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DANCE 45: HISTORY AND APPRECIATION OF DANCE

Spring 2026

March 30, 2026 - June 12, 2026

The syllabus is subject to change with respect to content, due dates/ times, and governance depending on the needs of the class. Last updated: 3-26-26.

“Art is coming face to face with yourself.”

Jackson Pollock

Instructor: Sarah W. Holmes, MA, MFA, Ph.D.

Teaching Assistant/s: Angel Miguel Lopez, Cassie Archer

Grader: Charlotte Bremser

Class email address: [email protected]

Please contact this email address for any matter related to Dance 45. This email is monitored by the teaching assistant/s and Dr. Holmes. Please do not email the instructor directly; Dr. Holmes will not be able to respond in a timely manner.

Note regarding emails:

As there are over 500 students in this course, please allow at least 72 business hours (not including weekends or holidays) for a response from the TA/Dance 45 email address. Please use the Dance 45 email address through Outlook (not the Canvas email) and send only one email regarding your situation. You do not need to email if you are going to be absent or miss class for any reason. Likewise, please check Canvas for any missed work. Please do not let the lack of a response prohibit you from doing required class work. Last, please read the syllabus regarding attendance. If you still have outstanding questions, please ask the TAs, they are wonderful and happy to help.

Answers to your questions that can be found in the syllabus will not be immediately addressed.

Dr. Holmes’s office hours:

Time: Wednesday 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm, (in person and online, click here for Google Video link) office #1508 on the first floor of the Theater and Dance West building at the end of the hall. Thursday 11:00 am - 12:30 pm (online only, click here for Google Video link). Or by appointment.

Teaching Assistant office hours: TBA, HSSB 1107 (by the Modern Dance studio).

Class time: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 11:00 am - 11:50 am (Pacific)

Class location: Isla Vista Theater 1 (960 Embarcadero del Norte, Isla Vista, CA 93117)

Important Dates: 2025-2026 Academic Calendar

Land Acknowledgement Statement:

We are on sacred ground. University of California, Santa Barbara is on the traditional homelands of the people of the Chumash Peoples. This land was a site of trade, travel, gathering, and healing for the Chumash people who are comprised of the descendants of Indigenous peoples removed from their Island of origin Limuw (Santa Cruz), Anyapac (Anacapa), Wima (Santa Rosa) and Tuqan (San Miguel). In the spirit of healing and making amends for the harm that was done, we acknowledge the native and indigenous peoples who called this land home.

Course Description:

Dance 45: History and Appreciation of Dance offers students various points of entry into the field of dance as well as tools for critically examining dance history, theory, and practice through the lenses of race, class, sexuality, politics, and gender. This course examines dance as a contemporary global practice shaped by culture, politics, media, and technology. While grounded in key historical traditions, the course emphasizes dance from the late 20th century to the present, including postmodern performance, street and club styles, digital dance, and large-scale media choreography. Students explore how dance operates today—as art, identity, protest, and social connection. Through film, scholarly texts, and live performance, we will interrogate how the dancing body is central to cultural history, social change, activism, and justice. Additionally, this class equips students with skills in movement analysis that are essential in unpacking performance on and offstage. As this class addresses dance as a mode of cultural formation, students will develop a critical awareness of the power of dance to effect change.

Key Contemporary Themes:

● Dance as identity and self-expression.

● Dance as social and digital practice.

● Dance as resistance and activism.

● Dance as inclusive and accessible art.

● Dance as media spectacle and global commodity.

● Dance as technological innovation.

Course Objectives:

Students will…

◻ Identify how dance functions in diverse sociocultural contexts,

◻ Acquire skills in movement analysis to be applied to dance,

◻ Learn how dance history has developed in tandem with cultural history,

◻ Differentiate between dance genres, asking how they differentiate themselves from one another and how they affect one another,

◻ Analyze dance from disparate temporalities, settings, and mediums in conversation with dance studies scholarship,

◻ Critique how issues of race, class, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality affect the practice and meanings of dance,

◻ Create new knowledge through the act of developing a critical awareness of how bodies make meanings in space on and offstage.

Course Materials:

All course materials are available as electronic sources on Canvas. They can be located in modules for each week.

Copyrighted Course Materials:

My course materials, including lectures, exams, and assignments are protected by

U.S. copyright law and University policy. I am the exclusive owner of the copyright for those materials I have created. You may take notes and make copies of these materials for your own use or to share with other students enrolled in the course with you. You may NOT reproduce, distribute, display, or post/upload lecture notes, recordings, or course materials in any other way (regardless of if a fee is charged or not) without my prior written consent. You may not allow others to do so. If you do so, you may be subject to student conduct proceedings under the UC Santa Barbara Student Code of Conduct.

Evaluation:

Assignments	Due Dates: All times are in the pacific time zone.	Class Grade %
Classroom Attendance	Throughout the quarter via iClicker and weekly class Canvas assignments.	20%
Performance #1 Attendance	April 10th and 11th. 7:30 pm. April 12th, 2:00pm. “UMBRA”, UCSB Spring Dance Concert. Click here to purchase tickets (You only need to attend one show, not all three.) Some of you will leave the concert early. (Please be sure to use the bathroom before the concert, as sometimes people are not allowed back into the performance once started.) Quiz questions will cover the “Talk Backs”.	15%
Performance #2 Attendance	May 12. A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, 7:30pm, Granada Theater. Some of you will leave the concert early. (Please be sure to use the bathroom before the concert, as sometimes people are not allowed back into the performance once started.) Quiz questions will cover the “Talk Backs”.	15%
Performance Reflection Paper	Written on “UMBRA”. Due: April 20th, by 11:59pm.	20%
Unit Quiz #1	Open on Canvas for 24 hours: TBA	10%
Unit Quiz #2	Open on Canvas for 24 hours: TBA	10%
Unit Quiz #3	Open on Canvas for 48 hours: June 6th at 1:00pm - June 8th at 1:00pm As this is an online “final exam”, students do not need to be physically present in-class.	10%

Scholarly Citizenship:

“Your character defines who you are by the actions you take.”

Catherine Pulsifer

As this is a large class and as all of you are responsible, intelligent, and thriving young adults – it goes without saying that you understand your actions are a reflection on you and your character. Much of the following is common sense, but just in case...

Class etiquette: Leaving early or arriving late is disruptive to fellow students and is highly discouraged.

Class etiquette: Talking among fellow students during class, unless otherwise asked, is disrespectful and disruptive to your fellow classmates and instructor.

Considerate Classroom Comportment: If students cannot refrain from talking in class, they may be asked to leave as it disrupts the learning process for others.

Scholarly Norms: Far from an uncommon practice, the history of cheating dates back to the Keju ( More recently, “essay banks”, or purchasing papers from online “essay mills”, is more prevalent. Between 50-98% of students (high school, college, university) cheat on written assignments or other tests. 95% of students will copy or use AI to complete their work. In this course, plagiarism is not tolerated, and the use of AI and/or any language modifier, is obvious and points towards intellectual lethargy. Students whose work is suspected of plagiarism or use of AI will fail that particular assignment. Additionally, working on other UCSB courses during class time indicates questionable time management skills and is highly discouraged.

“...Habit will sustain you, whether you are inspired or not.”

Octavia Butler

iClicker Attendance Policy:

1) If you have not already done so, you will need to register for an iClicker account through UCSB. Please do not use a friend’s iClicker account.

2) Students are expected to attend all classes for the full duration of the class and document their attendance via iClicker. iClicker attendance may be taken either at the beginning, middle, or end of class.

3) Students with technological issues of any kind need to personally resolve them. The instructor or TA cannot on their behalf, and to this end, is not an excuse for missing a record of attendance.

Helpful iClicker links:

● iClicker Student Set-Up: Help with iClicker Set-up For Students

● iClicker student login page (you can also set up an iClicker account on this page): iClicker Student Login Page

● UCSB info page on setting up student iClicker account (contains links to download student iClicker app for your phone): Help with iClicker Set-up For Students

Attendance Grading:

“Technology is a useful servant, but a dangerous master.”

Christian Lous Lange

1) It is your responsibility to remember to document your attendance via iClicker. Absences due to failure to use iClicker or technical difficulties with iClicker, computer, phone, iClicker app, etc. will not be excused.

○ A mobile hotspot is a great solution for difficulties related to connectivity.

○ If issues persist, please call UCSB IT or iClicker for assistance, as we cannot help you with phone-related technical or connectivity issues.

2) A possible attendance score of 100% (which counts as 20% of your total class grade) is equally divided among attendance at each class session as well as in-class activities.

3) Mental and physical attendance is required. In-class work (reading, quizzes, discussion, etc.) will also count towards the attendance grade. Unless otherwise stated, and in many cases, assignments will close shortly after class. The in-class assignments will be available, in almost all cases, at some point during class. In-class work cannot be completed for credit after the due date and time.

4) To ensure the highest possible grade in this course, all in-class work or other weekly Canvas assignments must be completed even if the absence is excused (see more detailed explanation below).

5) Please do not ask the TA/s or instructor for the class work you missed during your absence. You can find this information simply by looking at Canvas.

6) Your lowest 3 attendance scores will be dropped. These three excused attendances are offered in the event of sickness, personal situations, or appointments. No other absences, after the three permitted, will be excused. Your attendance grade will be reflected in Canvas - not iClicker. iClicker and in-class work cannot be made up.

7) Community consciousness. The action of one reflects all. The following is extremely important. As this is a very large class, the professor and teaching assistant may deduct attendance points, from the entire class, for one or two person’s disruptive behavior (talking), inattentiveness, or leaving early. Please sign the Community Consciousness form at the front of class to document your early departure. You may also want to alert your professor (for your next class) that you might be a few moments late, so that you can stay for the entire duration of Dance 45.

Excused Absence Policy:

The following policy is to ensure integrity, fairness, and equity for all students. Outside of the three excused absences, which will be used first, in the event of catastrophic extenuating circumstances or extreme medical and/or catastrophic familial emergencies, ONLY iClicker attendance absence will be excused. In-class and Canvas work must still be completed for a grade. Students have one week from the date of absence to complete the work for a full grade.

The following criteria must be met for an excused iClicker absence:

○ We are fortunate to have health care services on campus. Your health and the health of those around you is extremely important. If absence is illness-related (this includes mental well-being), and to ensure your health and proper treatment, a doctor’s note written on the physician's office letterhead, (this includes CAPS) and dated on the day of the absence, is needed upon your return to class to get the iClicker absence excused.

i) If unable to physically see a doctor, please call the doctor’s or therapist’s office and have them document, via letter/text/other recording or documentation mechanism, of your phone call and inability to physically visit the clinic/hospital. This documentation is needed for auditing purposes.

ii) If you are not physically able to talk, please contact a friend or family member via text/chat/etc. and have them call on your behalf – and have them obtain proper documentation regarding the call. This documentation is needed for auditing purposes.

○ Realizing this may come across as callous and insensitive, if absence is due to a passing of a friend or relative, please have a family member stating the nature of the absence. This documentation is needed for auditing purposes.

○ Excused absences will also be considered for athletic events, but you must send documentation signed by the coach of all of your athletic events prior to the absence (i.e. meets, practice, etc.). While the iClicker attendance absence will be excused, all work must still be completed for a grade. This includes required performances, in-class work, and Canvas assignments. Please plan accordingly now. While clearly we can’t predict the future, consider the possibility of nationals and extra team practices.

○ Excusable circumstances do not include personal or familial traveling for personal enjoyment, traveling home, or traveling that is unrelated to an extreme circumstance. Students must complete all work for this course, so please plan accordingly.

○ Please do not ask the Professor or TA what course work you missed in your absence.

Late Assignments and Unit Quizzes:

1) No late assignments/work will be accepted for any reason, other than events listed in the “Attendance Grading” section. Perhaps this goes without saying, and as you all are intelligent, responsible, and empowered UCSB students, reasons such as “I didn’t know” or “You didn’t remind us” or “I forgot” are not acceptable.

2) Once an assignment closes at the specified day and time on Canvas, students will not be able to submit the assignment. Incomplete assignments will not be accepted due to technical difficulties, lack of connectivity, or computer/phone issues of any nature. Please do not email assignments to the TA or instructor after the fact, as these will not be accepted.
3) Quizzes will not be made available to complete/make-up after the designated completion window closes. There are no retakes or extensions for quizzes under any circumstances. Quizzes cannot be made up due to technical difficulties, lack of connectivity, or computer/phone issues of any nature. Please plan accordingly.

There will be no extra credit assignments or opportunities for students to complete additional assignments outside of classwork.

Please do not ask the instructor to increase your grade. You may, however, ask for a grade review as there are mistakes on Canvas from time to time. If doing so, please indicate which assignment and explain how it impacts your grade (i.e. the reason for the review). We are more than happy to correct it.

Students Adding the Course Late or Not Attending Class:

● Students who have registered for the course, but are not attending class, or are using the class as a filler for sustaining full time status, will be dropped. This allows other students, who genuinely want to take the course, to enroll.

● If you do not already have one, you will need to register for an iClicker account through UCSB. Please use your iClicker account, and not your friend’s account. Due to the late registration, missed iClicker attendance (up to your first day in class) will not be counted towards your grade (i.e. will be excused.)

● The iClicker class code can be found in Canvas.

● Once you have added the class, your Canvas page should display the course within 24 hours.

● Students who add the course late are required to complete all missed Canvas assignments. This includes quizzes, in-class assignments on Canvas, papers, etc. as well as required performances. Please email the TA to have your missed assignments opened on Canvas for submission.

Academic Support:

These services include:

● Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS). This service offers tutorials in selected academic fields as well workshops on study skills and writing. http://clas.sa.ucsb.edu/

● Disabled Student Program (DSP). This service offers disability accommodations for students, including reading and note-taking services, testing accommodations, and assistance communicating needs with instructors. http://dsp.sa.ucsb.edu//

● Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). This service offers mental health services for students. http://caps.sa.ucsb.edu/caps-home.

● AS Food Bank & Miramar Food Pantry. This service provides free food to students with financial difficulties. https://dining.ucsb.edu/miramar-food-pantry.

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Assignments:

I. Classroom Attendance (20%)

Attendance includes both physical and intellectual presence.

1) Daily iClicker attendance.

2) Weekly Canvas attendance assignments. The purpose of in-class and weekly assignments is to create a cohesive learning community, refine your understanding of the field of dance, aid in unit quizzes, and deepen your ideas for the performance reflection paper. In-class assignments include but are not limited to:

• reading assignments/quizzes (i.e. “Reading Checks” or “Reflections”),

• iClicker lecture responses (i.e. iClicker “polls”),

• weekly Canvas discussion (students have 24-48 hours to complete, this may vary),

• weekly community consciousness score,

• possible “pop” quizzes, and “Concept Checks”,

• discussion activities,

• student panels (more instruction on this to follow),

• any other learning activity on Canvas for that day or week.

II. Two Performance Attendance Assignments (30% in total)

The purpose of this assignment is to put skills like movement analysis and critical dance studies into practice through live performance. It also introduces students to important figures in contemporary dance.

● Students must attend all assigned performances. (There are two this term.)

● Purchase deadline for discounted student tickets for UCSB Arts & Lectures 2025 - 2026 Performances can be found on Canvas. Once the deadline for discounted student tickets has passed, all allotted student tickets will be released for public purchase and may sell out immediately. Instructions for purchasing student tickets online will be explained in class, as well as posted to Canvas.

● Arts & Lectures Ticket Box Office: 805-893-3535.

● Ticket purchase instructions and transportation information as well as the Arts & Lectures Performance schedule are on Canvas. (See this UCSB student ticket purchasing and transportation quick link.)

● Proof of concert attendance (two photos!) must be submitted by 11:59 pm the evening of the attended performance. After 11:59 pm on the day of the performance, the assignment window will close, and students will be unable to submit proof of attendance for any reason. (Please see the procedure protocol for submitting and taking before and after photos to document your attendance.)

● Late submissions due to forgetting or technical difficulties such as lack of connectivity, spotty wifi, or computer/phone issues will not be accepted. Unless otherwise indicated, please do not email proof of concert attendance to the TA or instructor, as these cannot be accepted.

Records of performance attendance deadlines:

1. Performance #1 Attendance: (15%) Selfies due April 12th by 11:59pm.

2. Performance #2 Attendance: (15%) Selfies due May 12th by 11:59pm.

Procedure for proof of attendance:

○ At the performance, students will take 2 time-stamped selfies to serve as proof of attendance.

○ In both selfies, students must be in the theatre, (preferably the lobby) showing their face, and holding a program and ticket (if given).

○ Students will take the first selfie when they arrive (you may take it in the lobby). After the performance, you will take the second selfie in the lobby. Please DO NOT take the selfie in the theatre during the performances.

○ Submit the 2 time-stamped selfies on Canvas. (If you submit only one selfie, you will only receive 50%).

○ PLEASE NOTE: the selfies MUST be time-stamped. A simple way to do this is to open your selfie on your phone’s camera roll and take a screenshot of it, showing the date and time at which it was taken.

○ Performance attendance will be graded upon students’ attendance at the entire performance. No late arrivals. In some cases, late arrivals are prohibited, and those who are late, will not be able to enter the performance.

III. One Performance Reflection Paper Assignment (20%)

“Brevity is the soul of wit. I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter." Winston Churchill

Students will write ONE brief two-page reflection paper. The performance reflection paper should be on the first assigned concert. The paper is due one week after the performance.

Paper’s General Directions/Expectations: (We will cover the directions and expectations in greater detail in class. A rubric and an example paper will be posted in Canvas.)

● Reflections should demonstrate the student’s ability to convey ideas gleaned from their dance experience into the written word.

IV. Quizzes (30%)

The purpose of these quizzes is to build skills and demonstrate knowledge in dance analysis, history, and formation on each unit of study.

Lockdown Browser is required for quizzes. Please click here to download UCSB's Respondus Lockdown Browser.

○ There are no make-up exams as exams are not offered outside of their designated completion window.

○ All quizzes are open book, open note, open reading.

○ Students will take 3 separate multiple-choice unit quizzes on Canvas. Each quiz covers the course material for their respective unit (i.e. Quiz 1 covers Unit 1; Quiz 2 covers Unit 2; Quiz 3 covers all three units, with an emphasis on the final two units).

○ Each quiz contains between 30 - 45 multiple-choice questions. Exams questions are gathered from class materials, reading, dance concerts, lecture slides, etc.

○ With the exception of the final quiz, each quiz is accessible for 24 hours from the time at which it opens. Once you begin your quiz, please do not shut your computer or “leave” the exam, as this may complicate submission. more than likely.

○ Technology is both a blessing and a curse. Before beginning the quiz, please be sure to check your internet connection, wifi, computer, technology, etc. There will be no make-ups or extensions for students who experience technical issues of any kind. This includes issues regarding technical glitches on the submission.

Grading Scale:

A+ = 100-96%	B+ = 88–86%	C+ = 78–76%	D+ = 68–66%	F = 58% and below
A = 95-92%	B = 85–82%	C = 75–72%	D = 65–62%
A- = 91–89%	B- = 81– 79%	C- = 71–69%	D- = 61–59%