The Chronicle stops the presses- Play offers new twist on classic story
- Students create illustrations for Georgia Ports Authority
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Graduate student channels classic horror in thesis film - Alumnus creates mobile gallery
- SCAD libraries hold artist’s book competition for students
- Griffis discusses development of Arthur legend
- Noted author speaks to students
- The Green Scene: 'We have a dream'
- Personnel File: New staff members join SCAD-Savannah
- SCAD hosts regional IDSA conference
- Titus Kaphar to speak at SCAD
- The Bee Line
- Women’s lacrosse sets records in Kennesaw State win
- Athlete Feats highlights for Feb. 22
- Baseball takes series from St. Thomas
- Women’s basketball wraps up second place in Florida Sun
- Athletics updates for Feb. 15
- Baseball off to best start in program’s history
- Big third period leads lacrosse team to victory
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Class in the Spotlight
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Mind and movement meet in dance course
 Photo by Tim Arnold Dance professor Vincent Brosseau (foreground) demonstrates an exercise routine to students in his Intermediate Modern Dance class Feb. 25 in Crites Hall. By Monique Bos Published: Friday, February 29, 2008 A group of intrepid Savannah College of Art and Design students and their professor begin each week with an intense physical workout in the dance studio at Crites Hall, 217 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The students in Vincent Brosseau’s Intermediate Modern Dance course arrive at 8 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. They often spend the next two-and-a-half hours learning and rehearsing choreographed routines, honing their movements and perfecting their techniques in the mirrored studio. On Feb. 25, Brosseau watched them practice an exercise as a group, then in pairs, then individually. He offered guidance about leaping high, using hands and arms to enhance motion and momentum, and falling well. “Catch yourself with your wrist, not your knee,” he advised one student. Urging others not to drop their arms too quickly, he said, “You don’t need to come down because gravity’s going to do it for you anyway.” He also taught them another exercise. After walking the class through the steps and movements several times, Brosseau turned on music with a strong rhythm and observed students perform the exercise in syncopated time. “Some of them have a lot of experience, and some don’t,” he explained. “But they’re all good students. They come here at 8 in the morning, and it’s a full class … I’m demanding the same amount of commitment and energy as if these were classes in a major.” SCAD offers a dance minor through the School of Performing Arts, and Brosseau said many students also take the courses for elective credit. His syllabi are geared toward grounding students in a thorough understanding of dance — as both a physical discipline and an academic subject. “I try to encompass what the art form is. Students need to study the history and aesthetics as well,” he explained. “Every class in the program has a textbook, and they all have quizzes, midterms and finals. In modern dance, they learn the history. In ballet, they learn history and vocabulary. They have assignments to go see performances, and they write a report on each performance. They also do two research papers on performers and present them orally during class.” Also important to him is that students develop an awareness of how their bodies move through and interact with space, he said. “It’s quite exciting when they finish each class, because yes, they’re tired, but they’ve experienced this kinetic response,” he explained. “I want them to have a good sense of … accomplishment that they are in control of their bodies as they move, not neurological control but an understanding of the ebb and flow of motion to control it. When you’re dancing, there is a relationship between you and the movement.” Brosseau approaches dance performance from a multimedia perspective. Since he joined the SCAD faculty in Fall 2006, he has conceived, choreographed and directed two dance performances, “The Crossing” in February 2007 and “Broken Window” in November 2007. In both, he combined color, sound design and movement with photographs, lighting design, film and costumes. The same interests are driving the film project he plans to begin in mid-April. “In the past 10-15 years, there has been a new birth of the style, and a lot of film festival pieces just show dancing on film,” he said. “I’m very excited. The dancers will be in period costume, probably from the 1930s.” He said he plans to hold auditions for roles in the film next quarter and wants  |
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