Assignment Paper

1) Read:
From Cohen’s Dance as Theater Art. . .pg. 10-18 (attached)
This is an excerpt from Fabrito Caroso’s 16th Century Italian dance manual, “Rules and Directions for Dancing
the ‘Passo E Mezo.’” Pick out five of the steps that Caroso describes and try to dance them yourself.
CITATION: Cohen, Selma Jean. Dance as a Theatre Art. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Book Company, 1992. Print.
2) View:
Watch the following video clip, which is a reconstruction of the ‘Passo E Mezo.’
Do the reconstructed steps on video look similar to your interpretation from the manual? Were you making the
same shapes? Capturing the same rhythm? Moving with a similar manner? ((http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=IccBbE022IY)
“The Majesty of Renaissance Dance.” Dancetime Publication. 31 January 2008. Video. YouTube. 20 February
2013.)
3) Respond:
a) Please write 250-300 words (approximately one double spaced page) in response to the following questions
and submit your response to your individual Wiki page.
Discuss your experience of reading Caroso’s dance manual and trying to learn 5 of the steps. Did you find this
exercise difficult or easy? Why? After checking the video clip, did you find that your interpretation of the steps
was similar to the reconstructed steps on the video? Or, did the reconstructed steps look very different from
what you imagined? In what ways were they similar or different (consider rhythm, shape, and manner of
execution)? How did the steps make you feel as a dancer? Have you experienced other forms of dance in
your life that remind you of these steps? If so, what forms and in what ways are they similar? What benefits do
dance manuals have as teaching tools? What benefits does video have as a teaching tool? Which do you
prefer? Why?
Please keep in mind that your response must be written formally and must utilize MLA citation of any images,
quotes, or videos taken from any source other than yourself (please see the tab “Useful Information” for tips
and examples of MLA citation guideline