Prospective Students
Dance Courses & Instruction
Core Dance Major Courses
Classical Ballet I-IV
Modern Contemporary I-IV
Dance Ensemble I-III
Pointe/Partnering Beginning - Advanced (after-school course)
Additional Instruction
Composition & Choreography
Nutrition for Dancers
Dance History
Independent Study Opportunities
Dance Electives
Musical Theatre Lab (open to YPAS majors by audition)
Fundamentals of Dance (open to non-dance majors)
Body & Conditioning (open to all students)
YPAS Dance Ensemble
Student Dance Company
The YPAS Dance Ensemble is a graded, choreography/rehearsal class and serves as the student company for the dance department. Dance faculty and guest artists audition and cast choreographic works that are performed at the annual fully produced Dance Concert, the Mosaic Dance Concert, JCPS All-County Dance, and other venues. Additionally, the Dance Ensemble tours throughout Jefferson County to elementary schools delivering educational outreach programs and performances. Dance Ensemble members along with all dance majors also participate in Fall & Spring Informances and Eighth Grade Open House.
Membership & Benefits
Dance Ensemble members learn and develop the skills involved in being in a professional performing dance company.
In partnership with the Kentucky Center for the Arts, Dance Ensemble members participate in special masterclasses & residencies with professional dance artists. Previous guest masterclass teachers have included: Wendy Whelan (Associate artistic director of the New York City Ballet), Pilobolus, Urban Bush Women, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and many others.
All 10th, 11th and 12th grade dance majors in good standing are eligible to join the dance ensemble class.
Choreography Opportunities
At YPAS Dance we strongly believe in facilitating the creativity and artisitic voices of our dancers by providing both choreographic instruction and multiple opportunities for young choreographes to develop and present their own work to the public. These opportunities include...
Young Choreographers' Showcase
PTSA Reflections Competition
Mosaic Dance Concert
Year 3 Artist Statement Solo Performance
Adjudication for the National High School Dance Festival
JCPS All-County Dance
And other local and national choreography competitions and opportunities.
National Honor Society for Dance Arts
The National Honor Society for Dance Arts™ (NHSDA) is a program of the National Dance Education Organization. To date, there are over 1,000 chapters in the US and over 35,000 students have been inducted. The YPAS Dance Chapter of NHSDA focuses on building community and commadarie within the dance department as well as serving the YPAS and local community.
Follow NHSDA on Instagram!
National High School Dance Festival
The YPAS Dance Department is proud to attend the Regional or National High School Dance Festival each year in the Spring. The Festival hosts up to 1,200 9th-12th grade students from around the United States and abroad. Previous festivals have been in Miami FL, Norfolk VA, and Pittsburg PA. Students participate in four days of 200+ master classes and workshops, auditions for university scholarships, a college recruitment fair, eight adjudicated concerts including Outstanding Student Choreography, and exciting opening and closing ceremonies! Recent opening ceremony companies have included Complexions Contemporary Ballet.
YPAS Dance Alumni
YPAS Dance Alumni have been accepted as dance majors at top university and college dance programs including: University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne, SUNY Purchase, Pointe Park, University of the Arts, Ohio University, The Ohio State University, University of Kentucky, Western Kentucky University and Pace University among others.
Numerous former YPAS dancers have also pursued professional careers as performing artist in nationally recognized dance companies and on Broadway as well as in related fields such as arts administration, physical therapy, dance therapy, and dance education.
Are you ready to be a YPAS Dance Major?
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