School: Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Politics of Dance 1
  • Unit Code

    DAN1415
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Ms Susan PEACOCK

Description

This unit provides a contextual background for studio-based learning. It examines the rise of Western modern dance, from the early 19th century to the present day. The notion of the politics of dance includes consideration of the impact of social, political and philosophical movements, and how this creates a context for the development of Art in its many forms. The unit facilitates the acquisition of critical listening and thinking skills, as well as written and oral communication skills. Students learn basic research skills to support the generation and discussion of ideas and concepts in both written and oral formats.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded AWD1206, DAE1035

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse western dance forms in relation to their historical, social and political developments.
  2. Collaborate with peers to deliver presentations to facilitate class discussion and debate.
  3. Communicate ideas and concepts effectively for various audiences and contexts in both written and oral formats.
  4. Research and synthesise information from multiple academic sources with appropriate referencing.
  5. View and critically analyse live performance.

Unit Content

  1. Philosophies and practices of pioneers in western contemporary dance and their subsequent lineages.
  2. The defining characteristics and major influences of modernism and post-modernism in dance and related art forms.
  3. The socio/political/aesthetic trends in the arts, with particular reference to Australian culture since 1900.
  4. Critical thinking and review writing skills.
  5. Research and oral presentation skills.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 1Not Offered10 x 1.5 hour seminarNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

Classes include video and performance analysis, guest seminars and group discussions.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentCritical Review20%
PresentationGroup research project and oral presentation30%
AssignmentAnnotated bibliography50%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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