| CODE | DGP0869 | ||||||
| TITLE | Dance Improvisation and Body Percussion | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 00 - Mod Pre-Tert, Foundation, Proficiency & DegreePlus | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | Not Applicable | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | Not Applicable | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Degree Plus Programme | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This Unit explores, through a playful approach, the intersection of movement, rhythm, and body music (body percussion and vocals), using dance improvisation, traditional rhythms from various cultures, and vocal patterns. Students will delve into a variety of ways of experimentation through movement and body music. Students will engage in a physical and auditory dialogue, exploring kinesthetic possibilities by responding to rhythm and sound. In this second cycle, students will also integrate voice and breath as creative and functional tools. They will explore the co-existence and interaction of voice, breath, and movement for both artistic-creative and healing-therapeutic purposes, discovering how each can inform and support the other. Peer learning will enhance responses to rhythm, movement, and sound by fostering presence and cultivating creative contributions to the overall soundscape and movement experience. We will develop our reflexes, explore the difference between active and passive availability of the body, cultivate sensitivity, coordination, and creativity. This movement practice has also therapeutic benefits and can be of interest to students in any area of study, including medicine, sport, and the arts. Core Components: - Body Music: An experimental practice exploring rhythm and sound through body percussion and vocal sounds. Students will create rhythmic patterns using clapping, stomping, patting, and snapping. Body Music draws from global traditions, integrating dance, music, and performance art. It promotes physical fitness, mental agility, and emotional expression, relevant to fields such as music, dance, theatre, sports, and therapy. - Voice & Breath as Creative Tools: An exploration of vocal sounds (syllables, tones, chants, hums, whispers) and breath patterns as rhythmic and expressive elements. Students will experiment with the interplay of functional breath, expressive voice, and movement, creating improvisations where each informs the other. This practice draws from global traditions of vocal rhythm and ritual, offering both therapeutic benefits (awareness, relaxation, emotional release) and creative enrichment (expanded range of expression, deepened connection to movement). Konnakol: An experimental vocal percussion practice rooted in the Carnatic music tradition of South India. It involves vocalizing intricate rhythmic patterns using precise syllables, enhancing rhythmic articulation, precision, and improvisation skills. Konnakol fosters cognitive function and well-being, improving memory, concentration, and mental clarity. It is applicable to fields such as music, linguistics, cognitive science, and the performing arts. Learning Objectives: - Explore different movement qualities that can support a variety of sounds and vice versa; - Develop reflexes, sensitivity, coordination, and creativity; - Cultivate rhythmic precision and dynamic expression; - Enhance physical fitness, mental agility, and emotional expression. - Understand and explore the interplay of voice, breath, and movement; - Explore the therapeutic potential of combining breath, sound, and movement. Aims: - To understand and apply the principles of syncopation in dance; - To explore traditional rhythms from diverse cultures and ways to enrich contemporary dance improvisation through them; - To develop body percussion skills as a tool for rhythmic exploration and dance creation; - To foster creativity and spontaneity in dance improvisation through rhythmic complexity and vocal sounds; - To explore how breath and voice can generate and support movement and vice versa; - To apply voice as a rhythmic and expressive tool in improvisation; - To enjoy, play, and awaken curiosity. Course Content: • Introduction to Syncopation; • Introduction to Voice & Breath in Practice: Functional breath, conscious breath, and breath for support; using voice as rhythm and sound in relation to movement.3. Exploration of Rhythmic and Vocal patterns; • Body Percussion Techniques; • Body Percussion & Vocal Integration: Combining clapping, stomping, and patting with vocal sounds; experimenting with rhythm through spoken syllables, humming, and toning.. Integrating Rhythms and Voice into Dance: - Methods of incorporating syncopation into dance improvisation; - Exercises to blend traditional rhythms with contemporary dance forms. • Creative Improvisation: - Developing improvisational skills through vocal and rhythmic experimentation; - Collaborative improvisation sessions. Assessment: In keeping with the spirit of Degree Plus, there is no formal assessment associated with the Unit. A certificate of attendance and of satisfactory completion of the Unit will be provided at the end of the semester. Note: Degree plus Units are not designed to be incrementally burdensome in terms of the many academic demands placed on students during their undergraduate years. Unit Material: There are no required texts for the Unit. Recommended Resources: - "The Drum: A History" by Matt Dean. - "Body Percussion: Sounds and Rhythms" by Keith Terry. - Selected articles and papers on syncopation and traditional rhythms. - Keith Terry & Evie Ladin – Body Music Practice Resources. - Demetrio Stratos – writings and recordings on voice experimentation. - Articles on breathwork and somatic practices in performance. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | This unit may not be offered if there is an insufficient number of applicants. Prior experience in dance/vocal improvisation is beneficial but not required. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Practical | ||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Aspasia Marmaritsaki Joseph Noel Grima (Co-ord.) |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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