86th Commencement Address

Anita L. DeFrantz \u2774 was the first woman to represent the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the United States when she was elected in 1986. In 1997 she became the first woman in the history of the IOC to be elected as vice president, a position she held for four years. A member of the rowing squad at Connecticut College, Ms. DeFrantz went on to compete with the 1976 and 1980 U.S. Olympic rowing teams, winning a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympic Games. She was a member of the Connecticut College Board of Trustees from 1974 to 1988 and from 1990 to 2000, and is a charter member of the College’s Athletic Hall of Fame

Reimagining leadership in sport management: lessons from the social construction of leadership

Conventional approaches to leadership in sport management regard leadership as a leader-centric phenomenon. Recent advances in the generic leadership literature have highlighted the way that people construct their own understanding of leadership and shown that these influence their assessment and responses to people they regard as leaders. This observer-centric perspective is collectively known as the social construction of leadership. In this conceptual paper, we demonstrate how this emerging theoretical approach can reframe and invigorate our understanding of leadership in sport management. We explore the research implications of this new approach, reflect on what this might mean for teaching, and discuss the practical ramifications for leadership in sport management that might flow from the adoption of this approach

Hip Hop

Subject explores the political and aesthetic foundations of hip hop. Students trace the musical, corporeal, visual, spoken word, and literary manifestations of hip hop over its thirty year presence in the American cultural imagery. Students also investigate specific black cultural practices that have given rise to its various idioms. Students create material culture related to each thematic section of the course. Scheduled work in performance studio help students understand how hip hop is created and assessed. From the course home page: Course Description This course explores the political and aesthetic foundations of hip hop. It traces the musical, corporeal, visual, spoken word, and literary manifestations of hip hop over its thirty-five year presence in the American cultural imaginary. It also investigates specific black cultural practices that have given rise to its various idioms. Hip hop has invigorated the academy, inspiring scholarship rooted in black musical and literary traditions. This course assesses these sharp breaks and flamboyant versionings of hip hop that have occurred within the academy

Traditions in American Concert Dance: Gender and Autobiography

This course explores the forms, contents, and contexts of world traditions in dance that played a crucial role in shaping American concert dance. For example, we will identify dances from an African American vernacular tradition that were transferred from the social space to the concert stage. We will explore the artistic lives of such American dance artists as Katherine Dunham, and Alvin Ailey along with Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, George Balanchine, and Merce Cunningham as American dance innovators. Of particular importance to our investigation will be the construction of gender and autobiography which lie at the heart of concert dance practice, and the ways in which these qualities have been choreographed by American artists

Theater and Cultural Diversity in the U.S.

A study of contemporary North American theater movements and selected individual works that are organized around issues of ethnic and socio-cultural identity. Class lectures and discussions analyze samples of African-American, Chicano, Asian-American, Puerto Rican and Native American theater taking into consideration their historical and political context. Performance exercises help students identify the theatrical context and theatrical forms and techniques used by these theaters. From the course home page: Course Description This course explores contemporary American theatrical expression as it may be organized around issues of ethnic and cultural identity. This exploration will include the analysis of performances, scripts, and video documentation, as well as the invention of original documents of theatrical expression. Class lectures and discussions will analyze samples of Native American, Chicano, African American, and Asian American theater, taking into consideration the historical and political context for the creation of these works. Performance exercises will help students identify theatrical forms and techniques used by these theaters, and how these techniques contribute to the overall goals of specific theatrical expressions