Course Proposals

Course Name:  Alignment and Conditioning/Pilates 
Course Prefix: DANC
Course Number: 4250
             Submitted by (Name & E-Mail):  Amanda Sowerby, asowerby@weber.edu

Current Date:  10/3/2011
College: Arts & Humanities
Department:   Performing Arts                              
From Term: Spring  2012 

Substantive

change 

Current Course Subject N/A
Current Course Number

DANC *4250. Alignment and Conditioning for Dance/Pilates (1) Strength and alignment for dancers, using Pilates mat exercises. The class addresses areas of strength essential for dancers, focuses on breathing techniques integral to the exercises, and uses the exercises as a means to better understand and improve alignment. The course also addresses how strength and alignment facilitates more ease and efficiency in movement. To repeat the class a student must have the permission of the instructor. Prerequisite: DANC 2250.

New/Revised Course Information:

Subject:  DANC            

Course Number: 4250

 Check all that apply:
    This is for courses already approved for gen ed.
    Use a different form for proposing a new gen ed designation.
DV  CA  HU  LS  PS  SS 
EN  AI  QL  TA  TB  TC  TD  TE

Course Title: Alignment and Conditioning/Pilates

Abbreviated Course Title: Pilates Reformer

Course Type:  LEL

Credit Hours:  2  or if variable hours:   

Contact Hours: Lecture 1  Lab 2   Other

Repeat Information:  Limit 1   Max Hrs 4 

Grading Mode:  standard

This course is/will be: a required course in a major program
a required course in a minor program
a required course in a 1- or 2- year program
elective

Prerequisites/Co-requisites:

Co-requisite: DANC 2250.
 

Course description (exactly as it will appear in the catalog, including prerequisites):

DANC *4250. Alignment and Conditioning for Dance/Pilates (2)

Strength and alignment for dancers, using Pilates mat exercises and Reformer. The class addresses areas of strength essential for dancers, focuses on breathing techniques integral to the exercises, and uses the exercises as a means to better understand and improve alignment. The course also addresses how strength and alignment facilitate ease and efficiency of movement.

Co-requisite: DANC 2250. Alignment and Conditioning/Pilates

Justification for the new course or for changes to an existing course. (Note: Justification should emphasize academic rationale for the change or new course. This is particularly important for courses requesting upper-division status.)

The Pilates exercise repertoire has long been a staple for dancers in training. Since the 1940's Joseph Pilates worked closely with dancers to help alleviate muscular imbalances, strengthen the musculoskeletal system, create greater range of motion and build stability for injury prevention.
The Dance program at WSU has offered Pilates mat classes for several years. With the recent acquisition of our 2 new Reformer machines, and 2-dance faculty currently completing 50 hours each of Stott Pilates Intensive Reformer instruction, we can now offer a much more rigorous training regime for students in the upper division level.

The justification for the 2 credit hour change (from the previous 1 credit hour) is:

- This revision of our upper division course will now meet twice a week. Once a week the upper-division students will meet with the lower-division course to maintain training in the essential mat exercises. The second weekly meeting will focus on work upon the Reformer machines, thus transferring information from the mat exercise to the Reformers' system of pulleys, springs, carriage, jump board and further advanced resistance work.
- Students must review and practice exercises at least two-times each week outside of class.
- Students will write three self-evaluations throughout the course of the semester. These self-assessments will focus on use of breath to facilitate exertion and muscular efficiency, proper alignment, strength building and muscular endurance.
- Students will write one additional paper on the process learning the Reformer repertoire. The paper will discuss the technical aspects of transferring mat work to the Reformer.
- Students will maintain a journal recording their thoughts, feelings and observations of their weekly at home practice. This journal will be handed in at the end of the semester.
- Students will undergo a postural analysis and receive a stated focus for their individual training. In doing so they will understand differences in ideal alignment, kyphodic, lordodic, "military" and flat-back postures.
-Assessments will be made regarding their mastery of skills in:
joint mobilization, strengthening of core/connections with abdominal muscles, strengthening of limbs in relation to correctly aligned core, and strength and endurance of core and periphery with balance and coordination.
-Students in 4250 will study anatomy and kinesiology in reference to Pilates work. The final exam will include testing of muscle names, origins, insertions and joint actions.




 

INFORMATION PAGE
for substantive proposals only

1. Did this course receive unanimous approval within the Department?

true

If not, what are the major concerns raised by the opponents?

2. If this is a new course proposal, could you achieve the desired results by revising an existing course within your department or by requiring an existing course in another department?

N/A

3. How will the proposed course differ from similar offerings by other departments? Comment on any subject overlap between this course and topics generally taught by other departments, even if no similar courses are currently offered by the other departments. Explain any effects that this proposal will have on program requirements or enrollments in other department. Please forward letters (email communication is sufficient) from all departments that you have identified above stating their support or opposition to the proposed course.

No other departments offer training on the Pilates Reformer.

4. Is this course required for certification/accreditation of a program?

no

If so, a statement to that effect should appear in the justification and supporting documents should accompany this form.

5. For course proposals, e-mail a syllabus to Faculty Senate which should be sufficiently detailed that the committees can determine that the course is at the appropriate level and matches the description. There should be an indication of the amount and type of outside activity required in the course (projects, research papers, homework, etc.).

Alignment/Conditioning

WSU Spring 2012

 

 

Course: 4250

Credit: Two (2) 4250

Instructor: Amanda Sowerby

Contact: Browning Center, #213A

asowerby@weber.edu

Office phone: 626.7674

Schedule:

4250-Tuesdays 8:30-9:50 SG72/Fridays 8:30-9:50 BC38

 

Goal: To provide students with the basic understanding of the Pilates Mat and Reformer Technique. The exercises in the repertoire target muscles that facilitate specific actions and strengthen those muscles for greater joint support. Additionally, work will focus upon conditioning principles in relation to improved dance technique, alignment, injury prevention and overall health.

 

A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balanced sequence, are worth hours of doing sloppy callisthenic’s or forced contortion.

— Joseph H. Pilates

 

“Pilates and dance stress excellence of movement. In both disciplines, there is an emphasis on the purity of the form of the execution of each and every movement. In other words, there is an aesthetic in dance that coexists in Pilates exercise. Therefore, when you choose to do Pilates, the goal is not only about how much resistance you can push around (strength), or how many repetitions of a movement you can do (endurance), but also about how effortless and flowing you can make the movements look as you perform them.”

–Jillian Hessel

 

 

 

 

Objectives:

 

1.     To learn and perform the entire Pilates Essential Mat Repertoire.

2.     To learn and perform the entire Pilates Essential Reformer Repertoire.

3.     To learn and perform the entire Pilates Intermediate Reformer Repertoire.

4.     To know and understand all major muscles in the body by name, origins, insertion and joint action.

5.     To understand and be able to assess postural alignment; most specifically, ideal, kyphodic, lordodic, “military”, and flat back.

6.     To understand how Pilates Programming addresses postural misalignment.

 

Do understand that all bodies are different. Some success may come in days or weeks, some in months or years. Poor alignment or unhealthy muscle patterning will be worked on in class. It is very important, however, that attention to correcting muscular imbalances, patterning and weaknesses be addressed throughout one’s day to day activities to insure integration in to everyday life.

 

 

Requirements:

 

1.      Students must review, and practice, exercises at least two-times each week outside of class.

2.      Students will write three self-evaluations throughout the course of the semester. These self-assessments will focus on 1) the use of breath to facilitate muscular exertion and efficiency, 2) integrity of proper alignment, 3) strength building and muscular endurance. Due dates for those papers are Feb. 3, March 9, and April 6, 2012.

3.      Students will write one additional paper on the process learning the Reformer repertoire. This paper will discuss the technical aspects of transferring mat work to the machine. This paper will be due on March 30, 2012.

4.      Students will maintain a journal recording their thoughts, feelings and observations of weekly at-home practice. This journal will be handed in at the end of the semester.

5.      Students will complete a final exam that will test their knowledge on muscle names, origins, insertions and actions.

 

 

Absences:

You are allowed one (1) unexcused absence for the semester. Every absence thereafter lowers your final grade one-half letter grade. Showing up late or leave early 3 times equals one absence.

 

Etiquette:

No gum. No cell phones. No beverages except water.

No constricting or overly baggy clothes. No big jewelry. No shoes.

 

Evaluation:

Application and improvement: 20 points

Journal: 20 points

Self-Evaluation Papers- 4 at 10 points each: 40 points

Final Exam: 20 points

 

 

 

Academic Dishonesty: As specified in PPM 6-22 IV D, cheating and plagiarism violate the Student Code. Plagiarism is “the unacknowledged (united) use of any other persons’ or group’s ideas or work.” Students found guilty of cheating or plagiarism are subject to failure of a specific assignment, or, in more serious cases, failure of the entire course.

 

Core Beliefs: According to PPM 6-22 IV, students are to “determine, before the last day to drop courses without penalty, when course requirements conflict with a student’s core beliefs. If there is such a conflict, the students should consider dropping the class. A student who finds this solution impractical may request a solution from the instructor. This policy does not oblige the instructor to grant the request, except in those cases when a denial would be arbitrary and capricious or illegal. This request must be made to the instructor in writing and the student must deliver a copy of the request to the office of the department head. The student’s request must articulate the burden the requirement would place on the student’s beliefs.

 

Disability Accommodation: PPM 3-34 notes: “When students seek accommodation in a regularly scheduled course, they have the responsibility to make such requests at the Center for Students with Disabilities before the beginning of the semester in which the accommodation is being requested. When a student fails to make such arrangements, interim accommodations can be made by the instructor, pending the determination of the request for a permanent accommodation.”

 

Emergency Closure: If for any reason the university is forced to close for an extended period of time, we will conduct our class via email, WebCT, Blackboard

 

Schedule

 

1.3 Introduction to equipment

1.6 Basic Principles of Mat Exercises/Postural Analysis

1.10 Basic Principles of Reformers Essential/Postural Analysis

1.13 Mat work 1-5

1.17 Reformer Footwork: Single Leg/Intro to Leg Anatomy

1.20 Mat Work 6-11

1.24 Reformer Work:  Hundreds-Adductors/Torso-Leg Connection

1.27 Mat Work 12-15

1.31 Reformer Work: Short Spine-Back Rowing work/Torso-Scapular Connection

2.3 Mat Work 16-20 First papers due

2.7 Reformer Work: Arms to Abdomen

2.10 Mat Work 20-24

2.14 Reformer Work: Long/Short Box Exercises

2.17 Mat Work 25-29

2.21 Reformer Work: Legs-Side Split Abduction/Adduction

2.24 Mat Work 30-34

2.28 Postural Analysis Review/ Power Work

3.2 Postural Analysis review/ Full Mat

3.6 Introduction to Intermediate Repertoire

3.9 Full Mat Endurance: Second Paper Due

3.13 Spring Break

3.16 Spring Break

3.20 Continue Intermediate Repertoire Long/Short Box

3.23 Full Mat Endurance/Stretch Awareness

3.27 Continue Intermediate Repertoire: Expansion Exercises

3.30 Full Mat Endurance/Stretch Awareness: Technical Paper Due

4.3 Continue Intermediate Repertoires

4.6 Full Mat Endurance/Stretch Awareness: Third Paper Due

4.10 Complete Intermediate Repertoire

4.13 Full Mat Endurance/Stretch Awareness