Philosophy and Aesthetics: Thinking through Dance Art

Tutor(s): Dr Anna Pakes
Assessment: individual presentation [50%], essay (2000 words) [50%] [an overall pass is required]
Prerequisite(s): Note that this course has prerequisite, and we will need to evaluate the previous dance courses you have taken to ensure you qualify for this course.

This module examines dance art from a philosophical perspective, exploring the relevance to dance of arguments developed in aesthetics, philosophy of mind and philosophy of language. The module is structured thematically rather than historically; it draws primarily from post-war analytic philosophy, but also refers to earlier philosophers and the continental tradition where relevant to the particular topic under discussion. The aim is to develop students’ analytical thinking skills and their ability to ground and clearly formulate coherent arguments about aspects of dance experience.