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Integrity Community Artistry Respect Excellence (I C.A.R.E.)                                                                    Education Equals Options                                                                                                                              Integrity Community Artistry Respect Excellence (I C.A.R.E.)                                                                    Education Equals Options
Dance Department » Dance

Dance

The mission of the Urban Assembly Dance Program is to foster creative and critical thinking in developing artists.  Our purpose is to instill work ethics, responsibility, perseverance, individuality, and training.  We believe these to be the key ingredients to success in any chosen endeavor.   Our four-year sequential curriculum has been developed with a college bound student in mind.

Our Dance Core Curriculum includes ballet and modern dance classes, as well as master classes, arts partnerships, and workshops in other dance forms (tap, jazz, etc.).  In addition to technique classes, the curriculum includes: Dance History, Choreography, Dance Criticism, and Anatomy/Kinesiology.

Students will attend live performances and participate in school productions.
9th Grade
  • Introduction to Modern, Ballet and African technique, with a focus on basic alignment and anatomy and students’ development of kinesiological body awareness.
  • Dance Improvisation and intro to Composition.
  • Introduction to Dance history with focus on 17th c. Court Ballet and early 20th c. Modern Choreographers.
  • Dance analysis as an art form and its relationship with other art forms such as visual art and music.
  • Performance Skills
 
10th Grade
  • Modern, Ballet and African technique with a focus on more advanced applications in the use of weight (fall and recovery) using falls, breath rhythm, turns and elevation with an emphasis on Laban effort qualities in performance.
  • Introduce Dance Composition that focuses on understanding and juxtaposing simple choreographic strategies such us the use of unison and non-unison movements, repetition, canon, ABA form, theme and variation, drama, and emotional sub-text in creating dance studies.
  • Dance History subjects include 20th c modern choreographers 1940 - present
  • Dance analysis as it relates to dance composition, critical observation, discuss and write about dance.
  • Anatomy: full skeletal identification and use of/in dance technique
 
11th Grade
  • Continue to focus on technical skills in the aforementioned genres of dance with increased confidence and skill.
  • Explore concepts for choreography.
  • Explore and create solo or group work independently or with peers, with a clear structure and intent.
  • Create and explore original movements informed by the techniques, genres and styles studied.
  • Understand and juxtapose simple choreographic strategies such us the use of unison and non-unison movements, repetition, canon, ABA form, theme and variation, drama, and emotional sub-text in creating dance studies.
  • In discussion and writing, apply specific terms from the genres studied, and both theatrical and kinesiology terms to describe dance compositions.
 
12th Grade
  • Continue to focus on technical skills in the aforementioned genres of dance with increased confidence and skill.
  • Develop concepts for choreography.
  • Create solo or group work independently or with peers, with a clear structure and intent.
  • Use original movements informed by the techniques, genres and styles studied.
  • Knowledge and ability to juxtapose simple choreographic strategies such us the use of unison and non-unison movements, repetition, canon, ABA form, theme and variation, drama, and emotional sub-text in creating dance studies.
  • In discussion and writing, apply specific terms from the genres studied, and both theatrical and kinesiology terms to describe dance compositions.
  • Direct and choreograph senior dance projects in preparation for Arts Exit Exam and Dance Showcase.
  • Dance History and current events related to dance.
  • Dance analysis as it relates to dance composition