Courses & Syllabuses

Current and upcoming courses, with syllabuses linked for enrolled students and colleagues. Grown from a practice that has taught in 38 countries across 4 continents.

While encouraging students called “family Members” to expand the goals set for the semester, my courses invite them to break away from Eurocentric structures, to develop trust in alternative processes, to learn to be comfortable with discomfort, and to engage in a process of unlearning by opening themselves to other methodologies.

TEACHING AS A WAY OF SHARING/LEARNING

THD 113 - 4 CREDITS - FALL GRINNELL COLLEGE

Movement for the Performer

Practical exploration of movement and bodily-based training as an alternative means to theorize the integration of mind and body. Students develop greater physical awareness and articulation for stage, athletics, and other applications through studio-based exercises investigating daily movement practices, improvisation, and an introduction to composing in movement.

Syllabus — pending Canvas access →

Within the donso-ya, a unique pedagogical philosophy manifests through the reciprocity of titles between master and student, where the former refers to their apprentice as “master,” and the students address their instructor as “master.” This pedagogical dynamic highlights the bidirectional nature of learning, acknowledging that the student gains knowledge from the master, just as the master enriches their own understanding through interactions with their students. This philosophy, which I find particularly inspiring, fosters a learning environment conducive to exploring each student’s intellectual curiosity in class, encouraging them to engage actively in critical studies as well as in the physical dimension of movements.

THD 210 - 4 CREDITS - SPRING GRINNELL COLLEGE

Choreography: Developing Movement Ideas

Focuses on the fundamentals and theories of choreographic process, explored through formal and experimental models and their socio-historical contexts. Improvisation and composition are used to explore the structural elements and movement vocabularies used to devise physical ideas for the stage. Students present their work in an end-of-semester showing.

Syllabus — pending Canvas access →

THD 205 - 2 CREDITS FALL & SPRING GRINNELL COLLEGE

Dance Ensemble

A performing ensemble engaged in the development, rehearsal, and production of contemporary dance works choreographed by faculty and guest artists. Students gain collaborative skills through improvisation and by contributing movement material to choreographic projects. Entry is by audition/informational workshop at the start of each term.

Syllabus — pending Canvas access →