This course explores choreomusicology, or the study of music-dance relationships, as an emerging field of study. Interest in this area stretches back to the foundations of comparative musicology and music/dance scholars usually do recognize the interdependence -- even inseparability -- of these realms in most world cultures. Yet research and analysis are often hampered by the fact that scholars still tend to receive training in music or dance, but not both; work in departments covering only one of the two; and identify as members of disciplines focusing on only one of the two. A result is that interactions between music and dance are often downplayed or sidelined, leading to a poorer understanding of both. Recently, however, growing interest in topics like embodiment and corporeality have led some scholars to focus on remedying these problems and developing choreomusicology as a new subdiscipline. In this course, we look at models for analyzing music-dance interrelationships, we explore theories and methods related to this emerging field, and we consider where it still needs to go. We take a broad view of both “music” and “dance,” opening inquiry into various forms of movement/ relationships. Students are encouraged to develop their own choreomusical research by analyzing their own bodily experiences, engaging in field research, and/or using transcriptions and video analysis.
- Kursverantwortliche/r: Prof. Dr. Sydney Hutchinson