Syllabus

 



DAN 720

Embodied Movement Practices

in the Performing Arts

SPRING 2026

Jan 12  – APR 27

 

University of Miami

Frost School of Music – Dance Program

DAN 720 – N (6739) Embodied Movement Practices in the Performing Arts:  2 credits

Meeting time: Tuesday and Thursday / 8:30 - 9:20 PM

Location : Wellness Center / (Studio: TBA)

Instructor : Jorge L. Morejón

Office: Wellness Center Hours: TBA

Email Addresses:

j.morejon@umiami.edu

 

Academic Calendar:

https://registrar.miami.edu/_assets/pdf/spring-2026-commencement-6-24-2026mc.pdf

 

 

 

Bulletin Description:

 

DAN 720- N Course Description:

Embodied Movement Practices in the Performing Arts is a course which focuses on the functional and expressive use of movement for graduate music students. This course includes body conditioning, body mechanics and development, injury awareness and prevention, expressive movement, stage presence, stage movement, and movement pedagogy as basic skills in the crafting of a well-rounded sense of musicianship.  In addition, this course will teach music students creative approaches to incorporating movement theories such as Laban theory, Meisner technique, mindfulness, and other somatic practices.

 

Course Rationale:

Movement is a necessary component to musician’s training in performance, teaching, and conducting.

Performing artists use their bodies in service of their art, but with consequences of injury or stress due to the repetitive motions, positions, and unusual body movements involved. The topics covered in this course will teach performing artists how to use movement to prepare for the physical, emotional, psychological demands of performing optimally.

 

Prerequisites: There is no prerequisite. Students with no previous experience in movement are encouraged to enroll as well as those who have had some movement experience and want to gain a greater understanding of new techniques in movement.

 

Course Curriculum:

 

  • Introduction to Musculoskeletal Anatomy
  • Introduction to Somatic practices for functional movement
  • Common overuse injuries in the performing artist (dancers, actors, musicians, production staff - crew)
  • Injury prevention and awareness
  • Importance of a wellness program while performing, rehearsing, traveling 
  • Developing an individualized mobility program (strengthening, movement, stretching) that compliments your body.
  • Management of mental health; developing coping strategies for stress, mindfulness, and resources for support.
  • In depth exploration of expressive abilities; using the body as an instrument in the creation of movement abstractions.
  • Compositional dance and movement elements; complementing music abilities and skills with body movement.
  • Breathing and meditating techniques; developing concentration and focus before and after performance
  • Organization and structuring of collective and individual body movement; choreographic ideas, working in ensembles, doing individualized expressive body work.
  • Integration of voice and body through dance, movement, active breath, voice, performance improvisation, intentional touch, physical repatterning and hands-on practice.

 

Instructional Methodology: Lecture, demonstration, movement lab

 

Suggested Texts:

 

Starret, G. & Cordoza, G. (2015). Becoming a supple leopard: The ultimate guide, to resolving pain, preventing injury and optimizing athletic performance. Victory Bell Publishing.

 

Link:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Becoming_a_Supple_Leopard_2nd_Edition/SlRKDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Injuries+and+Conditioning+for+movement&printsec=frontcover

 

 

Fabian , D.  et al. (2014). Expressiveness in music performance: Empirical approaches across styles and cultures.

 

Link:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Expressiveness_in_Music_Performance/EyvnAwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Expressive+movement+for+musicians&printsec=frontcover

 

Assignments:

 

Journal

Solo Expressive Piece

Self-Reflective Paper

Mid-term Quiz

Final Group Performance

 

Grading Breakdown:

 

Attendance & Participation                                                    20

 

Journal                                                                                10

 

Solo Expressive Piece. …….                      ……… …..          15

 

Self-Reflective Paper                                                            10

 

Mid-term Quiz                        …………………...  ……..       20

 

Final Group Performance...  … .. ………                               25____

                                                                                                           

                  TOTAL                                                            100 pts

 

 

Attendance                                                                                                              20 %

 

You are expected to participate in class discussions by actively engaging the class material.

 

To participate you MUST come to class both ON TIME AND PREPARED.

 

 

JOURNAL:

 

Every class, the student will write a journal entry summarizing the content of the class and a response/reflection/critique of it.                                                                     10%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Self-Reflective Paper                                                                                     10%

 

Students will write a self-reflective paper on their experience in the course (Their take-aways from the course; how they would use them in their own field of studies and how they felt about the experience with Embodied Movement Practices.

 

MULTIPLE CHOICE MID-TERM                                                                20 %

 

FINAL GROUP PRESENTATION                                                                25 %

 

Mid-term and FINAL EXAM (CUMULATIVE) will be based on the students’ summary of what they have learned in regards to Embodied Movement Practices.

 

 

 

DAN 720 J - CLASS SCHEDULE

 

Week 1 – 16         Topic/Activity                               

 

WEEK 1

                       

Jan 13             Introductions / Elements of Dance: Study of Place

Jan 15              Intro to Expressive Movement: Space, Levels, Directions

 

                                                                       

WEEK 2                    

                                   

Jan 20             Elements of Dance: Size / Inside Out vs. Outside In dancers

Jan 22             Focus: Single focus and Multi-focus

 

 

WEEK 3

           

Jan 27             Time: When is movement performed

Jan 29             Moving on Breath: Duncan Explorations

 

 

WEEK 4

           

Feb 3               Energy

Feb 5               Tension

 

 

WEEK 5      

                       

 

Feb 10             Weight: Heavy and Light

Feb 12             Laban’s Cube

 

 

WEEK 6                    

           

Feb 17             Bound Flow

Feb 19             Free Flow

 

WEEK 7

           

Feb 24             Mixing Bound and Free Flow

Feb 26             Laban’s 4 Movement Components and 8 Efforts

           

Midterm Reporting Begins

 

 

WEEK 8

           

Mar 3              REVIEW & MID – TERM

Mar 5              Body Relationships

.

 

 

SPRING RECESS (Mar 8 – 16)

 

 

WEEK 9

           

Mar 10                                    SPRING RECESS

Mar 12                                    SPRING RECESS

 

 

PROGRESS REPORTS END (Mar 18)

 

 

WEEK 10                  

                       

Mar 17                        Balance, Theme and Variation, Accent & Cannon

Mar 19                        Constructure, Structure, Substructure: Frame, portraiture, score

 

 

 

WEEK 11

           

Mar 24                        Context, Text, Subtext: Script for solos

Mar 26                        ABA, Rondo, Narrative, Rhapsody

 

WEEK 12                  

                       

Mar 31                                    From General to Specific: Areito, Voice Work, Group Myth

Apr 2                         Animal Etude: Creating the solo archetype / / Title, Synopsis, Music

 

 

 

WEEK 13

                         

Apr 7                          System of Wants, Hero’s Journey, “Power of Expression”

Apr 9                         Rehearsal / Ensemble / Program Rough-draft

 

 

 

WEEK 14                                                                  

           

Apr 14                                    Rehearsal / Solo Presentations

Apr 16                                    Final Program / Rehearsal Ensemble

 

 

WEEK 15

             

Apr 221                      Performance / Solo Presentations

 

Apr 23                                    Performance Ensemble & Closing

 

 

WEEK 16

April 27

Self-Reflective Paper due

End of Semester

 

 

ATENTION

 

In the event that the University of Miami’s campus closes unexpectedly for an extended period of time due to a hurricane, pandemic, or other emergency situation that prevents this course from meeting in person, students should be prepared to continue their learning remotely through Blackboard and other platforms.

 

Students are expected to check their UM email account and course Blackboard sites regularly for communications with me and the rest of the class, and to the extent feasible, continue participating in their courses from their off-campus location by the alternate means determined by me in coordination and agreement with you.

 

In the event that no internet or electricity is available, a course pack will be provided to students to continue working on their own until communication is restored and/or campus life is back to normal.

 

 


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