This course examines dance musicals through an analysis of gender, sexuality, race, class as well as the sociology and history of dance in modern North America. We will draw upon two threads--film studies and dance studies: an understanding of the Hollywood musical as convention, as well as writings about dance. The latter involves focusing on the historical roots and sociology of particular types of dance, thinking of dance as a product of mass/pop entertainment (i.e. disco) and bourgeois aspirations (i.e. ballet) in the era of capitalist modernity while interrogating the mind/body dualism through feminism, gender, queer theory and cultural studies. The course will problematize gendered and racialised representations in dance while interrogating our own viewing pleasures both for language/narrative and visual spectacle. We will learn about camp/postcolonial strategies of viewing the conservative genre of the musical as well as discuss more contemporary films that subvert the conventions.

3,000 to 4,000 words of written work (90%), and tutorial participation (10%).

1.5 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour and 2-hr film screening each week for 13 weeks

Two first year courses in Gender, Sexuality and Culture or with permission of the course convenor