Overview
For the past 18 years, dance has been an integral part of the educational experience for the students at PS 170. Students in all three grades attend structured dance classes 1-2 periods per week with our school’s Certified Dance Specialist. Kindergarten students begin by focusing on creative movement experiences and the concept of dance as a tool for communication and progress to basic technical skills throughout the year. The first grade program exposes the students to the different elements of dance and movement including spatial levels, pathways, direction, and movement quality and then allows the students to use these in creating their own works. These concepts are further extended into the second grade curriculum and expanded upon through a variety of genre studies including modern dance, hip hop, musical theater jazz, and folk dance. Across all grades a heavy emphasis is also placed on the development of physical strength and coordination and technical skill, with students participating in a daily warmup of stretches, strength-building exercises, and rhythmic isolations. Students also build their vocabulary and knowledge of dance history through the use of video and field trips and their conceptual understanding and skill performance are evaluated regularly throughout the year through both authentic and traditional forms of assessment. High achieving dance students may also be invited to participate in several extra-curricular programs including beginner and intermediate ballet and our after-school musical theater ensemble, "The PS 170 Art & Drama Stars".
Through their participation in our school’s dance programs, students refine skills and abilities across a wide variety of developm
ental domains. Physically, the dance programs enhance students’ coordination, endurance, balance, gross motor skills, body control, and strength. Students also develop problem-solving, expression, and vocabulary skills through their creation of their own choreography in dance. Students also develop social skills as they collaborate to create work and strengthen their self-confidence in performing in front of an audience. As such, our dance programs allow them to exercise and strengthen both themselves physically, intellectually, and creatively. All dance instruction at PS 170 is rigorous and aligned with the NYC DOE Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts (which you can access by clicking here)