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Writing Criticism of the Performing Arts

ENGL 119.301
instructor(s):
M 2-5

The seminar aims to provide basic tools for understanding and writing performance criticism. Students will practice observing performances – from high culture opera and ballet to avant-garde performances and multi-media spectacles – and translating what they hear as well as the images they see into words. They will be introduced to the professional requirements a critic is confronted with and will learn to write within time and space constraints. Performances will be watched and then written about. The seminar will also focus on discussing controversial attitudes within performance criticism itself and analyze well known critics reviews of events.

fulfills requirements