Name of Proposed Degree Program: MA in Dance and Movement Studies

Name of Proposed Degree Program: MA in Dance and Movement Studies School: Liberal Arts Primary Contact Person: Rosana Barragán Other Faculty Involved: Linda Baumgardner and Cathy Davalos Date: Oct. 15, 2012

PROPOSAL FOR AN MA/MFA IN DANCE

This proposal outlines the rationale for development of three new graduate programs in dance: MFA in Dance: Design and Production; MFA in Dance: Choreography and Performance; MA in Dance and Movement Studies. These graduate degree programs are unique in three ways: 1) a low-residency option; 2) a somatic approach that broadens the scope of the traditional MFA in Choreography and Performance as well as the MA in Dance and Movement Studies; 3) the first MFA in this country in Dance: Design and Production. Furthermore, as a way to cross-pollinate the disciplines and maximize budget expenses, the three programs overlap. Students wishing to seek an MA would complete a portion of the work in the MFA program focusing on research, minus the creative practice. The MA also allows for 4+1 degree completion similar to the Teachers for Tomorrow program. Students engaging in the MFA programs are expected to create a body of work culminating in a performance thesis and thesis project paper, thus combining the research and creative practices. These dance productions would serve both the MFA candidates in the Choreography and Performance model as well as the Design and Production focus. The MFA is a terminal degree; the MA would prepare the student for graduate work in a doctoral program, as well as working as dance educators and in the field of somatic based movement therapy. This proposal also addresses the rationale for the three programs based on the College’s Mission and the goals/strategic plan of the School of Liberal Arts, the academic structure of the program, a business plan, Library review, and a timeline for assessment.

Please note that the budgetary and curricular implications of all three programs do overlap. Though this approach is beneficial to the three graduate programs in dance, it is not imperative that all three foci be implemented at the same time. In terms of benefit to the College and Community we consider the importance of more immediate implementation to be ranked in the following order: MFA in Dance: Design and Production, MA in Dance and Movement Studies, and finally MFA in Dance: Choreography and Performance. The following materials explain each degree option as a separate proposal. This offers the possibility of approving one, two, or three of the degrees.

1) CONTEXT: Rationale for an MA/MFA in Dance The Performing Arts Department and more specifically the Dance program expressed the need for graduate studies in dance in their 2008 Program Review. Identified as one of the long term goals, the faculty felt that the natural extension of a successful undergraduate degree is the graduate program. More importantly, the Bay Area is a thriving dance community with only one institution to offer an MFA in Dance, Mills College. We feel that the Bay Area dance community would embrace other options and have evidence to support interest in our program (please see appendix A). Furthermore, there are no schools in the country to offer an MFA in Dance: Design and Production (see rationale in the MFA in Dance: Design and Production

1 proposal). Therefore, we would have the first MFA that focuses on the unique aspects of production and design specifically for this area. The MA program also offers a distinctive somatic approach uncommon in the United States. Furthermore, each program overlaps the other to enhance budget efficiency, course offerings, collaboration, and degree effectiveness. The global dance community thrives on innovation and complexity. Therefore, it is imperative for new degrees to encompass and embrace the demands of the 21st century.

These programs also address the impetus of the strategic plan by offering formal education and advanced degrees in dance, enriching the graduate offerings at Saint Mary’s College. Once seen as a hobby for wealthy girls, dance has become a venue for social justice and cultural criticism. Dancers and choreographers are the newest members of the global arena imitating, creating, and challenging what society has to offer. As the United States embraces the importance of a healthy mind/body connection and movement education in child, adolescent, and adult development, dance has moved to the forefront of our learning. And even though we are playing “catch-up” to the global dance community (because so many other cultures/countries already embrace the moving body), the United States has the advantage of diversity.

The MA in Dance and Movement Studies and the MFA in Dance: Choreography and Performance will take advantage of an academic calendar that favors working adults and international students by creating a low residency program. The program is also designed for highly motivated professionals seeking to substantiate their portfolio as they develop their professional careers. With a majority of the courses offered during June Term and January Term, we take advantage of our spaces in Syufy Hall for the Performing Arts and LeFevre Theatre. During the regular academic calendar these spaces are highly impacted, but they sit empty most of the summer. Since many undergraduates with a degree in dance become elementary and secondary teachers, this model is very appropriate for them. Both the LEAP program and the MA in Kinesiology have been successful in using a similar calendar structure. There are few graduate programs in dance that offer a low residency component that compliments the working student. One is in North Carolina through the American Dance Festival in conjunction with Hollins University in Virginia. Saint Mary’s would offer the only low residency program on the West Coast.

The MA in Dance and Movement Studies is based on a model of combining theory, somatic movement studies and dance education that no other university in the world offers. It is a unique blend of what graduate programs in dance studies have traditionally offered in the Scandinavian countries and the United Kingdom with what has recently become an area of studies for the dance practitioner in the United States: Somatics.

The MFA in Dance: Design and Production will be the first in this country. Graduate programs in design and production for theatre can be found at many universities; in these programs a graduate student focuses specifically on an area of design or production for the theatre. The MFA in Dance: Design and Production also focuses on a specific area of design or production, but the coursework would cover all of the areas of design and production as they relate to dance specifically. As with any artistic field the techniques are specific to the discipline, a degree in lighting design for theatre prepares the artist to be a designer yes, but a designer without the proper tools to be a designer for dance much like a student of Art History would not necessarily be a tremendous painter. a) The Mission of the Graduate Program in Dance The mission of the graduate program in dance is to provide an affordable, flexible, rigorous and unique model that capitalizes on the richness and diversity of the Bay Area dance community. Through the lens of a liberal arts curriculum the MA/MFA would educate the whole dance artist concentrating on how the different areas of focus (Theoretical, Somatics, Creative Practice and Production) develop “the art of thinking and ways of knowing” in alignment with the mission of the College. The nature of the program is student-centered hinging on peer collaboration, faculty mentoring and student driven projects.

The essence of dance is the full expression of the human body in all its dimensions (physical, intellectual, psychological, emotional and spiritual). Throughout history we have seen how dance has contributed to the questions of faith, truth, and human existence. The MA/MFA program finds its roots in the need for human understanding and expression of the spiritual self. The values of our program are shaped around the quest for truth, authenticity of living, and the building of a community where sensitivity, social justice and global awareness are at the core. b) Strategic Plan This program addresses the impetus of the strategic plan by offering formal education and advanced degrees in dance, enriching the graduate offerings at Saint Mary’s College. The Dance Program envisions rich collaboration with the MFA in Creative Writing program in several forms: 1) creatively, by working in tandem to make art; 2) collegially, by providing the opportunity for rich dialogue outside of the classroom; 3) quantitatively, by bringing more graduate students to the campus. A graduate program further contributes to the mentorship of undergraduate students and raises the bar for growth in research and creative endeavors.

The Strategic Plan in SOLA seeks to “build social justice learning outcomes and assessment into the curriculum.” The MA in Dance and Movement Studies has a social justice focus that asks the student to understand dance education as an important tool to awaken critical consciousness and build social justice.

The three graduate programs “develop new ways of bridging disciplinary boundaries, both in and out of the classroom.” They focus on “common intellectual experiences, writing-intensive courses, learning communities, and collaborative assignments and projects.” Please see more curricular details in each program description. Finally, the graduate programs in dance will increase diversity on our campus by bringing more international students and students of color to the dance program. The Dance program at Saint Mary’s College already has a national reputation, and the dance faculty share an international reputation. A graduate program in dance will increase the visibility of Saint Mary’s College across the globe.

3 c) Learning Goals and Learning Outcomes

MA IN DANCE AND MOVEMENT STUDIES The MA degree in Dance and Movement Studies is a 30-unit plan of study. The MA candidate must fulfill two areas: Theoretical and Somatic Movement Studies. Applicants are expected to have a BA or BFA in Dance or the equivalent course prerequisites. The MA will prepare students for a PhD in Dance Theory, Education and practice-based research as well as Performance Studies, Expressive Arts Therapy, or in the new academic field of Somatics; MA graduates will also be prepared to become a Registered Somatic Movement Educator through ISMETA (International Somatic Movement Education & Therapy Association) and to work in the fields of dance writing, analysis, and teaching. Although one can acquire a lecturer position with an MA in Dance and Movement Studies, the students will be encouraged to continue with graduate school. This graduate program is designed for the dancer that does not have the facility or desire to perform professionally and who is interested in intellectualizing her art form and research new ways to defend dance as an academic field. The final requirement for the MA is a written thesis that integrates the two areas of study using a critical social perspective and a well- defined voice, looking at how through dance theory, practice and education we can read the world, thus building community and global awareness.

Program Goals:  To develop students who are critically aware of the reciprocity of theory and practice, thereby promoting standards of excellence and preparing for employment.

 To enable students to explore and reflect upon dance practice in its many forms, taking account of the social, cultural, aesthetic and political contexts in which performance practice is located.

 To address complex issues creatively and systematically, as well as the ability to problem-solve in a variety of artistic contexts through the engagement in practice based research, including collaborative projects.

 To develop ones potential for a range of practices in or associated with dance education, somatic movement therapy and research-based activity.

Learning Outcomes for MA in Dance: Theoretical and Somatic Movement Studies The Student will:

1. Engage with a variety of theories and critical approaches from which dance can be analyzed and from which we can challenge a new definition for dance practice.

2. Contextualize dance practice using contemporary texts and resources and develop new areas of dance research.

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the mutually influential relationship between dance practice and socio-cultural tensions that inform the practice. 4. Engage in rigorous enquiry to articulate dance practice within the larger context of the 21st century artistic ideas, aesthetics and socio-political environment.

5. Show the ability to formulate and undertake a research topic following a clear methodology.

6. Present and defend new ideas about dance practice today with a high level of analysis as well as written and verbal skills.

7. Understand dance education as an important tool to awaken “critical consciousness” and build social justice.

8. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the body following a holistic/somatic approach to then formulate new ideas about dance pedagogy today.

d) Program of Study

THEORETICAL STUDIES This area of study focuses on different theoretical frameworks from which to explore and reflect upon what dance practice is today. Dance will be viewed using the lenses of different fields of study; the student must select two fields and complete one course of each, choosing from: dance and cultural studies, aesthetics and dance, dance and social justice, dance and religious studies, dance and performance studies.

Upon completion of the two theoretical courses, the student must be able to combine perspectives and create her/his own theory from which to investigate dance practice, therefore contributing to the development of the area of dance studies where dance can justify itself as an academic field.

The theoretical area of study looks towards awakening in the student the curiosity to dig into the core of what various branches of knowledge have to offer the field of Dance Studies and how we can create new theories from which to critically look at the needs of dance practice today and challenge the definition of the contemporary dancing body.

The student will be challenged as a reflective practitioner who can be critically aware of the reciprocity of theory and practice. With the theoretical/critical area of studies we want to cultivate the student’s critical thinking; encourage the nature of an independent and self-critical learner who is able to develop and defend ideas with a high level of analysis, and promote rigorous enquiry to enable the articulation of dance practice within the larger context of 21st century art and society.

SOMATIC MOVEMENT STUDIES This area is based on the study of various applications of somatic movement principles to the pedagogy of dance following the perspective of Paulo Freire’s “critical pedagogy”. The principles that underlie the so-called somatic movement disciplines will be studied in relation to

5 the sociopolitical aspect that characterizes Freire’s educational approach so that dance education can be thought as an important tool to awaken “critical consciousness” and build social justice. The student will be challenged as to how s/he can build the relationships between the two fields of study: “somatics” and “critical pedagogy” and therefore create new ideas that will place his/her approach as a unique one in the world of dance education and research today.

Traditional dance pedagogy will be challenged based on Freire’s concept of the “banking model”. The relationship between teacher and student in the classroom or the dance studio will be seen as an endless process of learning where the two are the co-creators of a common yet diverse understanding of the body, based on personal life processes and the experience each person has of the whole being s/he is.

Body and movement experiences that come from different somatic movement modalities will be offered so that the student can work towards a personal as well as a socio-political construction of the self and have a clear identity as to who s/he is historically, culturally and holistically. Teaching is a community act and we will build our political voice together as dance educators based on the 21st century needs of our society.

The student will engage in three different somatic movement modalities on or off campus. The student can choose between modules of Body Mind Centering, the Alexander Technique, the Feldenkrais Method, Laban Movement Analysis, Bartenieff Fundamentals, Dynamic Embodiment, Continuum, Authentic Movement, or any other discipline approved by ISMETA (International Somatic Movement Education & Therapy Association). On campus the student must fulfill the following courses: “Somatics applied to Dance Education” and “Critical Dance Pedagogy”.

Courses required for the MA in Dance and Movement Studies: Two courses from the following choices for a total of 6 units: Dance and Cultural Studies, 3 units Aesthetics and Dance, 3 units Dance and Social Justice, 3 units Dance and Religious Studies, 3 units Dance and Performance Studies, 3 units

Three courses from the following choices for a total of 6 units (other from ISMETA may be approved by advisor): Body Mind Centering, 2 units Alexander Technique, 2 units Feldenkrais Method, 2 units Laban Movement Analysis, 2 units Bartenieff Fundamentals, 2 units Dynamic Embodiment, 2 units Continuum, 2 units Authentic Movement, 2 units

Required Courses for a total of 18 units: Seminar in Dance History, 3 units Somatics applied to Dance Education, 3 units Critical Dance Pedagogy, 3 units Choreography III, 3 units Research Methods, 3 units Thesis, 3 units

Please see appendix B for a rotation of graduate courses in dance and classroom/studio use

Please see appendix C for sample syllabi

Selection and Admission Process for MA in Dance Studies Candidates admitted into this program will be selected on the following criteria: 1. undergraduate degree in dance or equivalent with a minimum 3.0 g.p.a. overall; 2. professional goals which can be supported through the plan of study; 3. completion of all application materials. All candidates will be admitted into the program on conditional status. Removal of the conditional status will occur after all prerequisite work has been completed. e) How does this program build on existing programs and resources? As mentioned earlier, the Dance Program envisions rich collaboration with the MFA in Creative Writing program in several forms: 1) creatively, 2) collegially, and 3) quantitatively. A graduate program further contributes to the mentorship of undergraduate students and raises the bar for growth in research and creative endeavors. The undergraduate program in dance will directly benefit from the graduate programs due to the several shared resources. The current undergraduate dance faculty, full and part-time, are uniquely prepared to teach in both programs. The dance facilities will be shared due to the summer residency requirement, and course offerings will overlap within a 4+1 model. The three graduate programs also share budget, faculty, and facilities providing a most efficient business model. The most exciting sharing of resources will be seen in the MFA in Dance: Design and Production, and will be explained further in that section of the proposal.

Current dance faculty members are able to provide local, national, and international connections to the program and bring us high-quality international students. Rosana Barragán continues to teach in Colombia and Jia Wu returns to China regularly to teach and choreograph new works. Professor Wu also has an international reputation for her choreography and dance films. Professor Cathy Davalos has a working relationship with the Latin Ballet of Virginia and has already received letters of interest. Professor Dana Lawton continues to offer modern dance classes in the San Francisco Bay Area and has a reputation as an experienced and erudite dance professional. Rogelio Lopez has been a guest artist at colleges and universities all over California. Dance faculty feel confident that they will garner interest with the best dancers and choreographers around the globe. f) Effect on other programs of the School of Liberal Arts and the College

7 Faculty/staffing: Dance faculty in the Performing Arts Department are more than qualified to teach all of the graduate courses for the MFA in Dance: Choreography and Performance. However, the three-pronged graduate programs in dance would need two additional full-time faculty to support the teaching of courses and mentoring of thesis projects. The current practice for the undergraduate program is to bring in one to two guest artists per year to teach dance technique and create an original work for performance. Graduate students would also have the opportunity to work with renowned guest artists in the field at no additional cost to the graduate program. It is common practice to offer dance technique courses such as modern dance and ballet training at the advanced levels in the undergraduate program when appropriate. These classes would also be available to the graduate student at no additional cost to the graduate program. The graduate programs in dance would share a full-time administrative position.

The Performing Arts Department is three programs: Dance, Music, and Theatre. If the graduate programs in dance continue to grow with the second and third cohorts, it is probable that dance would need to become its own department. However, at this point, graduate courses do not conflict with the teaching load of the three tenured/tenure-track faculty in dance, Cathy Davalos, Dana Lawton, and Jia Wu. However, the graduate programs in dance would have the most impact on the teaching load of Linda Baumgardner, currently adjunct faculty and Director of the Technical Theatre major. Linda’s workload and teaching are already under review since the department has recently added this new major. The Performing Arts Department is also submitting a Program Review, Fall 2012 which includes the hiring of new faculty as others retire, have become tenured, and with the anticipated growth of the department. In other words, the effect that the graduate programs may have on the Performing Arts Department are no surprise since the department has been experiencing growth and change over the past 5 years. However, the Dance Program anticipates that Linda Baumgardner would be teaching up to three/fourths of her workload in the graduate program. This would mean that the Performing Arts Department would need to find a replacement for the work she is currently doing in Theatre (but again, this staffing is part of our program review).

Mentoring and Student teaching: The graduate program in dance would allow for more adult learners on campus to compliment the MFA in Creative Writing. Collaboration will be encouraged as cross-disciplinary works works are the most cutting-edge in the dance world. The traditional undergraduate student in dance will be enriched with the presence of graduate student mentors. These graduate students will share concerts and provide valuable feedback for choreography and performance. The graduate students in the MFA in Dance: Design and Production will be the lighting and costume designers for student concerts. This will save money for both the traditional undergraduate program and the graduate programs.

Facilities: The graduate programs in dance capitalize on the use of LeFevre Theatre and Syufy Hall for the Performing Arts when they are most empty during the summer months. Other courses that happen during the fall, spring, and Jan Term make the use of space a high priority. For example, graduate students would be taking a Jan Term course that creates a final performance that would happen either after the traditional Performing Arts Department’s Jan Term children’s theatre production, or as the children’s production when needed. All classrooms must be equipped with large scale media and up-to-date computer technology, as is currently the need in the undergraduate dance program. We anticipate offering some evening courses that would not conflict with classroom space.

Office space would continue to be a problem since all 10+ dance faculty share one large office. We have asked for an additional space so that dance faculty would have a quiet place to work separate from the shared space. This office could also be used by part-time and guest dance faculty. We have not been successful with this request. Currently, we are making it work with rotating teaching schedules. g) What faculty have been involved in the design of the program? Who will teach in it? Three dance faculty have been most involved in the design of the graduate programs in dance. Professor Cathy Davalos has been working on the traditional MFA in Dance: Choreography and Performance. Linda Baumgardner (adjunct faculty) has been instrumental in creating the first ever MFA in Dance: Design and Production. Rosana Barragán (lecturer) has created the curriculum for the MA in Dance and Movement Studies. Each of these dance faculty chose the area that reflected her expertise. Jia Wu also helped shape the mission statement for the graduate programs in dance and the choreography learning outcomes. These programs were built with existing dance faculty in mind. Davalos, Baumgardner, and Barragán would all teach in the programs as well as Associate Professors Jia Wu and Dana Lawton on a rotating basis. Rogelio Lopez (lecturer) would be instrumental in teaching in both MFA’s in the program due to his background in both Technical Theatre and Dance. We would attract high-quality graduate students with the ability to offer summer sessions with some of the most powerful names in dance as guest artists including Janice Garrett and William Evans. h and i) Plan for Assessment The Dance faculty will collect data at the end of each semester, beginning with the Summer of 2014, to begin a cycle of assessment to be completed with the first cohort. An Interim report, to assess the curriculum and learning outcomes will be filed at the end of Spring 2015. Budget reviews will be completed at the end of each fiscal year. At the completion of the first cohort, Summer 2016, the dance faculty will address the success of the program, and the areas needing attention for improvement. The Final Approval proposal for the MFA will be completed by November 1, 2016. Since Professor Davalos has written three program reviews for the Performing Arts Department, we do not anticipate any difficulties with the assessment of the graduate program. We will determine the success of learning outcomes through internal and external reviews of the work. Assessment will include the scope of practices used for a program review. For budgetary purposes, the second cohort is scheduled to audition in Fall 2015, and begin summer 2016, just as the first cohort completes all courses. j) Analysis of Library Review To be completed after the Library review has been submitted by Sharon Walters. k) Final Approval for the MA in Dance and Movement Studies to be submitted November 1, 2016.

9 3) Competitive Analysis and Business Plan a) analysis b) Budget: The proposed budget plan operates on the understanding that all three programs equally share the resources of the graduate program in Dance even though the degrees will be made up of differing numbers of units. In keeping with our mission to provide affordable graduate degrees we have created the budget based on $600 per Carnegie unit sharing the income and expenses across the three programs. We have also allocated scholarship funding for each program. The budget plan for these degrees is somewhat unique because unlike existing graduate programs, the initial summer session begins in the “developmental” year of the program allowing for some income in the first year. Because the MFA programs operate on two full academic years plus one additional summer, the income fluctuates between the three programs and from one fiscal year to the next with a 35% income in some years and as little as 20% in others. However, following the developmental year, the average program contribution planned in this budget is 31%. The budget operates on the understanding that a new cohort would enter the program every other summer, allowing for resource needs to remain relatively static without having a “gap” year. This budget model also operates on the understanding that the program would have a revenue account for our productions and that the revenue would stay in the budget for the program, thus allowing the revenue from our productions to support future productions and the development of the program. Please see the Budget Spreadsheet in Appendix D. c) New Resources: Faculty/staffing: the new program would need two additional full-time faculty to support the teaching of courses and mentoring of thesis projects. Existing dance faculty would teach graduate level courses as either part of their workload, or in addition to their workload. We understand that the practice may be to hire these additional dance faculty as adjunct professors until the program has received permanent status, at which point we would request all dance faculty to be converted to tenure-track. The graduate programs in dance would share a full-time administrative position. We have accounted for all of these positions in our budget proposal. d) Legal or Contractual Obligations: The undergraduate program has institutional membership in the American College Dance Festival Association. The graduate program would be covered in this agreement. Off-campus performances, guest lectures, and group travel are also common in the undergraduate dance program, therefore, the graduate program would not add any new legal agreements to this current model.

4) For Library Review please see Appendix E. 5) Signature Page

Name of Proposed Degree: MA in Dance and Movement Studies Name of School: School of Liberal Arts Date: October 15, 2012

Dean of School Date

Provost Date

Vice President for Finance Date

College Counsel Date

Chair of GPSEPC Date