HUMAN KINETICS CONTEMPORARY AND AFRICAN DANCE NOTATION
- Education
- 400 level
- 2 credit units
- 139 pages
- 14 units
This course focuses on the different approaches of notating and documenting dance. It employs advance form of Leban notation to notate parts of the dancing body. Special emphasis will be on the exploration of symbolic movements and gestures in Nigerian/African dance forms and how to transform these African indigenous oral traditions and semiotic communicative processes into written documentation. Students will explore examples from Nigerian traditional dances to enrich their scope in dance notation, documentation and digitization.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 120 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, practical
- Practical work
- Yes
- Self Assessment Exercises
- Tutor Marked Assignments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of KHE439, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
KHE439 · UNIT 2 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES OF NOTATIONS
Dance notation is to dance while musical notation is to music and while the written word is to dance. In dance, notation is the translation of four dimensional movement (time being the fourth dimension) into signs written on two dimensional paper.
What you should be able to do
- Explain the historical development of dance notation.
- Identify and describe different dance notation systems.
- Apply Labanotation to record and analyze dance movements.
- Understand the kinesiological principles underlying dance movements.
- Document and preserve African dance forms through notation.
- Critically evaluate dance performances and written reviews.
What it prepares you for
- Choreographer
- Dance Notator
- Dance Critic
- Dance Archivist
- Dance Educator
- Performing Arts
- Dance Education
- Cultural Preservation
- Dance Therapy
- Motion Capture
- Motion Capture Software
- Dance Notation Software
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 4: How to Read Dance
Unit 1: How to Read Dance
Requires careful attention to technical aspects, reading between the lines, and noting key words used in dance notation.
- Module 6: Lebanotation Symbols
Unit 1: Lebanotation Symbols
Requires memorization and understanding of a large number of symbols and their application in representing dance movements.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 46 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Introduction
Unit 1: Meaning and Definition of Dance Notations · 2 hours
Define dance notations. State the primary uses of dance notations. Mention popular dance notations.
Unit 2: Historical Perspectives of Dance Notations · 2 hours
Explain the historical development of dance notations. Identify principal actors in dance notation development. Explain major developments in the 20th Century.
- Week 2Module 1: Introduction
Unit 3: Types of Dance Notations · 2 hours
Describe types of dance notations. Differentiate between Benesh I and Benesh II notations. Identify the vertical staff in a dance notes.
Unit 4: Prominent Notation Methods · 2 hours
Explain the emergence of track drawing system of dance notations. State the disadvantages of some early method of dance notations. Explain the 20th century innovations in dance notations.
- Week 3Module 2: Dance Movement and Elements
Unit 1: Dance Movements · 2 hours
Describe the three levels of dance movement. Explain the styles of dance movement. Perform the basic steps and formation used in dance.
Unit 2: Elements of Dance · 2 hours
Use the Body analysis tool to understand clear description of dance. Use the Action analysis tool to understand clear description of dance.
- Week 4Module 2: Dance Movement and Elements
Unit 2: Elements of Dance · 2 hours
Use the Space analysis tool to understand clear description of dance. Use the Time analysis tool to understand clear description of dance. Use the Energy analysis tool to understand clear description of dance.
Unit 3: Importance of Dance · 2 hours
List popular contemporary dance styles. Mention health benefits of dancing regularly. Explain the importance of dancing across age brackets.
- Week 5Module 3: African Dance Forms
Unit 1: African Dance Forms · 2 hours
Explain the different forms of dances in Africa. Describe the common characteristics of African dances. Identify meaning of dance using pictorial illustration.
Unit 2: Traditional Dances in Nigeria and Meaning · 2 hours
State types of dance in Nigeria. Identify the sources of dance. Trace dance origin using pictures.
- Week 6Module 4: How to Read Dance
Unit 1: How to Read Dance · 3 hours
Prepare a simple dance measure. Identify the features of dance script. Practise reading dance score.
- Week 7Module 4: How to Read Dance
Unit 2: How to Write Dance · 3 hours
List elements that are common to arts and dance. Identify dancing formal qualities. Explain steps in dance writing.
- Week 8Module 5: African Dances
Unit 1: African Dance Notation · 3 hours
Evaluate dance performance review. Discuss why action stroke can be used to notate African dances. Explain the procedure of sutton dance writing.
- Week 9Module 5: African Dances
Unit 2: Count Beats in a Song · 3 hours
Mention the various methods of counting the beats. Explain the procedure involved in using music sheet. Describe the process of using time signature.
- Week 10Module 6: Lebanotation Symbols
Unit 1: Lebanotation Symbols · 3 hours
List all the symbols representing parts of human body used in dance. Describe the alphabetical representation of key signatures. Explain the path and floor plan of lebanotation.
- Week 11Module 6: Lebanotation Symbols
Unit 2: Dance and Kinesiology · 3 hours
List muscles involved in African dances. State the functions of muscle to dance moves. Discuss the role of muscles in dance notation.
- Week 12Final Revision
Final Revision · 4 hours
Review all modules. Work on assignments.
- Week 13Final Revision
Final Revision · 4 hours
Complete assignments. Prepare for examination.
Preparing for the exam
- Create flashcards for all Lebanotation symbols and their meanings.
- Practice notating simple dance sequences from videos.
- Review the historical development of dance notation systems and key figures.
- Focus on understanding the core elements of dance (body, action, space, time, energy) and how they are represented in notation.
- Study examples of African dance forms and their unique characteristics for notation.
- Practice writing dance performance reviews, focusing on objective analysis and constructive feedback.
- Create concept maps linking Units 3-5 notation concepts
- Practice SQL queries from Units 7-9 weekly
- Dedicate specific study sessions to practical notation exercises, transcribing dance movements into Labanotation.
- Review all Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and address any areas where you struggled.
- Allocate time for group study sessions to discuss and clarify complex concepts with peers.
Questions students ask about this course
What is KHE439 about?
This course focuses on the different approaches of notating and documenting dance. It employs advance form of Leban notation to notate parts of the dancing body. Special emphasis will be on the exploration of symbolic movements and gestures in Nigerian/African dance forms and how to transform these African indigenous oral traditions and semiotic communicative processes into written documentation. Students will explore examples from Nigerian traditional dances to enrich their scope in dance notation, documentation and digitization.
How many units does KHE439 have?
KHE439, HUMAN KINETICS CONTEMPORARY AND AFRICAN DANCE NOTATION, has 14 units across 6 modules, over 139 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is KHE439?
KHE439 carries 2 credit units, at 400 level in Education.
Is KHE439 hard?
KHE439 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and practical work, and it has a practical component.
How long does KHE439 take to study?
About 120 hours of study, spread across its 14 units.
How is KHE439 assessed?
KHE439 is assessed by Self Assessment Exercises, Tutor Marked Assignments and Final Examination.
What can I do with KHE439?
Choreographer, Dance Notator, Dance Critic, Dance Archivist and Dance Educator.