1. African American Dance History Professor David J. Popalisky Zaire, Ngbaka harp, wood and skin

2. Class Welcome Who am I Who are you Getting to know you questionnaire Class atmosphere: a collective dialogue that needs everyone’s open contributions, questions and comments. My goal is to guide this dialogue and hopefully foster an excitement about the process.

3. Artifacts - what can we discover from, how do we react to: images of another century? 70 year old film clips? a poem?

4. The Little Colonel - Bill Robinson and Shirley Temple

5. Syllabus Details Reading - due on day listed. Bring two questions on reading to each class. Watch videos - a few in media lab, most in class. Quizzes - online, generally after Thursday. Assignments - a quick look. More specific guidelines to be handed out

6. Syllabus Highlights Class guests - recent experiences with Afro- centric dance Dance class with Blanche Brown in Afro- Haitian dance Alvin Ailey Dance Concert in late February

7. Upcoming Events Choose partners for Project One by Tuesday, Jan. 16 MLK Night - Jan. 15, Mayer Theatre Sign up for ANGEL this week

8. How is Dance History? How can we access a group of people, their lives, their triumphs and tregedies through dance? How do we understand or “ read ” dance? What does it tell us about the people, and circumstances of their lives, of their dances? Are these two different?

9. How is Dance History? Dance reveals meaningful information, tells us about the people. Why did they dance? Religious, ritual Secular, social Performance, entertainment Community – how does one relate to a community Where did they dance? In - secret places (voodoo, slavery) Jook houses, rent parties In the open, in public In performance

10. How is Dance History? How did they dance? African based roots Blends with European forms – interactions with other cultures. Irish - lowest social class of whites meant greater interaction with free blacks. Irish are the early minstrel performers. Jazz and tap Who danced? Slaves Minstrels Octaroons 20th C artists - popular and concert

11. How is Dance History? For who did they dance? Whites Blacks Mixed audiences When did they dance? Holidays Saturday nights In performance High art and popular art - different contexts, intentions and audiences