Welcome to Dance 1
All dancers will be dressing out in FULL dance attire 5 days a week with hair in a Ballet bun.
Dancers will have Ballet technique 2 times a week, Modern 2 times a week and Dance academics on Fridays the first 2 quarters.
Since we are an Arts infused
school, academics are a very important part of the dancer's education. Students will be learning some Dance Terminology, Dance Notation,
Dance Critique, Decoding Dance works, injury prevention and Nutrition. This is
all done at a scaffolding level through the year. There might be dance homework
as well, due to the limited time for academic work in the classroom. All levels
will have written and practical (skills) tests and projects throughout the
year. It is very important that the dancers stretch everyday including weekends to increase flexibility.
Dance 1
Nutrition
Projects- “Healthy
Harry’s”. This will teach them how to make healthy
choices in life and why it’s important.
Dance
Research paper Comparing
Ballet and Modern dance. 9 week project
Tests
Dancers receive several tests throughout the year that reflect on their learning and mastery of skills.
Student Choreography Project. This is a 6-9 week project
The dancers will be learning how to choreography dances in small groups through the 7 choreographic principals. They will have an opportunity to audition for our Student Choreography Showcase in May.
Dance Concert
ALL dance majors will be participating in our End of the Year Annual Dance Concert on March 24 and 25, 2022. Each class will be receiving a minimum of 2 dances per class. There will be more performing opportunity throughout the year.
This is a Mandatory/ Graded concert. This performance is what the dancers work all year for.
All dancers will be dressing out in FULL dance attire 5 days a week with hair in a Ballet bun.
Dancers will have Ballet technique 2 times a week, Modern 2 times a week and Dance academics on Fridays the first 2 quarters.
Since we are an Arts infused school, academics are a very important part of the dancer's education. Students will be learning some Dance Terminology, Dance Notation, Dance Critique, Decoding Dance works, injury prevention and Nutrition. This is all done at a scaffolding level through the year. There might be dance homework as well, due to the limited time for academic work in the classroom. All levels will have written and practical (skills) tests and projects throughout the year. It is very important that the dancers stretch everyday including weekends to increase flexibility.
Dance 1
Nutrition Projects- “Healthy Harry’s”. This will teach them how to make healthy choices in life and why it’s important.
Dance Research paper Comparing Ballet and Modern dance. 9 week project
Tests
Dancers receive several tests throughout the year that reflect on their learning and mastery of skills.
Student Choreography Project. This is a 6-9 week project
The dancers will be learning how to choreography dances in small groups through the 7 choreographic principals. They will have an opportunity to audition for our Student Choreography Showcase in May.
Dance Concert
ALL dance majors will be participating in our End of the Year Annual Dance Concert on March 24 and 25, 2022. Each class will be receiving a minimum of 2 dances per class. There will be more performing opportunity throughout the year.
This is a Mandatory/ Graded concert. This performance is what the dancers work all year for.
Dance Technique for Dance 1 Majors Curriculum
Below are the skills necessary for the student to master in order to be able to move up to the next level as a Dance Major. These movements are progressive throughout the year and scaffolds into the next level to create more advance technique.
All students are taught how to properly warm their body up to get them ready for class.
Beginner Ballet Technique: Included with the below, students must master correct body alignment, 11 dance principals and arm positions with a small touch of port de bra and transferring of weight for balance. All positions and movements are broken down until successfully mastered, then more is added for coordination and muscle memory.
Barre:
- 4 feet positions of the feet: 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th. (3rd position I teach to elementary students)
- Demi and grand plie’. (Grand Plie is only taught after they have master correct demi plie’ execution and alignment)
- Tendu from 1st En Croix
- Degage from 1st En Croix
- Rond de Jambe from 1st.
- Grand Battement
- Coupe’
- Passe’
- Temps Lie’
- Balance at barre in all positions and in Coupe’/Passe’/Sous-sus
- Beginner pirouettes: at barre’ ½ En dehor passe’ pirouettes
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Arabesque at barre’ first for alignment and balance.
- Pique’ Passe’ across the barre’
Across The Floor:
- De Cote Pique’ Passe’ which progresses into full Pique’ Turns
- Chasse’ in 2nd and devant
- Chaine’ Turns (start with hands shoulders then progresses into arm movements. Must master spotting and alignment)
- Saut de chat with run then progresses into chasse’ preparation.
- Pas de Chat
- Tombe’ Pas de Bouree
- Glissade
Center Floor:
- Must Master first 5 Body Positions with correct body/feet/arm alignment
- Arabesque: Once mastered at the barre’ then bring to center keeping at Tendu.
- Beginning of Assemble’
- Basic Petite Allegro 1st and 2nd position.
- Port de bra Combination in all positions.
- Start to learn a basic adagio that incorporates all that they have learned at that moment.
They will learn the stage directions including corners and walls. All students will be assessed throughout the year and then given a final technical test that will help promote them to the next level.