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Building a Dance Composition Course: An Act of Creativity

Abstract In many dance composition courses, creative production is the objective; movement invention and novelty are praised. Yet often this valuing of creativity is not reflected in the course design. Historically, the basic methodology for dance composition is a show-and-tell model: present the movement study, then critique it. If creativity is truly paramount to the development of artistry and choreographic skill, that pedagogical value should be reflected in the unifying structure of the course—the way time is used, assignments given, in teaching behaviors, and modes of assessment. Using the acronym C.R.E.A.T.E. to identify six pedagogical targets, Davenport proposes an approach for designing a composition course. The pedagogical principles—Critical reflection, Reason for dance making, Exploration and experimentation, Aesthetic agenda, Thematic integrity, and Expression and experience—are proposed as guides.