EXCO 537 - FosseCo

1 credit
With his elegant lines, signature pelvic thrusts, tilted black bowler hats, and vocabulary of cheeky gestures, choreographer, dancer, director, and creative visionary Bob Fosse forged a universe of his own that altered the course of American musical theater, dance, and film forever. In the 32 years between 1954 and 1986, Fosse produced a dynamic body of work filled with vaudeville-inspired farce, provocative eroticism, a playful use of aestheticized props, and groundbreaking isolated movement. The elegance of Fosse lies in his perfect balance of movement and stillness, and in his understanding of the human body as capable of creating highly stylized and highly unconventional shapes. In FosseCo, we’ll dive into Fosse’s life, choreography, technique, and legacy. We’ll ground our own exploration of his movement in an examination of his influences, his collaborators, and the socio-political context in which he worked. Together in class, we’ll watch movies and excerpts of choreography, read articles, engage in lively discussion, and - of course - dance! We expect students to come to class ready and excited to move, and prepared to take a step or two outside of their comfort zone. All are welcome to join, no matter their prior dance experience. FosseCo will meet for one two-hour block a week (time and location TBD). We can’t wait to shoulder roll, shimmie-shake, and all that jazz, so come and join FosseCo!

Lucia Frank
lfrank@oberlin.edu
Mae Glickman
mglickma@oberlin.edu
Link to Syllabus
Link to Application