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Ashland Center for Theatre Studies

Choreography for Musical Theatre

July 7-11, 2008
Ashland, Oregon

There are still a few spaces left in this course - apply now! 

A week-long 3-credit graduate level course geared toward high school and community college theatre educators, covering fundamentals of musical theatre dance technique and choreography.

Experience an in-depth warm-up you can use with your students that works on the essential elements of dance technique: alignment and centering, strength and flexibility, coordination, control, rhythm and expression:

• Develop a vocabulary of basic, commonly-used dance steps—the building blocks of choreography
• Explore a variety of dance styles that might be used in a musical
• Investigate choreographic tricks of the trade to maximize the impact of simple movements
• Discover how to analyze a script to determine the role of dance in the production
• Apply technique, vocabulary, analysis and composition to the creation and learning of several musical theatre numbers
• Build skills to work within, as well as expand, the limitations of your students
• Look at resources available for inspiration and instruction
• Learn how to work with professional and student choreographers
• Attend the Oregon Cabaret Theatre (OCT) production of archy & mehitabel and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) production of Comedy of Errors
• Come away with technique and compositional abilities and knowledge to work more effectively with your students and to make better use of dance in your musical productions

Faculty

Jim Giancarlo, Artistic Director of Oregon Cabaret Theatre and musical theatre faculty at SOU

"Jim Giancarlo's choreography—some of his best work—drives the songs, Randall Stuart's direction, and the play's twisted sensibilities along." -Richard Moeschl, Mail Tribune

SOU winter 2008 production of Urinetown, choreographed by Jim Giancarlo     photo by Brian Prechtel

Daily Schedule

Each day will start with a two-hour dance class followed by an hour of lecture and discussion. The afternoon begins with more lecture/discussion and concludes with a two-hour choreography workshop.

Evening Schedule

Application Information

Space is limited to sixteen students.There are still a few spaces left in this course - apply now!

Prerequisite: Bachelor's degree or permission of the instructor. ACTS Master of Theatre Studies students get first priority. This course may serve as one of the required additional 3-credit courses toward the Master of Theatre Studies degree.

Complete the A La Carte Application Form and include application deposit and resume. Note: ACTS Master of Theatre Studies applicants do not need to send additional deposit and resume; simply check the box on the Master of Theatre Studies Application Form indicating you also want to attend this course.

We will send notification letters postmarked no later than March 19. At that time we will send you your pre-session assignment. You will be billed separately by SOU for your tuition and housing.

Fees

Tuition $810
Materials/tickets $112

An application deposit of $50 ($80 if application postmarked after March 1) must accompany your application if you are not also applying for the Master of Theatre Studies program.

Room and Board

Single room $324
Double room $199
Meal plan $154

Cancellation and refund policy

Once you are accepted, all but $50 of your payment ($80 if application received after March 1) will be refunded if written notice of cancellation is received by May 30. From May 31 to June 30 we will refund 50 percent of fees. No refunds will be made after June 30.

SOU winter 2008 production of Urinetown, choreographed by Jim Giancarlo     photo by Brian Prechtel

The Ashland Center for Theatre Studies is a program of the SOU Department of Theatre Arts. The SOU Department of Theatre Arts offers an outstanding undergraduate theatre program with BFA, BA, and BS degrees in theatre. SOU is the designated Center of Excellence in the Fine and Performing Arts in the Oregon University System.