Since 1984 - Dance

Dance

Move. Create. Perform. Find your place on the floor.

At RSA, dance is both an art form and a language. Our Dance program gives students the opportunity to explore movement, develop strong technical foundations, experience diverse dance traditions, and ultimately grow into confident performers and creators.

With one of RSA’s broadest ranges of course offerings, students can study Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Folklórico, Hip Hop, Theatre Movement, and Hmong Dance, with multiple levels designed to meet dancers where they are and continually challenge them to grow. Dance Exploration provides an entry point for students ready to discover the world of dance, while Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced courses allow dancers to deepen their technique, artistry, musicality, and performance skills over time.

The diversity of our program is intentional. Students can experience the precision and foundation of ballet, the rhythm and musicality of tap and jazz, the energy and expression of hip hop, and the rich cultural traditions represented through Folklórico and Hmong Dance. Rather than asking students to fit into a single definition of what a dancer should be, RSA gives them opportunities to discover what kind of dancer—and artist—they want to become.

Studio D

For advanced dancers ready to take the next step, Studio D is RSA’s audition-only advanced dance troupe. Bringing together multiple dance styles, Studio D places something extraordinary in the hands of its dancers: creative ownership.

Studio D students are responsible for their own choreography, transforming the ensemble from simply a performance group into a creative laboratory. Students make artistic choices, develop original choreography, collaborate with fellow dancers, rehearse and refine their work, and ultimately bring their own artistic vision to the stage.

That experience changes the role of the student from dancer to dance-maker—developing not only accomplished performers, but choreographers, collaborators, creative leaders, and independent artists.

Whether taking their very first dance class or stepping onto the stage with Studio D, RSA dancers are encouraged to explore boldly, train seriously, honor the traditions they study, create fearlessly, and experience the incredible power of telling a story through movement.

Dance Program Classes:

PE Folkloric Dance (Beginning, Intermediate, & Advanced): Folkloric Dance is a study of the Mexican culture through dance. Beginning Folklorica is for the first year dance student who has basic experience in dance or shows an interest in learning folkloric dance. The course includes the study of the music, history, dress, and choreography of four regions of Mexico; Advanced Folkloric learns choreography from ten regions. Levels of Folkloric Dance provide specific challenges and techniques throughout the year. Intermediate and Advanced students learn sophisticated techniques along with perfecting dance steps common to all dance. ---This course will address all eight PE content standard areas and will meet all instructional minute requirements in alignment with CDE regulations.
PE International Dance: Hmong: Hmong dance is a Physical Education courses that reflects the California State Framework goals for physical education and dance. Hmong dance teaches the significance of dance, choreography, style and form, content, context and technical dance and consists of five major areas of content: artistic perception, creative expression, historical and cultural context, aesthetic valuing, and connections, relationships and applications. ---This course will address all eight PE content standard areas and will meet all instructional minute requirements in alignment with CDE regulations.
PE Cultural Dance (Hip Hop): Cultural Dance includes beginning, intermediate, and advanced Hip-Hop technique. The class will include and team modern hip-hop choreography, such as musicality, control, rhythm, isolation, coordination, and balance. The tools, basics, and technical understanding in this style of popular modern dance are emphasized throughout the course. ---This course will address all eight PE content standard areas and will meet all instructional minute requirements in alignment with CDE regulations.
PE Dance Exploration: Dance Exploration teaches the significance of dance, choreography, style and form, content, context and technical dance and consists of four major areas of content: artistic perception, creative expression, historical and cultural context, and aesthetic valuing. This class allows students to explore ballet, modern dance, and/or jazz dance techniques. Self-discipline, control, rhythmical accuracy, flexibility and correct alignment are emphasized. ---This course will address all eight PE content standard areas and will meet all instructional minute requirements in alignment with CDE regulations.
PE Ballet (Beginning & Intermediate): Ballet focuses on the base for all forms of future movement --from dance to gymnastics. Levels of Ballet provide unique challenges for students. Ballet students study four major areas: creating, performing, responding, and connecting. Courses focus on the significance of dance, choreography, style and form, content, concept, context, and technical dance. Correct placement and performance style are emphasized. ---This course will address all eight PE content standard areas and will meet all instructional minute requirements in alignment with CDE regulations.
Advanced Ballet (not PE credit): Ballet focuses on the base for all forms of future movement --from dance to gymnastics. Levels of Ballet provide unique challenges for students. Ballet students study four major areas: creating, performing, responding, and connecting. Courses focus on the significance of dance, choreography, style and form, content, concept, context, and technical dance. Correct placement and performance style are emphasized.
PE Jazz Dance (Beginning, Intermediate): Jazz techniques classes provide a basic understanding of contemporary jazz movements including a variety of dance skills, both technical and rhythmical. Beginning Jazz teaches the significance of dance, choreography, style and form, content, concept, context and technical dance. Intermediate level students focus on special techniques, projects and performances. Students study four major areas: artistic perception, creative expression, historical and cultural context, and aesthetic valuing. ---This course will address all eight PE content standard areas and will meet all instructional minute requirements in alignment with CDE regulations.
Jazz Dance (Advanced, not PE credit): Jazz techniques classes provide a basic understanding of contemporary jazz movements including a variety of dance skills, both technical and rhythmical. Advanced level students focus on special techniques, projects and performances. Students study four major areas: artistic perception, creative expression, historical and cultural context, and aesthetic valuing.
PE Tap (Beginning, Intermediate, & Advanced): Tap Dance teaches the significance of dance, choreography, style and form, content, concept, contest and technical dance. Students study four major areas: artistic perception, creative expression, historical and cultural context, and aesthetic valuing. Intermediate and Advanced students demonstrate increased technical ability through the use of traditional and contemporary exercises, steps and combinations of tap. ---This course will address all eight PE content standard areas and will meet all instructional minute requirements in alignment with CDE regulations.
PE Theatre Movement (Beginning & Advanced): Theatre Movement students learn that an actor's training must center around the fact that everything the actor does is seen and interpreted by the audience. Physical movement is central to the actor's expression: in silence or voice, in motion or in stillness. This course will teach stage movement for actors as a skill needed to help create and understand characters for stage. ---This course will address all eight PE content standard areas and will meet all instructional minute requirements in alignment with CDE regulations.