Evolution & History of Dance in Film II: 1960s - 2020s

Dance in film has always helped enliven the proceedings, bringing physical movements with rhythmic variety to the genre as stand-alone examples of virtuosity or integrated into the narrative. Like song, art/lighting/costume design, and the other collaborative art forms that go into musicals, dance has evolved with the development of cinema from its earliest stages near the beginning of the 20th century through today. Using historical context, video clips, and guided discussion, Part II of this course will present famous and rare dance excerpts from the second wave of dance in film, from the 1960s through present day. Choreographers such as Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Onna White, and Patricia Birch will be explored, as well as dance styles such as jazz, modern, tap, break dancing, and Vogue. (It is not necessary to have attended the first class to enjoy the second).