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Basic Information
Full Name: Dominique Neff
Title of Project: Exploring the World of Contemporary Dance
Thematic Area(s): Creativity
Expected Start Date: July 1,2016
Expected End Date: July 15,2016

1. Abstract
Ive been an active participant in the ballet world for close to 8 years now. Ive watched classics on stage and
video, studied the movement quality, technique, and artistry. However, recently Ive been researching the
burgeoning contemporary world of dance. I have learned so much just from watching videos and researching
companies and styles. However, as dance is a physical art form, as well as a mental one, I feel the distinct need
give myself a physical fluency as well as an intellectual one. I have found two contemporary companies (both
small in size but powerful in work and mission) whose style I want to familiarize myself with. I will participate
in a workshop (July 1-9, 6+ hours/day) with BodyTraffic, based in Los Angeles. During this session, I will be
able to work with artists from Munich and Melbourne, which will give me more perspective on the dance world
outside of the US. I have also been invited to take company class with Northwest Dance Project, based in
Portland, OR. I will be able to experience their daily class schedule (from July 9-16 5+hours/day) and network
with the director and dancers, all while gaining a fluency in their particular style of movement. It is my hope
that the connections I make with dancers and directors of these companies could lead to a network within the
contemporary dance world that might lead to a career once I graduate.
Advisor Feedback
Must Include:
Brief description of the experience
Personal connection to the
experience
Identified goals for the experience
Timeline from start to finish
*Itinerary (international
experiences only)
**Explanation of differentiated
experience from what is required of
other students
2. Experience Advisor

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Identify an experience advisor and provide their contact information. Explain why you chose this person and
how you plan to utilize your advisor for this experience.
My experience advisor will be Andr Megerdichian, professor of modern dance. Not only has Andr danced
professionally in modern companies, but he has also taught dance internationally, giving him exemplary
perspective about what is actually taking place in the dance world. I will be meeting with Andr to review my
resume and discuss what I have learned from these classes as well as how to continue utilizing these skills in
modern dance class year round.
Phone: 513-556-2700
Email: andre.megerdichian@uc.edu

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Experience advisor name and

contact information
Description of why advisor was
selected
Specific plans to engage with
advisor
3. Connection to Learning Outcomes
List 3 learning outcomes from any thematic area(s). Provide specific activities you plan to engage in to help you
make progress towards the chosen learning outcomes. Describe how you expect each activity to help your
progress. Include an estimated time commitment for those activities.
Discover new techniques to gain knowledge, consider options, make new connections, and ask
questions.
By taking these courses, I will be delving into the world of current contemporary dance. I am excited for my
body to gain a new physical fluencyfor my technique to find a release, as well as a challenge, in the new
movement. Teachers from Munich and Melbourne as well as local experts from Los Angeles and other states
will share their specific perspectives on this amorphous technique. I am excited to spread my network to artists
and directors from around the world. As I approach graduation, the connections that I make become
increasingly crucial. I will be able to inquire about their personal experiences in professional dance in order to
find a clearer path to beginning my own career. The workshops themselves will span 15 days, with classes
occurring for at least 5 hours each day. On top of this, I hope to introduce myself to my instructors and
converse with them about their life experiences and any advice or connections they may be able to lend.

Explore a new creative competency/medium or seek new ways to engage an existing

competency/medium.

I have been taking classical ballet and modern dance classes since the age of thirteen. I feel that my technique
has reached a level in both that could be considered proficient. By attending these workshops, I will be able to
put both of these techniques to use and create something entirely physically new. All techniques of dance use

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the lines, balance, and grace that ballet dancers work so hard to create. Many also incorporate the
groundedness of modern dancers. Contemporary dance serves to marry the two. It is grittier than ballet, yet
utilizes the grace in a new, more powerful and athletic way. While I have been able to observe this through
videos and performances, I have not yet been given the opportunity to develop these attributes in my own body.
I hope to not only reinforce and reinvent my pre-existing techniques, but also to develop a familiarity in
contemporary dance movement. As with the above outcome, my classes will span 15 days, during which I will
be dancing for at least 5 hours per day.

Identify personal strengths and areas of growth and evaluate opportunities to maximize skills and
abilities.

In order to share what I have learned, I will be returning to my home studio, Huntington Dance Theatre, to teach
the young girls there a two hour long master class. I will develop a class that showcases the highlights of what I
have learned, but is also modified so that every student can and will succeed. I hope to bring them a new
perspective on their dance, but also to bring them a challenging yet fun class so that they will be inspired to
continue their studies. Often, the only thing between a dancer feeling confident enough to continue their
training is one good teacher. With a fresh standpoint, I hope to inspire them to glean a more global perspective
in all aspects of their lives, not just danceto see that there is a huge world to see, and so much to learn, and
that coming from a rural area should be no deterrent.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

3 learning outcomes explicitly

identified from any thematic
area(s)
Examples of activities and
explanation of how each will assist
the progress towards the chosen
learning outcome
Estimated time commitment for
each activity
4. Academic Resources Connected to the Learning Outcomes
List 1-2 academic resources you plan to use to enhance your understanding of the learning outcomes. Explain
how each resource connects to your learning outcome(s) and helps you execute your experience. Please include
the title and author/creator for each resource.
Note: Academic resources are professional works that can be used to assist your understanding of the topic.
Some examples are books, documentaries, videos, or research journals.
I will be watching Netherlands Dans Theaters Petite Mort, choreographed by Jiri Kylin. Kylin is arguably
one of the most influential contemporary choreographers in history and is currently setting works on not only
Netherlands Dans Theater (the contemporary dance company of this era), but also many other influential
companies around the world. Petite Mort is to Kylin as the Mona Lisa is to da Vinci. I hope to hone in on the
roots of contemporary movement in order to see motifs and divergences in todays works. Visual aids are
extremely helpful to dancers (i.e. observing the way someone initiates a movement from their core might strike

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my interest and allow me to try the same the next time I am in class), and watching the masters at work is the
most helpful of all. I hope to learn from the successes of these professionals in order to attempt to emulate them
during my workshops.
Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

1-2 academic resources connected

to the learning outcomes
Title and author of each resource
Description of how resources will
help make progress towards
learning outcomes and execution of
experience
5. On-going Reflection
The on-going reflection should help you process the experience and progress toward your chosen learning
outcomes. Describe your method for reflecting throughout the experience. Indicate specific reflection
questions/topics you plan to use to guide your reflective process.
Note: A variety of methods can be used for on-going reflection. Some examples are videos, drawings, blogs,
songs, and journals. Reflection topics to consider include your ideas/insights about the experience, connection
to other areas of involvement, and your progress towards the learning outcomes.
By the end of the summer, I would like to have a video of what I have learned. I expect it to be compiled in
clips of combinations that we have covered. I also would like to create a blog post to be included on my honors
website to tie together and archive my experiences with each individual teacher as well as the program as a
whole.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Method for ongoing reflection

Reflection questions/topics clearly
specified
6. Sharing Your Learning
Describe how you plan to actively share what youve taken away from this experience with a targeted audience.
Explain why you chose this specific audience.
Note: While social media can be an effective platform for sharing, only posting on your personal learning
portfolio or social media account(s) does not reach a targeted audience.

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Every summer and winter, I return to my home studio, Huntington Dance Theatre, a non-profit in West Virginia,
to teach master classes in ballet, pointe, conditioning, and other styles. With the knowledge I gain from these
classes and workshops, I will return to teach a master class to burgeoning young dancers. Because many of the
teachers that I had growing up gained their knowledge singly from growing up in that studio, I understand the
importance of having a broader perspective. I hope to bring to them a small piece of the LA and Portland dance
community so that they can enter the dance world with a broader perspective and more learned perception.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

At least one method to actively

share take-aways/learning from the
experience
A specific audience and why the
audience was selected

7. Budget (if applicable)

Provide an itemized budget and indicate your source for cost information.
Flight-CVG to LAX one way, May 31, 2016-$297

Housing via airbnb.com from June 30-July 9 - $150/night (9 nights $1446)

Progam Fees:$675

Total for LA workshop: $2,418

Flight from LAX to Portland, OR: $97

Flight from PDX to CVG: 222.60

Portland Workshop total: $319.70

Total expenses: $2,737.7
*If you are engaged in an unpaid internship or research, please indicate the number of weeks and hours per
week you plan to participate.

Advisor Feedback
Notes:
Detailed budget of expenditures
with sources to justify budget
estimates
*Indicates the number of hours per
week and number of weeks of
participation

Required Revisions:

Effective:

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THEMATIC AREA LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning Outcomes for the Community Engagement Thematic Area:
By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Identify and differentiate multiple ways to contribute towards the development or achievement of the
communitys goals.
Develop a thorough understanding of the world view, beliefs, experiences, self-consciousness, or history
of community members through collaboration.
Articulate the purpose of service on a social issue or public policy and how service mutually enhances
individual growth and the common good.
Explain how education, advocacy, mobilization, or public policy can influence social issues and
transform communities.
Learning Outcomes for the Creativity Thematic Area:
By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Discover new techniques to gain knowledge, consider options, make new connections, and ask
questions.
Explore a new creative competency/medium or seek new ways to engage an existing
competency/medium.
Understand and optimize the use of people, technology, physical resources or community in a creative
process.
Articulate the broader significance of a creative project and the value of its contributions.

Learning Outcomes for the Global Studies Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Develop practical travel skills that promote safe, stimulating, and productive travel throughout your life.
Summarize the interconnectedness of geography, history, cultural traits and world issues.
Articulate the interdependence of professional fields to address current and impending global issues
such as technology, the environment, human rights, or politics.
Demonstrate an understanding of cultural diversity by acknowledging the impact of their own identity
and the experience of social norms, customs, or beliefs that are different from their own.
Demonstrate a sense of empathy, respect, and appreciation for others to build meaningful cross-cultural
collaborations toward mutual growth and prosperity.

Learning Outcomes for the Leadership Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Formulate and manage a shared vision and develop goals towards its achievement.
Motivate and collaborate effectively with others towards completion of shared projects or goals.
Develop strategies to identify and respond to challenges and obstacles.
Identify personal strengths and areas of growth and evaluate opportunities to maximize skills and
abilities.
Synthesize the current trends related to a specific issue or field and evaluate how thought-leaders are
currently addressing them.

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Learning Outcomes for the Research Thematic Area:
By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Demonstrate the ability to locate, interpret, and critically evaluate primary sources appropriate to
field.
Identify and apply appropriate methods to collect and organize data for analysis.
Analyze and interpret the meaning of results.
Produce dissemination appropriate to the field in order to share the results or impact of the research.
Articulate the broader significance of the research project and its relationship to other fields,
research and ideas.