The latvian academy of culture

The Name of the Course: Theory and Technique of Modern Dance

The Scope of the Course: 7 terms, 864 lectures.

27 credit points. Type of Assessment –

an examination at the end of each term.

I.The Author of the Course: Lecturer Olga Žitluhina, MA

The Content of the Course: The objective of the course is to educate students in the key principles of the various techniques of dance and inform them about the current events in the world of modern dance. During the course the students acquire the methodology of the technique of dance, which helps them to understand and evaluate the possibilities of their bodies. The course develops the students’ skills to become professional performers. It also introduces to the most notable techniques of dance.
Preconditions for the Acquisition of the Course: General training in movement and dance.
Thematic Planning:

Themes	Week	Type of classes and hours
Term 1
An insight into the essence of Body Foundation: body physiology.	1, 2	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
The methodological peculiarities of the above mentioned theme.	3, 4	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
Body Foundation: the meditation movements that help to listen to one’s own body.	5, 6, 7	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;P2
The meditation movements that help to listen in one’s own body to relation to the floor.	8, 9, 10	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;P2
The meditation movements that help to listen to one’s own body in relation to space.	11, 12	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;P2
The meditation movements that help to listen to one’s own body in relation to time.	13, 14	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;P2
The meditation movements that help to listen to the directions of the energy flow of one’s own body.	15, 16	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2
Term 2
An insight into the key principles of Alexander Technique and the history of its development.	17, 18, 19	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
The methodological peculiarities of the above mentioned theme.	20, 21, 22	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
Alexander Technique: a natural and primitive movement of each part of the body according to its anatomical structure: the placement of the body using its various positions.	23, 24, 25	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
Rolling in various positions of the body (standing, sitting, lying).	26, 27, 28	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
Swings for the back, legs and hands.	29, 30	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
A spiral for the back.	31, 32	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
Term 3
An insight into the key principles of Limon Technique and the history of its development.	33, 34	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
The methodological peculiarities of the above mentioned theme.	35, 36	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
Rotation for the head, legs and hands. Direction in space.	37, 38	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
The key principles of Hose Limon Technique: an uninterrupted chain of movements.	39, 40	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
Five resistance points in the body.	41, 42	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
Potential and kinaesthetic energy.	43, 44	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
A fall – the submission of the body to gravity.	45, 46	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
A jump and rising as a resistance to gravity.	47, 48	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
Term 4
An insight into the key principles of Horton Technique and the history of its development.	49, 50	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
The methodological peculiarities of the above mentioned theme.	51, 52	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
The increase of potential energy: a breath at the top of the movement.	53, 54	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
Weight – the abandon to gravity simultaneously using and applying the previously acquired technical elements.	55, 56, 57	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
The key principles of Lester Horton Technique: an understanding of the physical dynamics of movement.	58, 59, 60	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;
A disciplined movement as a result of an understanding of the physical dynamics of movement.	61, 62	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;
An acquisition of endurance and flexability as equal elements of the quality of the technique of dance.	63, 64	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;
Term 5
An insight into the key principles of Upside Down / Right Side Up Technique and the history of its development.	65, 66	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
The methodological peculiarities of the above mentioned theme.	67, 68	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
The key principles of Upside Down / Right Side Up Technique: acrobatic elements as the basis for the acquisition of the technique.	69, 70, 71, 72	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
The development of the sense of comfort by shifting one’s weight to hands.	73, 74, 75, 76	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
The variation of possibilities by acquisition of different positions of one’s body in space.	77, 78	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
The technique of the deliberate application of risk.	79, 80	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;
Term 6
An insight into the key principles of Flying Low Technique and the history of its development.	81, 82	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;L2;L2
The methodological peculiarities of the above mentioned theme.	83, 84	L2;L2;L2;L2; L2;L2;
The key elements of Flying Low Technique: the dancer’s relations with the floor.	85, 86, 87, 88	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;
Activators of the mutual relations among the body centre and its furthest points: breath, speed and the direction of energy through the body.	89, 90, 91, 92	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;
The development of the speed of movement by relying on and resisting the gravity without losing the sense of the centre in the body.	93, 94, 95, 96	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2
Term 7
The most current tendencies in the world of modern dance.	97, 98	L2;L2
The variation of the elements of various acquired techniques in the combinations of dances.	99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;
The variation of the elements of various acquired techniques in the individually created combinations of dances.	107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112	P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2; P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2;P2