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The Power Of Environment As A Tool For Inspiration: Engaging Students Through In-Studio Vs Site-Specific Choreography, Taylor Kath
The Power Of Environment As A Tool For Inspiration: Engaging Students Through In-Studio Vs Site-Specific Choreography, Taylor Kath
Master's Theses
The goal of this study was to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of in-studio and site-specific choreographic experiences with the desired result to discoverhow choreographers created, danced, and perceived this work. The research was conducted in a rural area and due to the vast and open terrain, there were incredible opportunities for site-specific work, providing artists with great advantages for inspiration. In a low-populated state with little access to urban art, generating site-specific dance occurrences was vital for both seeing and experiencing dance. The aim of this research was to determine whether in-studio or site-specific choreography provides more inspiration to …
"To Get A Job In A Broadway Chorus, Go Into Your Dance:" Education For Careers In Musical Theatre Dance, Lauran Stanis
"To Get A Job In A Broadway Chorus, Go Into Your Dance:" Education For Careers In Musical Theatre Dance, Lauran Stanis
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to identify necessary education and experiences for dancers who wish to pursue a career in musical theatre dance and identify the content dancers who want to pursue careers in musical theatre dance should be studying. In this project, two groups of individuals were surveyed about their education and experiences. These individuals were those with dance degrees, and those working professionally in musical theatre as dancers or choreographers. A total of 174 subjects participated in the study. Of these participants, ninety-two were dance degree holders and eighty-two were musical theatre dance professionals. Two surveys were …
The Effects Of Dance On Gross Motor Skills And Strength In Students With Down Syndrome, Jennifer Canfield
The Effects Of Dance On Gross Motor Skills And Strength In Students With Down Syndrome, Jennifer Canfield
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to determine if weekly participation in a ballet class improved upon the gross motor skills of students with Down Syndrome. This study is important because the student participants all showed growth in their gross motor abilities as well as overall strength and physical functioning. When students with special needs are regularly exposed to dance, certain physical skills that are normally more challenging for them, improve, including gross motor functioning, increased strength, better coordination, and an increased ability to balance. This research can be used to justify the expansion of inclusive and adaptive dance opportunities …
Using Self-Compassionate Focused Writing Prompts By Middle School Students In The Dance Classroom: Shaping How Students Respond To Their Art And View Themselves As Artists, Kathleen Stein
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using self-compassionate focused journal writing as a way to induce a more self-compassionate and less self-critical view in students of themselves and their art. This study examinedthe connection between the use of self-compassionate focused journal writing prompts and an increase in the levels of self-compassion that a student feltfor him or herself. The purpose of this study was to provide students with the self-compassion tools, strategies, and skills necessary to deal with perceived setbacks in their choreographic process and performance. This quantitative and qualitative study was designed to answer …
The Missing Art: Dance Advocacy And Inter-Arts Collaboration In New Jersey Public High Schools, Vicki Jenkins
The Missing Art: Dance Advocacy And Inter-Arts Collaboration In New Jersey Public High Schools, Vicki Jenkins
Master's Theses
The purpose of this research was to explore the effects dance has on New Jersey public high schools’ performing arts curriculum and its students. It also explored how dance was being utilized in schools and the ways in which art teachers worked together in their programs. The research instrument used in this study was an electronic survey that included quantitative and qualitative questions for data gathering. Participants in this study were from eleven New Jersey high schools that included forty-two arts teachers and eight administrators. The data suggested dance was an important component to the performing arts curricula for teachers, …
Social Activism: Teaching Activism Through Socially Conscious Plays, Alanna Kiewe
Social Activism: Teaching Activism Through Socially Conscious Plays, Alanna Kiewe
Master's Theses
Students derived numerous benefits while participating in theater by gaining confidence and social skills. To help navigate these skills, this thesis showed that using a socially conscious play helped participants gain empathy, an understanding of their community, and an interest in social activism. This protocol outlined the process of producing And a Child Shall Lead, by Michael Slade. The entire process of working on Slade’s play allowed students in middle school to gain an understanding of the Holocaust and helped them appreciate how social activism can shape communities.
Embodying Empathy: Engaging High School Students In Social Awareness Through The Choreographic Process, Rachel Wade
Embodying Empathy: Engaging High School Students In Social Awareness Through The Choreographic Process, Rachel Wade
Master's Theses
The goal of this study was to gauge growth of student empathy and social awareness as they collaborated through the choreographic process. There were eighteen participants in this study. Through learning about one individual’s experience growing up during the Civil Rights Movement, students used movement and the creative process to unpack ideas and concepts they learned. Through this study, participants used collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and the choreographic process to create a full-length performance. Participants gained a greater understanding and sense of empathy for the experience of the subject and others during this experience. Limitations of this study included potential bias …
Choreography, Student Engagement, And Conclusions: Assessing If Faculty Choreographers Are As Innovative As The Students They Teach, Erika Goe
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to access the effectiveness of choreographic devices and how it impacts student engagement when learning choreography. The research aimed to evaluate if choreographic devices have an impact on student engagement by evaluating the utilization of specific choreographic devices when teaching choreography if there were significant differences between faculty and student exploration when creating work and if the differences explored enhanced or diminished student engagement levels. The forty-two participants were attending a junior college in Riverside, California and the research took place over the course of six weeks during the fall and spring semesters. During …
Preparing Future Dance Educators For Diverse Student Populations, Kaylee Anne Morrison
Preparing Future Dance Educators For Diverse Student Populations, Kaylee Anne Morrison
Master's Theses
The purposes of this study were to create a curriculum map for a potential Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education for a four-year university, promote quality dance education, and find ways to advocate for dance programs in rural communities. To determine the data, the researcher created an electronic survey, met with participants in person, and recorded interviews to collect the evidence. Thirty-six electronic survey participants were current and former dance educators. The participants for the interviews were ten current and former K-12 administrators, seven university faculty, and six general education teachers/curriculum specialist from diverse K-12 campuses. The researcher designed the …
Dance Competitions: The Culture, The Training, And The Effects On Young Dancers, Teresa Schmitt
Dance Competitions: The Culture, The Training, And The Effects On Young Dancers, Teresa Schmitt
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to assist educators, students, and families, in understanding the advantages and disadvantages of participating in competition dance training as it exists in private studios. The researcher evaluated perceptions of competitive dance training through the lens of nine high school aged dancers who participate or did participate in such activities, with a goal of uncovering how this training experience affected them and what they thought about it. The research instrument used in this study was an electronic survey that included questions that produced responses that were analyzed either quantitively or qualitatively, depending on the nature …
Creating A Dancing Classroom: Understanding In What Ways Integrating Dance Into The Classroom Creates Opportunities For Differentiated Instruction, Impacts Classroom Culture, And Enhances Student Outcomes, Maria Ross Campsey
Master's Theses
The aim of this thesis project was to explore the effects of and response to an integrated arts approach that utilized movement and dance to teach a non-dance curriculum. The focus of this descriptive study was to understand the educational benefits of an arts integrated approach to education using movement and dance. The researcher employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze data from twenty-two first-grade students, two classroom teachers, and the researcher’s observations. The researcher posed the following three research questions in this thesis: Q1 Did the movement and dance integrated arts approach help students understand academic concepts? Q2 …
Closing The Opportunity Gap In And Through Dance: A New Rubric Design, Emily Hunter
Closing The Opportunity Gap In And Through Dance: A New Rubric Design, Emily Hunter
Master's Theses
The goal of this research was to design a dance audition rubric that could identify both capability and potential in novice students and formally trained dancers alike. The high school targeted in this study was among the top public arts schools in the nation, able to offer unparalleled opportunities to students who gain admission by audition. A problem existed in that students with little or no formal dance training had difficulty gaining entry to the dance program because the existing rubric rewarded evidence of training over raw talent. In designing a new rubric, the hope was to identify one way …
Developing Literacy In A Rehearsal Setting: Matilda The Musical, Andrew Tribe
Developing Literacy In A Rehearsal Setting: Matilda The Musical, Andrew Tribe
Master's Theses
Literacy skills and performing arts skills can work together in tandem to further the educational and personal development of young people. The goal of this thesis is to explore how students will tackle a musical that at its core, is about growing up with ideologies change over time and how students can implement literacy skills in the rehearsal process. For the title character of Matilda the Musical, her personal growth and imagination is ignited by books and literacy. The production offers an opportunity for students to understand the importance and transferable value of literacy through the rehearsal process and final …
A Slice Of The Big Apple: An Exploration Of The Impact Of Travel On High School Students’ Choreographic Process, Lauren Seibel
A Slice Of The Big Apple: An Exploration Of The Impact Of Travel On High School Students’ Choreographic Process, Lauren Seibel
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to create, implement, and assess the results of a dance curriculum based on a long-distance travel experience as inspiration for choreography. The research spanned one semester. Participants included twenty high school dance students and nine audience members. In the study, the researcher attempted to answer the following essential questions: Q1 How can a high school dance course enhance the overall experience and understanding of traveling? Q2 In what ways can travel impact a student’s choreographic process? Q3 What aspects of traveling are most helpful for high school students when exploring their ability to choreograph? …
The Monkey Queen: Creating Cultural Connections Through Theatre For Young Audiences, Matt Loehrke
The Monkey Queen: Creating Cultural Connections Through Theatre For Young Audiences, Matt Loehrke
Master's Theses
Youth in America have access to numerous stories on stage, page, and screen, yet many of those tales originate from white, Euro-centric cultures. Current trends in American theatre often produce familiar scripts to present to their communities. Unfortunately, too often, stories from other cultures are not adapted and presented. This thesis seeks to provide a culture bridge by adapting one of China’s most beloved stories, The Monkey King, for a young American audience through the medium of Theatre for Young Audiences. Theatre is a great unifier; however, the most critical audience, the audience that will grow into the next generation …
The Power Of Dance: How Dance Effects Mental And Emotional Health And Self-Confidence In Young Adults, Amber Salo
The Power Of Dance: How Dance Effects Mental And Emotional Health And Self-Confidence In Young Adults, Amber Salo
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to investigate the mental and emotional benefits of dance in young adults. The researcher directed and produced a free, one-day dance workshop that served as the format for the research event. The study involved sixty-three dance students, ranging in age from fourteen through twenty-five, including all years of high school, college, and post-graduation. The classes offered as part of this study were geared toward the joys of dance, setting and attaining goals, having an open, growth mindset, and being self-confident. The study incorporated both qualitative and quantitative research as a means to answer three …
Using Laban’S Efforts To Define Movement In Five Music Genres, Ashley Ames
Using Laban’S Efforts To Define Movement In Five Music Genres, Ashley Ames
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to assist in understanding the impact music has on movement. This researcher evaluated music’s impact on movement by looking at the movement performed by nine female dancers in grades six through eight. This movement was performed to five different genres of music commonly found in five different types of dance classes and was measured in Laban’s eight efforts. There were two research instruments used in this study: A researcher survey yielding quantitative data and a participant survey producing qualitative data. The data suggested that there is a difference in how the body responds in …
Teacher Evaluation Systems And Their Impact Upon Academic Dance Educators And Their Evaluators, Elizabeth C. Brennan
Teacher Evaluation Systems And Their Impact Upon Academic Dance Educators And Their Evaluators, Elizabeth C. Brennan
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study was to explore gaps and biases within public school teacher evaluation systems and their effects on traditional public school dance educators and their evaluators. At the heart of this is the attempt to answer a series of questions involving the voice of six dance educators and five instructional evaluators concerning their experiences with teaching evaluation systems and their direct correlation to educational dance in the areas of fairness, equitability and bias. The research instruments used in this study included electronic surveys and face-to-face interviews, both of which were created specifically for each participant population. The …
Line As Descriptor, Adel A. Alanmi
Line As Descriptor, Adel A. Alanmi
Master's Theses
I develop art that speak both to me and to others about the beauty of art. I have always been interested in art since I was young, and the interest has grown tremendously since then. As an artist , I always feel the urge to come up with new ways of interacting with the world and holding on to it for as long a s possible , although their comes a time you have to let go and create room for new memories. Art serves as a haven as I can distant myself from all the stress and craziness life …
Traditional Sounds On Western Instruments: The Use Of Traditional Music Of Mainland Southeast Asia In Western Orchestral Works, Tachinee Patarateeranon
Traditional Sounds On Western Instruments: The Use Of Traditional Music Of Mainland Southeast Asia In Western Orchestral Works, Tachinee Patarateeranon
Master's Theses
The cultural preservation of traditional music has become a serious issue in the mainland of Southeast Asia. The impact of political revolution, economic problems, westernization, and modernization have all but eliminated traditional music from its homeland. Western music, on the other hand, is flourishing in the region and has had a strong influence on the transformation of traditional musical genres in order to attract the attention of today’s society. As a result, one way to help traditional music survive in this modern context is to incorporate it with western genres. This research, therefore, aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating …
Shall We Dance: Responses Of Participants To A Dance Class Designed For Parkinson’S Patients, Brittni Lynn Mcalister
Shall We Dance: Responses Of Participants To A Dance Class Designed For Parkinson’S Patients, Brittni Lynn Mcalister
Master's Theses
The purpose of this research was to describe the responses of participants in a dance class designed for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients. This study had a total of eight participants—six were adults with PD and participants in the Parkinson’s dance classes, one was the other primary instructor of the Parkinson’s dance classes, and the other one was a care partner of a participant in the classes. In this study, the researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the data. The researcher sought to observe the experiences of participants in dance classes designed for individuals with PD and interview …
A Topical And Narrative Analysis Of Napoleonic Era Battle Pieces, Robert J. Gassner
A Topical And Narrative Analysis Of Napoleonic Era Battle Pieces, Robert J. Gassner
Master's Theses
The instrumental battle piece, as it was at the time of the Napoleonic Wars, was a genre largely reserved for amateur musicians. However, within these commercial compositions there was a distinct topical language. Analysis of multiple pieces that discuss the same battle, but come from composers of different nations reveals that composers of different nationalities often changed the narrative of the battle being portrayed in order to paint their country—or adopted country— in a better light. This can be seen in a comparison of compositions based on the battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo, by composers writing for English and Germanic …
Stephen Heller Composes Jean Paul: The Blumen-, Frucht-, Und Dornestücke, Op. 82, Nicholas R. Alexander
Stephen Heller Composes Jean Paul: The Blumen-, Frucht-, Und Dornestücke, Op. 82, Nicholas R. Alexander
Master's Theses
Stephen Heller became a correspondent to the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik in 1836, marking the beginning of a long and close friendship with its editor, Robert Schumann. Among the affinities shared by the two musicians was a devotion to the novels of Jean Paul [Richter]. They considered the poetic and novelistic qualities that saturated their solo piano works to have been inspired by him, relating both their music and daily lives to his work. Heller published his Blumen-, Frucht-, und Dornenstücke, Op. 82 in 1853, naming his collection of character pieces after Jean Paul’s novel of the same title (though …