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Dance I: Introduction and Advanced

Students should see their teacher to join the Google Classroom.  A class code is required.

Sarah Strada    stradas@vhcs.us

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Dancers will:

• Learn basic skills and vocabulary in ballet, jazz, tap, and modern dance styles.

• Explore and learn to use the elements of dance.

• Learn the history of dance globally and in America. 

• Study famous choreographers and dance performances.

• View live and pre-recorded dance performances.

• Participation in informal and formal performance opportunities. 

• Learn to work with other students and appreciate each dancer’s strengths.

• Attain a general understanding of anatomy and personal fitness.

• Explore improvisation. 

Philosophy 

Goals in teaching dance at VHHS are to:

• Provide tools and activities to enhance the dancer’s skill and appreciation for the art of dance. 

• Provide tools and activities that will allow dancers to create their own dances.

• Provide opportunities for dancers to learn life skills that are attained from working in small groups and personal responsibility.  

• Provide a safe place for dancers to move freely and feel comfortable moving in different ways.

• Provide dancers with creative ways to maintain their fitness level now and later in life.  

• Provide dancers with information about their fitness level and how to maintain and increase their fitness level. 

• Provide dancers with a PE or Fine Arts credit toward graduation requirements.

Course Requirements

• Attend class

• Wear the correct attire

• Follow the studio rules

• Give 100% each day

• Participation in the Dance Department Showcase in May

BYOD Policy

• Dance is a BYOD class.  The ONLY uses for cell phones are for music and videoing dances to practice at home.  If a student chooses to use a cell phone for other reasons in class it will be taken up and turned into administration.

Attire

• All items needed are available for purchase from the Dance Department.  

• Each dancer is required to wear the Dance Dept tee, black jazz pants, and some kind of dance shoe (on both feet).  Ballet shoes, jazz shoes, and foot thongs are acceptable.  Hair 

should be in a ponytail out of the dancer’s face.   Black capri or OPAQUE legging my be brought from home to wear in class. 

• If a dancer does not have all required items they will lose a portion of their participation grade for the day.

• All dancers will be given the first 5 minutes and last 5 minutes of class to change clothes.  If you take longer than 5 minutes to change you will be counted tardy.

Fundraising

• All dancers will be allowed to fundraise to pay for their supplies and field trips.

  • Coupon Book Fundraiser: The Dance Department will be selling coupon books.  Each dancer will receive a sample book and an envelope to collect orders.  Do not sell the sample book!  Orders will be filled when the dancer’s complete order is placed.  The sale will last until August .  Each book sells for $25 and each dancer earns $8 toward her balance.

• Final balances will be due September. 

• ONLY TURN IN YOUR COUPON BOOK ORDER ONE TIME

Lockers 

• Each dancer will have a dance locker.  All items for class should be kept in this locker.  It is the dancer’s responsibility to locker her locker during and after class.

Dance Class Etiquette

• Gum is not allowed.  No food is allowed in the dance studio.

• Bottled water is the only drink that may be in the dance studio.

• Books, purses, and other personal items should be stored in the cubbyholes provided, not on counter. 

• Dancers are expected to show respect for the instructor and other classmates by not speaking while someone else is speaking.

PE CREDIT – Life curriculum

All Dance Techniques students will be required to complete the PE Life curriculum.  It includes 4 lessons: Overall Fitness, Nutrition, Careers in Dance or Fitness, and Community Fitness Participation.  The first 3 lessons are completed in class.  The Community Fitness Participation requires the student to be involved in one community event during the school year that involves fitness.  Examples would be Relay for Life or any event thing benefitting charity.   Opportunities will be presented to the students throughout the year.

Grading

Participation  50% of your grade.  Each day is worth 20 points.  If you are absent you will not earn the participation points.  If you complete a makeup assignment you will earn the 20 points back.

• 10 will be deducted for talking, lack of effort in class, disrespect to teacher or classmates

• 5 points will be deducted for each offense – no shirt, no pants, no shoes, hair not up, chewing gum, not turning in forms/costume/homework, etc.

Daily assignments 20%    Projects and Test 30%

Makeup assignments

If you are absent from class you cannot participate or earn participation points.  You may earn 20 participation points back by completing a makeup work assignment for each day you miss.  You may turn in makeup work up until the day before exams begin.  Makeup assignment: Find an online article that relates to dance.  Print and read the article and write a 3 sentence response on the back of the article.  Put your name and date on the article and turn into Mrs. Lenhart or Mrs. Jones. 

Fall Semester Exam

Each dancer will be given class time to research and present a presentation on a famous dancer or dance topic.   

Spring Semester Exam

All dance students will participate in the Dance Showcase dress rehearsal and performance in May.  This will be their exam grade.  Students do no attend the exam time at the end of the semester.  Their participation in the evening performance replaces exam attendance. 

Field Trips

• The Dance Department will take two field trips to view live dance.   The dance students will miss 1st – 6th periods. 

• Field trips are optional for all dancers, but they must sign up at the beginning of the year so the trips can be planned.

• Admission is free of charge.