Dance
Dance I
No previous experience is required to take Dance I.
Students will build tools for personal expression, effective communication, thoughtful collaboration and confidence in individual abilities. Students will set goals, develop a dance vocabulary, and participate in fundamental forms of ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, contemporary, and multicultural dance and dance composition/choreography. Students will be guided through technical and creative exercises on how to interpret music, be expressive, execute various styles of movement, interpret, critique, collaborate, and build choreographic skills. Students will also have the opportunity to learn basic pilates and yoga stretches to increase strength, balance, and flexibility. Students will improve fitness levels and discover personal achievement using life skills such as communication, problem solving, perseverance, cooperation patience, leadership and a positive attitude. Most importantly, students will be able to participate in and help create a comfortable, supportive, and inclusive learning environment. First semester, Dance I will participate in an informal performance in the dance room demonstrating skills learned from the semester. Dance I students will participate in one full dance production at the end of the school year, including one dress/technical rehearsal and two performances at the theater as the final exam.
Dance II
Students will continue to build tools for personal expression, effective communication, thoughtful collaboration, and confidence in individual abilities. Students will continue to expand their dance vocabulary and participate in intermediate levels of ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, contemporary, multicultural dance, pilates, and yoga. Students will be guided through more challenging, technical, and creative exercises, music interpretation, and use of expression. Students will focus on enhancing performance techniques and creating strong choreographic skills through improvisation, analyzing, and critiquing personal and professional work. Students are given more opportunities to choreograph, create ideas for the shows, design costumes, edit music, and perform in extra school performances such as Preview Day and the Arts Alive Rally. Students continue to work as a team, sharing positive feedback and apply life skills through leadership, problem solving, perseverance, patience, and cooperation. Students create a supportive, creative, and inclusive learning environment. Students participate and collaborate in two full productions per year, implementing theater etiquette and an appreciation for the performing arts.
Dance III
Dance III is designed for students with previous dance experience in Dance II or by audition. The objective of this course is to continue building tools for increasing knowledge, technicality, and appreciation of dance. Students will continue to set personal goals, develop expression, engage in effective communication and thoughtful collaboration, and build confidence in individual abilities through various dance forms and choreography. This course is an intermediate/advanced dance class that exposes students to multiple dance forms to help broaden dance vocabulary and dance repertoire. Students will demonstrate their choreographic skills by creating their own works through choreographic projects and perform in several performances and events. Students will reflect, analyze, and critique their own creative learning process.
Dance III Honors
Dance III Honors is designed for advanced level dance students. Students are required to audition with a solo to be considered for this level of dance. Students will demonstrate their ability to translate emotional and dramatic content into their own personal work. Students will show their ability to use perceptual and movement skills at a more advanced level in order to perform, use expression, and communicate meaning through dance and teach their own choreography to peers. The objective of this course is to continue building tools for increasing knowledge, technicality, and appreciation of dance at an advance level. Students will continue to set personal goals, engage in effective communication and thoughtful collaboration, and develop a greater understanding of dance aesthetics and the value of creative and critical thinking. Students will have the opportunity to participate in outreach/community performances, establishing a buddy system with other high school dance programs, engage in master classes, and to observe/critique professional work.
Arts Events
Visit the Arts Events page for the Dance Performance dates.