Art of Dance and Nonverbal Theatre (P0215D310050)

Programme objectives

Programme objectives

The Dance Arts and Nonverbal Theatre study programme has four profiles - Choreology, Choreography, Nonverbal Theatre and Dance Pedagogy. The complete theoretical and practical work of the PhD student includes mainly artistic and scientific research methods. Each doctoral student may focus his or her research in creative direction, pedagogical research, and theoretical reflection across a broad range of time, geography, and issues.

The doctoral student may focus on the study of the principles of creative work and its specifics in relation to other artistic disciplines based on the acquisition of creative knowledge and skills. Professional issues also include an overview of the contemporary dance scene at home and abroad. The PhD student is guided to independent intensive study in the field of dance art and non-verbal theatre and their theoretical context in a broad sense.

The goal of the programme in the Dance Pedagogy profile is to deepen the student’s familiarity with the issues of the field. The programme facilitates the student’s understanding of the links between artistic didactics, theories and methods of education, and scientific research in biomechanics or psychosomatics. Research in the interdisciplinary field of dance pedagogy interconnects knowledge from a wide range of specialist disciplines related to the science of the body, movement thinking, the physical skills of an individual or a specific group, dance medicine, kinesiology and pedagogical psychology.

In the artistic and creative profiles of Choreography and Nonverbal Theatre, the doctoral programme combines education in the artistic and scientific spheres. In both areas, the goal of the programme is to deepen the student’s familiarity with the issues of the field and to facilitate his or her understanding of the links between artistic practice and theory. The student creates his or her own interconnected artistic and theoretical profile. The programme includes the graduate performance in the form of a presentation of an artistic creative project.

The goal of the programme in the Choreology profile is to deepen the student’s knowledge of the scholarly discourse in the field, its methods, tendencies and the results of current research. At the same time, emphasis is placed on developing each student's research specialisation. This is manifested in the dissertation, which is an independent scholarly work in the field of dance theory focusing on significant issues in the field, presenting new findings, developing new methodological procedures and stimulating the development of the entire field. The student elaborates a selected topic in the area of either historical or systematic dance research (history of dance including contemporary history, dance anthropology, analysis and theory of dance, sociology of dance, aesthetics of dance, psychology of dance, etc.). As part of the programme, the student also becomes involved in scholarly life in the form of participation in scholarly conferences, publishing activities, and collaboration on international projects. At the same time, the student participates in the department’s grant activities and related opportunities to develop the field.

Profile of a programme graduate

Profile of a programme graduate

A graduate in the Choreology profile is equipped for scholarly activity in the field at the national and international level, and engages with confidence in historical, theoretical, and in particular methodological discourse. The graduate is able to perform independent research, which he or knows how to conceive from the phase of studying sources and field research to their criticism to scholarly elaboration with invention and scientific precision. The graduate has his or her own clearly defined position in the contemporary research spectrum, is involved in scientific life and brings to it a distinctive topic, point of view and interpretation of phenomena.

A graduate in the Choreography or Nonverbal Theatre profile is a distinctive artistic personality able to create a work of art (including the ability to make the necessary practical and organisational arrangements), who advances original artistic values, demonstrates facility with the contemporary artistic discourse and introduces distinctive features to it. At the same time, the graduate is well oriented in the field’s scholarly discourse and is able to formulate a theoretical reflection on the field with scientific objectivity. The graduate’s scientific skills are unique, particularly in his or her theoretical understanding and interpretation of the internal mechanisms underlying the formation of an artistic work, as well as the link between artistic expression and the conceptual/artistic context.

A graduate of the Dance Pedagogy profile is an artistic pedagogical personality who makes use of proven and innovative methods and approaches in educational processes, and demonstrates a facility with contemporary artistic and scientific discourse. He or she is able to formulate a theoretical reflection on the field with scientific objectivity. His or her expert role lies in comprehensive consideration of the art of dance, the body and movement, and in the ability to work eruditely with the standards of pedagogical engagement to educate and train a future artist or to provide lifelong education.

Expert knowledge

• The graduate possesses deep knowledge of the historical and cultural contexts in the theory and practice of the art of dance and non-verbal theatre.

• The graduate possesses detailed knowledge of dance and nonverbal theatre, their movement principles, specific characteristics and constitutive elements, as well as the theoretical and methodological tools utilised to study their nature.

• The graduate has an overview of developments hitherto and the current state of dance research with respect to the issues of his or her field, both domestically and internationally.

• He or she is well oriented in current developmental trends in choreography, directing, aesthetics and didactics, and is able to formulate well-founded opinions on these trends.

• The graduate demonstrates superior and comprehensive knowledge in the creative, teaching and research areas specified in his or her individual study plan, and is able to communicate this knowledge in the form of teaching as well as in scholarly discussions.

Specialist skills

• In addition to his or her command of classical staging approaches, the graduate is also able to make use of current technological possibilities in the areas of choreography and directing in a multimedia and interactive environment.

• A graduate in the artistic and creative fields of Choreography and Nonverbal Theatre is capable of fully autonomous creation. Skills of the craft enable him or her to respond flexibly to the demands of individual genres while maintaining a high level of artistic quality.

• The graduate is proficient in the standard scientific and investigative working methods of artistic and art-theoretical research, and is able to apply these methods.

• The graduate is able to publish in the scholarly press, perform qualified critical and popularisation activities, and elaborate teaching texts (e.g. lecture notes, educational presentations), monographs and scholarly works with a systematic, analytical, didactic or historical focus.

• The graduate is able to work as a highly specialised teacher in secondary and higher education.

General competencies

• The graduate is able to communicate fluently about highly specialist issues in his or her native language and one foreign language; the graduate is able to express himself or herself in a cultivated manner both orally and in writing.

• The graduate is able to identify suitable grant opportunities and implement scholarly projects, both as an individual investigator and as the leader of an investigative or artistic team.

• The graduate is able to participate creatively in the activities of a team or working unit, taking a conceptual and systematic approach to long-term goals and standard activities alike.

• The graduate is able to conceive and organise larger scholarly events (conferences, symposia, workshops, summer schools, and the like).

• The graduate is able to contribute to the integration of dance and non-verbal theatre into the contemporary social scene, and to support their cultural promotion and appreciation.

Rules and requirements for creating study plans

The Dance Arts and Nonverbal Theatre study programme has four profiles - Choreology, Choreography, Nonverbal Theatre and Dance Pedagogy. The complete theoretical and practical work of the PhD student includes mainly artistic and scientific research methods. Each doctoral student may focus his or her research in creative direction, pedagogical research, and theoretical reflection across a broad range of time, geography, and issues.

The doctoral student may focus on the study of the principles of creative work and its specifics in relation to other artistic disciplines based on the acquisition of creative knowledge and skills. Professional issues also include an overview of the contemporary dance scene at home and abroad. The PhD student is guided to independent intensive study in the field of dance art and nonverbal theatre and their theoretical context in a broad sense.

In the Choreology profile the student deals with a selected topic from the field of historiography or dance theory in the context of contemporary dance research methodology discourse. The content of the study is related to the topic of the dissertation, deepens the knowledge of the relevant issues and provides theoretical and methodological tools for scientific interpretation. This includes, for example, methodological seminars, specialised lectures in history (of dance and related disciplines, general history), dance analysis, dance and cultural anthropology, or the sociology of dance. As part of her studies, she is involved in publishing and research activities.

The study in the Dance Pedagogy profile is focused on artistic-scientific and scientific-research activities in the field of dance, which is reflected in the text of the resulting dissertation. In the course of the study, the student will undergo didactic practice and anticipates partial outcomes of his/her ongoing research.

The study in the Choreography and Nonverbal Theatre profile has two equivalent components: artistic and theoretical.

The content of the artistic component of the study and the artistic part of the dissertation is the creation of a valuable creative work in the field of dance or theatre arts. Continuous artistic outputs are a compulsory part of the study, as are continuous theoretical outputs.

The content of the theoretical component of the study and the textual part of the dissertation includes issues of theoretical analysis and reflection on contemporary artistic production in the field of choreographic and directorial practices in dance and non-verbal theatre.

The student in part time form of study can attend the lectures and exams in hybrid form or blocks specified in advance.

The doctoral student follows an individual study plan based on the framework study plan. A doctoral student in full-time study may be entrusted with lecturing or presentation activities as part of his/her scientific and artistic practice. He/she may also be entrusted with organisational activities related to the artistic and scientific activities of the department. An active approach to building a disciplinary community is expected. Full-time study implies, in addition to the doctoral student's own artistic and research activities in terms of an individual study plan, close involvement in the artistic, research and teaching activities of the department. A full-time doctoral student is usually entrusted with tasks in accordance with his/her artistic and research focus. In addition, independent grant activity focused on artistic and research projects is expected. An obligatory part of the individual plan is a project with an international scope according to the student's chosen profile.

The doctoral student's studies are evaluated annually by the departmental board. The departmental board mainly evaluates the consistency of the individual study plan and its actual implementation.

The requirements for professional activity and its quality are the same in both forms of study (full-time and combined).

The study obligations for all doctoral students are governed by the framework curriculum. Unless otherwise stated, the course may be taken at any time during the course of study. This is subsequently specified in the individual study plan. The student is obliged to obtain at least 8 credits from elective courses, e.g. from courses announced by the Centre for Doctoral Studies or any faculty of AMU.

Draft Framework Curriculum:

TITLE OF THE COURSE --- METHOD OF COMPLETION --- NUMBER OF CREDITS

Seminar on methodology and theory of dance/theatre research - ZK - 18

Selected chapters in the history of dance/non-verbal theatre - ZK - 18

Scientific, artistic and professional activity 1, 2, 3 - Z - 30 (3 years: 10 +10 +10)

Specialized lecture I.1, 2 - ZK - 30 (2 years: Z, ZK - 15 + 15)

Specialized lecture II - ZK - 15

Dissertation and doctoral seminar 1, 2, 3 - Z - 45 (3 years: 15 + 15 + 15)

English for PhD students - first foreign language - ZK 10

Second foreign language - ZK 6

Elective courses and modules - 8

TOTAL CREDITS 180

Detailed descriptions of the individual courses and the resulting attestations are included in the respective subject cards.

The individual study plan is created at the beginning of the studies and is based on the submitted research project of the PhD student. It regulates the specific timetable of work on the theoretical or artistic part of the dissertation, specifies the time distribution of study obligations and the specific content of the framework courses. The individual study plan is approved by the departmental board and annually monitors its implementation, possibly approving necessary changes.

A mandatory part of the individual plan is a project with an international scope according to the chosen profile of the student. The PhD student submits documents and outputs from the completion of a study or work placement abroad, organization or participation in an international course, workshop, teaching programs or artistic projects. This may include participation in bilateral or multilateral lecture and teaching series or events, combining any of the above examples of international education or activity. Doctoral students can use the AMU Short-Term Mobility Programme for the preparation of their dissertation, the Specific Graduate Research (SGS) competition or the AMU Grant Competition (DKR) for these activities.

General information about admission process

Admission requirements

The doctoral programmes with profiles Dance Pedagogy, Choreology, Choreography and Nonverbal Theatre are intended for Master’s programme graduates in these fields and related fields who pass the entrance examination and demonstrate the necessary knowledge of the field.

The applicant is required to include a proposal for the dissertation project with his or her application.

Educational and practical requirements

• compelling results hitherto in creative production, choreographic composition, publication activity or applied research;
• creative thinking ability and/or dance-theoretical/dance-scientific thinking ability;
• a comprehensive overview of the discourse in the field and commensurate ability to articulate one’s ideas;
• knowledge of English with the ability to express oneself professionally in an international dialogue both orally and in writing.

The admissions process consists of one round. During the admissions interview, the applicant shall present his or her project proposal. The entrance examination includes the submission of an overview and results of the applicant’s professional experience hitherto (including a portfolio and publication activities), and an interview examining the applicant’s:

a) familiarity with the methodology and theory of contemporary dance/theatrology and other theoretical approaches in performing arts research;

b) knowledge of the theory and history of dance or non-verbal theatre;

c) familiarity with contemporary artistic trends in dance and non-verbal theatre, and with their interdisciplinary relationships;

d) knowledge of the psychosomatic contexts in dance and movement expression;

e) knowledge of the broader and narrower contexts of the proposed dissertation topic.

The applicant must also possess commensurate knowledge of foreign languages, to be demonstrated in the form of an examination at the AMU Language Centre prior to the start of the admissions interview. The required level and group of languages from which it is possible to pass an examination are defined for each academic year by a relevant Decree of the Dean, which is subject to approval by the academic senate of the faculty.

Together with the application for admission, the applicant shall submit his or her dissertation proposal, including the artistic and theoretical parts of the applicant’s project. In particular, the dissertation proposal shall contain a clear plan of research activities to be conducted during his or her studies, and shall formulate how the applicant intends to actively participate in the artistic and research activities of the departments, or how he or she could become involved in pedagogical activities.

As part of the entrance examination, the applicant shall submit and present representative samples of his or her activities hitherto.

For the theoretical part of the project, the applicant shall specify, among other things:

– the current state of knowledge of the issues, including key scholarly writings as points of departure for his or her own research;

– a specification of the research topic in as much detail as possible;

– anticipated research methods;

– anticipated research objective;

– anticipated component outputs.

After the entrance examination is completed, the Admissions Committee creates a ranking according to the average scores of individual applicants and recommends for admission those applicants who ranked in the order corresponding to the guideline number and minimum score for the Art of Dance and Nonverbal Theatre study programme.

The conditions of the admission procedure, including the determination of the method of scoring, its range and the guideline number, are regulated for each academic year by the relevant Dean's decree, which is subject to approval by the Academic Senate of the Faculty.

If there are not enough applicants meeting the score requirement, the guideline number will not be filled.

Applicability to other types of academic programmes

The programme is designed as a postgraduate study of the art of dance and its artistic and scientific research aspects. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the study, continuity with a broad portfolio of artistic and theoretical study programs (artistic theoretical programs such as music theatre studies, cultural anthropology, ethnology, cultural studies, etc.) is considered. However, the admission of the applicant will be determined by the adequate quality of the materials submitted and the relevance of the research project as specified in the admission requirements.

Parts of the state final examination and their contents

Parts of the State Final Examination and their contents

The state final examination consists of the defence of the dissertation. In the Choreography and Nonverbal Theatre profiles, it includes the defence of both parts, the theoretical written work and the artistic output.

Dissertation

In the profile of Choreology, a dissertation is an independent scientific work, focused on serious problems of the field, bringing new knowledge and impulses for its development and at the same time contributing to the solution of the problems of artistic practice. The required length of the written thesis is at least 120 standard pages (216,000 characters including spaces and footnotes, excluding the reference list, abstract and any appendices).

The dissertation may take the form of a case study in the Dance Pedagogy major and may reflect a professional topic focused on a current issue in the field. The thesis makes use of modern methods of applied artistic research and brings new knowledge from the theory and didactics of dance, develops new methodological approaches and stimulates the development of dance pedagogy. The required length of the written thesis is at least 80 standard pages (144,000 characters including spaces and footnotes, not including the reference list, abstract and any appendices), supplemented by a graduate performance in the form of a pedagogical output.

In the artistic profiles Choreography and Nonverbal Theatre, the dissertation also has two parts. The artistic part is a choreographic work (or a set of such works) or the realization of a serious theatrical production project in the above mentioned fields. The artistic work also includes the supporting documentation of its preparation and creation (annotation, dramaturgical plan, technical script, etc.)

The written part of the thesis consists of an independent, comprehensive written theoretical reflection of the own field in relation to the artistic topic of the dissertation with all the requisites of an academic thesis. The written thesis may be conceived as a case study, or it may focus on unresolved issues in the field. A distinctive viewpoint of the author is expected, commenting on his/her personal creative artistic approach, the creative methods applied, new insights and generalising conclusions as well as suggestions for further development of the field. The required length of the written thesis is at least 80 standard pages (144,000 characters including spaces and footnotes, not including the reference list, abstract and any appendices), supplemented by a graduate performance.

The theoretical part of the dissertation in these creative fields can be conceived from the analytical, aesthetic or historical aspect, related to the artistic part of the dissertation. The researched issues will be beneficial in terms of deepening the knowledge of the field, especially in terms of technical and stylistic aesthetic aspects, i.e. deepening the understanding of dance practice or the practice of traditional and contemporary mime theatre. This is characterised by a form for which terms such as non-verbal theatre, clownery, acrobatics, physical theatre, new circus are familiar.

At least two expert opinions, one of which must be prepared by an external evaluator from outside the department, are the basis for the actual defence of the dissertation. In the defence, the doctoral student responds in a relevant way to the comments made and defends the validity of his/her positions or brings them into line with the suggestions of the opponents. The professional level and relevance of the defence are an integral part of the state final examination.

The final evaluation is voted on by an examination committee appointed by the Dean on the basis of the recommendations of the opponents.

Other academic duties

Specification of other study obligations with regard to full-time form of study:

Beyond the study plan, the student in full time form of study documents another activity at the department curriculum and according to the chosen profile, e.g.:

Choreology

Scientific and professional activity - participation in conferences and publications beyond the study plan, cooperation on research projects of the Institute for Choreology or other research institutions.

Dance Pedagogy

Active application of methodological procedures in his/her didactic practice, participation in conferences and publishing activities beyond the study plan, cooperation on research projects with other institutions.

Choreography and Nonverbal Theatre

Artistic and professional activities - cooperation in artistic projects of the departments and HAMU, participation in competitions and festivals, cooperation in workshops, publishing activities beyond the curriculum.

Anticipated job placement for graduates (typical employment)

Anticipated job placement for graduates (typical employment)

Graduates of doctoral studies will be mainly employed in:

• as a creator with deep theoretical insight, who is able to respond flexibly to the demands of interdisciplinary work, including applied genres in the field of Choreography and Nonverbal Theatre;
• as a professional teacher in educational institutions ranging from primary art schools to universities
• as a dance scholar, researcher, theorist or critic
• as a professional editor of specialised periodical and non-periodical press and more broadly of media dealing with dance and non-verbal theatre in their broad interdisciplinary contexts;
• as a dance scholar, researcher (dance historian and theorist) conducting basic and applied research in scientific institutions, universities, as a member of research teams of scientific projects in dance research and interdisciplinary, national and international, as an independent researcher;
• as a professional working in the applied sphere, e.g. as an expert editor and art critic of specialized periodical and non-periodical press and other media dealing with dance and nonverbal theatre in their broad interdisciplinary contexts; specialist in management and production activities, etc.