Mr. Wilkins’s research is rooted in the interconnections of American contemporary performance, cultural history, and identities of Black men. His projects examine the raced dancing body and the ways that ritual can access forms of knowledge. Intrigued by ideas about indeterminacy in creative process and performance, he approaches performance and pedagogy as means of re-framing perspectives, creative practices, and technical training. In his intermedia collaborations he works with artists from a wide range of disciplines, including film, video, and design. His primary research is unfolding as a multi-year, multi-outcome inter- and multidisciplinary work: The Conversation Series: Stitching the Geopolitical Quilt to Re-Body Belonging. The work will yield new choreographies, a documentary film, a digital archive, and toykit for social change. He is also continuing the development of FRAMEWORK, a practice for both contemporary dance technique and choreographic process and presentation.
Teaching
courses taught
DNCE 1013 - Dance Improvisation
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018
An opportunity for students to develop skills of dance improvisation through the exploration of structured movement problems. Students study selected contemporary dance artists whose work stresses improvisation in performance and/or as a training vehicle. Department consent required for dance minors.
DNCE 4037 - Contemporary Concert Dance: Shifting Perspectives in Performance
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2023
Focuses on the development of perceptual, descriptive, and analytical skills as well as the ability to apply cultural and critical theory to 20th and 21st century concert dance. Specific pieces of choreography are looked at from a broad range of perspectives. Recommended prerequisite or corequisite: a Human Diversity core requirement course.
DNCE 4038 - Dance Repertory
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2024
Learning and performing dances from the repertory of current faculty members, artists-in-residence and upon occasion from the repertory of historic modern dancers. Dance majors may repeat up to 9 total credit hours with different instructors. Enrollment by audition only. Same as DNCE 5038.
DNCE 4061 - Major Technique
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2022
Designed for dance majors. Enrollment by audition only. May be repeated up to 16 total credit hours.
DNCE 4939 - Dance Internship
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2021 / Summer 2022
Provides an opportunity for upper-division dance majors to serve apprenticeships in the community in work areas related to their major interests and career goals. Internships are available in areas such as arts administration, dance therapy, and technical production. May be repeated up to 3 total credit hours. Instructor consent rquired.
DNCE 5001 - Graduate Technique
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2022
May be repeated up to 12 total credit hours.
DNCE 5048 - Performance and Community Engagement
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2021
Engages students in the power of performance for effecting positive social change. Students research collaboratively to create performances and workshop experiences to intentionally author the future they want. Readings provide theoretical foundations that serve as the basis for creative work. Students engage in creative explorations. Open to all forms of performance.
DNCE 5909 - Special Topics
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020 / Spring 2022
Explores topics and research in relation to areas such as technology, environment, teaching methods, performance, world dance, arts in society, and/or criticism that the normal sequence of offerings may not allow. May be repeated up to 7 total credit hours.Same as DNCE 2909 and DNCE 4909.
DNCE 6016 - Teaching Lab-Contemporary Dance
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022
Provides opportunity to apply principles and skills introduced in DNCE 5056. Participating students share the responsibility for teaching a lab class that meets twice a week. Focuses on development, analysis and evaluation of teaching skills.
DNCE 6056 - Professional Development
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2022 / Fall 2024
Examines current trends and issues in dance education and the professional dance world. Explores curriculum development, administration, and job opportunities along with other topics such as grant writing, community engagement, dance advocacy, and working as an independent artist.
DNCE 6073 - Choreography
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2023
Covers in-depth practical and theoretical approaches to dance composition for graduate students; solo and group forms; and analysis of historical and contemporary dance works. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours with different instructors.
DNCE 6969 - The Graduate Project
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 / Summer 2021 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
Provides the opportunity for synthesizing the graduate experience through the execution of a project related to the student's major area of interest. Project must be approved by the graduate faculty advisor.
THTR 3149 - Professional Orientation: Exploring Professional Potentials for THTR and DNCE Maj
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2019
Explores and identifies a wide range of professional opportunities connected to personal strengths and interests in theatre and dance by studying current professional practices, trends and cross-disciplinary connections. Instructor will: provide information/learning needed from representative professionals; open avenues to find/create employment opportunities towards internship consideration/post-graduation; and mentor structured self-assessment/professional development.
THTR 4029 - Performance and Community Engagement
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2021
Engages students in the power of performance for effecting positive social change. Students research collaboratively to create performances and workshop experiences to intentionally author the future they want. Readings provide theoretical foundations that serve as the basis for creative work. Students engage in creative explorations. Open to all forms of performance.
