yourself and your own way of being/working?
• Are there things you'd like to continue investigating / working on as a result of this week's work?

DUE: Fridays, after the final class of the week (suggested).

COURSE POLICIES

Students are encouraged to discuss questions and special concerns with the professor. The following elements comprise a significant part of the student’s grade.

Studio Etiquette

Studio Admittance Procedure

• Arrive promptly and ready to work for all classes so they may begin at the appointed time. Studio will be available 5 minutes prior to class start time.
• Gathering outside of the studio before/after class is not recommended.
• Arrive in appropriate attire, face mask strongly encouraged. Remove street shoes outside of studio and put in your dance bag. Put on dance shoes just before entering the studio.
• Please be aware of symptoms that could be consistent with COVID-19, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, recent loss of taste or smell, and/or extreme fatigue. Use of the OU Healthy Together App for COVID-19 screening and reporting is strongly encouraged. Link to download app HERE.
• All personal items should fit into a dance bag, brought into the studio during class.
• No food or drinks are permitted in studios except for water bottles
• Cell phones should be turned off or silenced during class.

Class Safety

• Social distancing in the studio (as possible) is recommended.
• Please respect the physical space of the accompanist.
• Students will disinfectant wipe their barre spot before and after barre.
• Activities involving direct physical contact (teacher/student, student/student) will be minimal.
• Face masks are strongly encouraged when in the studio and SOD facilities. Please refrain from touching/adjusting your mask during class.
• Once class begins, students are not permitted to wander/leave the studio. There will be a brief pause before center work for students to stretch/adhere to personal needs.
• No ill observing allowed.

Zoom Etiquette

• Find a private space, if you can. Ideally, this would be a room where you can close the door. A ballet barre equivalent and a 6-by-6-foot space to work in are recommended.
• Arrive promptly and ready to work for all sessions so they may begin at the appointed time.
• Arrive in appropriate attire.
• Students should keep their video on for the duration of all sessions, unless otherwise instructed. Please alert the professor in advance if there is a reason this is not possible.
• Non-class related texting and chatting is prohibited during all sessions. Phones should be turned off and put away.
• Questions regarding the material taught are welcome and should be addressed to the instructor.

Dress Code

Students are expected to wear appropriate clothing. Proper dance attire is mandatory to prepare for professional studio protocols, to develop a sense of self-aesthetics, and for evaluation of technical skills. Face masks are strongly encouraged.

• Solid colored leotard, full-length pink/flesh tone tights (worn inside of leotard), pink/flesh tone ballet shoes.

- OR -

•  Solid color t-shirt/athletic shirt (tucked into tights), full-length black tights and shoes.

Overly baggy and ill-fitted dance attire should not be worn. All students must wear appropriate supportive undergarments. Long hair must be secured neatly off the face and neck. For safety considerations, do not chew gum or wear jewelry. 

Attendance

Attendance is absolutely critical to the success of this course. Be in the space and ready to begin when the instructor begins. Prompt and regular attendance is essential to: 1) achieve performance and technical skills; 2) allow for proper assessment of course content; 3) facilitate the recalling of class material; and 4) promote injury prevention. Excessive absences indicate a lack of interest, maturity, commitment, motivation, and dedication that inevitably lead to a loss of growth and skill development.

Absences:

Students are permitted TWO (2) absences without adversely affecting their final grade. Any absences beyond this attendance policy will result in the lowering of the student’s final grade for each additional absence by one increment on the eleven-point scale (A, A-, B+, B, etc.). Please remember, you cannot improve if you are not in class.

Excused absences are documented illnesses or a death in the family. Students are expected to contact the instructor via email in the event of an illness, and /or above-listed circumstance, to report that they will not be in class. Excessive absence beyond the two mentioned above will affect a student’s performance and will therefore affect the student’s grade whether excused or unexcused. “Excessive absence” is defined as seven classes missed or “sat out” excused or not.

Students are responsible for tracking their own absence tally.

Observations:

Fall 2021 - No ill observing allowed.

3 observation days = 1 absence

Students who observe classes must fill out an observation form and submit to the teacher at the class to receive attendance credit for the class. (Observation forms are posted on the course Canvas page, and may also be obtained from the instructor.) Observations are an exercise for students to learn constructive criticism and develop critical analysis.

Late arrivals:

If the student is not present when attendance is taken, the student will be marked absent. See the professor immediately at the end of class to have the ABSENCE changed to LATE in the roll book (see also Attendance Policy). Students may not join class after the first exercise has been completed. Tardy students who arrive within the first 15 minutes of class may observe. Students who are more than 15 minutes late will be counted as absent. If student is late to class, it is the teacher's decision whether the student may join class.

Make-ups:

Regular attendance is very important. Any class missed cannot be made up.

COVID-19 Related Illness:

Students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle pain, headache, chills, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea or who have been in close contact with others who have symptoms should:

• Remain at home to protect others
• Ensure that any recommended screening has been conducted (use OU Healthy Together app) and any needed treatment obtained
• Contact the instructor prior to absence or inability to participate, if possible, and provide an honest report of the reason for which you cannot attend class or complete a course activity
• Continue to complete coursework to the extent possible, using Canvas, Zoom, and other online tools
• Submit assignments electronically to the extent possible and as directed by the instructor
• Communicate with the instructor to arrange modifications to deadlines or work requirements or reschedule exams or other important course activities, when it is necessary

Professionalism

Professional, intelligent, and positive habits are expected. These qualities are necessary to show respect to yourself, others, and the tradition of the art form.

• Respect for the teacher, other students, the studio, the theatre, and guest artists is expected.
• No conversations between students during class, and the student's hand should be raised when there is a question for the teacher.
• During class, students are expected to listen closely when an instructor is correcting another student so that they may also learn from the correction.
• If student needs to leave class early, please let the teacher know before class starts. At the appointed time, the student should thank teacher and then leave the studio quietly.
• Hanging on barres and sitting on the floor during class is not allowed.
• Please remember that ballet is a performing art, and all dancers are artists at work on their craft in the studio. A professional approach to this work, including the areas outlined above, are the expectation of the instructor. 

Injuries

Please let the instructor know of any injury, physical limitation or disability that may require special attention. If an injury should occur during class, please inform the instructor immediately.

Safety Statement – "Students should be aware that dance is a physically demanding art requiring physical exertion comparable to athletics. Injuries can occur during intense periods of dance exercise and students should make every effort to follow the instructor's directions completely. The Instructor reserves the right to limit further class participation if the student appears injured or fails to seek appropriate medical attention for an injury."

Communication

All communication beyond class time will only be through e-mail account - rherrin@ou.edu. Please allow 2 business days for reply. 

Respect for Diversity

It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. I promote student health and wellbeing above all else, and believe all movement belongs to all people.

Course Prerequisites 

 Students must audition for placement into Ballet Technique II in class during the first week of the semester. Permission is granted by the instructor.

GRADING

Students will be evaluated on their overall progress, attendance, work ethic, and completion of assignments. Mid-term conferences will be scheduled via Zoom to discuss student progress and goals.

Breakdown

80 % Physical Practice / Overall technical progress

20% Weekly Physical Practice Canvas Discussion

Students are not compared with each other for grading. Letter grades (A-F) are earned by the students using the rubric attached. The standards of evaluation are as follows:

A = consistent demonstration of superior work in fulfillment of course requirements; improvement during the semester will be weighted. 

B = consistent demonstration of excellent work in fulfillment of course requirements; improvement during the semester will be weighted.                          

C = consistent demonstration of satisfactory work in fulfillment of course requirements; improvement during the semester will be weighted.

D = demonstration of work is not satisfactory and/or student fails to follow attendance requirements; improvement during the semester will be weighted.

F = failure to meet minimum course goals.

 

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University Academic Policies and Student Support

Course Catalog 

Search the OU Course Catalogue.

Student Handbook

Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.

Online Library

Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.

Keep OU Healthy

Academic Misconduct

In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook. 

It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.

This site also defines misconduct, provides examples of prohibited conduct, and explains the sanctions available for those found guilty of misconduct.

Plagiarism 

Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism. 

For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.

Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities

The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course should contact their professor as early in the semester as possible.

Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations in this course.

If you have a disability and you would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation, please see the Graduate Student Handbook or get in touch with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center.

Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues

Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability.  Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.

Title IX Resources  

For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office at 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates at 405-615-0013 (24/7) to learn more or to report an incident. 

Religious Holidays

It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays without penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to make alternate arrangements with the instructor at least one week prior to the actual date of the religious holiday.

LGBTQ Recourse Center

If you are a member of the LGBTQ community, I want you to know that my classroom is a safe zone. Additionally, please know that OU has an LGBTQ Resource Center on campus. Their address is Oklahoma Memorial Union, 900 Asp Avenue, Suite 247 Norman, OK 73019.

Hours: M-F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Phone: (405) 325-4929. Please visit their website for more information about what support they offer, a list of ongoing events, and links to outside resources: http://www.ou.edu/content/gec/staff.html

Copyright Policy

It is illegal to download, upload, reproduce, or distribute any copyrighted material, in any form and in any fashion, without permission from the copyright holder or his/her authorized agent. The University of Oklahoma expects all members of its community to comply fully with federal copyright laws. If such laws appear to have been violated by any user, the university reserves the right (1) to terminate that user’s access to some or all of the university’s computer systems and information resources and (2) to take additional disciplinary actions as deemed necessary or appropriate. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned and their privileges terminated.

Registration and Withdrawal

If you choose to withdraw from this course, you must complete the appropriate University form and turn the form in before the deadline. If you stop attending the course and doing the coursework without doing the required paperwork, your grade will be calculated with missed homework and examination grades entered as zero. This could result in receiving a grade of F in the course. Deadlines are shown in the Academic Calendar, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.

Student Grievances

In addition to any policies outlined related to submitting an informal or formal grievance by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.