A few program highlights:
Mesa Dance is for everyone. Our Degree and Certificates offer high-level training for those who seek to move beyond - transferring to universities or into professional careers; yet our classes are fun and accessible to ALL movers. Our wide variety of technique offerings have something for every level of dancer and movement to tap into any style.
Each semester we create a fully-produced concert to showcase our dancers, with choreography by our esteemed faculty and by our students. We have even been able to replicate the concert stage online with our digital dance programs. Here is a link to our Fall 2020 Concert: https://youtu.be/Z5qAbkiu4Xo
Our spring stage performance is fully student-choreographed, along with several smaller productions throughout the year. Our courses in Music for Dance, Choreography, and History of Dance prepare dance makers to use their artistic voices for self-expression and movement creation.
Dance is becoming more and more visible on campus with mini performances during Homecoming, Spirit Week, Cultural Unity Week, fashion shows, Welcome to Mesa events, and many others. We love to move and we love to get a crowd going, too!
What to know about our programs and our students?
Mesa Dance offers an AA and Certificates of Achievement in Choreography and Commercial Dance. Our technique courses are divided into four levels so that students can grow and excel and be instructed at their level. We have many students that are training to move into the professional world, but a majority of those in our movement classes are dancing to fulfill Activity Credit for graduation or just to have fun. Dance is a great Activity Credit option for those that are looking for a more artistic approach to action. History of Dance is also a draw for our Mesa student population as a fulfillment for the General Education Area C Humanities.
List of dance class styles: Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Tap, Hip Hop, Pilates, Yoga, Latin Dance, Ballroom Dance, Belly Dance, Choreography, Dance History, Music for Dancers, Movement for Wellness
Special events and/or projects that we offers?
Our semesterly dance performance allows our students to shine. Each semester, nearly 75 students train with choreographers to learn and perfect high-level dance with a culminating performance on the big stage (or the big screen).
Degrees, certificates, and important courses?
Dance AA, Certificate of Achievement in Choreography, Certificate of Achievement in Commercial Dance.
Choreography - Learn to put movement together to share a story or express emotion.
Music for Dance - explore the complex relationship between music and dance.
Dance Movement courses - fulfill Activity Requirement.
History of Dance - fulfills Area C Humanities requirement.
How to be involved with Dance and make the most of movement in our culture?
Dance fulfills requirements for students who may be looking for an alternative way to express themselves. Students do not need any prior experience in dance to try our classes, but those who are looking for high level training will find that, too, in our upper levels. Dance is all around us… in our bodies, in our cultures, in our media, in our history. Our classes can open the minds and movement of any student.
Dance is an academic pursuit. In addition to our lecture courses, dance training provides a myriad of skills to any student: focus, collaboration, perseverance, leadership, cultural awareness, communication, critical thinking, and service skills.
Take note of our semesterly concerts. Mark your own calendar and tell your students to come and be inspired.
Careers in dance are not limited to performer or dance maker or dance teacher. There are infinite areas in which dance training is highly relevant. Theater production design, Fitness, Physical Therapist, Videographer, Public Relations, Politician, Historian… to name just a few.