XiaoChuan Xie

This course, intended for students interested in exploring dance as a restorative act of living, will introduce the existential and social-neurological significance of dance in forming and sustaining human societies and collectively investigate the course inquiry: In the face of suffering and discordance, can we restore hope and connection through dance? Students will learn a diverse map of dance/movement practices categorized by Dance and Suffering, Dance and Joy, and Dance and Community, exploring how dance has historically and culturally shaped interpersonal understanding and community building. Under each theme, the class will share and witness each other’s ancestral and cultural dance/movement rituals through intermodal art making to further expand one’s embodied knowledge of dance as a restorative act of living. No prior dance or arts experiences are required. Occurring at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, this course will bring together students from both Sarah Lawrence and Bedford Hills. 

This course combines reading, discussion, and a supervisory lens to support fieldwork placements in a clinical setting. The course is designed to provide the student with professional orientation and direct exposure to dance/movement therapy practice, an orientation to health and educational systems, and an understanding of the role and function of the dance/movement therapist within each system.

This class is the first in a series of three on movement observation and assessment skills and is designed to familiarize the student with the Laban concepts and principles for the observation and description of movement, integrating other relevant perspectives for understanding human movement. Students will learn to embody and observe foundational components of physical action by exploring concepts in the categories of body, effort, space, and shape. Laban Movement Analysis provides insight into one’s personal movement preferences and increases awareness of what and how movement communicates and expresses. In addition—through readings, movement experimentation, and discussion—students will explore the principles of the Bartenieff Fundamentals, which involve concepts such as movement initiation and sequencing, connectivity, weight transference, spatial intent, effort intent, and breath support. These fundamental ideas, when present in movement, develop dynamic alignment, coordination, strength, flexibility, mobility, kinesthetic awareness, and expression and also help facilitate relationship.

The class is the second in a series of three on movement observation and assessment skills and is designed to familiarize the student with additional movement observation systems through readings, movement exploration, and discussion. Students will explore the implications of the use of movement observation systems for working with vulnerable populations and the important considerations of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the therapeutic space.

This course is the third in a series of three classes on movement observation and assessment skills and is designed to integrate Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals and to introduce additional methods for movement observation beyond those particular systems. Students will understand how movement observation paradigms can be applied to dance/movement therapy clinical practice, professional conversations, documentation, and research.

This class is the first in a series of three on movement observation and assessment skills and is designed to familiarize the student with the Laban concepts and principles for the observation and description of movement, integrating other relevant perspectives for understanding human movement. Students will learn to embody and observe foundational components of physical action by exploring concepts in the categories of body, effort, space, and shape. Laban Movement Analysis provides insight into one’s personal movement preferences and increases awareness of what and how movement communicates and expresses. In addition—through readings, movement experimentation, and discussion—students will explore the principles of the Bartenieff Fundamentals, which involve concepts such as movement initiation and sequencing, connectivity, weight transference, spatial intent, effort intent, and breath support. These fundamental ideas, when present in movement, develop dynamic alignment, coordination, strength, flexibility, mobility, kinesthetic awareness, and expression and also help facilitate relationship.

This course is the third in a series of three classes on movement observation and assessment skills and is designed to integrate Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals and to introduce additional methods for movement observation beyond those particular systems. Students will understand how movement observation paradigms can be applied to dance/movement therapy clinical practice, professional conversations, documentation, and research.