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When a group of 91���� students visited Prague as part of their Global Learning Program course titled Theorizing Dance and Language, they viewed the city through a different lens than most tourists do. They saw it through the eyes of a detective. 

Co-taught by Cynthia Hansen, professor of anthropology, and Celeste Miller, professor emerita of theatre, dance, and performance studies, the class explored the cross-disciplinary collaboration between linguistics and choreography in the spire-filled city.  

Studying human expression was a huge focus for the trip. For some students, this way of observing the world made them feel like detectives. “From day one of the trip, Anna (our program coordinator) introduced us to the idea of the ‘Czech stare,’ where Czech people have a habit of observing strangers,” says Danielle Rogers ’28. “I saw this idea in action from the window of my hotel room that looked down onto a public park. On the benches that surrounded the park, I witnessed dozens of people who would simply sit silently and observe life within the park. 

“With time, I came to admire this view — the value and power of observation. I began to understand the beauty that can be found in simple silence and watching everyday life happen around you. And on the last day of the trip, I sat and joined them,” says Rogers. 

The class zeroed in on the interwar years, when the Prague Linguistic Circle and the avant-garde artist group Devetsil developed

 groundbreaking theories that shaped their respective disciplines. The students investigated the potential influence these groups had on each other through archival research, museum exhibits, and artistic performances. 

The group spent time at the Czech National Archives and the Czech Museum of Literature. They also participated in an improvisation workshop and took in a show at the National Theatre.  

“Coming to 91���� with no dance experience, I never would have guessed I’d spend my spring break dancing in Kafka’s bedroom and the National Archives of the Czech Republic,” says Robin Linse ’28, another student participating in the course. 

“The afternoon adventures, group meals, and many, many tram rides we shared as a class turned my teachers and peers into a welcoming second family,” says Linse. 

Ashley Laux, associate director of Faculty-Led Across the Globe (FLAG), says the Global Learning Program (GLP) offers students like these a rare opportunity to apply their classroom learning to real-world activities during their course trip. “In this case,” she says, “through archival research, a dance workshop with a professional dancer, a tour visiting key historical sites in Prague, and more.” 

In May, the class heads to London on the final leg of their journey, which will include archival research and active participation in a community dance program alongside stroke survivor ambassadors. 

The Global Learning Program (GLP)

Made possible through the generous gift from Susan Holden McCurry ’71 and the Holden Family Foundation, the Global Learning Program (GLP) offers semester-long courses supported by the Institute for Global Engagement in the spring for first-year students exploring specific global issues.  

The interdisciplinary courses are taught by a pair of faculty members from different areas of expertise. The GLP courses culminate in field-based learning in at least two countries, regions, or ecosystems around the world for a total of 3+ weeks of travel during spring or summer break.