Contemporary American Performing Arts 4219-SD0089

This course examines various forms of performance at the intersection of diverse disciplines, including theatre, dance, spoken word, music, multimedia, and visual art, with a particular focus on the ways “performance” has been used to engage with social and cultural issues in the Americas. The course explores performativity as both an artistic and sociocultural concept, looking at how actions, movements, and words shape identity, community, and politics. Through critical readings, live/recorded performance viewings, and/or creative practice, students will engage with a variety of American performing works that reflect the complexities of contemporary life. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of how performing practices influence and reflect American society today. The course aims to equip students with both analytical and creative tools for engaging with the rich, dynamic world of contemporary performing arts.

Course Outline:
• Introduction to Performing Arts and Performativity
• Contemporary American Theatre / Experimental Theatre
• The Expressive Body in Contemporary Performance
• Dance and Movement-Based Performance / Dance and Movement as Sociopolitical Commentary
• Interdisciplinary, Experimental and Hybrid Performance
• Spoken Word, Music, and Political Performance
• Immersive, Participatory, and Site-Specific Performance
• Identity, Gender, Queerness, and the Body
• “Engaged” Performance; Protest, Activist, Environmental and Eco-Performance
• Multimedia and Digital Performance
• The Role of Social Media in Contemporary Performance
• The Future of Performing Arts – Open Discussion
• Final Projects and Presentations

Type of course

elective courses

Mode

Classroom

Prerequisites (description)

This course is intended for students who have basic knowledge in areas such as performance studies, theatre, dance, music, media studies, cultural studies, or related fields in the humanities and arts. Critical reading and writing skills are expected, as well as the ability to analyze cultural texts and engage with theoretical frameworks. A demonstrated interest in interdisciplinary or socially engaged art forms is also highly encouraged.

Course coordinators

Patricia McQueen

Learning outcomes

Knowledge:
• Identify and explain key theories of performativity and performance, including foundational concepts from scholars such as J.L. Austin, Judith Butler, and Richard Schechner.
• Describe the historical and sociopolitical contexts shaping contemporary American performing arts.
• Analyze the relationship between performance and issues such as race, gender, identity, activism, and climate change.
• Differentiate between various performance forms and media, including theater, dance, spoken word, performance art, multimedia, and site-specific work.
• Evaluate the impact of digital technologies, globalization, and social media on contemporary performing practices.
Skills:
• Critically analyze live or recorded performances using appropriate theoretical frameworks and terminology.
• Apply interdisciplinary approaches to examine performing arts, integrating insights from cultural studies, gender studies, environmental humanities, and media theory.
• Synthesize research and critical perspectives in written and/or multimedia formats.
• Curate and present a final project (creative or analytical) with clarity, originality, and depth of thought.
Social and Interpersonal Skills:
• Engage in respectful and informed dialogue about sensitive cultural and political issues raised through performance.
• Collaborate effectively in group discussions, peer critique sessions, and (if applicable) creative workshops or performances.
• Demonstrate cultural competence and empathy when analyzing or creating performance works tied to marginalized identities and communities.
• Articulate informed opinions about the ethical dimensions of representation, participation, and activism in performance.
• Contribute thoughtfully to collective inquiry during class discussions, live performance reflections, and project presentations.

Assessment criteria

• Class participation and discussion (20%)
• Contributions to small group work (10%)
• Presentation on chosen topic (20%)
• Final Creative Project with conceptualized explanation
or Analytic Paper (40%)
• Attendance (10%)

100-88% =5
87-73% = 4
72-57% = 3
56-0% = 2

Bibliography

Auslander, Philip. Liveness: Performance in a Mediatized Culture. Routledge, 1999.
Austin, J.L. How to Do Things with Words. Harvard University Press, 1975.
Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble. Routledge, 1990.
Carlson, Marvin. Performance: A Critical Introduction. Routledge, 2004.
Fischer-Lichte, E. The Transformative Power of Performance. Routledge, 2008.
Jackson, S. Social Works: Performing Art, Supporting Publics. Routledge, 2011.
Machon, J. Immersive Theatres: Intimacy and Immediacy in Contemporary Performance. Palgrave, 2013.
Muñoz, José Esteban. Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity. NYU Press, 2009.
Phelan, Peggy. Unmarked: The Politics of Performance. Routledge, 1993.
Roman, D. Performance in America. Contemporary U.S. Culture an the Performing Arts. Duke University Press, 2005
Schechner, Richard. Performance Studies: An Introduction. Routledge, 2013.
Taylor, Diana. The Archive and the Repertoire. Duke University Press, 2003.

Recommended readings, music, videos, podcasts and articles will be available after course will commence.

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 4219-SD0089 in USOSweb