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Rubenstein Arts Center at Duke University
The Ruby is a catalyst for creativity and a home for making art at Duke.

Fall 2018 Courses in the Rubenstein Arts Center

Published By Duke Arts
Published on: August 24, 2018

Over two dozen classes in art and architecture, film, video, dance, and more are offered in the Ruby classrooms and studios.

view from dance studio looking down hall and into the lobby

The Rubenstein Arts Center was designed with the arts in mind. This beautiful facility features an abundance of natural light, performance lighting systems in several studios, sound-proofing, dance-ready sprung floors, a student lounge—just to name a few of the tools in the Ruby that support the creative process. Scroll on to browse the Fall 2018 course offerings, and consider joining a class in the arts center while you are at Duke!

Browse the Courses

Art, Art History & Visual Studies

Exploring Art and Architecture

ARTHIST 104 (full listing)
Neil McWilliam and Susanna Caviglia

Provides knowledge for developing skills in visual analysis and historical interpretation of art from antiquity to present; examines major theoretical frameworks, key movements and concepts; explores how we look at and talk about works of art, investigating a variety of approaches to their study, including artists and their material practices; biography, patrons and the public; built environment and cultural institutions; how the social and political roles of art change through time. Classrooom discussions complemented by visits to Nasher galleries and direct practice of visual analysis, critical theory, and role of changing histories in comprehension of art.

Crosslisted in Art, Art History & Visual Studies

Arts of the Moving Image

Film Genres

AMI 210.01 (full listing)
Jason Sudak

A historical survey of motion picture genre as a stylistic and narrative device, including comedy, horror, the musical, the western, and science fiction.

Moving Image Practice

AMI 301S.02 (full listing)
Alex Cunningham

Film and digital video production in conjunction with the history and theory of these technologies. Students may produce work in 8mm, 16mm film and digital video and learn the basics of non-linear digital editing on Final Cut Pro.

Editing for Film & Video

AMI 357S.01 (full listing)
James Haverkamp

Theory and practice of film and video editing techniques. Exploration of traditional film cutting as well as digital non-linear editing. Exercises in narrative, documentary and experimental approaches to structuring moving image materials.

Graphic Design in Motion

AMI 381S.01 (full listing)
Raquel Salvatella De Prada

Motion design is the creation of animated graphics using graphic design, typography, advertising, photography, animation, sound and filmmaking. Emphasis will be on design, conceptualization and ability to communicate ideas and work collaboratively. Learn language and principles of graphic design by developing a method for solving design problems, communicating ideas effectively, and creating professional motion design such as title credits, logo animation, and newsreel that can be integrated into film, life performance or web. Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and video editing software will be used.

Capstone: Arts of Moving Image

AMI 499S.01 (full listing)
Shambhavi Kaul

Culminating seminar for Arts of the Moving Image Program certificate students. Designed to allow students to complete their certificate with a finished project or advanced research in the field.

Cultural Anthropology

Crosslisted

Dance

Dance Composition

DANCE 105S (full listing)
Andrea Woods Valdéz

The basic elements of movement (time, space, weight, flow) and their choreographic applications explored through structured improvisation, short movement studies, viewing of videotaped dances, and selected readings. Experimentation with devices for movement manipulation and choreographic forms through longer movement studies. Prerequisite: a beginning level dance technique course (modern, ballet, jazz, or African) or consent of instructor.

Intelligence in Motion

DANCE 160 (full listing)
Julie Waters

Focus on practice and performance of contemporary dance movement and classical/contemporary ballet utilizing somatic principals. Conducted in a workshop environment. Sessions will investigate deeper conceptual structures embedded in various somatic methods in relation to processing movement. Course is designed to increase proprioception and kinesthetic awareness and includes basic and complex injury prevention techniques.

Performing Sexual Health

DANCE 215 (full listing)
Keval Khalsa

Service-Learning course exploring the history, theories, and strategies behind activist sexual health education theatre as it has been used locally and globally. Intensive training on sex, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and history of artists interventions to open urgent dialogues. Examination of humor, personal narrative, and non-judgmental, sex-positive approaches to open dialogue about sexual health by and for diverse communities. Students create and tour a live performance and workshop for high school students and also create short videos segments to be used by high school teachers in health classrooms.

Dancing States Of Mind

DANCE 309S.01 (full listing)
Michael Kliën

Practice-based studio work, discussion, and readings in current political discourse, System Theory, contemporary philosophy and cultural theory. Reveals the culturally constructed nature of dance in Western society—its manner of production, dissemination and aesthetics—and examines the consequences of the cultured flesh as a mode of propaganda. The cultivation of students’ radically subjective creativity, artistic experimentation, awareness, perception and expression, in order to understand and challenge the status quo; and to integrate abstract concepts into one’s own physical existence and redefine assumptions by moving right through them.

The Choreographic Mind

DANCE 370 (full listing)
Michael Kliën

Practice-based studio work, discussions, and readings in current cultural theory, contemporary philosophy, and political discourse. Introduces choreography as a creative act of structuring movement; interrogates culturally dominant as well as subversive modes of ordering; examines the wider social and political context and consequences of various forms of artificially created structures. The students’ radically subjective creativity, artistic experimentation, awareness, perception and expression is cultivated in order to understand and challenge the status quo and to create ‘relational artefacts’ through choreographic craft.

Dance Technique and Repertory

Elementary Modern Dance

DANCE 110 (full listing)
Keval Khalsa

Technical and artistic training in the modern dance idiom through technique, improvisation and composition. First steps in developing skill, clarity and motivational intent as well as strength and flexibility. No previous dance experience necessary.

Beginning Ballet

DANCE 120 (full listing)
Tyler Walters

Basic classical ballet technique, body alignment, vocabulary, and musicality for the absolute beginner. Barre and center exercises included.

Intermediate Ballet

DANCE 122 (full listing)
Tyler Walters

Barre work concentrating on body alignment and correct placement within the ballet vocabulary followed by center adagio and allegro sequences.

African Dance Tech I

DANCE 130 (full listing)
Ava Vinesett

Introduction to African dance styles and related rhythmic structures from selected countries such as Guinea, Senegal, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Taught in the context of their social, occupational, and religious functions.

Jazz Dance I

DANCE 140 (full listing)
Nina Wheeler

No previous dance experience required.

Hip Hop I

DANCE 142 (full listing)
Natalie Marrone

Hip-Hop, an inner-city culture that has created its own art, language, fashion, music and dance styles. This is a beginning level of Hip Hop dance. Using dance as a time-line the course explores the history, development and core elements of hip-hop dance culture.

Intermediate Modern

DANCE 210 (full listing)
Keval Khalsa

Increased complexity of movement sequences and greater emphasis on clarity of expression and quality of performance.

Adv. Intermediate ballet

DANCE 220 (full listing)
Tyler Walters

Greater complexity of barre and center sequences with increased emphasis on correctness of style and quality of performance.

African Dance Tech II

DANCE 230 (full listing)
Ava Vinesett

Continuation of Dance 130. Dances from selected African ethnic groups providing increasingly complex movement sequences and rhythmic structures. Emphasis on greater technical proficiency, clarity of expression and quality of performance. Taught in the context of their social, occupational and religious functions.

Jazz II

DANCE 240 (full listing)
Nina Wheeler

Advanced Modern Dance

DANCE 310 (full listing)
Andrea Woods Valdéz

Technical and artistic training in the modern dance idiom at an advanced level. Increased complexity of movement sequences and emphasis on clarity of expression, musicality, and quality of performance.

Adv. Ballet

DANCE 320 (full listing)
Julie Walters

Progression of Dance 220 with increased emphasis on line, style, and performance-level quality and technique. Diverse batterie, pirouettes, and tours included in allegro combinations.

Intensive Modern Dance

DANCE 410 (full listing)
Andrea Woods Valdéz

Intensive modern dance training at the Intermediate and advanced levels.

Modern Repertory

DANCE 412 (full listing)
Michael Kliën

The study of choreography and performance through participation in the mounting of a dance work from inception through rehearsal to performance. Consent of instructor required.

Intensive Ballet

DANCE 420 (full listing)
Julie Walters

Continuation of Dance 320. Daily training for the performing student at the advanced/professional level.

Ballet Repertory

DANCE 422 (full listing)
Julie Walters

The study of choreography and performance through participation in the mounting of a dance work from inception through rehearsal to performance. Separate enrollment in dance technique is required. Consent of instructor required.

Documentary Studies

Crosslisted

Information Science + Studies

Crosslisted

International Comparative Studies

Crosslisted

MFA in Experimental and Documentary Arts

MFAEDA Workshop and Critique

MFAEDA 720/722 (full listing)
Thomas Rankin

A class that meets weekly for 3 hours to review, discuss and reflect on student work in-depth. Works critiqued will be both works-in-progress as well as finished projects. Guest scholars and visiting artists will join the class at times, bringing an ‘outside’ perspective to discussions. Students will also be assigned formal roles to lead weekly critiques.

Theater Studies

Crosslisted

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