MOVEMENT DIRECTION - 2019/0

Module Overview

This module explores movement direction by significant dance, theatre, and performance practitioners. The practical workshop explores key movement principles across a number of performance practices, including physical theatre, mime, improvisation and contemporary dance to develop original performance and choreographic work in the light of contemporary theoretical, socio-political and historical approaches to movement direction. The focus will be upon processes of facilitation (extending to performers and other members of a creative production team); and research (involving the planning and completion of relevant research tasks). Workshops and group project provide an opportunity for students to critically examine not only the practical approaches to movement practices across dance, theatre, and performance but also interrogate their socio-political meaning across diverse performance contexts.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

RYAN Rose (GSA)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

The development of skills in relation to the demands of the role of the movement director, coach and/or specialist working on a creative production. Work on the module might explore the triangular relationship between the movement director, the actor and a director, with particular focus given to facilitation skills in relation to a range of production demands. Workshops and seminars with expert practitioners and visiting professionals working in this field can bring a professional focus to this unit.

Other indicative content includes:

• Historical and contextual study of various modes of movement direction (Jane Gibson, Struan Leslie, Ayse Tashkiran, Litz Pisk, Lecoq, Imogen Knight, Laban)


• Practical exploration of modes of movement direction – observation technique, re-creation, working with actors and creative movement writing


• Critical modes of analysing human movement and embodiment in different performance contexts


• Movement direction approaches to creative and pedagogic learning as part of hybrid creative processes and diverse performance making

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

Embodied knowledge of the subject, whereby students will be given practical tasks in class and as preparation for follow-up sessions to prepare their group performance and final essay to demonstrate their understanding of the integration of practice and theory of movement analysis as a professional tool for choreography, movement direction and performance.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

Continuous assessment – This is to be further detailed according to the speciality of the module convener/tutor; indicative content would include a Directed Group Workshop and class tasks Written Assessment - Essay 1,500 words

Formative assessment

Formative Assessment consists of verbal feedback throughout the module and tutorial sessions about summative assignment.

Feedback

Informal formative verbal feedback from tutors will be provided via, but is not restricted to, in class activities, the virtual learning environment, email exchange, personal tutorials.

Summative formal written feedback will follow submission of the summative assessment.

Module aims

• develop and communicate appropriate, creative and safe movement strategies in the movement direction of others within given circumstances
• understand and translate cultural, social and historical influences on production genres and be able communicate them to performers and collaborators through movement processes
• develop knowledge of approaches to movement for performance and investigate them within rehearsal and/or production scenarios
• analyse, interrogate and broaden individuals skills base
• implement appropriate research strategies through the development of a working journal, research plans and visual sources

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

To achieve an integration of practical and theoretical understandings of movement creation and direction as a central aspect of the students choreographic/ movement creation and direction skills and tools for performance analysis and creative process.

The learning and teaching methods include:

Rehearsal laboratories that support the practice of a movement practitioner, creator and director. Tutor-led workshops will give the students the opportunity to work in a group or on an individual basis with combination of specialist collaborators, for e.g. one director and two actors. Other methods include:

Staff-led studio work

Student-led studio work

Research and field-trip research

Staff mentoring

Seminars

VLE

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: DAN2042

Other information

Under the three term structure that commences from academic year 2019/0 – this module’s delivery falls in Semester 1 due to the teaching occurring in Teaching Block 1.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2019/0 academic year.