Course Catalog

THDN 103

Basic Acting

An introduction to the basic elements of acting. Students will work on releasing tension, developing their powers of concentration, promoting spontaneity through improvisation, and exploring a systematic approach to preparing a role for performance. This course is a prerequisite for all upper-level acting courses.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 106

Elements of Movement: As Language/As Art

An introduction to the basic elements of movement as the foundation for exploring such topics as body image, interpersonal communication, creative expression, and dance as performance.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 107

Introduction to Performance

Utilizing improvisational structures, students will explore the performing body through movement, voice, character, and physical space as the basic elements of performance. Looking at some of the earliest performance traditions throughout the world, the course will examine the notion of performance as transformative experience and the dancer/actor as the unified source of performance. Specific contexts for performance will be studied, referencing Australian aboriginal, Asian, and Native American traditions, and how these influence and redefine the performer’s intention will be explored. Finally, students will establish a working vocabulary for the performer that evolves out of their active experience and analysis.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 109

Performance

Major performance participation in a faculty-directed dance showcase concert or a non-faculty-directed Theater and Dance Department production. Students participating in the production should see the show's director to arrange for .25 credit. Do not register for this course during regular Trinity College registration.

0.25 units, Studio

THDN 110

Theatrical Performance: History and Practice

An exploration of the fundamental components of theatrical performance: character, action, voice, gesture, and stage space. Students will be introduced to a wide range of dramatic texts, choreographies, and performance practices from both Western and non-Western traditions. The course will include a practicum component.

1.00 units, Lecture

ENGL 112

Intro to Theater Arts

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 122

Ballet Technique I

For the beginning dancer; a study of the fundamentals of technique and alignment as the basis for an introduction to ballet movement vocabulary.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 130

Jazz Dance Technique I

For the beginning dancer; a study of the fundamentals of technique and alignment as the basis for an introduction to jazz dance movement vocabulary.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 131

Modern Dance Technique I

For the beginning dancer; a study of the fundamentals of technique and alignment as the basis for an introduction to modern dance movement vocabulary.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 202

Elem Production Tech

An exploration of basic stagecraft and production techniques, including scenic construction and painting, lighting, properties, costumes, and production management. The course involves classroom study but emphasizes practical work on stage productions mounted in the Austin Arts Center throughout the semester. Lab hours will also be arranged.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 205

Intermediate Acting

Students will continue to refine their ability to portray character through movement and gesture, incorporating both classical and contemporary methods of performance training. Monologues and scene study from the Greeks, Moliere, Brecht, and Grotowski will be included.
Prerequisite: Theater and Dance 103 or Permission of the Instructor.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 206

The Eye of the Beholder:Theatrical Performance and Critical Values

Why are we profoundly moved by a particular performance we see? Why are we perplexed? Or bored? Or disturbed? To understand why we react as we do is to understand something fundamental about the nature of theatrical performance as we come to terms with our own values about art and life. This course will ask students to examine, to discuss, and to write about their reactions to the performances they see both on and off campus during the course of the semester. We will also explore the role of the professional critic: How do critics affect what we see? How do critics make judgments? And, can critics enhance our understanding of the theatrical experience?

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 207

Improvisation

The study of the spontaneous exploration and creation of movement as the basis for understanding the process of creative problem-solving and performance-making. Students will examine the concepts of time, weight, space, and flow; the fundamentals of breathing and centering; vocal and rhythmic elements; and the basic components of composition and design that underlie the crafting of dance/theater in the moment.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 208

Narrative and Performance

Both theater and dance bring to the stage various kinds of narrative. In this course, students will continue to investigate the intentions and structures of performance through the device of telling a single story in several ways. By looking at how various playwrights, choreographers, directors, and performance artists approach a particular narrative, students will investigate the elements of theater, including acting, directing, playwrighting, choreography, and design. In addition, students will have the opportunity to explore their own abilities as theater artists by creating and performing an original theater and/or movement piece based on the same story.
Prerequisite: Theater and Dance 103 or 107 or 207.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 209

Hip Hop

A course in hip hop dance technique open to students of all level of experience. The course will also include discussion of the influence of Africanist traditions on contemporary Black dance and popular culture.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 213

Theatrical Lighting: Design and Production

This course will, through careful examination and experimentation with the controllable properties of light, expose the students to the theories, processes, and technologies of designing and working with light.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 214

Costume Design

This course includes the study of the history of costume, costume research techniques, the interpretation of design, analysis of playscripts and characters, and construction techniques as appropriate to theater and dance. Students will be exposed to a wide range of skills in costuming and will produce a portfolio of work at the end of the semester. This course includes the study of the history of costume, costume research techniques, the interpretation of design, analysis of playscripts and characters, and construction techniques as appropriate to theater and dance.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 215

Making Dances

An introduction to the principles of choreography using a variety of improvisational and compositional structures. In addition to making their own dances, students will study the working methods and dances of several major contemporary choreographers. Concurrent enrollment in a technique class, either for credit or as an auditor, is recommended.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 216

Scene Design

A survey of the elements of theatrical design coupled with extensive groundwork in scenic construction. Emphasis on the search for solutions to scenic problems, communication of ideas through scenographic methods, and hands-on construction techniques.

1.00 units, Lecture

MUSC 220

Dance and Music

Designed for dancers and musicians who wish to develop a deeper understanding of the interrelationship of music and dance. The course is experiential and will culminate in a performance of the works developed in class. Dancers will choreograph and musicians will compose, with special attention given to structure, musicality in phrasing and performing, and relationships which are best realized when dance and music are developed collaboratively.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 222

Ballet Dance Technique II

For the dancer with some experience; a continued exploration and deepening of the dancer’s understanding of the principles of ballet movement and a strengthening of technical skills.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 228

Voice in Performance

Taking the voice as a fundamental element of performance, this course will introduce various techniques and methods designed to release the full vocal potential of the individual student. Through the use of visual imagery as well as text, students will explore the human impulses for sound and will work to achieve an increased sense of physical presence in performance. (This course has been replaced by Theater and Dance 235.)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Theater and Dance 107 or 108.

1.00 units, Laboratory

THDN 230

Jazz Dance Technique II

For the dancer with some experience; a continued exploration and deepening of the dancer’s understanding of the principles of jazz dance movement and a strengthening of technical skills.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 231

Modern Dance Technique II

For the dancer with some experience; a continued exploration and deepening of the dancer’s understanding of the principles of modern dance movement and a strengthening of technical skills.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 235

Voice

This course teaches students how to use the voice in performance by expanding their expressive range through structured exercises that develop resonance and articulation and that free specific tension points. The approach to vocal work developed by Kristin Linklater will be the foundation for this investigation.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 236

Contemporary Dance History: Global Perspectives

A study of the origins and development of dance in various world cultures. Students will explore how the Western modern dance aesthetic has evolved concurrently with the development of non-Western dance forms and will address questions of crossover of form and content, the transmission of cultural values, and the implications for contemporary choreography.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 238

20th-Century European Theater and Drama

An exploration of seminal European plays and productions from 1900 to the present. Among the playwrights to be examined are Pirandello, Brecht, Beckett, Ionesco, Genet, Weiss, and Strauss. Famous productions by directors such as Stanislavski, Meyerhold, Reinhardt, Stein, and Brook will also be studied.

1.00 units, Seminar

WMST 238

20th C Dance History

A lecture course that examines the beginnings of radically new approaches in 20th-century dance from the birth of the modern dance aesthetic and innovative experiments in the ballet idiom. This course will then trace later developments to the present through an analysis of various styles: expressionism, formalism, post-modernism and neo-expressionism.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 239

Theater of the Americas

A detailed study of the major philosophies, techniques, and performances of theater in North and South America including Nelson Rodrigues (Brazil), Teatro Experimental (Chile), Arthur Miller, Guillermo Gomez-Pina, and the Wooster Group (United States). Also listed under American studies, Latin American studies, and English.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 243

The Dance/Drama Traditions of Asia

This course will examine the formal conventions of selected Asian dance/drama forms, trace their historical origins, and analyze their present function in Asian societies. Guest speakers, films, and viewing of performances will help students to understand these forms and to develop a comparative perspective of dance/drama East and West.

1.00 units, Seminar

THDN 250

Ancient World through the Romantic Age: History of Theater and Dance

A lecture course tracing the development of western theatrical art from its origins in early ritual through its various historical manifestations in the Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, Neo-classical, and Romantic traditions. We will include a study of major dramatic and theoretical texts of each period as well as contributions of prominent theatrical artists, e.g. actors, actor/managers, dancers, choreographers, and designers.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 251

Theater and Dance in the 20th Century

A lecture course which surveys western theatrical art from the early Modern tradition to the present day. We will include a study of major dramatic and theoretical texts of each period as well as contributions of prominent theatrical artists, e.g., actors, dancers, choreographers, directors, and designers.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 270

Arts in Action: Moving into the Community

In this course we will examine the way the arts in general and movement in particular both engage a community and are engaged in the community. Using Hartford and the region as a field for our inquiry, we will look at the role the arts play in contributing to the overall health of a community with a particular focus on schools for at-risk youth, correctional institutions, homes for the elderly, specialized magnet schools, after-school programming and performance that utilizes the community as a generative resource. In addition to readings, films, guest speakers and discussions, there will be applied observation and study in the city of Hartford and beyond.

1.00 units, Seminar

THDN 293

Playwrights Workshop I

An introduction to different styles and techniques of playwriting through the study of selected plays from various theater traditions. Assignments and exercises will lead to the development of short plays scripted by students.
Prerequisite: At least one theater and dance course or Permission of the Instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

THDN 294

Basic Directing

This course explores the fundamentals of stage directing. Students will read texts by and about major 20th-century directors. In addition, students will direct a scene for each class, focusing on and combining different directing skills, including the understanding of stage space, movement, and text. The class will culminate in a presentation of one-act plays directed by the students.
C- or better in THDN 103 or 107, or Permission of the Instructor

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 305

Intermediate Acting

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 306

Advanced Acting

This course allows students to continue the development of their acting technique through an in-depth study of the vocal and physical demands of selected acting styles. Prerequisite: Theater and Dance 205.
Prerequisite: C- or better in Theater and Dance 205 or permission of the instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 307

Performance Art

Students will explore the nature of performance art from its historical and theoretical roots. Emphasis will then be placed on actively developing group and solo performance using autobiographical material, "found text," visual imagery, music, and movement as resources. By studying the work of diverse contemporary performance artists who address issues of identity, culture, and global concerns, students will gain insight into the many approaches to creating performance art.
Prerequisite: At least one theater and dance course or Permission of the Instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 309

Stage Production

Major performance or design participation in a faculty-directed Theater and Dance Department production. Cast members will enroll at the first rehearsal. Design students will enroll with the technical director. All students participating in the production will receive .5 credit and will be graded. Do not register for this course during regular Trinity College registration.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 311

Trinity Unlimited:Faculty Repertory

Students will participate in the choreographic process developing such performance skills as movement memory, concentration, phrasing, expression and accuracy. The course will culminate in the performance of a faculty-choreographed work. Enrollment limited.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 315

Making Dances

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 316

Dances in Repertory

This course is designed to introduce students to performing dances in a repertory setting. Students will learn and perform new dances, maintain dances in repertory, and choreograph for each other. Students will have the opportunity to perform.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 320

Dance and Music

An examination of selected collaborations between choreographers and composers as the basis for an investigation of the compositional possibilities between dance and music. Particular focus will be given to improvisational discovery and to the various ways to structure musical and dance phrasing in the creation of collaborative works. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

THDN 322

Ballet Technique III

For the advanced ballet dancer; a focus on refining technical skills and developing performance abilities.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 330

Jazz Dance Technique III

For the advanced jazz dancer; a focus on refining technical skills and developing performance abilities.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 331

Modern Dance Technique III

For the advanced modern dancer; a focus on refining technical skills and developing performance abilities.

0.50 units, Studio

THDN 332

Education Through Movement

In this course, students will examine the philosophical and theoretical foundations of arts education in general and movement education in particular. Students will participate in a semester-long movement/arts residency program in a Hartford elementary school with professional artists from the community. This project, which culminates in a large-scale performance piece with the children, gives students an on-site experience of how movement is integrated into an existing public school curriculum.

1.00 units, Lecture

EDUC 334

Education Through Mvmt

Investigation of the role of movement in the teaching/learning process. Selected readings on the philosophy of movement education as well as practical experience teaching creative movement in the public schools. Intended for students who are interested in teaching and have a background in dance, education, and/or psychology. Enrollment limited.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 336

Contemporary Dance: Global Perspectives

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 338

20th-Century European Theater/Drama

An exploration of seminal European plays and productions from 1900 to the present. Among the playwrights to be examined are Pirandello, Brecht, Beckett, Ionesco, Genet, Weiss and Strauss. Famous productions by directors such as Stanislavski, Meyerhold, Reinhardt, Stein and Brook will also be studied.

1.00 units, Seminar

AMST 339

20th C Am Theater & Dram

A detailed study of the development of the modern American theater through an examination of the most famous works of prominent playwrights, directors, designers, and companies, including playwrights Belasco, O'Neill, Glaspell, Rice, Odets, Hart and Kaufman, Williams, Miller, Inge, Albee, Shepard, Norman, and Gray; director/designer teams Hopkins and Jones and Kazan and Mielziner; and companies such as the Provincetown Players, the Theatre Guild, the Group Theater, the Performance Group and the Wooster Group.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 339

Theater of the Americas

A detailed study of the major philosophies, techniques, and performances of theater in North and South America including Nelson Rodrigues (Brazil), Teatro Experimental (Chile), Arthur Miller, Guillermo Gomez-Pina, and the Wooster Group (USA). Also listed under American Studies, Latin American Studies, and English.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 345

Special Topics: Principles of Costume Design

Students develop an understanding of how the principles of costume design are used to create statements about a play and its characters. Lectures and class discussions prepare students to confront specific problems in design projects.
Prerequisite: C- or better in THDN 214 or permission of the instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 351

Shakespeare

In this course we will study selected Shakespeare plays, with an emphasis on plays in performance and plays in their cultural contexts. Plays to be studied may include: Richard III, The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, Macbeth, The Winter's Tale, and The Tempest; these choices are subject to change, partly by student request. Students should be available on Monday evenings for film screenings. This course satisfies the requirement of a course emphasizing literature before 1800 or a literary theory course.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 363

Performance Theory

This course will explore performance theory from the Greeks to the present day. Particular emphasis will be paid to the application of theory to theatrical creation and to the role of theater in society.
For Junior and Senior Theater and Dance majors or with Permission of Instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

WMST 371

Women & Healing

THIS COURSE EXPLORES THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN HEALERS. WE WILL LOOK AT VARIOUS HEALING PRACTICES (SHAMANISM, MIDWIFERY, HERBALISM, AND PSYCHIC HEALING) IN WHICH WOMEN HAVE PLAYED A PRIMARY ROLE, IN WESTERN AND NON-WESTERN CULTURES. THE IMPACT OF WOMEN ON THE HOLISTIC MOVEMENT AND APPROACHES TO MIND/BODY INTEGRATION AND CONTEMPORARY MEDICINE WILL ALSO BE INVESTIGATED. CLASS WILL INCLUDE DISCUSSION AND EXPERIENTIAL SESSIONS. DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 373

Human Rights Through Performance: The Incarcerated

In this course we will examine selected human rights issues through a multi-disciplinary approach that includes readings, discussion, journal writing, site visits and art-making. This semester's study will look at life behind the razor wire—what are the human rights issues that emerge in the world of the incarcerated? Included in our investigation will be the question of the death penalty, the notion of rehabilitation vs. punishment, gender-specific issues and the impact of the arts on prisoners and the institution of prison.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 384

Advanced Directing

In this course, students will conceive and direct a performance for the stage. In addition, students will study modern directing theory, with particular emphasis on the development of individual process and style.
Prerequisite: C- or better in Theater and Dance 294.

1.00 units, Studio

THDN 392

Writing for Film

An introduction to the craft of screenwriting with an emphasis on character development and narrative structure. Students will complete a short script over the course of the semester. We will read and analyze professional scripts that have been produced, and watch various film clips to determine why some scenes work better than others. Writing experience recommended.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 393

Playwrights Workshop I

An introduction to different styles and techniques of playwrighting through the study of selected plays from various world theater traditions. Assignments and exercises will lead to the development of short plays scripted by students.
Prerequisite: At least one theater and dance course or Permission of the Instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

THDN 394

Directing

This course explores the fundamentals of stage directing. Students will read texts by and about major 20th-century directors. In addition, students will direct a scene for each class, focusing on and combining different directing skills, including the understanding of stage space, movement, and text. The class will culminate in a presentation of one-act plays directed by the students.
Prerequisite: C- or better in Theater and Dance 103 or 208 or Permission of Instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 399

Independent Study

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment.

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

THDN 401

Performance Workshops/Trinity/La MaMa/New York City Performing Arts Program

A participatory workshop in which students interested in performance can work on expanding their expressive vocabulary and develop physical, vocal, psycho-physical skills. Classes include sessions in movement, improvisation, acting, image work, text, scene and ensemble work and field study in the city of New York. This course culminates in a presentation of final performance projects at Trinity and La MaMa ETC. Only students accepted in the Trinity/La MaMa Urban Arts Semester can enroll in this course.

2.00 units, Lecture

THDN 405

The Nonprofit Arts Organization/Trinity/La MaMa/New York City Performing Arts Program

Students will work at field study placements selected by the students and the director for a minimum of 20 hours each week. In addition, they will have weekly discussions with the director of the program about their on-site work, as well as hear lectures, do readings, and discuss how non-profit arts organizations are structured and function. Only students accepted in the Trinity/La MaMa Urban Arts Semester can enroll in this course.

1.00 units, Independent Study

THDN 407

Politics and Performance

When is performance political? Can performance inspire us to make real change in the world? What is the difference between political performance and propaganda? How are power relationships in society represented on stage? To what effect? Is it useful to look at national politics as theatre? In this virtual age, is live performance itself political? We will put these questions in motion through performance techniques, analysis of representative artists, contemporary film, and a variety of scholarly perspectives. Along with various written assignments the course will culminate in a performance piece.

1.00 units, Seminar

THDN 411

Performance Analysis/Trinity/La MaMa/New York City Performing Arts Program

In this course, students will investigate ways to evaluate and discuss performance. Each week, hey will attend three performances and a two-hour seminar. The seminar will focus on exploring ways to articulate and write about the performances they see. In addition, students will do readings, view videotapes, read reviews, and discuss together with guest artists the historical and cultural context of the performance work they attend. Only students accepted in the Trinity/La MaMa New York City Performing Arts Program can enroll in this course.

2.00 units, Seminar

THDN 412

Sem: Perfrmnc & Theory

This seminar examines an array of theoretical writings on the nature and function of theater and dance as a performed event. Contemporary issues such as the relationship between theater and ideology; the location of the spectator as the Subject of the drama; and strategies for reading performance as text will be explored.
For Junior and Senior Theater and Dance majors or with Permission of Instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

THDN 423

Solo Performance: La MaMa

History, Theory, and Application/Trinity/La MaMa/New York City Performing Arts Program

2.00 units, Seminar

THDN 425

Advanced Arts Practicum/Trinity/La MaMa/New York City Performing Arts Program

Each student is matched with an artist/mentor whose artwork, methodology, politics, and/or theoretical base have particular resonance with the student. Artistic Director Sifuentes works closely with cultural institutions in New York City to place students with artists-in-residence currently working on creative projects. Only students accepted in the Trinity/La MaMa New York City Performing Arts Program can enroll in this course.

2.00 units, Seminar

THDN 427

Specialty Classes/Trinity/La MaMa/New York City Performing Arts Program

Under the guidance of Roberto Sifuentes, students take specialty classes of their own choosing related to their areas of interest. These may include dance classes, music classes, acting, viewpoints work, mime, acrobatics, voice, among others. Students have the option to obtain an additional .50 credit for independent work and research related to their chosen specialty courses. Only students accepted in the Trinity/La MaMa New York City Performing Arts Program can enroll in this course.

0.50 units, Seminar

THDN 463

Performance Theory

This seminar explores the nature and function of theater and dance as a performed event. Topics may include the relationship between theater and ideology; writing as performance; and strategies of critical spectatorship.
For Junior and Senior Theater and Dance majors or with Permission of Instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

THDN 464

Senior Project

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar's Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (1/2 course credit)

0.50 units, Independent Study

THDN 466

Teaching Assistantship

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment.

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

THDN 494

Advanced Directing:Play-Building

In this course, students will conceive, write, and direct a performance working from dramatic and literary texts, as well as from "found sources." In addition, students will study modern directing theory, with particular emphasis on the concept of "total theater," and the development of individual process and style. Sources studied will include both physical and textual approaches to performance. Prerequisite: Theater and Dance 394.
Prerequisite: C- or better in Theater and Dance 294.

1.00 units, Lecture

THDN 496

Senior Thesis

A capstone exercise for all theater and dance majors who do not elect the two-credit thesis option. Students will be required to present an original theatrical piece as the culmination of their work in the Theater and Dance Department.

1.00 units, Independent Study

THDN 497

Senior Thesis

A capstone exercise for all theater and dance majors who do not elect the two-credit thesis option. Students will be required to present an original theatrical piece and to submit an accompanying paper as the culmination of their work in the Theater and Dance Department.

1.00 units, Independent Study

THDN 498

Senior Thesis Part 1

Year-long independent study. An option available only to students with strong academic records in the major and proven ability to work independently. Individual topics to be selected by the student and approved by departmental faculty. It is expected that the thesis will consist of a substantial written component with a performance or public presentation which relates in some fundamental way to the written part of the thesis. Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (two course credits are considered pending in the first semester; two course credits will be awarded for completion in the second semester.)

2.00 units, Independent Study

THDN 499

Senior Thesis Part 2

An option available only to student with strong academic records in the major and proven ability to work independently. Individual topics to be selected by the student and approved by departmental faculty. It is expected that the thesis will consist of a substantial written component with a performance or public presentation which relates in some fundamental way to the written part of the thesis. Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (2 course credits are considered pending for Part 1 in the first semester; 2 course credits will be awarded for completion of Part 2 in the second semester.)

2.00 units, Independent Study