Studying Dance, Drama & Film at Kenyon
Kenyon’s theatrical tradition has produced performers and writers who learned their craft on the stages of the Bolton and Hill theaters, on the floor of the Shaffer Dance Studio, and in the state-of-the-art Wright Center film studio. Dance, drama and film students learn the historical roots of performance through a challenging and rewarding course of study. This firm grounding has launched several generations of students into successful careers, with stars of stage and screen, founders of dance companies, and Academy Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning actors and playwrights counted among the ranks of the program’s alumni.
Act, direct, write and light.
The Bolton and Hill theaters are home base for dance and drama students, while film students learn their craft in cutting-edge facilities at the Wright Center.
60-Second Syllabus: Modern/Postmodern Dance Practices
Students in Professor Balinda Craig-Quijada's intermediate DANC 208 course apply movement principles established by creative artists and teachers from the contemporary dance tradition as they practice embodied learning. They think intentionally about how they approach movement and artistry while exploring broad-based techniques and somatic principles.
Featured Courses
Directing for the Camera
How do the likes of directors Greta Gerwig, Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg bring their visions to life? Learn the art of telling a story on screen by taking on the roles of the major positions in a film production, including producer, director, actor, cinematographer and editor.
The Choreographer I
How does the choreographer incorporate both theory and practice to make original dances? Learn the fundamentals of composing both solo and group works through the exploration of dance dynamics, improvisation and movement problem-solving. Work includes movement studies, presentations, readings and discussions.
The Play: Playwriting and Dramatic Theory
This year-long introduction to playwriting includes weekly exercises exploring dialogue, monologue, exposition, autobiography, process and history as inspiration. In the first semester, students finish with a collection of short plays that can later be developed into longer works. In the second semester, students complete a one-act play, to be performed as a staged reading.
African American Film
African Americans have been contributing since the beginning of film history to the imaging or re-imaging of the culture and its people. This course considers films directed by African American people and their contributions to the creation of African American representations over time.
Featured Program: Kenyon L.A.
A selective two-week pilot program brings students to Los Angeles for immersive academic study and hands-on career exploration in the entertainment industry. Designed for rising juniors and seniors, the program combines intensive screenwriting with professional experiences ranging from job shadows and site visits to panel discussions and networking events.
60-Second Syllabus: Basic Cinematography
The hidden essence of movie magic and visual storytelling is what Professor Jonathan Tazewell '84 teaches in FILM 243 through a series of group projects that require coordination with writing and directing classes, where students learn to work closely with peers.
“A big part is really teaching students how to create collaboratively,” Tazewell said. “It’s about listening. It’s about giving up some of your own ego in order to allow for that listening, and then it’s about engaging and being responsible for providing your part of whatever the job is to make the vision.”
Related News
Adam Davidson ’86, who won an Academy Award for best short film in 1991, talks about his firm belief in the role of the liberal arts in storytelling on the eve of this year’s Oscars and a new Kenyon program in L.A.
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StageFemmes’ biannual Alumni One-Act Festival featured students producing five plays written by recent graduates.
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The Oscar, Emmy and Tony-award winning designer will address graduating students at Kenyon’s 198th Commencement.
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Dance Collaboration Connects Community
Kenyon NewsKenyon students are working with the Ohio State University to restage a significant 1958 dance for the community in a free performance in Mount Vernon.
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Bolton Theater and Hill Theater
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio 43022