LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

Dear Student and Families,  

Welcome to the Liberty High School Dance Department! Beginning/Intermediate Dance is a new elective course offered in the performing arts curriculum, premiering at Liberty High School for the 2015-16 school year. I am very excited to share a year of dance, and develop our new program with so many students here at LHS. The handbook and a detailed performance calendar will be available to students on August 17, 2015.

This class requires specific attire and supplies. Proper attire aids in learning and performance, and allows the teacher to effectively view alignment. Leotards allow the teacher to see a dancer's body lines. Tights are worn to protect legs from scrapes and burns from shoes and floor work. Tights are also worn as proper dance etiquette. Please check our required dance attire list to see the style of leotards and tights assigned. Specific shoes are also assigned to each style of dance. Please refer to our list to see the specific shoe assigned. Hair must be secured away from the face in either a bun or ponytail, etc. It is recommended that jewelry not be worn in class. Dancers should present themselves in a professional manner at all times to prepare themselves for future auditions and performances. Dancers will also need a dance bag separate from their everyday bag or purse. It should zip and be able to hold; leotards, tights, shoes, hair ties, bobby pins, Band-Aids, water bottle, deodorant, female toiletries, hair spray, and a towel.

Because this is a new elective, there are no scholarships available to assist

students with dance attire and supplies. All dance supplies must be purchased at a dance store. Dance Etc. will serve as Liberty High Schools local retailer. Located at 60 E. Virginia Ave, Vinton, Virginia, 24179. Phone: 540.345.6232 .The owner of Dance Etc. will be providing an evening fitting for all new dance students on August 25, 2015 at 5:00 PM in the Auditorium. Students must have required attire and supplies by Sept. 1, 2015. Please sign and return the student/parent contract by May 28, 2015 to verify commitment and secure the enrollment of your student. All contracts should be returned to Mrs. Shayna Crews in the LHS main office. If your student does not return the contract, his/her name will be removed from the course. Thank You, Shayna Crews (Dance Instructor)

  

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

 2015-2016 Syllabus for: 9321 Beginning/Intermediate Dance – addition (15-16)

9323 Advanced Dance – addition (16-17) 9325 Dance Company – addition (17-18)

Instructor: Shayna Crews M.F.A (Dance) Shenandoah Conservatory

B.F.A. (Dance) Wright State University B.A (Theatre) Lynchburg College

Telephone: 540-586-0346 E-mail: Shayna.Crews@ Bedford.k12.va.us Course Description: I-II Beginning/Intermediate Dance (1 credit) Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 For the beginning or intermediate dance student who has either never taken dance or has taken 1 year of dance. Students will study jazz, modern, ballet, kinesiology, and ideokinesis and learn about career opportunities. Requires purchase of supplies. Provides performance opportunities. III-Dance (Advanced) (1 credit) Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 Prerequisite: Two years in Beginning/Intermediate Dance, outside dance experience with permission of the instructor. For the advanced dance student due to the high level of difficulty. Students will be expected to perform at a high level of technical expertise and quality of movement. Students will study jazz, tap, ballet, kinesiology, ideokinesis, improvisation, composition and learn about career opportunities. Requires purchase of supplies. Performance is required. IV-Dance Company (1 credit each) Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 Prerequisite: Audition and current enrollment in Beginning/Intermediate Dance, Advanced Dance or dance technique courses outside of school. This is the performing dance company of Liberty High School. Students will be required to quickly learn and perform challenging pieces as well as create their own works. They may also be required to purchase supplies. Performance is required. Students in the dance company must take an additional dance class as the dance company class focuses on repertory and not technique.

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

OBJECTIVES

Through moving, discussing, and writing, students will:

• demonstrate an understanding of brain-based developmental movement patterns

(breath, tactile, core-distal, head-tail, upper-lower, body half, cross lateral, vestibular), the elements of dance (place, size, level, direction, pathway, focus, speed, rhythm, energy, weight, flow, balance, shape, relationships), and the recurrence of these elements and patterns in across the realms of science, math, history, language, art, music and theater.

• demonstrate an understanding of dance as a social, cultural, and artistic practice.

• demonstrate critical approach to thinking about dance that reflects contemporaneous

perspectives on the role of movement in global culture and dance history. • demonstrate methods of developing personal RIGOR, understanding the RELEVANCE of

dance in personal experience and intellectual development, and Developing RELATIONSHIPS with those whom we CREATE and SHARE space.

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

Class Participation accounts for 60% of the final grade! Students will receive points each day for DANCING! (See rubric below) The best way to learn to dance is by DANCING! Show up every day with energy AND positivity and you will be amazed at what you can do!!!! Two projects – one PERFORMATIVE and one RESEARCH-BASED over the course of each semester (10% each) account for 20% of the final grade. Semester Exams account for 20% of the final grade. Exams are performativity (demonstration of skill development) and reflective (written responses to material learned) Daily Grade Scale Participation Points Grading Scale

5 = 100 Appropriate dress - 1 pt. A=90-100

4 = 90 On Time to Class - 1pt. B=80-89

3 = 80 Effort and energy - 1 pt. C=70-79

2 = 70 working with peers -1 pt. D=60-69

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

1 = 60 Self-directed/creative - 1 pt. F=0-68

Readings and YOUTUBE Dance Students will read and discuss contemporary writings on dance - including articles and essays from newspapers, dance periodicals and journals, and excerpts from texts YOUTUBE is an incredible resource for dancers. Videos links to a multitude of forms and styles are posted on the website. If a student is absent from class, she/he can view a video on YOUTUBE and share a written response as make-up work for class. YOUTUBE is also an excellent tool for investigating historical dance forms for Dance Research Projects.

CLASS POLICIES

1. NO GUM, FOOD, OR DRINKS IN THE CLASSROOM OR IN THE AUDITORIUM!

2. NO CELL PHONES IN CLASS OR IN THE AUDITORIUM! I WILL TAKE IT AND TURN IT IN TO THE MAIN OFFICE!!!!!

3. Courtesy and a positive attitude are essential to ensure excellence in a production and in the growth of each individual to his or her potential.

4. Students are expected to treat the auditorium, chorus room, dressing rooms, set and any tools or materials with respect.

5. If the student is absent, it is his/her responsibility to make up missed choreography and work.

6. Adhere to the rules set forth in the Student Handbook. 7. Know and act accordingly to all safety rules regarding the auditorium. 8. Participate in performances, since this is a performing arts class. 9. Turn in homework on time. 10. Be present in order to participate/work on the play being produced

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

DANCE CONTENT CURRICULUM SUMMARY

First Nine Weeks: Demonstrating movement elements and skills. 1. Students demonstrate alignment, articulation, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination. 2. Students identify and demonstrate longer and more complex patterns in different genres. 3. Students demonstrate rhythmic acuity. 4. Students create and perform combinations and variations in a broad dynamic range. 5. Students demonstrate projection while performing dance skills. 6. Students demonstrate the ability to remember extended movement sequences. 7. Students demonstrate a high level consistency and reliability. 8. Students perform technical skills with artistic expression, clarity, musicality, and style. 9. Students refine technique through self-evaluation and self-correction. Second Nine Weeks: Choreographic principles, processes, and structures. 1. Students use improvisation to generate movement for choreography. 2. Students demonstrate understanding of structure and form through movement exploration. 3. Students create solo, duet, trio demonstrating process, structure and form. 4. Students demonstrate aesthetic unity and coherence in composing dances. 5. Students participate in viewing and discussing the works in progress of their peers. 6. Students participate in each other’s work and collaborate in group works. 7. Students consider location, genre, environment, mood, tone, intent in creating. 8. Students view the work of dance artists in diverse genres – hip-hop/modern/ballet/fusion. 9. Students consider dance and agency from the perspectives of gender, race, and culture. Third Nine Weeks: Creating and communicating meaning; critical and creative thinking. 1. Students formulate and answer questions about how movement choices communicate ideas. 2. Students demonstrate understanding of the individuated subjectivity of the viewer. 3. Students create a dance intended to comment on a contemporary social theme. 4. Students listen to the perspectives of multiple viewers in a dance. 5. Students edit/revise a previously created work. 6. Students develop aesthetic criteria in viewing dance. 7. Students formulate their own questions about dance. 8. Students write about dance in a language reflecting these questions/aesthetics. 9. Students research dance artists of various backgrounds and historical periods. Fourth Nine Weeks: Demonstrating and understanding dance in culture, history, and self. 1. Students perform and describe similarities and differences in theatrical dance forms. 2. Students explore the tradition of a classical dance form: ballet or modern. 3. Students create and research questions about dance and dancers prior to the 21st century. 4. Students observe and comment on representations of dance/race/gender/culture in media. 5. Students create timelines of dance/dancers in social/historical/political/cultural context. 6. Students connect dance with personal development by reflecting on progress and growth. 7. Students connect dance with another discipline in a collaborative process. 8. Students demonstrate the use of technology to enhance a collaborative project. 9. Students produce a performative/informative concert of collaborative work.

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

GENERAL PRICE LIST FOR ITEMS AT DANCE ETC. REQUIRED DANCE ATTIRE Female required uniform for beginning students Black Leotard (to start with) Royal Blue Leotard for Performance Pink Convertible Tights Black Jazz Pants or Black dance leggings Pink Ballet shoes Dance Bag Hair in bun or tight pony tail Male required uniform for beginning students White T-shirt Black Jazz Dance Pants Black Ballet shoes Compression shorts Item Color Retail without Sales

Tax Female Attire

Curtain Call Tank Leotard Royal, Black $24.97 Capezio Convertible Pink Tights Ballet Pink $15.17 Curtain Call Dance Pant Black $29.97 Body Wrappers Dance Legging Black $26.97 Sansha Canvas Split Sole Ballet Shoe Pink $17.97 Hair Elastics: Blonde, Brown, Black Hairpins: Blonde, Brown, Black Hair Nets: Blonde, Brown, Black Bun Maker: Blonde, Brown, Black

$2.97 $2.97 $2.97 $6.97-8.97

Male Attire

Body Wrappers Dance Pant Black $29.97 Body Wrappers Dance Shirt White or Black $26.97 Sansha Canvas Split Sole Ballet Shoe Black $17.97 *Intermediate dancers who take dance privately will be required to purchase Royal Blue and Black Tank leotards, jazz pants or dance leggings, Sansha Canvas split sole ballet shoes.

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

2015 – 2016

Dance Class Contract

I, _______________________________, and my student, ________________________________ have     (Print parents name)        (Print students name)  

 read the required dance attire form for course:  9321 Beginning/Intermediate Dance. I fully understand that my student must have the required uniform and supplies in order to remain enrolled in the course, and be required to purchase dance attire to participate in the class.   

   

  Student Signature_______________________________Date:____________________________ 

 

Parent Signature________________________________Date:____________________________ 

 

Parent Email (print clearly)_____________________________@________________________ 

 

Parent Phone (h) ____________________ (w) ____________________Cell_________________ 

 

 

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

Return this contract by: May 28, 2015  

Failure to do so will RESULT in removal from the class.