DANCE 371: Dance Production II (Choreography for the Camera)
Wednesdays, 5-7:50 M-227
Professor: Leslie Seiters
Office Hours and Location: M240
Email: lseiters@mail.sdsu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This class will focus on the artistic aspects of creating dance for video, developing choreography
for the camera lens/frame and utilizing video editing as a choreographic practice. Students will
view and discuss a large number of time-based works including contemporary video dance as
well as intersections of dance and visual and performance art, popular and experimental film,
video art, and computer technologies. Students will gain a thorough knowledge of the production
process from concept development to execution to distribution and gain hands-on
experience/technical skills to create their own choreography for the camera.
Choreography for the camera broadens the production protocol of live dance performance by
incorporating the craft of film/video, from production to post-production manipulation. At the
same time, the language of dance is limited by the camera's frame and the flatness of the screen.
This class will find what creative potential exists in the losses and gains of this practice.
This is a choreography class.
What can we bring to this medium (video) as movement artists?
What can our studio dance-making gain from experimenting in this medium (video)?
Class Structure:
This class will meet every Monday from 5-7:50pm. Class time will be spent with lectures and
technical demonstrations, video screenings, critique and discussion, in-class experiments, and
hands-on-training in video production: shooting, editing and sound design. Every week there will
be homework. Students are required to spend at least 5 hours outside of class per week, not
limited to: researching project ideas, developing choreography, shooting and editing, audio
recording and sound design, and working in the Lab.
Class Objectives:
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
 Translate dance to video form and understand through experience, the limitations and
possibilities that this digital format affords. (One aspect of this process involves
exploring alternative approaches to making dance, or altering existing work, as
necessitated by this different medium.)
 Collaborate with a group on a single project, demonstrating skills in communication, and
exchange of artistic ideas.
 Become familiar and confident in basic video production (camera operation, editing,
audio recording) and demonstrate an understanding of perspective and artistic choice in
camera shots as well as the complex relationship between image, gesture and sound.
 Be comfortable using video program Final Cut Pro.
Goals
 To understand the importance of process in your work and to take personal risk
 To explore and develop a personal aesthetic through digital media and continue to
develop an artistic voice as choreographer integrating and building on experiences from
choreography classes
 To control equipment and document/follow program instructions to the degree needed to
complete your work (take notes!)
 To be respectful of others, helping to create a supportive atmosphere conducive to
learning
 To structure your time so that your assignments are fulfilled on time
 To experience progress in areas that are difficult for you
 To enjoy what you are learning
Class Requirements:
 Regular attendance and promptness (missing class will immediately effect your grade)
 Attentive presence, participation and contributions to the class (Students are expected to
actively participate in class critiques and discussions following video screenings)
 Timely completion of all assignments
 Students are expected to work outside of the scheduled class time each week
 Final portfolios (public showing of selected work during last week of classes)
Required Materials and Supplies:
• Small (1/2”) 3-ring Binder for Production Notebook/Journal
• 60 Minute Mini-DV tapes (available to purchase from instructor)
• External Fire Wire Drive
* You will need to purchase your own Fire Wire Hard Drive (if you do not already have one). I
suggest that you purchase at least 500 GB - Firewire800/Firewire400/USB 2.0 Portable Hard
Drive (you can find a portable 1 tb drive for $79 at Amazon.com)
** Always bring your external hard drive to class.
Cameras and Tripods
Students must check out and sign in for each borrowed camera and or tripod. You are
responsible for the loss and damage of the equipment you checkout, so if you notice that
something is not working when you check it out, report it immediately otherwise you will be
held responsible. Never leave equipment in your car. For further information see Camera Care
Form.
Studies: You will work on a Weekly Video Study that will build on the concepts and techniques
viewed in screenings and discussed in class. These studies will range from solo to collaborative
depending on the study. Each study will focus on some aspect of choreography for the camera.
Evaluation of studies will be based on quality and depth of exploration within parameters of each
study.
Portfolio: Students will compile a selection of three studies for grade. You may choose to revise
studies for the portfolio.
All Reading Assignments and Supplemental Viewing Materials and Resources will be found
on our class website at Blackboard.
EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND GRADING:
While students will be evaluated project-by-project, each individual student’s portfolio
evaluation will be based primarily on personal progress as evidenced through the assignments.
Although your performance in the class is assessed in the following breakdown, failure to
complete any aspect will seriously compromise a positive assessment.
GRADING:
60% Video Studies
20% Portfolio and Process paper
20% Attendance/In-class Participation (completion of reading and writing assignments,
discussion based on screenings and readings, being prepared for critique, contributions to
classmates’ work)
ATTENDANCE POLICY: In-class discussions, activities, screenings and video lab time are
extremely important to this class, and attendance/participation figures into the final grade.
Students are permitted one unexcused absence for the semester, but are responsible to catch up
on any missed information. Each subsequent absence will result in lowering the attendance mark
by one letter grade. One late arrival is permitted; each subsequent late (more than 15 minutes) is
considered equal to a half-day absence. Students who are absent for four classes will fail the
class.