Starting classes
Today is the first day of classes. This semester is going to be more reading than I think I've ever dealt with, including Mohammed's 709. On the plus side, my hardest class, Intro to Western Crit 705 is actually going to be a substantial repeat of 709, with less reading each week and no plays associated with it. On the other hand, it also assumes then that you /know/ a ton of works and can just pull them at the drop of a hat. It's still going to be reading a bunch of dense theory, but the anthology that we're using is written and laid out by someone who clearly knows the material well, and as Dr. Wessendorf pointed out, probably taught this material and is familiar with how to make it digestible.
Jingju (Beijing Opera) is gonna be a wild ride. Two instructors, four translators, and Dr. Wichmann all teaching us how to sing, dance, swing spears, and not die. In the end, we'll perform White Snake next February. That means that the cool fight scene we learned in Beijing/Suzuki class last year is gonna be in the show and we all have to learn to fight with TWO spears. Left hand is not ready! Also, need to get new clothes for it.
The other class today was 101, and it looks like your standard group of students who won't pay attention in a large lecture hall class. On the other hand, almost none of them are Freshmen. Now, I can have no sympathy. There is a /ton/ of reading and writing for 101 though. I'm frankly surprised that this course will require so much time, though I guess I've forgotten what 100 and 200 level courses are like.
Tomorrow, I start SE Asia/India and 20th Century Japan. I need to talk with the professor for 20th C. what an audit is going to entail technically, since I don't really want to do a lot of work for the course, I just want to learn the material. It also means I should go to the bookstore tomorrow after class and get the books! Not sure what to expect from India, but I've heard it's a broad survey course.
I've had an offer to submit a paper for the Brecht conference. Only problem is that I know very little about Brecht in total and have noooo idea what to attach him to. I know he drew many ideas from Asian theatre forms, but I don't really know where to start. Plus with 6 courses this term, I think I might want to focus on getting through the first semester, though it's an opportunity that I need to explore.
As part of 705, I need to start keeping a journal about what I've read and how class sessions go. I'll probably be posting those to LJ, then copying them over for submission after. Be prepared!
Jingju (Beijing Opera) is gonna be a wild ride. Two instructors, four translators, and Dr. Wichmann all teaching us how to sing, dance, swing spears, and not die. In the end, we'll perform White Snake next February. That means that the cool fight scene we learned in Beijing/Suzuki class last year is gonna be in the show and we all have to learn to fight with TWO spears. Left hand is not ready! Also, need to get new clothes for it.
The other class today was 101, and it looks like your standard group of students who won't pay attention in a large lecture hall class. On the other hand, almost none of them are Freshmen. Now, I can have no sympathy. There is a /ton/ of reading and writing for 101 though. I'm frankly surprised that this course will require so much time, though I guess I've forgotten what 100 and 200 level courses are like.
Tomorrow, I start SE Asia/India and 20th Century Japan. I need to talk with the professor for 20th C. what an audit is going to entail technically, since I don't really want to do a lot of work for the course, I just want to learn the material. It also means I should go to the bookstore tomorrow after class and get the books! Not sure what to expect from India, but I've heard it's a broad survey course.
I've had an offer to submit a paper for the Brecht conference. Only problem is that I know very little about Brecht in total and have noooo idea what to attach him to. I know he drew many ideas from Asian theatre forms, but I don't really know where to start. Plus with 6 courses this term, I think I might want to focus on getting through the first semester, though it's an opportunity that I need to explore.
As part of 705, I need to start keeping a journal about what I've read and how class sessions go. I'll probably be posting those to LJ, then copying them over for submission after. Be prepared!