Dance Courses
DANCE SURVEY
Dance Survey is a year-long course broken up into 2 semesters. We begin the course with Modern dance, which includes technique, anatomy, vocabulary, basic choreography and history. We will also begin to develop a mindfulness practice that we can use both at home and in school. Folk Dance is THE 2nd unit during the Fall. Students will first experience learning folk dances that have different sets, formations, steps and that come from various parts of the world. We will end the Fall semester with Yoga. Our main focus will be to experience yoga poses (asana) and the sun-salutation. Students will be given various assessments based on the learning objectives from the class.
In the Spring semester we begin with Ballet. Students will experience ballet technique at the barre, in center floor, adagio, across the floor, grand allegro and petite allegro. Students will be given various technique assessments based on the learning objectives from the class. Each assessment includes a checklist and either self, peer to peer or teacher evaluation and then, re-assessment. Topics included basic ballet history and major dance works as well as ballet for the athlete. The 2nd unit in the spring will be a Creative Movement unit. Students will have an opportunity to improvise using their preferred dance style and explore new ways of moving, traveling and building dance combinations and phrases through exploration and some solo work. Our final unit of the year is Choreography and Composition. Students will experience developing a dance phrase and manipulating movement using choreographic devices and structures. Students will share their final work. Mindfulness & yoga exercises will be continued throughout the year. 
MODERN DANCE
This course is an extension of the Dance Survey curriculum. Students with previous dance training will develop a more advanced knowledge of dance technique, modern technique, dance history and vocabulary. Opportunities to work with guest choreographers, student choreographers and career awareness are also features of this course. Students will be required to participate in a performance. The fall Course focuses on modern technique. The course begins by studying specific sitting and floor warm-ups for both conceptual approaches to modern dance and specific techniques such as Graham, Horton, Limon & Taylor styles. There is also a strong focus on the anatomy of the torso, legs and feet. The course leads into learning dance combinations and phrases that support the technique. In addition, historical aspects of modern dance from the late 1800’s to approximately 1960’s including modern dance pioneers are discussed. Students will be given technique assessments based on the learning objectives from the class.
The Spring Semester begins by reviewing technical concepts in modern dance and leads into researching various modern dance companies and styles including improvisation techniques and choreographic devices. Students may have the opportunity to work with a professional Dance artist and will collaborate to create a dance piece that is performed at a full scale dance concert including lights, music and costume. The final unit of modern dance concludes with students collaborating in small groups to compose a modern dance for a final project they may be presented. We will later discuss college & careers in the dance world and post-modern dance to contemporary dance today. Students will be given various technique assessments based on the learning objectives from the class. Each assessment includes a checklist and either self, peer to peer or teacher evaluation and then, re-assessment.
BALLET
The course is a year-long course separated by the fall and spring semesters. The fall Course focuses on ballet barre, center floor and across the floor exercises in ballet class. The course begins by learning the proper technique for the ballet barre exercises. The use and understanding of proper ballet vocabulary and terminology is also a major focus. The course leads into learning positions of the body for adagio exercises and petite allegro and grand allegro steps and combinations. A collaboration of all this technical work eventually leads to a short ballet piece to be performed at the end of term one. During Term 1 students are required to study historical aspects of ballet dance from the 1400's to approximately 1800’s or Romantic Era in ballet. Students will be given various technique assessments based on the learning objectives from the class.
The Spring Semester begins by reviewing ballet technique and leads into researching to create our own original class ballet. Often a novel or other source is used to create a theme or idea for a large ballet piece that usually fits the classical style of ballet. It is performed at a full scale dance concert which includes full lights, music, costuming and sometimes a set. We return to the history of ballet starting from where we left off in the fall and continue to discuss ballet to the present day. In the final unit of ballet we will discuss nutrition and diet for ballet dancers. We plan to attend a Professional Ballet performance and will research and write about the experience. The course concludes with students collaborating in a small group, duet or solo piece composed by the dancer/s to be performed. Students will be given various technique assessments based on the learning objectives from the class. Each assessment includes a checklist and either self, peer to peer or teacher evaluation and then, re-assessment
Theatre Dance is a year-long course broken up into 2 semesters. We begin by briefly participating in basic ballet class dance. Ballet foundation has influenced many dance techniques, especially jazz dance. We will also include some mindfulness practices into our class routine. Our 2nd Unit will be a jazz dance unit that includes technique, anatomy, vocabulary, basic choreography and history. We will work on a Fosse style Jazz piece and will either perform in the Winter Arts Festival or an informal showing with performing Arts students. We will begin tap as a 3rd unit during the Fall. Students will first experience learning basic tap steps and eventually work up to more challenging tap steps. Students will be given various technique assessments based on the learning objectives from the class.
In the Spring semester the class will select a theme or idea for our class Tap piece. We will work together to collaborate on a piece to perform in The Dance Company Show in April/May, which is a full scale dance concert that includes full lights, music, costuming and sometimes a set or props. After the performance students will have an opportunity to improvise using their preferred dance style of Tap or Jazz and explore new ways of moving, traveling and building dance combinations and phrases through exploration and some solo or hopefully small group work. In this unit of Choreography & Composition students will develop a dance project and manipulate it using choreographic devices and structures such as a canon to be shared in an informal performance. Each assessment includes a checklist and either self, peer to peer or teacher evaluation and then, re-assessment.
Composition is a yearlong course separated by the fall and spring semesters. The 1st unit includes creative movement and improvisation (contact, structured and free) studies. The 2nd unit focuses on phrasing, motif, gesture, motivation and theme. Composition students work to collaborate solo material to build short dance works. Later in the Fall we discuss choreographic devices, advanced phrasing and Dance Making in groups. We will also discuss Modern dance Composition works. Students will either perform in the Winter Arts Festival or an informal showing with performing Arts students. Students are required to use journals to note take and to attach motivations and other information for the course.
The spring semester begins with a continuation of the Fall course, all students will develop their material into a longer work and will prepare for live performance. Performing is directly connected with the 2nd unit, students' group pieces that are ready will be able to be performed on stage with lighting and costume for an audience in the Dance Company show. Careers in dance will be reviewed and Sophomore and Junior students will interview for a production job for our show that they will fulfill as a project grade. The final unit will include discussion of additional modern dance choreographers and cultural and political events that are connected to the dance works. After our performance we will discuss Folk and world dance. Comparing, contrasting and fusing some styles. Our final movement task will be to complete any works not presented in the Spring Concert and prepare them for a studio showing. Students will be given various choreography assessments based on the learning objectives from the class and will be given small tasks and assessments throughout each unit. Assessments include a checklist and either self, peer to peer or teacher evaluation and then, re-assessment.
** Dance Seniors with 6 or more Dance Elective courses will be recommended to participate in the NYC Dance Comprehensive exam.
Part 1 will take place in January of Senior year, material for Part 2 is developed in the Spring of Senior year and part 3 written exam in given in June of Senior Year.
JUNIOR YEAR- The 1st unit includes creative movement and improvisation (contact, structured and free) studies. The dancers explore several ways to experiment with movement. The 2nd unit focuses on phrasing, motif, gesture, motivation and theme. IB students begin to develop solo material to build their 1st dance work. We will explore and discuss choreographic devices, advanced phrasing and format. Major modern dance Composition works will be discussed. Students may either perform in the Winter Arts Festival or an informal showing. Students are required to use journals to note take and to attach motivations and other information for the course. Students are recommended to join the Curtis Dance Company which will give students extra support when building material for their IB assessment. Students will commit to working on completing at least 2 movement projects this year.
The spring semester begins with a continuation of the Fall course, all students will develop their material into a longer work and will prepare for live performance and to video for IB. Students will journal about the work they are creating and any Performance material they are learning as well. Performing is directly connected with the 2nd unit, students will be able to set their work on stage with lighting and costume for an audience. After videoing the students 1st project the class will discuss Folk and world dance and compare & contrast dance styles. Juniors will choose a topic for their World Dance Paper and begin research. They will submit an outline for their paper. Our final focus will be developing a motivation for a 2nd composition piece for our IB assessment. The criteria will be reviewed to guide the student on their next piece.
SENIOR YEAR- In the 2nd year of IB Dance the students will continue to review and develop material needed to complete their IB assessment. In addition Students will focus their attention on completing their World Dance Paper. Studio time will allow the student to build their 2nd or 3rd dance work. The student will share and teach their choreography for review and complete the works to prepare for the March & April deadlines for uploading all material. Students may either perform in the Winter Arts Festival or an informal showing. All movement assessments will include a checklist and either self, peer to peer or teacher evaluation and then, re-assessment. Students are required to use journals to note take and to attach motivations and other information for the course. Students will complete Programme notes for IA- Performance course work. We often refer to the Dance IB Guide & IB assessment criteria. Final Draft or World Dance paper is due.
In the Final Semester of the IB Dance Sequence the dancer will review their composition notes and write an Analytical Statement reflecting on their 3 dance composition works. The student will finalize all performance material and we will work together to prepare forms and edit videos to prepare for upload. Although uploads will be completed by the 2nd unit, students will be able to set their work on stage with lighting and costume for an audience. Seniors will review dance technique and history to prepare for the NYC Dance Comprehensive exam in June.
* Dance Seniors with 6 or more Dance Elective courses who participate in the NYC Dance Comprehensive exam Part I in January of Senior year will submit material for Part 2 and take a written exam in June of Senior Year. .
* Dance Seniors with 6 or more Dance Elective courses will be recommended to participate in the NYC Dance Comprehensive exam.
