Black Dance: Jamaican Contexts is a survey of one of the most beloved island nations through the religious, folkloric, and social dances from which Jamaican theatrical dance emerges. A hybrid of lectures, movement classes, and discussions, the course analyzes and interprets Jamaican dance's aesthetic, philosophical, and historical foundations through a study of institutions, individuals, and artistic artifacts spanning the periods of slavery to the present. The course locates Jamaican dance as a creative product with the capacity to influence global culture, as evidenced in the proliferation and appropriation of Reggae and DanceHall.
Dance Program